This paper describes the development of the structural systems used for British Airways’ three-bay Boeing 747 Heavy Maintenance Hangar sited at Cardiff Wales Airport. It briefly outlines the history of the project from the initial development stage,which commenced in April 1990, through to completion in April 1993. The hangar is 242m long, and the main elements of the roof structure have been formed using large circular tube sections to provide an eficient structural solution for spans of 153.75m and 78.75m. The selection of the main structure was the key to providing a flexible internal hangar space enabling British Airways Maintenance Cardiff a subsidiary of British Airways, to achieve its aim of being the leading Boeing 747 maintenance business. S.J. Luke and H.L. Corp
Several different models are in use for the fatigue resistance of welded stud shear connectors for composite beams, and there is much inconsistency in reported test data. Extensive statistical analyses of these data have identzped the best of the models and values for its parameters; and many of the anomalies are explained. Professor R.P. Johnson and D.J. Oehlers
It was not stars that shone in the sky over Birmingham last Christmas but the lights of Christmas trees fixed to tower cranes which swung over the building developments gradually springing up in the city. Few passersby walking underneath these enormous cranes appreciate the legal difficulties which tower cranes can pose for the owners of the sites being developed and for the builders using the cranes. Philip J. Harris
Educating engineers Professor Bill Harvey writes from the University of Exeter: I read the letter from Melvin Hurst in the 16 April issue of The Structural Engineer with mild amusement. The background he describes is part of a different world, so it’s possible to laugh off being condemned by the industry I labour to support. What is harder to take is the enthusiastic embracing of the tone by the sage himself. Verulam