Published Resources Details

Conference Paper

Author
Jordan, Bill; Mullard, John; Allen, Clive
Title
Mediaeval vaults show the way to conserving a 19th century reservoir roof
In
From the Past to the Future: 18th Australian Engineering Heritage Conference 2015 [Newcastle]
Imprint
Engineers Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2015, pp. 89-96
ISBN/ISSN
9781922107435
Url
https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.696616393874796
Abstract

The first Newcastle water supply scheme was designed by English engineer William Clark who had a distinguished career in Britain and India before being appointed by the NSW colonial government in 1876 to advise on various water supply schemes in NSW, including Newcastle. As part of the Newcastle scheme he included two large covered reservoirs which were roofed with brick barrel vaults supported on cast iron beams: Clark is credited with the development of the tied brick arch which was the structural form used for the reservoirs.

The authors were appointed to analyse the roof of one of the reservoirs, located in the middle of Newcastle, so that it could be opened to the public. The cast iron beams, on early analysis, appeared to be understrength and would have required strengthening to meet the requirements of the reservoir owners, the Hunter Water Corporation. Design had progressed for carbon fibre strengthening, considered to have least effect on the heritage significance, when a different analysis approach was considered, based on the work undertaken by Cambridge Professor Jacques Heyman on mediaeval stone vaults.

The analysis method using the quadripartite vault form allowed the roof to be certified under current Codes, so justifying the observation that something must have allowed it to survive for 130 years, including withstanding actions from two earthquakes.

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