Posted by Roy Mengot on June 04, 2000 at 22:36:15:
In Reply to: Construction sequence from deck to deck posted by Doug May on May 31, 2000 at 15:32:14:
: I am prolific in my questions today so here goes my third question.
: Does anyone know the order of deck construction, or was it as I have just surmised? Was there a schedule written out for the construction sequence on Titanic? I imagine certain structures had to be finished before others could be started.
The ships of the time were constructed of frames. One frame consists of the ribs and a floor joist for each deck going as high as B-deck. B-deck is the top of the structural hull. As enough frames are assembled, planks and plates are laid to provide walkways. Wood beams and posts are used to support the floor joists until the deck plates are in place and permanent steel posts are installed.
Typically, all the frames have to be inplace with their floor joists to provide a strong enough framework to start plating. Plates all cut to specification including the rivet holes. After the plates are in place, the portholes are cut with a special rotary cutting tool. The floor plates are added in strakes with gaps between them for material handling in the riveting process. All of the decks will have some plates in place but the decks are not completed going bottom up.
Cutouts are left in the decks for shipment of the engine and boiler machinery at the fitting out key. Some areas are called "portable" as the the plates and beams are bolted, rather than riveted, so large machinery can be fitting later during overhauls.
The superstructure above B-deck, including the sides, is added after the structural hull is complete. At launch time, the deck houses would have the basic walls and there would be no machinery in the ship. During fitting out, the machinery is lowered into the ship, the decks are closed up above the engine spaces, and the deckhouses are completed.
Boat deck fixures are bolted through the steel deck, which is only 1/4" plate. You can see the planking bolts in clear photos straddling the floor joists. Heavier fixtures like the davits and funnel stays also go through the deck and are are added after planking. The planking bolts are still visible in rows on the wreck. Titanic included more welding of deck fixtures than Olympic and Britannic had more welding than Titanic. Welding solved a lot of tricky riveting problems. Hope this provides more insite.