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Engineering and Construction, 1964-01
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The Division of Building Research - its role in construction
Legget, R. F.
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Nerorual Reseencn Couttctl
CANADA
D I V I S I O N O F B U I L D I N G R E S E A R C H
THE DIVISION
OF BUILDING
RESEARCH
- ITS ROLE
IN CONSTRUCTION
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BY
ROBERT
F. LEGGET
D r R E c r o R . o e n / x a cA N A L Y Z E D
R E P R I N T E D W I T H P E R M ] S S I O N F R O M T H E D A I L Y C O M M E R C I A L N E W S M A G A Z I N E . . E N G I N E E R ] N G A N D C O N S T R U C T I O N . , ' R E V I E W A N D F O R E C A S T I S S U E J A N U A R Y I 9 6 4 T E C H N I C A L P A P E R N O . I 7 4 O F T H ED I V I S I O N O F B U I L D I N G R E S E A R C H
M A R c H l e d 4
A P R t
N R C 7 4 6 6 P R I C E I O C E N T S371s6a//
This publication ie being digtrlbuted by rhe Diviaion of Build. ing Reeearch of the National Regeareh Council. It ghould not be reproduced in whole or in part, without permleaion of the original publieher. The Diviaion would be glad to be of asristance in obtaining sueh perrniosion.
Publicatione of the Divielon of Building Research may be obtained by mailing the appropriate remittanee, (a Bank, Ex. ptesa, or Post Ofrce Money Order or a chegue made payable at par in Ottawa, to the Reeeiver General of Canada, eredit Natlonal Research Council) to the National Reeeereh Couneil, Ottawa. Stampa are not aceeptable.
A coupon ryrlem has been introduced to make paymenta for publicationa relatively simple. Coupone are available in denomi-nations of 5,,25, and 5O eentr, and may be obtained by making a remittanee as indicated above. These coupono may be ueed for the purchaee of all National Reeeareh Council publlcations in-eluding speeifieations of the Canadian Government Specifica-tione Board.
Editoriol
This editorial appeared in the Review and Forecast issue, January 7964, of the Daily Commercial News magazine, which published answers by R. F. Legget to queStions from the construction industry regarding the f u n c t i o n s o f t h e D i v i s i o n o f B u i l d i n g R e s e a r c h , N R C '
Resolve, For The NewYearo
To IJse The Services You Bty
An orticle elsewhere
in this issue (Government
Sponsored
Reseorch
in Conodo,
Poge 53) seryes
to point out just how much help is ovoiloble
to the construction
ond other industries
if we only know the right ploce to go for informotion.
ln the orticle in question,
Dr. Robert F. Legget set out to onswer
questions
on
reseorch
conducted
by the NRC's Division
of Building Reseorch
of which he is
the director.
To him, one of the surprising
focts to emerge
is thot the construction
industry
(in its broodest
sense)
reolly does not know iust whot does 90 on ot
the DBR, whot it is reseorching
ond why it does not probe into other - often
c o m m e r c i o l
To us,
one of the most
surprising
focts is thot onyone
ossocioted
with the construction
industry
could possibly
consider,
for exomple,
the future of the cool industry in
Conodo
os o pertinent
question
to pose
to the heod
of our bullding
reseorch
division.
Not thot we wish to single out ony single person
or ony one question,
but this
porticulor query just obout sums up some of the wild ideos some of us hove
obout o deportment
thot is supported
by our money to serve, omong other
things, our industry.
Not only thot, but we seem to hove precious
little ideo where we con find out
obout reseorch
into motters thot ore not the concern
of DBR.
It would not be so surprising
if those polled to pose guestions
for Dr. Legget
were picked higgledy-piggledy
out of o telephone
book or from o compilotion
of smoll businessmen
in the industry.
But in truth, the list wos hond-picked
ond
consisted
moinly of prominent
ond respected
outhoilties
in vorious
fields. lt wos
considered
thot o sound knowledge
of reseorch
oreos ond technicol development
wos germone to success.
With the stort of o new yeor might it not be o good ideo to indulge in o little
self onolysis?
Do ony of us know os much os we should - or even os much
os we think we do - obout our industry?
Certoinly,
it is obvious
from the questions
osked of Dr. Legget thot ignoronce
of the reseorch
moteriol ond focilities in
Conodo
is not confined
to o smoll group, but is widespreod.
It is iust os certoin thot the moteriol ovoiloble
from such bodies
os the, Division
of Building Reseorch
con be of benefit to olmost every comPony
dependent
on
the construction
industry
for its livelihood.
We wouldn't buy o bulldozer
ond then leove it to rust. Why then do we ignore
sources
of voluoble informotion
which ore "buying"? For be it the NRC/DBR
or on ossociotion's
reseorch
focilities,
it is our money
thot enoble
them to function.
Legget answers readers' questions, tells us what is and is not
the function of the Division of Building Research, NRC.
"I am surprised, almost to the point of embarrassment, at the vast fund of knowledge that questioners as-sume to be in DBR/NRC" said Robert F. Legget, the chief of the Division after examining the ques-tions assembled for this report.
Before turning to detailed an-swers, he offered another general impression:
"I am equally disturbed to think how poor a job we have done, even with the assistance of our good friends in the press, in publicizing what DBR is, and what it is sup-posed to do."
The questions range wide and deep, all the way from a request for DBR opinion on what is the basic cause of failures in engineer-ing works in Canada, to detailed queries about reinforcing steel; and from a request for discussion of the Canadian coal industry's future to one asking for a review of the prospects for future construction practice.
Coal llot Our Burinelr
Said Dr. Legget: "The future of the coal industry is naturally some-thing upon which we cannot prop-erly comment. This lies within the purview of the Dominion C o a I Board.
"In all our work we are attempt-ing not to duplicate the work of other agencies . we would refer any such question to the officers of the CoaI Board."
On design features of multi-storey concrete buildings, the de-t a i l e d q u e s de-t i o n s r a i s e d b y o n e respondent "are exactly the type of question about which we must be extremely careful. From the very start of our work we have always tried to act in the capacity of consultants to consultants -either engineers or architects. We have been particularly careful not to trespass on the legitimate fields of private consultants.
"Despite this, an official com-plaint was lodged with the Na-tional Research Council some time ago by a representatlve of a group of consulting engineers suggestlng that we were interfering with their legitimate practice.
"The case that was raised was an unfortunate one for the com-plainant since we were making a special study at the specific request of a close associate with a well-kn own consulting engineering firm."
He said this incident illustrates "why I must ask to be excused from answering these questions about building design, since I do not know whether they come from a consulting engineer or not." (An-onymity of questioners was preserv-ed in relaying the queries to DBR -ED.)
Apparent Fallure In Connunicating Our failure to communicate with the industry is very evident from many of the questions raised.
"One questioner states th a t 'since the end of World War fI the quality of building techniques
in the far north appears to be relatlvely static.' "T'lris statement I am completely unable to under-stand. Either the informatlon that we have been producing for the last 10 years fails completely ln lts lntended purpose, or else those who submitted questions ln this study are all so busy with their normal work that they do not have time to do any technical readlng at all. "Construction techniques in the north have changed radlcally since the end of the war and since 1950 we have had a srnall group actively engaged on northern construction problems. We have our own small research station at Norman Wells for northern studies.
"We have produced a 25-minute color-sound film on'Building in the North' which has been shown in all parts of Canada and the U.S. A copy of the film is at present in the USSR, in keeping with our ex-change of information with Soviet authorities.
"We have a long list of publica-tions on northern building, ranging all the way from a small pocket pamphlet on 'Permafrost' to quite detailed research papers, but in-cluding many publications of use With the consent and co-operation of Robert F.'Legget, Dlrector, the Division of Building Research, National Research Councll, Ottawa, The Daily Commercial News magazine "ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION" invtted readers in the construction industry's management and professional ranks, and others in academic and governments posts, to present construction research questions for Dr. Legget's scrutiny.
Received, assembled and relayed to him for discussion were some 80 resulting questions in speclfic research areas and on technical problems in construction. He ioins Daily Commercial News in thanking the contributors and on the following pages attempts answers on many of the points raised.
To Dr. Legget's remarks, glven here in an exclusive inter-view, the editors would add that where answers are negative or partial, they serve to indicate automatically areas where other agencies and private research must hold or share responslbility.
to the designer and contractor -in particular our lengthy report on 'Building in the North'by H. Brian Dickens and myselt.
"It would not be appropriate to go into any detail here on what is now being done in the north, but I have probably said enough to show why I am so disturbed at this apparent breakdown in communi-cation. I say this since we have been criticized for spending too much of our effort on northern problems even though we have at present only three members of staff engaged full time in this branch of our work.
"Perhaps one result of this study might be some suggestions on how we may improve our lines of com-munication with the industry that we serve."
lnlormation lfiailed By Requert "We have deliberately not ,flood-ed the country' with paper. tsut we have carefully built up a mailing list by request. This now numbers about 7,000 in Canada.
"Everyone on the list receives regular advice about our new pub-lications when they are issued and can apply for them if he wishes to receive copies.
" Th e Canadian Construction Association, National House Build-ers Association, The Royal Archi-tectural Institute of Canada and Central Mortgage & Housing Cor-poration regularly send advice to all their members or to those on their mailing Iists about our work and new publications.
"In addition, the technical press of Canada has been unusually co-operative in publishing almost all the press releases that we issue.
"I am really at a loss to know what more we can do."
Not A ferting Agency
"Many of the questions of your respondents relate to testing. May I make very clear that DBR/NRC is not a testing agency.
"From the very start of our work we have directed all such enquiries
(with a few specialized exceptions) to the regular commercial testing laboratories. We have gone so far as to prepare a directory of such l a b o r a t o r i e s w h i c h w e s e n d i n answer to all questions about rou-tine testing."
The few exceptions mentioned are those f6r which ['BR,/NRC has the only available equipment ln Can-ada. Ttris equipment is in its flre research laboratory, in its
acous-tical research laboratory, and that for some special private testing for CMHC.
Said Dr. Legget: ,,We are glad to make these special facilities avail-able on an indlvidual basis for fire tests and acoustical tests. But these are such speclblist flelds that we can say that, in general, we do not carry out the testing of con-struction materials.
"However, we have been doing a good deal of special test work in recent years in connection with double-glazed windows and differ-ent types of curtain wall in view of the remarkable developments in the manufacture of such eompon-ents in Canada. Future develop-ment is under review.
"DBR/NRC does not undertake the 'testing of new construction materials and their advertised cap-abilities.' This is not the function of the National Research Council.
"The only servlce approaching this is the Acceptance Ltst pub-Iished by Central Mortgage & Hous-ing Corporation. As is well known, the Division assists the ,Corporation with the assessment of new ma-terials, etc., for which standard test methods do not exist."
(o-operation With 0ther
In reply to a question abou['the confusion that exists in building research carried out by universities, provincial governments, govern-ment research foundations, other corporations and NRC', Dr. Iegget had this to say:
"Our relation with the manu-facturing part of the construction industry are very close and we, from our side, value htghly this re-latlonship. If an industry has a special piece of research which can be carried out only wlth the facll-ities of DBR/NRC. and if it relates to our over-all program of work, we do our best to flt it in. We carrled out quite a number of investl-gations of this type, with the manufacturer paying costs, plus our wual overhead in ordinary circumstances.
"We have been glad to consult with some industries about thelr own research programs and to assist with the plannlng and design of one or two research laboratories being developed by large manufac-t u r e r s s u p p l y i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n materials.
"Thls is in line wtth the very close liaison that exists between all the research agencies ln
Can-ada that have any contact wlth construction research.
, "Thls liaison is one of the most satisfying aspects of our work.
"There is no unnecessary dupli-cation in building research any-where in Canada. Rather there is the closest co-operation."
Intercrt ln Gncrete fcchnology Well over half, or about 30 of the more specific technical ques-tions raised by respondents in this study, dealt with concrete tech-nology. This proportion of interest in concrete, and in particular the number seeking answers on ordin-ary good practice in the use of concrete, and not relating specific-ally to research, surprised Dr. Legget.
"I have only a very indirect answer to the 30 specific questions on concrete technology. If I at-tempted to give technical answers to even one or two of these I would need several pages of the maga-z i n e . A c o m p l e t e a n s w e r would really fill the whole of it."
Remarking that the total staff of DBR/NRC now numbers 210, and that this is a decrease from DBR's 220 in July, lg62 due to the auster-ity program imposed upon the public service by the government at that time, Dr. Legget said DBR, is slowly building up its staff again but is "still a long way from the total 250 which we had expected to have at this date. Our ultimate development contemplates a total staff not exceeding 275.
"This staff is to serve the entire needs of the eonstruction industry of Canada and the staffing of the Building Research Centre in Ottawa and Regional Stations in llalifax, Saskatoon and Vancouver. The figure happens to be almost exacily the same as the total staff of the Portland Cement Association labor-atories at Skokie, Illinois, which are devoted entirely to cement and concrete research.
"The number of staff that we have engaged on cement and con-crete research is very small indeed, relatively speaking, so that we must concentrate on those special con-crete problems that arise under Canadian conditions, leaving more general work to such concrete establishments as the PCA labor-atories, with all of which we keep in the closest touch by written communications and regular inter-change of visits."
"TVe have developed slmilar per-sonal links with every other
build-ing research station known to us throughout the world on both sldes of the lron Curtain. Ttris ls qulte essential. We must all share lntor-mation about our respectlve pro-grams in view of the vast field to be covered in each country.
"These personal links which have been developed by Dr. Hutcheon, our Assistgnt Director, and myself
are now being formallzed through what wlll be a contlnuing exchange of information among praetically all buildlng research stations throughout the world organized through CIB (Conseil International du Batiment pour la Recherche I'etude et la Documentation) of which DBRINRC are charter mem-bers and on the Executive of whlch it is my privilege to serve.
Answering specific questions
In answer to other questions in specific areas Dr. Legget had this to say:
MODULAB COORDINATION
"DBR, intends to continue its active work in modular coordination and particularly on research aspects. Since the use of this essential aspect of building design must be promoted by those responsible for design or products, the Division asked the Can-'adian
Joint Committe on Construction Materials if it would take over the work of further publicizing and promoting'modular'in Canada, but with the promise of full and continued support. We continue to believe that the wide adoption of modular coordination in design offers real and significant prospects for in-creased efficiency in Canadian building."
BAIE COMEAU BREAKWATER
"The hydraulic research upon which this new design was based was carried out within NRC's Division of Mechanical Engineering in which all hydraulic research is conducted. DBR, co-operated wtth col-leagues in this other Division and with the Department of Public Works on some aspectes of design but more particularly in a field study of the actual stresses being developed in the structure now in place by wave action. One of the cribs at ,Baie Comeau has been carefully instrumented. The strain measuring devices are working well, with readings taten rigulbrly at times of probable bad storms."
R,OOFING
"For some time the Division has had one of its senior staff spending almost all of his time on a field study of roofing problems, particularly those on flat roofs. He works very closely with the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association. He has studied roofing instal-Iations coast to coast and has already produced a number of useful publications. This supplements the laboratory work on the properties of asphalts and
other roofing materials that has been in progress for five or slx years as a part of the Building Materials research program of the Division."
CLIISSIFIED WOB.r
"It was unusual to be asked if any of our building research work is 'of a classified nature and unavail-able to the general public'. I am glad to say that we have no classifled work within DBR/NRC. We do have investigations of a private nature being carried out for particular lndustries or government agencies
(such as CMHC) but we have a continuing policy of always trying to process such information for publlc use once its inltial prlvate character has ceased to be signlficant."
CONSIBUCTION COSTS
"Although we keep careful watch on construction costs for our own internal information, we have not yet been able to engage on any special studies in this generol fleld because of shortage of the appropriate staff. Such studles are included in our long term program of work."
TOWEN CRANES
'DBR/NRC has long appreciated the usefulness of these unique construction tools. As long ago as 1948 I saw them in use in Europe and arranged to have a special paper describing the cranes then in use and thetr utllity on constructlon work prepared by a leading European engineer. This was published in one of the leading construction journals of Canada wtth the hope that it would attract attention. We can only assume that the time was too early since it is only recently that these cranes have come into use in the Canadlan construction industry.
"It will be appreciated that we cannot go too far in 'promoting' the use of any such commercial pro-ducts. But possibly we did not go far enough in our early stages in thls particular matter.
"We hope soon to be investlgating the use of miniature tower cranes with spectal reference to house construction operations."
"All information collected in Chis way is available in the library of DBR/NRC whieh is being developed as the llbrary of the construction lndustry. Many of the questions addressed to me by respondents ln this study can therefore be an-swered by consultailon with the vast amount of lnformation already there".
MOISTURE IN BUILDINGS
"The importance that DBR/NRC attaches to this aspect of modern building operation and design is shown by the attention devoted to this subJect in recent issues of Canadian Building Digests (with which I hope all your readers are famlliar).
"The demand for higher relative humidities in large modern buildings is bringing in its train a variety of problems, some of which are proving to be quite serious. So concerned is the Division about this aspect of building design that it has arranged a special Building Science Seminar on the Design of Exterior Walls to be held in Ottawa Feb. 12 - 14, 1964.
"Answers to quite a number of the questions raised by respondents in this study will be presented during this course of lectures. Information on the Seminar will be gladly sent to anyone interested lf they would send a note of inquiry to L. P. Ruddy, Administrative Officer, DBR/NRC, Ottawa."
PROBLEMS WITH WOOD
Two or three questions dealt with wood, and problems arising in its use:
"In all matters relating to timber we work in the closest liaison with the Forest Products Labor-atories of Canada; all such questions we normally refer to them for consideration. We carry out joint projects and always arrange that work of joint interest is carried out in the most efficient manner."
WIND LOADS
Two questions were asked about wind loads, with special reference to those outlined in the National Building Code.
"The loads adopted by the Associate Committee on the National Building Code, on advice tendered by DBR/NRC, are probably the most accurate of those in any code, based as they are on the best technical information on the effect of winds on buildlngs and on the best meteorological information about actual winds in Canada provided for us kindly by the Mete-orological'service of Canada (one of whose staff members serves as a fult time Ctimatologist with DBR,).
"They can still be improved. We have research now in progress on some tall buildings in order to discover exactly the response of such structures to wind loads."
NOISE
"We have in the Division a special section devoted to research in the field of Building Physics and this includes sound problems. This section is equipped with reverberation chambers for sound research (and testing) and this work is co-ordinated not only with all the other public sound laboratories in North America but also with workers in other parts of the world through participation in the work of the Inter-national Organization for Standardization (ISO).
"We are well aware of the sound problems that arise with much modern housing, especially in some apartment blocks. This is mainly a matter of design and regulation. The information necessary to give sound-proof walls is available for architects to use.
"We do not yet have a national standard for
mlnimum levels of sound transmlsslon. "But such a move is in prospect." HOUSTNG
Only one questloner asked about Housing Research. Hls question was the quite natural and very general one about 'When will there be a revolution in housing deslgn?'
"All I can say in reply is that it will not be tn my time.
"The demands of the ordinary citizen for the housing he needs being so definite, so conformist and really so extensive, there seems no immedlate pos-'sibility
of getting very far away from current housing practice. Ttris ls not to say that we are not looklng. 'But we have so much to do in research in relation to the improvemenis that can be seen to be necessary in housing that we have not been able to divert too much effort into what I may call 'Cloud Thirteen' research.
"At the same time we have recently completed a rather complete survey of the possibilities presented by the Plastics for structural use in housing. We hope that this will be published in 1964." (This answers another query, one about DBR's work in the plastics field. )
"All our work in the housing field is carried out ,in the closest association with Central Mortgage & ,Housing Corporation which we continue to serve as
technical research adviser, and with the splendid co-operation of many members of the National House Builders Association."
CONSTRUCTION EQINPMENT
"We have done no research on construction equip-ment. This field is well covered by in-house research by equipment manufacturirs.
"We hope, however, to engage in some worf, re-garding the efficient use of equipment, especially on house building jobs."
THE AIRD BEPORT
"We published the report by Professor Aird spe-cifically with the hope that it would be found to be so clear and useful in its presentation that con-tractors would be able to see that they themselves could do.just the same sort of study on their own jobs, if willing to assign a staff man to do nothing else.
"One of the things we have found about researclr is that it requires full time attention and can not be done properly in association with the normal oper-atlons of an agency.
"We hope to get inquiries from contractors about the use of the Aird Report.
"At the same time, when we have the staff avail-able, we intend to pursue the studies outlined by Professor Aird, in a research sense so that we may' continue to produce publications in this field tha[ will be of real assistance to the industry."
INDUSTBIAL RESEARCH
Several respondents asked about the relation of industrial to NRC regearch.
Council itself to encourage industry to do its own research and DBR, has always been associated in full support of this view. We therefore welcome news of every new research laboratory building that ls planned to serve some part of the industry. We have been privileged to assist in a small way wlth the development of some of these new facilities in Canada. Of necessity they have naturally been within the building material manufacturing side of the industry, and they relate to the products of the particular companies concerned.
"Many of the problems of building arise when materials are used in combination; it is here where a public agency such as ours appears to be essential, and working closely, as we do, with industry.
"Engineers and architects cannot be expected to have research facilities; to serve their needs a public agency appears to be needed, as also to serve the general needs of construction on the job.
"Competition in construetion is now so keen that no contractor except the very largest could be expected to conduct research at his own expense. Research problems do arise on the job, however, and many contractors have very kindly enabled us to use their jobs as field laboratories.
"We look forward to a continuation of this co-operation with industry, in the field and in the laboratory, with a steadily increasing national effort in the whole field of building research."
PRECAST CONCRETE
"We anticipate an incrgase in the use in Canada
of precast concrete and so are engaged on a basic research study on jbintd ind jointing lri 'precast-work." PBEFABRICATION TN IIOUSING
"This, too, has been a long term interest of the Divislon. We have Just completed, with the co-operailon of the industry, a survey of almost all the prefab plants in Canada. We hope to publish this year a general report based on this survey, with an assess-ment of this part of construction."
IVOEY TOWER,?
"One respondent suggested, very nicely, that DBR/NRC is too 'Ivory towered'!
"We are so used to being told that we are too 'practlcal' (and this was evldenced ln other questions) that this suggestion was a welcome relief. It suggests that our alm to steer a middle course between theory. and practice may not have been too far astray. Ttrls is what we shall continue to do.
"The interest so klndly expressed by the many respondents in thls study is tJre sort of encouragement that makes us strlve to do better. We shall always welcome such questlons, and always informed criticlsm, as we shall visits to the Building Research Centre ln Ottawa from those who want to see for themselves 'what they are up to'.
"And for those who cannot visit, we do issue publicatlons that are aimed at use by the lndustry.
"ff any reader ls not yet on our mailing list, wlll he please write to us in Ottawa. We shall then see that he is regularly advised of what we issue.,'
A list of all publicatione of the Divieion of Building Research is available and may be obtained from the Publicatione Section, Divieion of Building Research, National Researeh Council, Ottawa, Canada.
