Hughes Buildings Auburn Street Manchester

This warehouse, which has just been completed for Messrs Alfred Hughes and Co Ltd., stands on the site of the structure which was destroyed by fire in June, 1911. The new building, shown in the photograph (Fig. 1) has brick enclosure walls, the piers of which are to some extent employed to assist in carrying the floor loads. That these loads are considerable will be appreciated from the fact that the building contains a basement and seven stories. The reinforced work embodies some substantial constructions and interesting detail. The plan of the reinforced work on the ground floor is shown on tlie basement plan (Fig. 2), and this arrangement of beams and columns has been followed with slight variation on all the floors. From this plan it will be seen that a series of reinforced columns are disposed throughout the interior of the building, whilst smaller columns are placed in the area of the brick piers in the external walls. These piers support the load from some of the beams, the small columns being employed to support part and reduce the load on the brickwork to the necessary margin of safety. It should be noted in all such cases when a series of loads are taken up in a vertical line, and divided between two forms of support, such as in this case, a brick pier and reinforced columns. Definite loads. should be allocated to each of the supporting agents, which should be kept entirely separated from each other in the construction by employing a straight joint or other effective means of separation. The neglect of this precaution where materials of varying elasticity are employed will probably result in the member containing the more rigid elements ultimately acquiring the whole of load, with detrimental consequences to the building. The beams are disposed somewhat on the usual lines of main and subsidiary beams. A typical example of beams used is that shown in detail at Fig. 3. This beam is on the fourth floor in the position marked "A" on the plan. Fig. 2. It runs between the external wall with two intermediate column supports and effective spans varying from 14 feet. to 17feet 7.5 inches. The beam is 13in. deep, 9in. wide, with two stout tension rods hipped over the columns, and similar continuation tension rods in upper part above the columns (Fig. 4) is an enlarged section of the beam showing the linked hangers. Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the cross beams running into the beam " A " (Fig. 3). A typical piece of construction, generally applicable to the whole of these beams are the bent and linked rods at the end, and a special detail (Fig. 6)  is shown of the joint at "B." which occurs in the soffit of the arch. It will be seen that the whole of this piece of construction is tied by a system of three bent rods, a method at once simple and effective.

The columns contain some unusual features of construction. One which particularly merits observation is the detail shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10. It will be seen from the drawings that the ordinary square reinforced columns increase in area to 22inches square on the ground floor, and is converted into a composite construction in the basement embodying a thick metal core inserted in the centre, with a small annular space filled with fine concrete, and a square concrete casing reinforced with four rods at the angles. The manner in which the rods are lapped and forked at the intersection, and the continuity rods shown at "C," in Fig. 7. The foundation for these columns is also interesting, as it embodies the brickfoundations of the original building, around which is constructed a concrete block, with a reinforcement of rods laid in the form of a frame. A reinforced template 9 inches thick and 25 square feet in area, reinforced with a close lattice of rods, distributes the load from the shaft over a sufficient area of the reinforced foundation, whilst the area of the foundation on the substrata is 64 superficial feet.

Other details calling for special comment are the staircase and roof. A plan of the former is shown in Fig. 11, from which it will be seen that the stairway surrounds a square lift‑well. Figs. 12 and 13 show the construction of the flights, with 6 inch. projecting strings. Each tread has two rods in the reinforcement, whilst either one or two longitudinal rods are provided in the strings, according to the position. Fig. 14 shows the linking‑in arrangements for these rods, and also the manner in which some of the flights arc suspended from the floors. The suspension rods are bent at the upper ends into the floors and carried in the form of loops below the lower rods of the strings, forming a simple and ingenious piece of construction.

Some of the roof construction is illustrated in Figs. 15 to 22. Figs. 15 and 16 are a general plan and elevation of the dormers. Fig. 17 shows the manner in which the 9in. by 6in. concrete sill is linked up with the floor below. Four rods linked together constitute the reinforcement of the sill. The slope is constructed upon an open lattice of rods well tied into the floor, and the whole is supported upon four round rods, shown at " A," Fig. 17. The head (Fig. 20) is provided with one stout rod, on to which the rods of the kerb are linked.

The details. Figs. 21 and 22. illustrate the junction of the floor‑beams and roof‑principals, the former being the intersection at the top story, half‑way up the slope, and the latter occurring at the story below, at the base of the slope. A very sound and well‑tied piece of construction is secured in these joints, by the employment of cranked rods.

The building is one of the highest warehouses erected in England in reinforced concrete, which was designed by Mr. E. P. Wells, consulting engineer to Messrs. Stuart's Granolithic Co. Ltd., the contractors, who are to be congratulated on the execution of a satisfactory piece of work, embodying many successful innovations in detail from the stereotyped forms of construction. [Building News 22 August 1913 Page 246-247]

Reference           Building News 22 August 1913 Page 246-247