The Collpase Behaviour of Plate Girders Loaded in Shear

Queries from several members convince us that there is a prevalent misunderstanding about written comments on papers published in the Journal; many seem to believe that these are not acceptable, but this is not so. The miscomeption probably stems from the decision not to give notice of a closing date for written comment as was at one time done for each paper. The reason for this was that quoting a terminal date inhibited and suppressed worthwhile observations, many of which were not formulated in good time and consequently not submitted. Comment which makes a useful contribution is welcome at any time; obviously the sooner after the publication of the paper concerned the better, since it will be fresher in the reader's mind and probably more readily accessible. Nevertheless, good comment is always useful no matter how far removed in time from its stimulus, and it must often be that grounds for comment do not become apparent until some application reveals a flaw, an inconsistency or, for that matter, a confirmation. Apart from the normal submission of comment to the Editor, there is lways this column in which we will be glad, as we always have been, to air the observations of members, anonymously if they so wish. Verulam

Situations are described in which it is advantageous to use composite steel-concrete beams with fewer shear connectors than the number required for full interaction. From a study of the results of tests and computations, simple rules are derived for estimating the ultimate flexural strength of such beams, and for checking deflexions in service, both by calculation and by the use of limiting span-depth ratios. R.P. Johnson and I.M. May

The Institution's Basic Features of Design Panel at the invitation of the Structural Codes Advisory Committee has examined and reported on the values for and ways in which partial safety factors are being introduced into Codes of Practice for building structures following the adoption of limit state design in the Code of Practice for Structural Concrete, CP110:1972.