Augmented-Steel

The figures 1-7 given below, and the diagrams accompanying, are those referred to in the article on "Strength Tests for Bricks," by W. N. Thomas and N. Davey, in the October issue of The Structural Engineer. With reference to the four tables which appeared on p. 308, the correct position for these is as follows :- W.N. Thomas and N. Davey

It is perhaps, scarcely realised, except by those who, like the author, have, s0 to speak, their finger on the pulse of the cement industry, what enormous improvements have taken place recently in the quality of Portland Cement, all over the world; and this, altogether apart from the introduction and evolution during the past four or five years, of Rapid Hardening Portland Cement, a development which the author proposes to discuss later. D.B. Butler

In reinforced concrete design we often require to make calculations for the bending moments in continuous beams; when the spans are equal the bending-moments at supports have values which depend upon the position of the span and the number of supports,andd are given in the leading text-books. When the spans are not equal the procedure usually recommended is to apply the Theorem of Three Moments for successive spans and to solve the resulting simultaneous equations; such calculations are often very complicated although experience in application of this Theorem enables one of considerable saving in effort to be obtained. Even with these expedited calculations, however, the matter is one of considerable labour and many engineers find it very troublesome to proceed; their difficulty is often a combination of the effect of complcated calculation and a distrust of long formule. Ewart S. Andrews