COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 215 



Senator Symington. Would yon mind defining the word "template" 

 as you use it ? 



Mr. Rau. What we called the template are the three legs with the 

 corresponding bracing, which included during the towing a 6-foot 

 diameter buoyancy strut, which is not shown on this model. 



After we anchored the platform, by that time it was practically 

 noontime, we decided to prepare for upending the template. 



However, due to the time it took us to make the preparations it be- 

 came about dusk, and at that time the wind started to kick up, and 

 the seas started to increase, and it was then decided to hold off the 

 upending of the template until July 5, the next day. 



During the night of July 4 and early morning of July 5, we had a 

 fair amount of sea. 



We kept the template under tow heading into the wind at all times 

 to diminish any effects the weather may have on the template, but the 

 following morning it was observed that one of the diagonal braces on 

 tlie A-B side was broken off, and the other one was damaged. 



DAMAGED BRACING DISCOVERED 



Senator Symington. Would you mark that; could you show us 

 what that was that was broken ? 



Mr. Rau. That was these two braces here, one of which, I don't 

 recall which one it was, was broken off, and the other one was damaged. 



During the tow they were the ones folded down and secured to 

 this horizontal brace at elevation of minus 75 feet, and this hori- 

 zontal brace at minus 25 feet was secured down about elevation minus 

 50 feet, if I recall. 



During July 5, the weather was still bad, and we couldn't think 

 of upending the template. 



It was during that time that I had a conversation with representa- 

 tives of the Navy concerning these two diagonal braces as to what 

 was to be done and what could be done. 



It was pointed out in the conversation that there were only two 

 ways of doing the work. One was taking it back to Portland, put- 

 ting it back in drydock, and actually putting the braces back exactly 

 as they had been when we left the yard a week or so before. 



The other was to have a design made by a competent A. & E. 



Senator Symington. A competent what? 



Mr. Rau. A. & E., architect-engineer, to install braces under the 

 water. 



It was also pointed out at that time by me if we did go back to 

 Portland, which we would have had to do because it was the only 

 drydock at that time anywhere in the vicinity that could handle a 

 structure of this size, w^e would not be able to emplant the tower 

 in 1957, but it would have to be held over until 1958. 



It was then the decision — the decision was then made that we would 

 go ahead with the upending and get a design for the installation of 

 permanent braces underwater. 



Senator Saltonstall. Mr. Chairman, would you permit the wit- 

 ness, Mr. Rau, to take that model and show us how it lay on these 

 barges ? 



Mr. Rau. No, sir ; it didn't lay on barges. It actually floated. 



