The overhead girders "B" were then put in place, and two of the girders "C" were used as temporary shoring girders at each column. These, as shown by [Fig. 3, Plate XLVII], were placed parallel to the elevated railway, with blocking between them and the girders "B." Double bents, independent of each other, were placed under the ends of these temporary shoring girders, and these were braced securely to prevent possible dislodgment during the removal of the rock. The weight of the structure was then taken by jacking up the girders near the bents until the column was lifted off the old foundation; blocking was put in between the girders and the bents during the jacking, so that when the jacks were released the base of the column was still clear of the old foundation. One 80-ton jack was used for this purpose, and the general method is shown by [Fig. 1, Plate LII].
Fig. 4. (full page image)
METHOD OF EXCAVATING NINTH AVENUE PLAN AND ELEVATION SHOWING VARIOUS STAGES OF THE WORK
Fig. 5. (full page image)
METHOD OF EXCAVATING NINTH AVENUE SECTIONS SHOWING VARIOUS STAGES OF WORK
Temporary raker braces were placed against the structure to prevent lateral movement. Four sets of these temporary shoring girders were used in this manner, two sets starting at the north end and two sets at about the middle of the work, and these sets were moved south as they were released.
The columns being thus supported on temporary shoring girders, the old foundations were removed and the excavation was taken down to a level about 16 ft. below the surface.
Two sets of three of the girders "C" were then put in place under the avenue at each column, each set being placed on four concrete piers 6 ft. square with spaces of 4 ft. between them, so that the outside of the outside pier would be 18 ft. from the center of the avenue and 32 ft. from the house line. This is shown on [Fig. 5] and on [Fig. 3, Plate XLVII]. Four small piers were used, as they could be more easily removed than one continuous pier. The girders "C" were set to line and grade, and the piers were built under them, great care being taken to get the concrete well under the girders so as to give a firm bearing.
After these girders "C" were in place it was necessary to remove the temporary shoring girders before the bents could be erected on girders "C" to support girders "B," being in the same plane; and provision had to be made to support the structure while this was being done. Therefore, double bents were erected directly beneath the columns, as shown by [Figs. 2], [4], and [5], and by [Fig. 3, Plate XLVII]. These were built with their sills resting on the girders "C," and blocking was put in between the sills and the rock to carry the full weight of the structure. Later, when the weight of the structure was carried on the permanent bents, this blocking was knocked out, but the bents were left in to carry the weight of the column itself, which was swinging more or less from the structure above. The weight of the structure was placed on these bents directly beneath the columns by jacking up the temporary girders again, putting blocking between the bents and the base of the columns, and taking out the blocking which had been put in previously under the temporary shoring girders. The 24-in. water main was carried over the excavation on cables from the temporary shoring girders, except when they were being jacked up, at which time posts were placed beneath it.
Anchor-bolts were put in place between the column bases and the bents directly beneath, in order to increase the lateral stiffness, and raker braces were also used. This having been done, the temporary shoring girders were moved south to the next column, where the process was repeated. The timber bents, shown in detail by [Fig. 2], were then put in place as shown by [Figs. 4] and [5], and by [Fig. 3, Plate XLVII]. These bents were framed as tightly as possible, using generally a 20-ton jack, and they were erected simultaneously at each pair of columns. The weight was taken on these columns by jacking up directly beneath the column base and taking out the blocking between this base and the bent directly beneath the column. On releasing the jack the weight was transferred to the permanent timber bents, and the east and west columns of each pair were transferred on the same day. One 80-ton jack was used on the easterly columns and two were necessary on the westerly columns, one on each side of the 24-in. water main. The raker braces of these permanent bents were not framed as tightly as the main posts, in order that the main post should carry the entire weight and the raker braces merely steady the structure.