Part 3 Examination: Offshore Engineering

The following is the text of the speech given by Mr Graham Day, newly appointed Chairman of British Leyland, as principal guest at the Institution’s annual dinner held at Guildhall, City of London, on 9 May 1986. I was a little taken aback by the fanfare. Perhaps you should know that, before it took place, the toastmaster was checking my latest background. When he had completed that task he smiled at me and said, ‘For your sins’. Since then I have been busy trying to make a connection between my sinning, the fanfare, and my current responsibilities.

Will she float? A new subject for the column has been brought forward in a letter from Mr A. L. Gilbertson writing from Epsom. At a recent Institution of Civil Engineers meeting to discuss Part 3 of the draft British Standard for maritime structures, there was a lively debate on the factor of safety that should be required against flotation. There were three aspects to consider: - an unforeseen rise in the water table - underprovision of self-weight due to low density or updersized members - a minimum margin of safety (per se) Verulam

The new edition of the Buildings Regulations became effective on 11 November 1985, with BS 8110 receiving ‘approved document’ status. We have, of course, long awaited the publication of the revision to CP 110:1972 and following several false alarms (notably, one in 1982, two or three in 1983, and even more in 1984) we were delivered of the new issue in September 1985. R. Wayment