Timber: a Neglected Structural Material (the Role of Education and CPD)

In May 1991 the Institution published Appraisal of sports grounds, resulting from the work of its task group set up after events at Hysel, Bradford, and Birmingham, and following publication of the Popplewell Inquiry report. Appraisal is complementary to the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds, HMSO, November 1990, and incorporates, where appropriate, the recommendations of the Taylor Report which contained ‘recommendations about the needs of crowd control and safety at sports grounds.’ M.G.T. Dickson

The effectiveness of the method of resin injection in restoring the structural integrity of crack-damaged rein forced concrete beams was investigated. Fourteen beams that had been tested previously under static loading in a study into the performance of patch repair materials' were resin injected. The beams were evaluated under three load systems, one static and two cyclic. Three of the beams were submerged in water at 38 °C for 4 months before being tested. Twenty-five cores were taken from the beams to study injected cracks under a microscope. A.I. Abu-Tair, S.R. Rigden and E. Burley

Engineers are increasingly being called on to carry out appraisals of existing structures. The sources of information available to an engineer when carrying out an appraisal of an existing structure are: (1) existing documentation on the original design and construction and any subsequent modifications; (2) the maintenance history of the structure; (3) surveys of the structure providing information on: - as built-dimensions, reinforcement details, etc. - present loadings (from reassessment of current dead and imposed loads) - the physical condition and properties of the construction materials; - any visible defects; (4) relevant Codes of Practice and other guidance documents. R.M. Moss