University of Virginia Library

Waterbed Stress

Several residents of the Lawn,
including Dick Wagner, fifth-year
architecture student, and Bob Williamson,
a fourth-year engineer have instigated a
study of the architecture of the Lawn
rooms and the weight stress of waterbeds.
According to these students their findings
show that waterbeds cause different stress
for different rooms because in 1819 it was
impossible to build every room the same.

The beams under the rooms vary in
width from two inches to three inches.
These are spaced anywhere from 12
inches to 21 inches apart. Even taking
this variance into account the weight of a
waterbed could not possibly cause
structural damage to the Lawn rooms
according to the study.

John Ring, Engineering 5, who also
contributed to the study, indicates that,
"a waterbed contains approximately 160
gallons and exerts a force of about 30 lbs.
per square foot which is less than
one-fifth of what a standing person
exerts. Therefore waterbeds exert less
weight stress than regular beds.'

The study now rests with Gene
Lockhart, chairman of counselors, who is
adding the finishing touches before
submitting it in final form to Mr. Main at
the beginning of next semester.

Residents of the lawn must pay a $10
fee to keep a refrigerator which must be
of specified size. Mr. Main claims that this
fee goes toward sanitizing the rooms and
bug control, although no effort at
extermination has been noticed by the
Lawn residents.