« Dear John, | Main | Solutions to kidnapped children in Africa »
May 12, 2014
Washington Monument reopens after three years.
When the earthquake struck, it whipsawed the obelisk, showering debris on the tourists climbing its vertiginous heights.... It required 2.7 miles of new sealant between stones, and 53 stainless steel “saddle anchors” to bolt in place slabs on the monument’s slanted pyramidion in case of another earthquake.The History Blog
Posted by gerardvanderleun at May 12, 2014 7:02 AM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.
Your Say
"vertiginous"? Really?
*sigh* OK, whatever....
"Saddle" fasteners? Really?
What a great "new" idea for monuments expected to outlast the civilization that erected them.(at great treasury expense) Low carbon steel,right?
Saaaay...where were those "fasteners" cast/manufactured anyway?
Posted by: CaptDMO at May 12, 2014 7:22 AM
"..it whipsawed the obelisk."
Who, exactly, is expected to envision the "whip saw" phenomenon these days?
The percentage of "modern" folks that have ever actually used a one, or two man buck saw, or hand rip, or crosscut saw for that matter, is,...?
And no, "Tiller man" has nothing to do with the guy at the back of the sailboat, or behind a horse drawn plow.
(just showing off, yes I'm THAT old)
Posted by: CaptDMO at May 12, 2014 7:34 AM
"...36,000 stone blocks..."
=========
Nope.
That is *veneer*, look at the corners, notice how thin the stone is?
This is the 3rd year in a row that I have been working on large scale stone architecture projects.
I know this stuff.
Current project: Illinois Dept of Transportation.
Last project: Lake Gage Residence, Phase III, with 400 tons of stone so far, 2 more phases to go.
Saddle anchors? Please.
At best this is misappropriation of terminology.
At worst it's a dumb ass talking about stuff they have no business talking about.
Posted by: ghostsniper at May 12, 2014 4:35 PM
Wow, you guys know a lot of stuff. And me, just a lowly Diagnostic Electrician, retired at that.
What's this I read about Laus Deo on a plaque somewhere on the top of the monument?
Posted by: chasmatic at May 13, 2014 12:06 AM
Y'all know the Washington Monument is capped with a small pyramid cast in aluminum? At that point in time, aluminum was very valuable because of the difficult in refining. So much so as to be similar to gold and platinum today.
Posted by: tomw at May 13, 2014 11:25 AM