August_1966 — Page 83

Single pack building

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TIMBER SYSTEMS

TERRAPIN MARK 36 SYSTEM

A COMPANY which exports timber

buildings and also has manufac- turing and marketing agreements in several countries is Terrapin (Over- seas) Ltd., Bletchley. Bucks, UK. The Terrapin Mark 36 system is now available in several European coun- tries and South Africa, and it is likely that agreements will be concluded soon in Singapore and later in other centres in the Far East.

The Terrapin system was originally devised for the erection of single storey schools, hospital extensions, offices, etc., using completely stan- dardised units, containing in a single pack the floors, walls and roof of about 200 sq. ft. of floor space. The erection of these Terrapin packs is rapid about one hour to position three units of a total floor area of 600 sq. ft. on prepared foundations. The building can be dismantled with equal ease and re-erected elsewhere.

Since the system was first developed certain improvements have been in- corporated and a multi-storey proto- type has been completed.

Foundations

Terrapin buildings are designed to be erected on a series of spot levelled pad foundations which consist, in the case of multi-storey buildings, of a concrete base with cast-in foundation bolts. The dimension above ground level is completed by a concrete block. through which the bolts pass. Con- crete rafts may be used with the stan- dard floors omitted.

Floors

The ground floors, where no floor- ing slab exists, are constructed of a series of stressed skin panels, each

Far East Architect & Builder August, 1966

formed with a top skin of 1⁄2 in. un- derlay sheathing of Douglas fir ply- wood and a lower skin of 5/16 in. underlay sheathing bonded with urea- formaldehyde adhesive to Douglas fir members.

Each floor panel is 41⁄2 in. deep. and is designed to interlock with ad- joining panels. The floor panels are screwed and bonded with urea-form- aldehyde adhesive to two 8 in. by 2 in. Douglas fir main floor beams. Metal locating sockets are provided at op- posing ends of the floor beams for securing walls to the floor. Each floor section is identical and measures approximately 24 ft. by 8 ft. All exposed floor beams are treated with a brushed-on timber preservative.

Intermediate floors are constructed of a series of floor frames at 2 ft. cen-

tres, each with a 5 in. by 2 in. timber joist with % in. plywood gussets at each end. The frames are complete with mild steel hangers and mild steel ceiling panel support tees.

The complete frames are supported on two mild steel lattice beams which comprise 21⁄2 in. by 4 in. flat and 21⁄2 in. by 21⁄2 in. angle for both top and bottom chords. The web is 4 in. diameter rod pitched at 24 in, centres, At the end of each beam a column socket is fitted for locating and fixing both lower and upper floor columns.

The ceiling is formed by means of 3 in. thick wood wool slabs, measur- ing 8 ft. by 2 ft. each. These are finished on the underside with 8 in. thick asbestos boarding and are sup- ported at 2 ft. centres by the mild steel tee of the intermediate floor

This 28 unit drawing office was completed in 62 working days by four erectors

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