Concrete and Reinforced Concrete by W. Noble Twelvetrees is an illustrated introduction to the material, its preparation and its uses in construction. Published by Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., London, it belongs to Pitman’s Common Commodities and Industries series. This edition is catalogued as 1922; the scanned title page itself is undated.
From raw ingredients to finished work
The preface sets out a concise purpose: explain the nature of concrete, describe its ingredients and preparation, and introduce the principles of reinforcement through examples. Twelvetrees aims to interest the general reader while providing useful information for people involved in building and engineering.
The contents follow a clear sequence from history and raw materials through proportioning, mixing and depositing concrete. Molds, surface treatment and manufactured products follow before the book turns to physical properties, reinforcement and shipbuilding.
This progression makes the volume suitable for readers who want an overview before approaching a larger engineering treatise. It connects the material in a mixer with the work and objects made from it, rather than beginning with a long series of calculations.
History and raw materials
The opening chapter considers the origin and history of concrete. Illustrations compare natural stone formations with manufactured concrete, while the frontispiece reproduces an ancient Egyptian construction scene. These examples show how the author frames the material’s long history.
Raw materials receive their own chapter. Cement and aggregates are considered as ingredients whose preparation and characteristics affect the mixture. The illustrations include a cement works, gravel, sand and related material-handling subjects.
The historical discussion should be read as the author’s account from the early twentieth century. Its value is partly in showing how concrete was explained to a broad audience at that time, alongside the practical subjects that occupy most of the book.
Proportioning, mixing and depositing
Chapters on proportioning and mixing lead into the depositing of mixed concrete. Photographs and diagrams show equipment and arrangements used for production and delivery. One illustrated plant is associated with construction at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
These chapters connect ingredient selection to the practical organization of work. Material needs to be measured, combined, transported and placed, and the book presents those operations as stages in one process. The examples provide a record of period equipment as well as explanations of concrete practice.
For readers researching old building methods, the images are especially helpful in making unfamiliar plant arrangements understandable. The quantities and working recommendations remain historical and require comparison with current construction requirements.
Molds, surfaces and manufactured products
Molds and shuttering receive a separate chapter. The illustrations include beam and wall molds, centering and structural examples. They show the temporary shape-making work behind a finished concrete member.
Surface treatment broadens the discussion to architectural appearance. Illustrations include exposed aggregate and other finishes, while later material addresses concrete blocks and molded products. The author therefore considers concrete as a visible building material as well as a structural one.
This portion will interest readers studying decorative concrete, early industrial products or the history of architectural finishes. It provides context for the relationship between the mold, the mixture and the final surface without being a modern specification for reproducing a particular finish.
Reinforcement and concrete ships
The chapter on physical properties prepares the way for reinforced concrete. Diagrams illustrate the behavior of a plain beam and the effect of reinforcement, with examples of arrangements in beams and columns. Named construction systems and built examples appear among the illustrations.
The final chapter concerns concrete shipbuilding. Its images include an early boat and larger vessels, extending the material’s applications beyond buildings and bridges. This makes a distinctive conclusion to the book’s survey.
Audience and scan
This free ebook suits building-history readers, industrial-heritage researchers and students comparing early explanations of construction materials. It provides historical context rather than current structural-design guidance. The PDF contains 156 digital pages with illustrations, preliminary material and advertisements. It is image-based; enlarge small labels and diagrams when examining a particular example.
Book details
- Author: W. Noble Twelvetrees
- Publisher: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., London
- Year: 1922
- Edition: Pitman’s Common Commodities and Industries series; title page undated, catalogued as 1922
- Digital length: 156 PDF pages
- Language: English
- File size: 8.46 MB
