Correspondence on The Longitudinal Bending Behaviour of Composite Box Girder Bridges Having Incomple

The parameters affecting the ultimate shear capacity of two-bay prototype beams have been examined using dimensional analysis; in particular, the importance of web slenderness and flange stiffness has been demonstrated. Design charts, which take into account the postbuckling behaviour of the web, have been proposed for beams having a clear web depth up to 600 mm. Values taken from the charts indicate that the current design procedure for beams with slender webs grossly underestimates their shear capacity. B.O. Hilson and P.D. Rodd

Niamh McCloskey reflects on her personal experience of the challenging reality of returning to work after maternity leave, questioning whether workplaces truly support women in this transition and highlighting how, with the right support and recognition of the new perspectives and skills that motherhood can bring, we can retain mothers and allow them to thrive in underrepresented industries.

Steven McKerlie is troubled by longstanding underinvestment in maintenance of UK bridge assets and the implications of this for safety if weaknesses in past assessments that are still relied on are not acknowledged.