Steel arch buildings, a review of the basics
These buildings provided the US military with enhanced facilities and were a far cry from the inconvenient tenting on wooden bases that were usually used at that time. From its original usage as military structures, Quonset huts have seen many enhancements and other companies began to make variations to the model for other uses. The basic structure has undergone several redesigns and the major one occurred in 1943 when the manufacturing unit at Quonset Point was reestablished as part of the Stran Steel Division of the Great Lakes Steel Corporation. This modified Quonset hut was more stretched out and had a structure that used the original full arch rib. Versions of the Quonset hut model were manufactured to meet specific requirements, a prime example being the Pacific huts, which helped even conserve metal reserves.