This past weekend, I told the people in the pews that they should keep their eyes peeled if they are in the neighbourhood during the week. Yesterday morning, the first installment of the steel reinforcements arrived.
Each piece of steel has to be hoisted into place via a crane-like lift.
According to the engineering specifications, a series of steel reinforcements and ring beams have been fabricated and will be installed within each of the two towers. This is being done in order to stabilize the various floors and membranes at different levels of the towers, and to allow for even distribution of stress which has previously been responsible for cracking in the bricks and the mortar.
By the time this installation is complete, there will be a total of two steel ring beams in each tower, located just below each of the two floors in the upper towers, and a third ring beam in each tower, just below the roof lines. There will also be a series of X-beams installed in each of the towers at the level of the bell in order to guard against any further warping of the structure at that level.
In addition, there will be two access ladders, including steel cages which will surround each of the ladders. This is a matter of building codes and security for anyone who may have to climb to the upper reaches of the towers.
At least one onlooker commented that with all this steel added to the interior of each tower, we should theoretically be able to add another 40 feet to the height (if we so desired) with no worry about the structure ever falling over.
Each piece of steel has to be hoisted into place via a crane-like lift.
According to the engineering specifications, a series of steel reinforcements and ring beams have been fabricated and will be installed within each of the two towers. This is being done in order to stabilize the various floors and membranes at different levels of the towers, and to allow for even distribution of stress which has previously been responsible for cracking in the bricks and the mortar.
By the time this installation is complete, there will be a total of two steel ring beams in each tower, located just below each of the two floors in the upper towers, and a third ring beam in each tower, just below the roof lines. There will also be a series of X-beams installed in each of the towers at the level of the bell in order to guard against any further warping of the structure at that level.
In addition, there will be two access ladders, including steel cages which will surround each of the ladders. This is a matter of building codes and security for anyone who may have to climb to the upper reaches of the towers.
At least one onlooker commented that with all this steel added to the interior of each tower, we should theoretically be able to add another 40 feet to the height (if we so desired) with no worry about the structure ever falling over.
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