Stone as a structural material. Part 2: Traditional and reinforced stone stairs

This article has a focus on a particular building form, outlining the development of historic ironworks, how the remaining stone masonry structures can be assessed, and typical defects associated with them.

Webb Yates, in conjunction with The Stonemasonry Company, has begun to develop a building system that would be a low-energy alternative to more common steel and concrete-framed structures. In this article, we hope to demonstrate how a creative approach to engineering design can utilise stone to exploit its inherent strengths.

This article covers the reasons for post-tensioning stone, the advantages of doing so, and presents a series of projects that demonstrate the evolution and development of engineers' expertise and understanding at Webb Yates.