The energy required to make, transport and erect the most common structural materials is tabulated, together with the energy to make unit areas of several building elements. An energy audit is carried out for 12 different layouts of basic structure including reinforced concrete, structural steel and loadbearing brickwork. Similar calculations for ll elevations of cladding suitable for use with the selected structures are also given. Where appropriate, the results for different elevations and structures are combined to give figures for total structure. To avoid the possibility of misleading conclusions. similar results are presented for the running energy required for the elevations considered. Conclusions are drawn concerning the lowest amount of energy required to build internal structures, elevations, and total structures. B.A. Haseltine
The authors have presented an interesting method for the rapid estimation of maximum bending moments in decks of suspension bridges. Their approximate analysis draws to a logical conclusion the more general method described by Bowen and Charlton (reference 3 of the paper). It is clear that the use of symmetry and antisymmetry offers a considerable computational advantage :two sets of three linear simultaneous equations are solved far more quickly than one set of six. F. Van der Woude, M.S. Gregory and H.I.A. Hegab
Professor Murray has developed methods for the analysis of stiffened plates which agree very closely with the test results. Unfortunately the design rules are not too direct... David Allen
When limit-state methods are used, the design of many steel-concrete composite beams for buildings is governed by deflection. Limiting span-depth ratios provide a simple but approximate method of controlling deflection. The present paper explains how such ratios have been developed for the next issue of BS449, and gives in an appendix the proposed values and notes on their use. R.P. Johnson and D.G.E. Smith
Mr. P. B. Ronan: I would like to ask the authors if in retrospect they felt that the site investigation, in particular for a building of this magnitude, was adequate with particular reference to the two boreholes which were put down to give information about groundwater?
Important changes to the structure of the CEI have been agreed by a substantial majority of the constituent Institutions represented on the CEI Board. At a meeting on 24 July, after considerable discussion, a compromise was reached between the views previously expressed; on the one hand that the CEI should continue as a federal organization of its constituent Institution members, on the other that it should be transformed into a central organization for the engineering profession generally, with membership open to all individuals who qualify as chartered engineers. The compromise 'package' on 24 July was agreed by a sufficiently large majority of the constituent Institutions to ensure positive action on the appropriate constitutional changes. These will need to be submitted for approval to the Privy Council in due course.
Sir Alfred Pugsley (F) : I will just devote a few minutes, by way of introduction, to the place of history in the teaching of structural engineering.
Mr. Peter Mason, BSc, CEng, FIStructE, FIE, FIMechE succeeds Mr. Derek Dick as President of the Institution on 2 October next and at an Ordinary Meeting at 11 Upper Belgrave Street, London SWlX 8BH at 6.0 pm that evening will deliver his Presidential Address, 'The structural engineer's significance'.
We think it possible that some members who were on holiday when the July issue arrived may have set it on one side for future scrutiny and so have missed the letter from Mr. A. C. Clarke (F) about welded fabric reinforcement. We feel justified in repeating our request for information from those members who have first hand knowledge and ask those who may not have read it to do so now. Verulam