Title: Fire Damage To General Mills Building And Its Repair

Author(s): J. Fruchtbaum

Publication: Journal Proceedings

Volume: 37

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 201-252

Keywords: none

DOI: 10.14359/8551

Date: 1/1/1941

Abstract:
Repair of the General Mills building at Buffalo N. Y. after the fire of February 15, 1940, presented many unusual problems - replacing large areas en- closed on all sides by portions of the building re- maintng intact. This problem was further complicated due to the number of floors involved. Literature on repairs of a fire damaged job is lacking in specific detail. The effect of heat on the strength of concrete and steel has received little attention and the avail- able information was insufficient to permit a deter- mination of what should or should not be replaced in border line cases. The engineer in charge of this work conducted the necessary tests even to cutting and measuring carrying capacity of columns involved. A complete program, based on these data was evolved. Unusual details were designed and detailed for all the complicated cases that a flat slab presents. The repairs were made on schedule. Careful records were kept of the progress and costs. Check tests of loading and deflections on repaired panels were made. All of this information is presented in this paper.