The Late Mr. P.J. Black

It is reasonable to say that our modern civilisation has been built on a foundation of Iron and Steel. The multitudinous uses to which they have been put have caused engineers and those whose duty it is to safeguard and preserve them, to realise how difficult it is to suppress the destructive processes of corrosion. The belief that corrosion was practically inevitable had led to a customary and arbitrary increase in metallic thickness beyond that functionally required, and to an instinctive avoidance of exposed metallic surfaces in buildings of a permanent nature. David W. James-Carrington

This month's letters cover legislation for design checks, embodied carbon of modular construction approaches, and assessment of masonry buildings for earthquake resilience in New Zealand.

This career-spanning book offers insight for anyone venturing into engineering, and how to build on the life lessons you learn along the way, writes Patrick Augustin.