In ground too soft to support the brickwork directly a cradle is prepared by placing profiles in position in the sewer and nailing 2–inch planks to these profiles, first firmly tamping earth under the planks. The bricks are laid in this cradle in a manner similar to that explained for sewers with a firm foundation. In still softer ground it may be necessary to construct a concrete cradle to support the bricks.
184. The Arch.—The arch centering consists of a wooden form made up of wooden ribs as shown in Fig. 127. The center conforms to the shape of the inside of the arch with allowance for the thickness of the lagging. The lagging is nailed on the ribs in straight strips parallel to the axis of the sewer. The center is supported on triangular struts resting against the sides and on the bottom of the sewer and is lifted into position by wedges driven between it and the support. The centers may be placed immediately after the completion of the invert, or a day or two may be allowed to pass to give the invert an opportunity to set. After the centers are fixed in place the arch brick are carried up evenly on each side and are pounded firmly into place. The center is usually, but not always “struck” immediately, and the arch brick are cleaned and pointed up from the inside. The outside is covered with a layer of ¼ to ¾ of an inch of cement mortar and may be backfilled to the top of the arch in order to maintain the moisture of the mortar during setting and to press the bricks of the arch together firmly. The centers are sometimes made collapsible so that they can be carried or rolled through the finished brickwork to the advanced position. In “striking” the centers the wedges are removed and the wings folded in.
Fig. 127.—Centering for Brick Sewer.
In tunneling, the invert of the sewer is constructed in the same fashion as for open cut work. The arch centering is made in short sections and the bricks are put in position by reaching in over the end of the centering. All of the timbering of the tunnel is removed except the poling boards or lagging against which the bricks or mortar are tightly pressed, the boards being bricked in permanently.
185. Block Sewers.—Sewers made of unit blocks of concrete or vitrified clay are constructed in a similar manner to brick sewers. Fig. 128 shows the construction of a block sewer at Clinton, Iowa. In this sewer there are two rings; an inside one of solid blocks and an outside one of hollow blocks. Block sewers do not demand the skill in construction that is demanded by brick sewers, as the blocks are so cast that the joints are radial, whereas only experienced masons can lay bricks radially.
Fig. 128.—Segmental Block Sewer at Clinton, Iowa.
186. Organization.—The number of men employed on a brick or block sewer is proportioned according to the size of the sewer and the working conditions. The number of men working on different tasks usually bears the same ratio to the number of masons employed, regardless of the size of the work. These proportions are shown for different jobs, in Table 66.
| TABLE 66 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organizations for the Construction of Brick and Block Sewers | ||||||
| Type of Work | General Ratio on Basis of Four Brick Layers | 15–foot, 5–ring Brick, Chicago | 66–inch Circular Brick, Gary | 84–inch Circular Brick, Gary | 84– to 108–inch Sewer Brick in Detroit Tunnel | 42–inch Lock-Joint Tile Block |
| Foreman | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Brick layers | 4 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| Helpers | 2 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| Scaffold men | 2 | 21 | 3 | |||
| Brick tossers | 2 | 7 | 15 | 2 | ||
| Brick carriers | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Cement mixers | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | |
| Cement carriers | 2 | 10 | 8 | |||
| Form setters | 1 | 3 | 3 | |||
| Laborers | 1 | 8 | 19 | 3 | 14 | 7 |
| Source of Information | Municipal Engineering, Vol. 54, p. 228 | H. P. Gillette, Handbook of Cost Data | ||||