Keeping constructed walls vertical

Question

Keeping constructed walls vertical

d0ugparker (Industrial)

(OP)

3 May 13 15:58

I've always been curious and
fascinated with what it takes
to keep the walls of new
construction vertical.

I used to think about using a
plumb bob, but wind at altitude
would keep it moving all the
time. Is there a laser method?
I don't know how that'd work.

Can someone tell me different
ways this is accomplished?

Thanks.

boo1 (Mechanical) · Answer 1 · 2013-05-03 16:05:50

RE: Keeping constructed walls vertical

boo1 (Mechanical) 3 May 13 16:05

6 foot level

mexicali8 (Civil/Environmental) · Answer 2 · 2013-05-03 16:14:55

Maybe you can put a vertical four or six inch pvc pipe along the height of the wall and put the plumb bob inside.

RGuerra.

TXStructural (Structural) · Answer 3 · 2013-05-06 12:30:40

It all depends on what materials you are using. Plumb bob is still a good way to set the line for walls or columns, and then you often set a fixed line.
Lasers are used now days for almost everything. You can set a plumb laser (self-leveling) and measure off the laser with a rule to the form or surface.

d0ugparker (Industrial) · Answer 4 · 2013-05-06 12:51:14

Especially on high-rise
construction, the laser
method makes sense, but
before the advent of the
laser, I'm still at a
loss for figuring out
how tall buildings were
kept vertical.

It's not about any
project I'm working on
at the moment. It's
mostly for historical
reasons. Those old-
timers really had to
know what they were
doing, and they did it
amazingly well.

hokie66 (Structural) · Answer 5 · 2013-05-06 18:22:10

Laser instruments are not the only "modern" device for maintaining vertical alignment. Theodolites have been in use for more than a hundred years, but before that, I don't remember...

Guest262653 (Geotechnical) · Answer 6 · 2013-06-12 03:40:34

@d0ugparker
I really like that you turn your engineering posts into sonnets!

dhengr (Structural) · Answer 7 · 2013-06-12 17:22:55

They had plumb boobs. They had squares, water levels, etc. They knew the 3/4/5 rule.

hokie66 (Structural) · Answer 8 · 2013-06-12 18:01:05

Careful, dhengr. That's not politically correct.

Ron (Structural) · Answer 9 · 2013-06-12 21:43:48

I'll volunteer to check the plumbness of the boobs! smile

dhengr (Structural) · Answer 10 · 2013-06-12 22:51:39

o.k., o.k., sorry about the PC thing..., They new the 5/4/3 rule, is that better?

My “o” key came preprogrammed so that I could more efficiently type words like books, looks, nook, etc., so they claim anyway, and noow I doon’t knoow hoow too fix that soo it’s noot the default. There would never be anything straight and true and plumb, or on the square if politics had anything to do with it.

I was actually just trying to be silly, not particularly offensive in any way. So, I’m sorry if I did offend. My mind is so pure and innocent I never have anything but the purest of thoughts in mind. I hate this hangin round with a bunch of dirty old men. I just didn’t want to have to write out the whole thing... “any of a number of gannet-like marine diving birds (genus Sula) that feed on fish of warm seas.” But then, at the very same time, the “y” key quite working so I couldn’t write booby, so I just added the “s;” and am I ever glad, because just imagine how nook might have turned out if the “y” was working. And, now I’ve got Ron all worked up tooo. Back off mister, them is mine, and I’m not going to use my theodolite either.

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Keeping constructed walls vertical