Training - at All Levels

Floors in existing mill buildings Mr C. P. Pountney of Edgmond, near Telford, has taken up the problem raised in January by Mr R. J. Rhodes of how to obtain integral action between steel beams and brick arch floors supported by them. He writes: Referring to Mr Rhodes' letter on strengthening existing steel joist/brick arch floors by a form of composite concrete-steel section construction, and in particular the steel section-concrete interaction, the following alternatives can be easily used and computed. Verulam

Exponents of QA may argue that the claims presently made by both consultants and contractors of full QA being implemented on sites are not justified. Such exponents would suggest that the systems actually employed so far are merely a more formalised form of quality control. While we would agree with these arguments, we welcome the intention to achieve quality assured construction. L.J. Carvalho

Improving quality is the most urgent and difficult task facing all members of the building industry. ‘Quality’ is, however, now being perceived as an entity of its own capable of being rationalised into a universal system grandly named ‘quality assurance’. If the implications of such systematisation on the engineer’s responsibilities are not properly understood, all efforts to improve quality could be negated. B.H. Fisher