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Copenhagen Accord briefing EEFIT’s latest visits to earthquake zones Barracks

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becomes housing President’s Address: Opportunities within change

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88 (2) 19 January 2010

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19 January 2010
www.thestructuralengineer.org

The Institution of Structural Engineers

Registered Charity
Founded 1908 News Papers
Incorporated by Royal Charter 1934

International HQ 5 Global warming: the challenges and 22 Presidential Address: Opportunities within
11 Upper Belgrave Street opportunities change: looking beyond the immediate
London
SW1X 8BH 6 Obituary: Peter Fraenkel... John Connell Medal
United Kingdom goes to Mike Fordyce
tel: + 44 ( 0 ) 20 7235 4535
fax: + 44 ( 0 ) 20 7235 4294 8 Shedding light on projects in Hong Kong and
mail@istructe.org China...Stonecutters bridge opens
www.istructe.org

President
Norman C. Train
BScEng, CEng, FIStructE, FICE, FCIArb

Chief Executive
Features
Martin Powell
10 The Copenhagen Accord
Editor
Kathy Stansfield
BA (Hons) MA 14 Lessons from destruction: EEFIT reports
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kathy.stansfield@istructe.org

Deputy Editor
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21 Verulam
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16 Promoting teamwork and sustainable design
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Cover Image: Stonecutters Bridge in Hong Kong opened in December,
Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 0HU
see p8 (Photo Courtesy Arup)
United Kingdom
tel: + 44 ( 0 ) 1778 420 857 18 Barracks becomes housing
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The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 3

SE2 news :Layout 3 14/1/10 13:21 Page 3

Report

The Structural Engineer

– promotes the learned society role
Global warming: the challenges and
of the Institution by publishing
refereed papers aimed at advancing
structural engineering which
is the science and art of designing
opportunities
and making, with economy
and elegance, buildings, bridges,
frameworks, and other similar
structures so that they can safely
The Copenhagen conference may not have been the success that was
resist the forces to which they
may be subjected.
hoped for, but it was a step along the path to coping with climate change.
– provides structural engineers
worldwide with information on
The background, achievements and failures are discussed in a useful
practice, design, development and
research, education and training
sustainability briefing note in this issue, compiled by the Institution’s
associated with the profession
of structural engineering and offers
Sustainable Construction Panel.
a forum for discussion on these
matters
It concludes that while there may not have been agreement amongst the
– assists The Institution of Structural
Engineers in maintaining its
world’s politicians, ‘many companies and other organisations recognise the
internationally recognised high
standards
imperative to act and are adopting carbon reduction strategies... the
– provides the membership with
worldwide information on recent
development of low-carbon solutions as a requirement of a client’s brief will
professional and technical activities,
headquarters and branch events,
be the most obvious impact’. Structural engineers have an important part to
and provides a medium for relevant
advertising.
play in the move to a low carbon world and should be prepared to develop
The Institution of Structural Engineers
their skills and knowledge in order to contribute fully.
is the only qualifying body in the world
concerned solely with the theory
and practice of structural engineering. Following on from the Copenhagen conference, the Institution’s new
Disclaimer
Papers or other contributions and
President, Norman Train, includes in his Presidential Address (p22-27)
the statements made or opinions
expressed therein are published on
strong warnings about the challenges posed by global warming:
the understanding that the author
of the contribution is solely
procrastication is not an option, he says, and the big picture is one of food
responsible for the opinions expressed
in it or the accuracy of the results
and water shortages and civil unrest. While commending visionary initiatives
presented and that its publication
does not necessarily imply that such
such as the building of sustainable cities in China and Abu Dhabi, he says
statements and or opinions are or
reflect the views or opinions of the The
that the great need is for standardising embodied CO2. ‘We are currently in
Institution of Structural Engineer’s
Executive Board, Council, Committees,
the Wild West with few rules and different material models being promoted
members or employees. Whilst all
reasonable care has been taken in the
by different countries and different trade associations’. He sees an
preparation of this publication, no
liability is accepted by the Institution’s
opportunity for the Institution as a global, well positioned, technically
Council or any other Institution’s
Committees for any loss or damage
informed NGO to ‘act as arbiter in rolling out an equitable, reasonably level
caused to any person relying on any
statement, opinion or omission in the
playing field’.
Journal. Opportunities for structural engineers in tackling climate change include
US distribution
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using skills in refurbishment and building adaptation to save energy and
884) is published every 1st and 3rd
Tuesday each month for US$375 by
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Masdar, a sustainable city in the desert, under way in Abu Dhabi (Courtesy Foster and Partners)

The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 5

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News
Obituary: Peter Maurice Fraenkel (1915-2009)
Peter Martin (F) writes:
Peter Fraenkel FREng, BSc(Eng), FIStructE, FICE, was
one of the outstanding engineers of the post war
period and a long time member of the Institution. He
became a Graduate Member in 1939, an Associate
Member (now Member) in 1943 and a Member (now
Fellow) in 1961.
He was born in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw
in Poland) in 1915 and came to London aged 16 in
1931. After completing his schooling and learning
English in the process he studied civil engineering at
Imperial College. During the Second World War as a
newly qualified engineer he served with the Ministry
of Works on construction of army facilities
throughout the UK.
Mr Fraenkel joined the firm of Rendel Palmer &
Tritton (RPT) in 1945. He was Resident Engineer on
the ore unloading terminal at Tyne Dock and then
worked in the firm’s head office in London,
becoming a Partner in 1961, and Senior Partner of
Rendel & Partners in Australia in 1969.
In 1972 he took the bold step of leaving RPT to
set up his own consultancy, Peter Fraenkel &
Partners (PFP). Early projects included flood barriers
on the River Thames at Tilbury Docks and Royal
Docks and the tanker jetties and other marine
facilities at Sullom Voe oil terminal in Shetland,
which was opened by HM the Queen in 1980.
The firm expanded rapidly as he gathered
together a team of partners and senior engineers
with wide experience of civil engineering works.
Major overseas projects in the 1970s and 1980s
included the Thai Navy dockyard at Pom Prachul,
near Bangkok and Tolo Highway in the New
Territories of Hong Kong, at the time the largest
single highway scheme undertaken in the territory.
John Connell Gold Medal goes to Mike Fordyce
The John Connell Gold Medal for 2009 has been
awarded to Past President Mike Fordyce by the
Board of the College of Structural Engineers,
Engineers Australia.
The Award is named after John Connell, Principal
and Founder of Connell Wagner. It is made for
‘making a significant contribution, nationally and
internationally, to the standing and prestige of the
structural engineering profession’.
Accepting the Award, Mr Fordyce, who has been
in the professon for 40 years, was generous in his
praise of the Institution of Structural Engineers
which, he said, took ‘the bold step to elect me as
their first non-UK based President in its 100 year
history, in doing so selecting someone about as far
as away from its London HQ as possible’. Mr
Fordyce established the Queensland Division of the
Institution in 2001 (Chairman 2001-03) and was
instrumental in the formation of the Australia Division
in 2008.
Mr Fordyce said: ‘Another connection with the
Institution is John Connell himself who at the age of
96 must be one of our oldest living members and
who reached 50 years as a Fellow of IStructE in our
Centenary year of 2008 – a remarkable
6 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
At this time also the firm undertook a
comprehensive study for the Department of
Environment into the maintenance and operational
needs of the 3100km of rivers and canals owned by
British Waterways (The Fraenkel Report) which set
the scene for many of the improvements and new
developments of the canal system which have come
to fruition in recent years.
One of the most prestigious projects undertaken
was the design and construction supervision of the
450m span Rama IX bridge across the Chao Phya
River in Bangkok, an elegant high level cable-stayed
bridge forming part of the expressway system in the
city. PFP led an international consortium of
consultants for this project, the main span of the
bridge being designed by Helmut Homberg of
Germany which had been responsible for the design
of roughly half the cable-stayed bridges in the world
built up to that time.
Peter Fraenkel’s firm was also heavily involved in
motorway and trunk road designs throughout
England although the government’s temporary
curtailment of the roads programme in the 1990s
saw a refocusing of the firm’s activities on marine,
civil and coastal engineering.
He continued to work as Senior Partner and
Chairman of the Fraenkel Group well into his 80s
when he chaired a joint PIANC/IAPH committee
leading to the issue of an authoritative guide on the
design of approach channels for ports.
Throughout a long and remarkable career in civil
and structural engineering he was responsible for
many visible and lasting works world-wide. His
achievements in setting up and developing an
international engineering consultancy firm from
scratch were recognised with a Queens Award for
Industry in 1982.
Mike Fordyce, left, receives the Award at the EA
Queensland Division Christmas Dinner,
presented by Andrew Chapman, EA Queensland
Division President
achievement’.
He added: ‘I have certainly enjoyed my career as
a structural engineer; it has taken me to many parts
of the world and allowed me to meet and interact
with a diverse range of people from different cultures
and backgrounds’.
In brief...
Concrete structures for oil and gas fields in
hostile marine environments
This is the latest bulletin from fib, based on
experience gained from the design, execution and
performance of a number of offshore concrete
structures around the world and in particular in the
North Sea. Ongoing inspections have shown
excellent durability and structural performance, even
in structures that have exceeded their design lives,
in conditions often characterised by extreme wave
loads, freezing conditions, hurricane force winds and
seismic actions. This forms the background for
discussing the applicability of concrete structures
for the Arctic regions.
The report is also relevant to other marine
applications where the same design principles,
material selection criteria and construction methods
apply.
fib Bulletin 50 is not in itself a code, nor is it a
textbook. Rather, extensive reference is made to
proven and readily available design codes and
construction guides, as well as relevant papers and
proceedings and other fib publications.
ISBN 978-2-88394-090-1 To order use the form
at (www.fib-international.org/publications/order/).
Eurocodes Masterclasses
BSI Eurocodes Masterclasses will take place over 4
days, in London and Manchester. They aim to
prepare structural engineers, architects and
designers for the transition from British Standards to
Eurocodes and to give them a thorough knowledge
and understanding of specific codes relevant to the
UK construction industry. Topics include:
Day 1: Basis of structural design & Eurocode 1:
Actions on structure
Day 2: Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures, or
Eurocode 5: Design of timber structures
Day 3: Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures, or
Eurocode 6: Design of masonry structures
Day 4: Eurocode 4: Design of composite steel and
concrete structures.
Dates: 1-4 February; London; 9-12 March,
Manchester; Full details see website:
(http://www.bsigroup.com/eurocodesmasterclasses).
Xtreme concrete event
The American Concrete Institute’s Convention takes
place from March 21-25, in Chicago, Ill., USA, at the
Sheraton Chicago.
It will provide input on concrete industry codes,
specifications and guides throughout the 300+
committee meetings and 35+ technical sessions
offered. A forum on the reclassification of fly ash as
a hazardous material will prepare attendees to make
an assessment on whether this is a step forward or
backward. The forum, coordinated by ACI Committee
123, will outline what implications reclassification of
fly ash will have on advances the concrete industry
has made towards a sustainable concrete
construction.
The Sustainable Concrete Guide – Strategies and
Examples, published by the U.S. Green Concrete
Council will be launched at the event.
Further information (tel: 248-848-3795 or see
website: www.aciconvention.org).
SE2 news :Layout 3 14/1/10 13:21 Page 6
News
Shedding light on projects in HK and China
Report by Ir. Thomas S K Lai:
During his recent visit to the UK Chapter, President Ir.
Dr Andrew Chan (pictured right) of the Hong Kong
Institution of Engineers gave a presentation on
‘Development Projects in Hong Kong and Mainland
China’ to a packed audience at a joint meeting with
the Institution’s North Thames Branch and ICE
London Region.
He recalled the period of ‘feast and famine’, pre-
and post-1997. Stagnation was caused by the Asian
financial crisis, high-tech bubble, SARS and the
‘financial tsunami’. Then the Hong Kong Government
announced the go-ahead for 10 mega projects to
provide new transport facilities (both local and cross-
border), urban development, drainage, sewage and
harbour area treatment. He outlined and challenges
of these projects and touched on other public and
private sector projects such as the International
Commerce Centre, the Ocean Park and Disneyland
Stonecutters Bridge opens for business
The world’s second longest spanning cable-stayed
bridge, Stonecutters Bridge, opened on 20
December. With a highly distinctive form, the bridge’s
key design features include a 1018m long steel
main span supported by two 290m tall concrete and
stainless steel towers and a 53m-wide deck split
into two streamlined boxes connected by cross
girders. It is one of two cable-stayed bridges with a
span in excess of 1000m.
Arup provided assistance to the Highways
Department Hong Kong (HyD) in 1999,
demonstrating that a 1000+ span bridge was viable,
and in setting up an international design competition
for the bridge. The competition was won by a design
team of Halcrow Group Ltd, Flint & Neill Partnership,
Dissing+Weitling Architects and Shanghai Municipal
Engineering Design Institute (SMEDI). HyD called for
tenders for the detail design and construction
supervision (D&C contract) of the bridge based on
the winning design as the Reference Scheme.
Arup with Cowi as sub-consultant won the D&C
contract in 2001, and developed and modified the
Reference Scheme, did the detail design and
provided a broad range of multi-disciplinary services
to the project including civil, structural, M&E,
geotechnical traffic, wind, marine and durability
detailed engineering design and construction
8 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
expansions. Beyond 2016, when most of these will
be completed, the Central Kowloon Route, Central
Wanchai Bypass and Airport expansion will probably
follow. His said Hong Kong requires a vision, a long-
term strategy, integration with the Pearl River Delta,
replacement of the EIA by Sustainability Assessment,
mega project co-ordination, continued upgrading for
regional competitiveness and future prosperity and
supervision.
The design is innovative with a vertical clearance
of 73.5m over the navigation channel. There had to
be accurate dimensional control to ensure that all
parts of the bridge fitted together as designed
because of its sheer size. This required great control
during casting of concrete elements and
prefabrication and assembly of large-scale steel
elements that make up the deck and have to be
fitted together.
Arup East Asia Chairman L.M. Lui said: ‘The most
challenging part was the coordination between the
various elements of the bridge. All parts had to fit
together, which meant close co-ordination between
the temporary and permanent works and between
on-site and off-site construction.’
The bridge straddles the Rambler Channel at the
entrance to the Kwai Chung container terminals,
providing a landmark gateway to one of the world’s
most vibrant trade centres.
The 1.6km long crossing is the centrepiece of the
new Route 8 strategic link, a 7.6km long, dual three-
lane expressway linking Cheung Sha Wan and Tsing
Yi Island. The route will improve access between the
International Airport and the urban areas of West
Kowloon, as well as providing enhanced links to the
container port, one of the busiest in the world.
relevance to China.
In Mainland China, where GDP growth continued
at 8% despite the global economic downturn, Dr
Chan said there was RMB 4 trillion investment in
infrastructure (high speed rail and metros),
development in second line cities, energy efficiency,
emission reduction and environment enhancement.
He warned that the designer’s envisaged method of
construction is not necessarily adopted in practice,
citing the construction of Beijing’s Capitol Airport
where the designer envisaged deployment of 90
tower cranes for roof erection. Instead, 35 000
welders were employed on site.
He looked at a series of fascinating buildings all
over China. His said that his company, Arup, has left
in China a legacy of ‘liberated talents and
contractors confident to export their expertise’. Good
examples of sustainability are the use of renewable
energy, energy saving measures, such as the ‘Hybrid
Ventilation Concept’, good ventilation to the
surroundings and adoption of a ‘Circle Economy’ in
material re-use in eco-cities. Dr Chan said that there
would be continued demand for infrastructure and
building development with very strong local expertise
ready to capture export opportunities.
Dr Chan fielded a wide variety of questions. He
forecasted a shift from land auction and profit
transfer (to finance MTR projects) to a PPP model in
Hong Kong. There is a shortage of tunnellers and
steel-fixers. Bamboo scaffolding is still in use but
now requires calculations. A model of the whole of
Hong Kong is now available to assess the impact of
air flow on the surroundings. In China language is a
barrier in cross-cultural working. There is a stringent
design code for earthquakes, the problem lies in
construction deviation. Engineering projects are
huge, such as the 16 000km of high speed railway.
In brief...
The Road to Zero Carbon
A major one day conference on low and zero carbon
buildings will be held on 9 February 2010 at the
Watershed, Bristol. It will showcase some of the best
low and zero carbon projects, with a strong focus on
the steps and measures taken and the impact on the
construction process, providing delegates with a
unique opportunity to learn from those at the leading
edge of compliance with this fast approaching
standard.
The conference is supported by the UKGBC, the
SW Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and SW
Councils (formerly the SW Regional Assembly). It is
organised by the Devon Sustainable Building
Initiative (DSBI) and Ecos Trust and costs £180 (plus
VAT).
To book contact Corina Reay (email:
corina@ecostrust.org.uk; tel: 01458 254 349;
website: www.sustainablebuild.org/TheRoadToZero
Carbon.html).
Correction
The website referred to in Dr Graham Owens’ article
on the academics’ conference, p15 of The Structural
Engineer (88/1) was incorrect. It should be:
(http://www.istructe.org/educationaltrust).
SE2 sust brief COP15 :Layout 3 14/1/10 13:26 Page 10
Sustainability briefing
The Copenhagen Accord
Has the Copenhagen Accord, agreed at the COP15 conference, made a difference
to the debate on climate change, and what does it mean for construction?
Introduction
In October 2009, Keith Clarke (Chairman, Construction Industry
Council), in his presentation to the Institution’s Council, made a
convincing argument for tackling climate change through control
of the carbon emissions. As a result many people in the Institution
will have been following progress of the climate change
negotiations in Copenhagen in December 2009.
Graham Owens, in his role as President of the Institution, took a
strong lead on establishing the importance of structural engineers
in their role in enabling construction to reduce its carbon
emissions. Both the ICE and the RIBA have argued for a ‘rational
legally binding global framework’ to emissions agreements.
This note provides the general reader with information on the
background to the Copenhagen meeting and summarises the
outcome.
The agreement at Copenhagen (The Copenhagen Accord) was
not the legally binding commitment to reduced emissions that
many had expected and there were political reasons for this.
Carbon reduction is still a live issue and, despite the outcome of
Copenhagen, engineers should expect that many of their clients
will call upon engineers to use skill and knowledge to produce
low-carbon construction solutions.
Background to the Copenhagen meeting
In Rio (1992), at a meeting commonly called the Earth Summit,
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) was established. The UNFCCC currently has 192
Parties (Countries) as members. Parties to the UNFCC were
categorised thus:
– Annex I countries (industrialised countries and economies in
transition);
– Annex II countries (a sub-group of Annex I – developed countries
which pay for costs of developing countries);
– Developing countries (not required to reduce emission levels
unless developed countries supply enough funding and
technology).
UNFCCC has met annually at its Conference of the Parties
(COP). At the third conference (COP3) in Kyoto in December 1997,
the Kyoto Protocol was adopted, which sets out mechanisms for:
– Emissions trading – known as ‘the carbon market’.
– Clean development mechanism (CDM) – which establishes the
principle of allowing a country with an emission-reduction or
emission-limitation commitment to implement an emission-
reduction project in developing countries. Such projects can earn
saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent
to one tonne of CO2, which can be counted towards meeting
Kyoto targets.
– Joint implementation – allowing a country with an emission
reduction or limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to
earn emission reduction units (ERUs) from an emission-reduction
or emission removal project in another country with a
reduction/limitation commitment.
The mechanisms were intended to help stimulate green
investment and help Parties meet their emission targets in a cost-
effective way. As a result of the Kyoto agreed mechanisms the
European Union emissions trading scheme was established in
10 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
January 2005.
Many countries ratified the protocol (186 countries – accounting
for around 64% of global emissions) with the notable exception of
the US (accounting for around 36% of global emissions).
Contrary to popular belief, the Kyoto Protocol will not expire in
2012. However, in 2012, Annex I countries must have fulfilled their
obligations of reduction of greenhouse gases emissions
established for the first commitment period (2008-2012). The
Kyoto Protocol is a first step; the UNFCCC requires modification
until the objective is met. The non-binding ‘Washington
Declaration’, (a group of developed countries meeting in February
2007) agreed in principle on the outline of a successor to the
Kyoto Protocol. This would be a global cap-and-trade system
(continually reducing carbon quotas driving a carbon trading
system that would bring an efficient development of a low-carbon
economy) that would apply to both industrialised nations and
developing countries, and it was hoped that this would be in place
by 2009.
The 15th conference (COP 15) has recently concluded in
Copenhagen. The following notes provide some advice on the
outcome and what it might mean for Institution members.
What was agreed at COP 15?
Before the Copenhagen Conference concluded an agreement was
put together and named the Copenhagen Accord. The following
statements are in the Copenhagen Accord:
Temperature: ‘The increase in global temperature should be
below 2º’. Many nations including the Alliance of Small Island
States (AOSIS) wanted a lower maximum of 1.5ºC.
To date it has been estimated that the 500 000Mt of carbon
released since the start of industrialisation (circa 1750) have
caused just under 1ºC of global warming. Other things have
affected global temperature but their effects more-or-less cancel
out over this period.
Carbon release limits are based on the premise that if the total
should be limited to 1 trillion tonnes and if we release another
500bn tonnes, we commit the Earth to a most likely warming of
about 2ºC.
There was some expectation, at least from Bali (COP 13), that
Copenhagen would deliver a rational legally binding global
framework. Rational, in the sense of looking at how much
‘atmosphere’ there is left and finding a ‘fair’ means of sharing this
out around the world.
The amount of carbon released can be expressed in a parts per
million volume (ppmv). For a 550ppmv target then there is 40%
‘left’ available.
The 2º rise having been pledged, carbon release agreements of
the future will use the rationing of the remaining 500bn tonnes (550
ppmv) in forming rules in cap and trade agreements.
Peak date for carbon emissions: ‘We should co-operate in
achieving the peaking of global and national emissions as soon as
possible, recognising that the time frame for peaking will be longer
in developing countries …’
Some nations wanted to set a date for emissions to fall, but this
should please developing countries.
Emissions cuts: ‘Parties commit to implement individually or
continued on p12
SE2 sust brief COP15 :Layout 3 14/1/10 13:26 Page 11
jointly the quantified economy-wide emissions targets for 2020 as
listed in appendix 1 before 1 February 2010.’
This phrase commits developed nations to start work almost
immediately on reaching their mid-term targets. For the US, this is
a weak 14-17% reduction on 2005 levels (equivalent to 3-5% on
1990 levels); for the EU, a still-to-be-determined goal of 20-30%
on 1990 levels; for Japan, 25% and Russia 15-25% on 1990
levels. The accord makes no mention of 2050 targets, which had
been included in earlier drafts.
Forests: ‘We recognise the crucial role of reducing emission
from deforestation and forest degradation and the need to
enhance removals of greenhouse gas emission by forests and
agree on the need to provide positive incentives to such actions
through the immediate establishment of a mechanism including
REDD-plus, to enable the mobilisation of financial resources from
developed countries’.
It has been estimated that more than 15% of emissions are
attributed to the clearing of forests but there are no safeguards
attached to this commitment. REDD, or reduced emissions from
deforestation and forest degradation is a controversial mechanism
to control loss of forests. The basic concept is simple:
governments, companies or forest owners in the South should be
rewarded for keeping their forests instead of cutting them down.
The idea of making payments to discourage deforestation and
forest degradation was discussed in the negotiations leading to the
Kyoto Protocol, but was rejected. REDD developed from a
proposal in 2005 by a group of countries calling themselves the
Coalition of Rainforest Nations. Two years later, the proposal was
taken up at the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in Bali
(COP-13). Agreement on REDD was planned for at COP-15.
Money: ‘The collective commitment by developed countries is to
provide new and additional resources amounting to $30bn for
2010-12… Developed countries set a goal of mobilising jointly
$100bn/year by 2020 to address needs of developing countries.’
Without this cash there would have been no agreement at
Copenhagen. It provides for rich nations to support developing
countries' efforts. Longer term, a far larger sum of money will be
committed to a Copenhagen Green Climate Fund but the
agreement leaves open the questions of where the money will
come from, and how it will be used.
What was not agreed?
An attempt to replace Kyoto: Early drafts had included the
preamble ‘Affirming our firm resolve to adopt one or more legal
instruments …’ but it created a negotiation obstacle. The Kyoto
Protocol includes an important distinction between developed and
developing countries. This ‘twin-track’ approach was expected to
be adopted in any agreement coming out of the Copenhagen
conference. Kyoto established the ‘polluter pays’ principle and
developing countries were not prepared to adopt a single
agreement. Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada are desperate to
move to a one-track approach, but developing nations refused to
kill off the protocol.
Deadline for a treaty: ‘… as soon as possible and no later than
COP16 …’ appeared and disappeared on the last day of the
Conference. It set December 2010 as the date for the conclusion
of a legally binding treaty. The final text dropped this date but it is
likely that we will hear Governments and NGOs say that COP16
(Mexico) should become the milestone COP15 (Copenhagen) was
meant to be.
Outcome – how the Copenhagen Accord affects the various Parties
The United States
The Copenhagen Accord means that the US does not have the
problem of having to address a climate change bill. Their system of
patronage through financial support of politicians makes it unlikely
that they could implement a Climate Change Act, meaning that the
US is unlikely to sign up to any legally enforceable international
agreement.
However it is interesting to note that Sen. John Kerry announced
at Copenhagen that he expected a US Climate Change Bill to clear
12 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
both the House and the Senate next year. 33 out of 50 states have
emission targets, which shows a considerable level of commitment
to emissions reductions in the US.
China and the developing world
China, with other developing countries were put under pressure to
reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. They did not lose face –
indeed they displayed strength in the face of pressure from
developed countries to ditch the twin-track process established in
Kyoto.
China has adopted a position of reducing carbon intensity by
40%, i.e. reducing the rate of increase.
The third world
The big losers are the poorest nations of the world which are
bound to suffer most from the suggested 2º temperature rise and
there is much agreement on the imminent effects of climate
change.
At the launch of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) working group report on climate change (Sept 2007)
Professor Parry, co-Chair, said: ‘We are all used to talking about
these impacts coming in the lifetimes of our children and
grandchildren. Now we know that it’s us.’ He said the international
response to the problem had failed to grasp that serious
consequences such as reduced crop yields and coastal flooding
were now inevitable. ‘Mitigation has got all the attention but we
cannot mitigate out of this problem. We now have a choice
between a future with a damaged world or a severely damaged
world.’
At the same event the trade and development minister, Gareth
Thomas said: ‘Failing to tackle it [climate change] will lead to
floods, droughts and natural disasters which can destroy poor
people's lives as well as their livelihoods.’
Dr Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman, IPCC, not surprisingly, spoke
diplomatically but strongly in his speech for the opening ceremony
for COP 15. He said: ‘Available research suggests a significant
future increase in heavy rainfall events in many regions, including
some in which the mean rainfall is projected to decrease. The
resulting flood risk poses challenges to society, physical
infrastructure and water quality. It is likely that 20% of the world
population, which as a fraction could exceed two billion people,
will live in areas where river flood potential could increase by the
2080s. In Africa, by 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are
projected to be exposed to water stress due to climate change,
and in some countries on that continent yields from rain-fed
agriculture could be reduced by up to 50%.’
There is neither agreement in place to limit rises to that nor any
legal agreement on mechanisms to achieve the agreed 2º limit.
Low-lying countries will be lost – and soon.
The United Kingdom
The UK came out of the Conference with some political credit.
They were praised for achieving the $100bn/year commitment to
developing countries.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions are still limited by the Kyoto
mechanism and the EU already has a strong commitment to
reduction of carbon emissions. The UK has the strongest climate
change legislation in the EU. However, other countries have
committed more funds than the UK has in supporting the
stimulation of green technology. Thus the UK is likely to find itself
importing new technology to comply with its own stringent
legislation (the Climate Change Act; The Carbon Reduction
Commitment and implementation of the Code for Sustainable
Homes).
The lack of agreement on reducing carbon quotas has meant
the price of carbon has fallen on the international markets, leading
to a lack of incentive for industry to invest in low-carbon
technology. Development of low carbon industry is a reality for the
UK economy – UK law drives it. As they have to move to low
carbon technology (to meet legal emissions limits) but do not have
the financial benefit of carbon trading to pay for the cost (due to
low value of carbon credits) it is probable that the impact on
SE2 sust brief COP15 :Layout 3 14/1/10 13:26
construction will be felt more through the high price of energy and
high embodied energy products rather than in direct innovation.
Unless other developed nations move towards targets of similar
stringency, the UK may find itself being put in an uncompetitive
situation, which may lead to internal political pressure to reduce
current UK commitments. Whatever happens it will be driven by
the price of energy and the relative cost of fossil fuel energy and
renewable energy.
COP 15 success or failure?
It seems that the best to be said of COP 15 is that it is two steps
forward and one step back. It has certainly failed the poorest
nations of the world. The Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs) of the world were excluded from the UN official conference
and so they lacked influence on the outcome. The issues
surrounding climate change are complex and the Conference has
not succeeded in making them any clearer to the non-specialists.
The concept of the trillionth tonne of carbon may be a way of
communicating some of the complexity in an understandable
manner.
Since 2006 the head of the UNFCCC Secretariat has been Yvo
de Boer. In 2008 he said: ‘Copenhagen, for me, is a very clear
deadline that I think we need to meet, and I am afraid that if we
don't then the process will begin to slip, and like in the trade
negotiations, one deadline after the other will not be met, and we
sort of become the little orchestra on the Titanic’.
In 2009 he said that everything will be sorted out ‘in Mexico one
year from now’.
The Future – beyond COP 15
The effect of climate change is unequal – the UK is in the fortunate
position of being less directly affected than most. The poorest
countries of the world will be worst hit and surely this means that
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John Eyre
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In a previous meeting a lecture, originally
compiled for a junior or lay audience, provided
a brief window on the activities of the structural
designer with examples of how graphical
representations of vectors help to evaluate design
decisions of form at the conceptual design
stage. John follows this up with a second lecture
introduced in the same way as previously with
examples of various ingenious student responses
to design problems and then brings into focus the
use of geometry in structural engineering;
in its solutions, in the designers’ analytical
methods and in his own handling of research.
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Page 12
those who have been most responsible for the emissions causing
climate change have a responsibility to act. Anyone who is
sceptical of the science behind man-made carbon emissions
leading to climate change should make reference to the Royal
Society website and in particular their publication Climate Change
Controversies – A Simple Guide (http://royalsociety.org/Climate-
change-controversies/).
Presumably the reason that a ‘rational framework’ was not
agreed at Copenhagen was because both the developed and the
developing countries saw it as too expensive – too restrictive on
their economies. But, as climate change continues, there will be
agreement on how to limit emissions. As a legally binding limit
(which would drive carbon price) does not seem to be possible, it
seems unlikely that the future will be a ‘cap and trade’ mechanism.
Perhaps we will see taxes on carbon emissions – a ‘Carbon Tax’
has been discussed for many years and if a market-driven system
cannot be established, then a tax seems inevitable.
Although the world’s politicians failed to reach agreement, many
companies and other organisations recognise the imperative to act
and are adopting carbon reduction strategies. There was no global
agreement at Copenhagen but the development of low-carbon
solutions as a requirement of a client’s brief will be the most
obvious impact on engineers. We will see low carbon solutions
(energy generation and construction) continuing to be of
importance. They will provide considerable professional
opportunities for engineers to use their skills and knowledge to
meet this challenge positively.
This briefing is prepared by the Institution of Structural Engineers
Sustainable Construction Panel; Contact: Berenice Chan (email:
Berenice.chan@istructe.org).
Issue No: 8
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being presented. Registration is required via HYHQWV#LVWUXFWHRUJ,ATECOMERSWILLONLYBEADMITTEDTOTHEOVERmOWFACILITYNOTTHEMAINLECTURETHEATRE

The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 13

SE2 EEFIT fea.qxp:Layout 3 14/1/10 13:29 Page 14
Report
Lessons from destruction
Kathy Stansfield reports on an EEFIT team visit to study the effects of the recent
tsunami in Samoa and Ian Farmer on a visit to the Padang earthquake, Sumatra
1 2
South Pacific tsunami 29 September 2009
An EEFIT team of coastal engineers and tsunami experts spent a
week amongst the islands around Samoa studying the effects of
the tsunami which was caused by an earthquake on 29
September. They reported their findings at a meeting at Institution
hq on 24 November. Emily So (University of Cambridge/ Plymouth)
led the team, and was the only one with previous experience of
EEFIT vists. She explained the background. The Samoan islands
lie on the Pacific Plate close to the Australian Plate – the fastest
moving convergent plate boundary in the world. Since 1897 there
have been 48 tsunamis in the region, that in 1917 being closest in
character to the 2009 event.
The offshore earthquake Mw 8.0 occurred at 06:48 on
September 29, 2009 at the northern end of a 3000km long
segment of the Pacific-Australia plate boundary, with the epicentre
190 km south of Samoa. Though warnings were picked up by a
team in the Pacific, it took 16mins to get a warning to Samoa. 143
people died, mainly the young and elderly living along the south
east coast of of Upolu and the island of Manono. 3200 people
were left homeless. There had been a disaster plan in place since
2006 but take up was slow.
Coastal expert Alison Hunt Raby (Plymouth University) described
the man-made coastal defences, which consisted of rubble
mounds and reclaimed land, with natural defences of reefs and
vegetation. The shallow reefs which surrounded many of the
islands and the sharp drop at the edge dissipated much wave
energy, but not that of the tsunami. Coconut trees and mangroves
on the landward side of villages made escape difficult, while on the
seaward side their effectiveness as a barrier was reduced as they
had been severely depleted for firewood. Coconut trees had 10m
deep roots, and in some cases 7m had been exposed by scour.
The quality of the rubble mound defences varied and in some
cases the waves threw the rocks into villages. Sand movement
and longshore drift, plus reclamation had depleted the beaches,
but grasses along the shore helped stabilise land. There had been
some local work on coastal infrastructure management plans but
they had not been implemented.
The effects on people and structures from detailed surveys on
some of the islands was presented by Tristan Robinson (University
College London) Stuart Fraser (Aon Benfield), and Tristan Lloyd
(University College London). Traditional homes of villagers were
mainly open sided timber falo’os, often with poor foundations of
14 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
1 Samoa: damage to rc structure due to the tsunami
2 Samoa: damage to building and one of
several collapsed water towers
compacted rock, rubble or coral covered with a thin layer of
concrete, which fared badly in the tsunami. Concrete and masonry
buildings, including churches built by missionaries, were generally
much less damaged, but in some cases there was significant
damage to reinforced concrete buildings (Fig 1). A major problem
following the tsunami proved to be water supply as large concrete
water tanks were swept away, some as far as 170m, or into
settlements causing damage, and springs were polluted (Fig 2).
External warnings were not received in time. Villagers observed
two or three waves, and mostly had to evacuate inland to
plantations on foot. In some cases steep land behind villages
made this impossible, or roads were exposed to the waves. In one
beach resort where the community was rich enough to afford
sirens and training, more people escaped.
Recommendations
Several recommendations were made at the request of the
government to assist future planning:
– address issues around corrugated steel roofs coming loose in
both high winds and waves;
– improve warning systems – with signposting;
– improve escape routes;
– outbuildings which are built to lower standard than main house
must not cause additional damage if displaced by tsunami;
– use high rounded volcanic boulder foundations over concrete
block infilled foundations;
– don’t criticise over-evacuation;
– continuation of community education, which is very effective in
village-based society.
Padang Earthquake 30 Sept 2009
Padang is in Western Sumatra, Indonesia and the region has a
history of large earthquake events recorded back over many
centuries. The Padang earthquake, recorded at 7.6 on the Richter
scale, occurred at 17.30 on 30 September. EEFIT sent a team out
in mid November and reported its preliminary findings on 16
December at a meeting at the Institution’s hq.
John Alarcon (AIR Worldwide) reported on the general seismicity
SE2 EEFIT fea.qxp:Layout 3 14/1/10 13:29 Page 15
of the region. The earthquake was the result of the subduction of
the Australian Plate below the Java Sundra Trench (Asia) plate,
part of the area of the Pacific region ‘ring of fire’.
The majority of residential housing is one- to two-storey
buildings of reinforced concrete frames with timber beams and
galvanized sheeting for roofs. The commercial and Industrial
buildings were mostly of rc frames, but some steel, with masonry
infill walls suffered a whole range of damage from severe to little
from the earthquake and ground movement. The variation in
structural damage to hotels, commercial retailing outlets and
especially government buildings was surprising and put down to
the quality of the construction and detailing and of the materials
used and also the localised variation in soil quality and type. One
five-storey building, very close to a damaged shopping centre,
which was composed of a rc frame and masonry infill walls,
showed very little effect from the earthquake.
In general the most prominent type of structural failure was soft
storey failure (Fig 3). This occurred across the board in hotels,
shopping centres and industrial buildings, sometimes caused by
insufficient confinement of the reinforcement in the concrete
frames.
Jessica Whittle (Oxford University) reported that 80% of
government buildings either collapsed or were severely damaged,
again mostly by soft storey failure. The Ministry of Finance, which
was one example, was constructed using plain reinforcing bar in
the concrete instead of ribbed as detailed in the Code. In contrast,
the City Hall in Pariaman City was reasonably unaffected
structurally and showed little sign of damage except for broken
windows and small shear cracks in the exterior façade.
Poorer people who lived in low quality housing made of stone
and masonry construction with roofs of timber and galvanized
sheeting were serioulsy affected. Stone construction is not
seismically good and a number of dwelling in Pariaman City were
badly damaged.
Over 2000 schools were badly damaged and when the team
arrived 6 weeks after the event, many had been, or were in the
process of being, demolished. However, many schools were ‘up
and running’ when the team arrived having been rebuilt quickly.
Temporary structures and tented accommodation were used to
ensure that the education of the children was continued. Many of
the damaged school buildings were constructed with a timber roof
and corrugated sheeting over masonry infill walls with thin concrete
columns to support the masonry. However it was found that many
infill walls were not tied in to the frame (i.e. built separated from the
frame) and consequently collapsed in one go. In one school it was
found that there were no connections between the beams and the
roof and in another no interlocking of the bricks in the masonry
walls. All this contributed to structural failure.
In general the conclusions were that the structural materials
played a part in the level of damage; the richer schools built with
higher quality materials faired better while the poor quality school
buildings suffered. The main Padang hospital, the Dr M. Djamil
3 Soft storey failure, smooth rebar used instead
of ribbed in a damaged Government building
in Padang
4 Soil subsidence causes cracks along a coastal
road
3 4
hospital, performed well as did the Paraiman hospital, closer to the
epicentre, which only exhibited hairline cracks in the sidewalls.
Weak column/strong beam was the construction policy and this
seemed to cope well with the ground movement.
In the port area, although a ground settlement of 6cm was seen
with some cracking of roadways, etc., it was mostly unaffected by
the ’quake and no disruption to normal working was experienced.
Darren Chian (Cambridge University) reported on the
geotechnical effects resulting from the earthquake. Cracks
propagated through the soil toward the coast and reached the
surface in some areas (Fig 4). Liquefaction was another effect
reported in the coastal region. There was settlement of the ground
and houses which showed signs of severe ground cracking and
upheaval due to pore (hydraulic) pressure.
Landslides were a major feature of the Padang earthquake, the
most heavily damaged area being Nagari Tandikek region which
saw one landslip that had a run-off of 240m and height of 68m.
Over 250 died in the area. The landslides were the major
disruption to the road network; although structurally undamaged
some roads were blocked due to landslips.
Disaster management
Team leader, Sean Wilkinson, reported on the effect the ’quake
had on the infrastructure and public services where major
disruption occurred. The water supply was severely affected as the
mains pipelines (mostly ductile iron) cracked during ground
movement and Padang central reservoir lost half of its capacity in
the quake. There was no diesel generator back-up in the event of
disruption of main supplies. Two other gravity fed reservoirs to the
north and south of the city fared better but as pipes were fractured
there was no way to get the water to where it was needed quickly.
The power outage lasted for 3 days and was caused by the
power companies (gas and electric) turning off the supply to lessen
the risk of fire, although with no town gas network the risk of fire
was lessened considerably. The hospitals had just two water
trucks to provide a clean supply of water over the first 2 days, then
more water trucks arrived in the following days. A large number of
2m3 PVC water tanks were installed to provide residents with
water; the central region was without water for 10 days.
Communications were disrupted as 805 of the mobile phone
masts and aerial lines were brought down in the quake, however,
ground telephone lines were little affected.
Conclusions
It was suggested that there is still a significant risk of another
severe earthquake in the near future, in the region of 8.5 on the
Richter scale, as not all the energy stored in subducted zone has
been dissipated by the latest rupture. This is 30 times more
powerful than the latest earthquake.
Many failures were due to the poor quality of costruction and /or
materials and in major structures; building regulations and codes
had not been applied. Government buildings fared particularly
badly in this respect. Although people died as a direct result of
building collapse, one of the major causes to loss of life was the
landslides that resulted from the earthquake.
The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 15
SE2 IDBE fea:Layout 3 15/1/10 10:39 Page 16
Report
Promoting teamwork and
sustainable design
The IDBE Masters programme offers practising professionals a structured process
of interdisciplinary education and professional development. Julie Jupp and
Sebastian Macmillan, who run the course at Cambridge University, explain
We often take the built environment for granted without realising
the benefits it brings. It clearly influences our quality of life; well
designed schools contribute to educational attainment, hospitals
to patient outcomes, offices to productivity, public open space to
recreation and well-being, while attractive towns and cities
generate civic pride and tourism. The converse is also true; more
policing and healthcare are needed where the built environment is
poor.
Alongside the issue of social outcomes is the increasingly
important risk of environmental impact, including climate change.
We urgently need to be providing facilities that minimise resource
use in their construction, minimise energy and water requirements,
and limit damage to the natural world.
The Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment (IDBE)
masters course aims to equip all its students with the skills needed
to meet these challenges. An underlying principle of the course is
that this demands effective interdisciplinary understanding and
collaborative working. The course aims to help members of multi-
disciplinary teams to work together effectively, harnessing their
knowledge and expertise in the design and delivery of an
integrated product.
Traditionally, some of these abilities develop with experience. But
commercial pressures are often such that individuals can now find
themselves in positions of considerable responsibility early in their
careers. Most of those taking the course have demonstrated their
abilities in their core disciplines and are moving to strategic and
leadership roles for which they may well be under-prepared. The
1 2
16 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
course provides a route for accelerating progress towards
professional maturity.
The objectives of the course include giving students a strategic
overview of the construction industry and of the production and
management of built environment, as well as a critical perspective
on the everyday knowledge and assumptions made in practice.
The course also raises awareness of current research in the sector
and its potential and limitations, and provides an introduction to
professional ethics and the responsibilities owed by engineers and
their colleagues to society as a whole.
Various practical skills are promoted including leadership and the
effective management of teams, competence in negotiating, and
effective communication including presentation skills. A reflective
attitude is encouraged that may include developing awareness of
the different and sometimes conflicting motivations and value
systems of other designers, of clients, and of wider project
stakeholders.
Course organisation and origins
IDBE is a 2-year part-time masters course offered jointly by the
Departments of Engineering and Architecture at the University of
1 During the residential weeks, students tackle
a design project in small mixed discipline teams
2 Dr Torwong Chenvidyakarn discusses daylight
modelling with a team in the workshop
SE2 IDBE fea:Layout 3 15/1/10 10:39 Page 17
Cambridge. Students joining the course attend 7 separate
residential weeks in Cambridge over the 2-year period. Each of the
weeks has a distinctive theme, which is examined through formal
lectures, workshops, discussions groups and crucially, a studio
design project undertaken in small mixed-discipline teams.
Between the residential weeks and away from Cambridge,
students complete four written assignments including a 15 000
word thesis in the second year.
The course has its origins in the ideas of Ove Arup, not only his
passion for ‘total design’ but also his view of the importance of
successful interdisciplinary collaboration. These views can be
traced back to the 1930s when he found himself, as an engineer
with detailed knowledge of the properties of reinforce concrete,
teaching architects about its structural possibilities. Throughout his
career Arup wrote extensively about the need for better
collaboration between architects and engineers and, when the
Arup Foundation was established to honour his memory, its
objectives included an emphasis on the multi-disciplinary nature of
design in engineering and architecture.
The Foundation Trustees perceived a need for an initiative to
bring professionals in the built environment together to study with
a set of common objectives, and supported by leading academics
and industry practitioners. The learning experience was not to be
limited to specific disciplines but extended to the humanities to
help broaden the participants’ outlook. These ideas were
examined at a seminar at Madingley Hall in Cambridge in 1991.
Several higher education establishments were invited to put
forward expressions of interest and, after an exhaustive selection
process, the Foundation agreed to support the Cambridge
proposal for IDBE.
Consequently the course was established at Cambridge and
admitted its first cohort of students in July 1994. It was the first
part-time course at Cambridge, but has since been joined by half a
dozen others. Since its inception more than 150 students have
graduated from the course.
Additional financial support in the early years was generously
provided by the Happold Trust and the Isaac Newton Trust, and
many engineering students on the course gain support from the
Educational Trust Bursary
The Institution’s Educational Trust sponsors an annual bursary
for a structural engineer on the IDBE programme. Since its
introduction six students have benefited from the Educational
Trust bursary which has proved successful in assisting talented
young engineers. Fergus McCormick and Kate West have
provided the following feedback on their experiences.
Fergus McCormick, Structural Engineering Leader at Buro Happold
The Masters course was proactive in enabling participants to
clarify professional objectives. For myself, this resulted in
moving to a practice which leads many sports engineering
projects. I currently lead the structural engineering team for the
2012 Olympic Stadium and actively pursue opportunities in
stadium engineering in a number of emerging markets.
Panasonic Trust.
The early years of IDBE coincided with the publication of the
Latham and Egan reviews of the performance of the construction
industry. Many of the ideas in both reports were entirely compatible
with the objectives of the course, and IDBE helped to deliver the
‘rethinking construction’ agenda to professionals taking the
course. Since that time, the sustainability agenda has become
increasingly important nationally and internationally, and course
content has evolved to make sustainability a major component.
There is no loss of ambition in this change. We take the view that
sustainability is not under the control of any single discipline but
instead needs all disciplines to share a vision and to work
effectively together to deliver it. Sustainable construction needs
integrated teams.
Who takes the course?
The entry requirements for those taking the course are for a
minimum of 3 years post-qualification experience. In practice,
most of those taking the IDBE course have more than this, most
are qualified professionals with at least 5 years experience.
The course recruits up to 25 students/year, of whom about one
third are engineers (structural, civil, and building services), one-
third are architects, and the remainder are from related disciplines
such as surveying, project management, real estate, planning,
landscape architecture, and so on. Up to one third are international
students. About a quarter are female, and we should be pleased
to see this number rise.
In common with most UK masters degrees, entry requirements
include an upper second honours degree, although this may be
waived in exceptional cases. All applicants are interviewed and the
course aims to attract a lively and articulate cohort, since
communication and learning from one-another are important
aspects of the course. Students on the course learn a great deal
from each other.
Recent graduate and recipient of an IStructE Educational Trust
Bursary, Fiona Cobb, said: ‘While I had slight reservations about
how the mixture of students would affect my experience on the
course, the group debates generated by this mix have been one of
Kate West, Structural Engineer and Design Team Leader at Arup
After 7 years practising as a structural engineer and as an
Associate with Arup (London office), I am now working in a new
Design Team Leadership (DTL) role. When I started the course, I
was working in this emerging area as an Assistant DTL on the
609M€ Dublin Airport T2 project. Two of the key reasons I
undertook the IDBE course were to expand my understanding
of other AEC professions and to develop my leadership and
integrated design skills. Using the knowledge gained on the
course in conjunction with my earlier DTL experience, I’ve
helped to develop the new Arup group which focuses on the
delivery of design team leadership services. Now as a DTL of
large projects, I am able to more effectively lead multidisciplinary
teams. One of my most recent career highlights was leading on
the 400M€ Dublin Northern Quarter urban regeneration scheme
where I was responsible for over 35 designers, comprising
architects, engineers and specialist consultants.
The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 17
SE2 IDBE fea:Layout 3 19/1/10 11:26 Page 18
3 Student proposals for a bridge over the River Ouse
the highlights. The course was an immense benefit and I always
left the residential periods with my head buzzing with new ideas. I
made numerous friends and contacts and was sorry when I
reached the course’s conclusion’.
Employers and fees
Fees for taking the course are typically met by employers, although
sometimes they are shared by employer and employee, and some
students put themselves through the course. For employers, the
benefits are several.
– First, sending a student on the course demonstrates confidence
in the employee and a willingness to invest in training and
development.
– Second, after each of the residential weeks, employees return to
their companies refreshed and invigorated by the experience of the
week and with new ideas that can cascade through the firm.
– Third, the written assignments undertaken may readily benefit the
organisation.
Recent examples include a student who undertook a pilot study
in a potential client organisation and whose firm was subsequently
commissioned for a fully professional survey. Another’s thesis
included a spreadsheet of facts and figures about ‘embodied
energy’ in various building elements, and his company is now
offering this as a new service to clients. Another completed a client
satisfaction survey, and yet another reviewed ‘sustainable energy
technologies’ and turned this into a business plan for a new
consultancy. Provided the assignments meet the academic
standards expected, they may serve this dual purpose.
Accreditation by the Institution of Structural Engineers
The course is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (on
behalf of the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Institution of
Civil Engineers and the Institute of Highway Engineers) as meeting
the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer for
candidates who have already acquired a CEng-accredited
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) undergraduate first degree.
The course is also accredited by the Royal Institution of
Chartered Surveyors under the project management pathway;
graduates of the course, under certain circumstances which may
include ‘structured training’, are eligible to apply for membership of
the Institution.
Although many joining the course are already members of
professional institutions, a percentage of graduates benefit from its
accreditation by these bodies.
A typical week in Cambridge
No week on the course is the same as any other. But to give a
flavour, a recent week had as its theme urban design and
18 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
sustainable communities. Lectures were given by Diane Haigh of
the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
(CABE), and university lecturers presented three research projects:
‘Conflict in Cities’, ‘Transport Modelling’, and a socio economic
study of Cambourne. Planner Peter Studdert reviewed new
Northern European settlements, and Alex Plant spoke about
Cambridgeshire Horizons. Architecture critic, Hugh Pearman, led a
discussion about iconic buildings. The studio project looked at the
planned expansion of the city of Abu Dhabi. Plan Abu Dhabi 2030
outlines a framework for the expansion of urban areas onto
existing islands and the mainland so as to diversify the economy
and expand the population. Working in mixed discipline teams the
students explored one of five urban planning themes, including the
creation of new districts as well as the design of public open
spaces and transport systems.
Buro Happold Senior Engineer and member of the 2007-2009
cohort Paulo Silva, said: ‘With many of us working on projects in
the Middle East, it was a great opportunity to build on our local
knowledge and more importantly, appreciate some of the broader
best-practice issues that are sometimes left behind in the rush to
site. This is typical of the IDBE course, which has been an
excellent learning experience. I often find myself subconsciously
using this new learning whilst at work, as the course has given me
a much broader perspective of the issues that can and should
shape our industry.’
What did they do next?
Past graduates are spread far and wide, and we are in touch with
only a proportion of them. A sample is given below.
Structural engineer Vijay Vijayendran was in the first IDBE cohort
(IDBE-1) and flew in from New York to take the course. He is a
director of bridge maintenance with the New York State
Department of Transportation, and because of his expertise in
bridge emergencies he was asked to assist emergency service
personnel on the night of 9/11.
Fiona Cobb (IDBE-10) a structural engineer is an Associate at
Price & Myers and was selected as Young Consultant of the Year
2007 by NCE/ACE from a field of more than 40.
On graduating from IDBE, Tanya de Hoog (IDBE-12) became a
founder director of a structural engineering consultancy and is now
a director of the international engineering consultancy Thornton
Tomasetti.
Architect Vikram Lall (IDBE-5) is principal of Lall & Associates, a
successful architectural practice in New Delhi, India.
In 2008, engineer Graham Gidney (IDBE-12) published ‘Building
design links to infection control’ in Health Estate, the journal of the
Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management based
on his IDBE thesis, and in the same year architect Matt Cousins
(IDBE-10) published a book Design Quality in New Housing:
Learning from the Netherlands, also based in his thesis.
There is also a book Interdisciplinary Design in Practice
comprising chapters first presented in the form of talks to IDBE
students, which illustrates some of the philosophy of the course.
The IDBE website (www.idbe.org) provides a good deal of
information about the course and illustrates some of the studio
projects undertaken during the residential weeks. It also contains
information about the syllabus and how to apply to join IDBE.
SE2 hms osprey fea.qxp:Layout 3 15/1/10 10:53 Page 19
Project
Barracks becomes housing
Michael Fisher (M) Managing Director Pure Structures Ltd describes the challenge
of transforming the former HMS Osprey Barracks
The HMS Osprey Barracks, Isle of Portland, Weymouth, was
constructed in the early 1980s by the Property Services Agency
(PSA) on behalf of the MOD. It became unoccupied in 1999
following the consolidation of the naval presence to Portsmouth
and Dartmouth. The site was acquired by the Comer Homes Group
in 2000.
Built on the lower reaches of a steep escarpment below Portland
Prison, the location is exposed to south westerly winds blowing
over Chesil Beach. Outline planning permission for conversion to
housing was granted in 2002, the proposal being to transform the
blocks with observation towers and balconies serving all flats.
In 2005, the Comer Homes Group appointed ADP Yeovil office as
project architect, initially to complete necessary rationalisation of the
floor plates to provide a mix of two and three bedroom apartments.
At the same time, the special projects team of former Marks
Heeley & Brothwell Ltd, now demerged to form Pure Structures Ltd,
was appointed as structural engineers.
Existing structural form
The buildings were imposing blocks on the northern side of the Isle
of Portland, built to a high specification with heavy precast façade
units supported on in situ concrete structures (Fig 1). The common
areas of basement and ground floors were formed in simple rc
slab/beam and supporting column arrangement. The repeat cabin
levels were constructed in tunnel form, built off a 350mm thick
podium slab and with a central corridor arrangement.
The construction above this level comprised cross walls at 3m
centres supporting 150mm thick floor plates. This form of
1
2 3
construction provided column free lower levels within the depth of
the structure. Partial first floors were present in the form of in situ
concrete on metal decking hung from the underside of the tunnel
form transfer slabs.
Stability of the structures was in the form of in situ concrete
stair/lift cores at the junctions between the respective blocks.
Design challenges
Fundamental to the success of the project has been the necessary
combining of adjacent cabins to form apartments, whilst not
obviously being limited by the original structural form.
Other design challenges were:
– To design a componentised high quality balcony system, able in
some instances, to be hung from the façades and at the same
time able to resist the rigours of extreme sea exposure.
– To design three-storey extensions at the former lift core locations
providing panoramic viewing towers for exclusive penthouse
apartments.
– To resolve the extent of demolition works to facilitate the
refurbishment measures.
The fundamental problem of combining cabin units required a
strategic design coordination between architect and engineer. The
resolved design approach provided stacked new hole provision to
each cross wall and which was justified by FEA analysis (Fig 2). As
a result of the removal of the tunnel form strength in this way, a
new steelwork transfer structure was provided at a replacement
first floor level (Fig 3).
Combined with this exercise was the decision to demolish the
ground floor terrace areas so that they could be replaced by a new
steelwork structure able to support the proposed new balcony
system. The design of the balconies was seen as being of utmost
importance, to reflect a refined design and provide a signature for
the complex.
From a structural perspective it was essential that they could be
reduced to component parts to enable prefabrication off site. This
included a protection specification of 140μm galvanising with top
coat white gloss.
The balconies were delivered to site including a decking system
1 Existing structure during early site works
2 A typical FEA wall model
3 Transfer deck steelwork Block B
4 Block E balconies – detail
4
The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 19
SE2 hms osprey fea.qxp:Layout 3 15/1/10 10:53 Page 20

5 3D analysis:
rendered view
6 Block A Completed
Balconies and
Towers

5 6

of synthetic wood made from recycled plastic milk cartons. They
were bolted to either a continuous vertical support or alternative
moment bracket at locations where balconies were required to be
self supporting (Fig 4).
The remaining significant structural challenge related to the
extension of the existing lift cores to provide panoramic viewing
platforms to exclusive penthouse apartments.
These were designed adopting box section vertical members,
strapped down to the existing concrete shafts. Analysis using 3D
models enabled framing to be developed to provide necessary
stiffness for the glass enclosures under significant wind exposure.
(Fig 5).
The development includes a leisure centre which has been
located with minimal structural works in the position of the former
underground loading dock.
Phase II of the development comprising a further 150
apartments in the former Ward Blocks reflects a continuation of the
design principles applied to Phase I. Demolition works are now
complete together with fabrication of the replacement/reframe first
floor.
2011 and will benefit from sailing related infrastructure for the 2012
Olympic Games.
Conclusion
The redevelopment of the HMS Osprey barracks reflects a bold
move by Comer Homes to create a home of sailing and backdrop
to the 2012 Olympics event.
The substantial existing buildings challenged a refurbishment
solution and which necessarily had to overcome the limitations
presented by the original tunnel form construction.
Phase I, the larger part of the development, is now complete
(Fig 6) and presents an impressive form. The success of this
development as a whole is dependent on the revitalising of the
housing market and impact of the Olympic flame. Let us hope that
this provides an exciting sailing venue in an area which will greatly
benefit from the related economic growth.
Credits
Client: Comer Homes Ltd
Engineer: Pure Structures Ltd
Architect: ADP, Yeovil Office

The development as a whole is due for completion in October

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industry’s premier awards. With 10 categories to choose from covering
all types of structure, there’s one for your project

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Deadline for entries is FRIDAY 16 APRIL 2010

Pictures shown are for 2009 Structural Award winning projects

SE2 verulam:Layout 3 14/1/10 13:55 Page 21
Your letters
Verulam
Support of cavity walls
The determination of loading on supporting
beams to cavity walls has bedevilled structural
engineers for many years. Judging from the
numerous solutions offered to this column it is
apparent that a consensus on this issue has yet
to be reached. This latest offering comes from
Jon Oates writing from Devon.
I was surprised to find NHBC giving guidance on
specific designs but I for one agree with Simon’s
comments. I will always design for the heaviest
loaded beam to ensure that expected deflections can CPD online
be limited. I have never put a lot of faith in the
connection between the two other than to keep them
in place during installation. Although this may result in Following Les Milist’s comments on the virtues of trusses are designed by computer programme used
a less than economic design it is more favourable to
me than using a small beam for the lighter load. I
would also say that where possible I will specify a
single beam with top plate for example as this then
removes any reliance on the relative stiffness of the
two leaves or perhaps a bottom plate to support a
much lighter inner leaf. Needless to say padstones
will take in both beams according to the design
requirements.
In retro installations I tend to design for a stiffer
beam in any case and as each beam is usually
installed separately then any differential deflections
have usually occurred before the beams are bolted
together.
With respect to torsion, of course, this is also an
aspect of designing beams for de-stablising loads so I
think is well catered for. I will be interested to see how I thank Peter for bringing the issue of CPD course roof construction and for allowing us to publish
the Eurocodes deal with this – so far I have only
battled through concrete steel and timber! Is anyone
out there designing masonry to the Eurocode yet I
wonder?
My thanks to Jon for this contribution.
George Fordyce from NHBC has sent us the
following explanation in response to the
numerous correspondents that have questioned
NHBC’s guidance on the support of cavity walls.
I refer to your correspondents comments regarding
the support of cavity walls (3 Nov and 1 Dec 2009).
The guidance quoted was originally produced as
internal guidance for NHBC staff only, for use in
standard domestic situations with implied caveats
which included the relative load distribution between
the two beams.
On request from the industry our technical
guidance has recently been made available on our
corporate website but without including the necessary
caveats associated with this item.
NHBC acknowledges the comments raised by your
correspondents and we have amended this guidance
item to reflect availability to the wider industry.
We thank your correspondents for their input.
My thanks to George for providing this
explanation and my special thanks to Simon
Course who initially raised the issue.
Unfortunately, despite the numerous
comments, the debate has not advanced very
much towards reaching a consensus on the issue
which would be most useful when applying for
Building Control. If NHBC could possibly allow us
to publish the abovementioned caveats in this
column then the debate will no doubt continue
amongst our members and a consensus hopefully
achieved.
Online CPD (Verulam 1/12/2009), Peter Ryan
writing from Co. Dublin has added a useful
postscript.
I refer to Les Milist’s comments about online CPD,
particularly where he mentions about a charge being
levied for the course – something that Verulam
appears to accept as inevitable. Engineers Ireland, of connectors to join twin members together. These
which I am a Fellow, offers free online access to most galvanised steel connectors varied in design but
of its CPD lectures. These lectures mostly take place usually were circular plates either with sharp teeth or
in the head office in Clyde Road, Dublin, but can be
viewed online at any time by members at no cost.
This makes CPD fully accessible and attractive to
members without any need to travel. The Institution
should consider this as a service to members.
fees to our attention. The Irish arrangements for
supporting professional CPD Online lectures has
much to be admired.
TDA roof trusses
Eric Heatherington writing from Newcastle has
sent us the following historical information in
response to Brian Wood’s enquiry regarding the
development of TDA roof trusses (1 Dec).
I work as a structural engineer for Newcastle City
Council and have worked on refurbishment of council
dwellings over a good number of years.
TDA was the Timber Development Association; an
organisation set up circa 1935. It now can be
identified as the Timber Research and Development
Association (TRADA).
Experience has taught me that domestic roofs
were often put together by journeyman carpenters
working in teams. They used their own experience to
determine timber sizes and methods of roof
construction. Adjacent blocks of similar layout
dwellings may well have a different form of roof
construction.
King post roof trusses were often used at around
2.4m centres with purlins to span between the party
walls and the trusses.
Sometimes trussed purlins were designed to span
between party walls thus negating the need for any
intermediate truss.
I recall in the 1960s trussed rafters at 2ft centres
being introduced to domestic construction. In the
1940s and 1950s the trusses would have plywood
gussets. In the mid-1960s when prefabricated
housing was in its heyday, trusses were manufactured
with nailed gusset plates. It was in the early 1970s
that trussed rafters at 600mm centres with pressed
nailed plate gussets became popular for domestic
use.
Modern-day roof type is a description I would give
to a ‘trussed rafter type of construction’, where the
by the trussed rafter manufacturer. Of course the
overall roof design needs to be considered by the roof
designer who will need to examine the code of
practice recommendations in the most recent British
Standard Timber Code for Trussed Rafters.
The roof trusses designed in the 1940s and 1950s
used bolted timber connections and suitable timber
were of the split ring type. The ‘Bulldog’ toothed plate
connectors were either single or double sided
depending upon the design shear values required.
My thanks to Eric for providing his definition of
the various terms associated with timber pitched
the attached photograph of a typical King Post
roof truss (see image above).
Emails can be sent to Verulam via:
(verulam@istructe.org).
Readers are referred to the publisher’s disclaimer as
set out on page 5.
Views expressed in Verulam are not necessarily
those of The Institution of Structural Engineers.
Letters are published at the discretion of Verulam.
The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 21
SE2 paper train address:Layout 3 14/1/10
Presidential Address
Opportunities within change: looking beyond
the immediate
Norman Train, BSc(Eng),CEng, FIStructE, FICE, FCIArb
Keywords: Presidential address, Structural Engineering, IStructE, Communication, Eurocodes, CPD,
Recession, Sustainability
© Norman C. Train
Presented on 15 January 2010 at Institution HQ, 11 Upper Belgrave
Street, London SW1X 8BH
Introduction
30 years ago I recall sitting apprehensively just before the start of
the CM examination. I was worn out having lugged sports bags full
of structural references half way around London. I was too anxious
to conceive of anything beyond the next 7 hours and had no
inkling that my examination desk might lead eventually to this
lectern. I had no idea where my chartered career would take me,
or the support I would find in being a member of this Institution,
the friends that I would make and the honour that my peers would
bestow on me in electing me the 90th President of this august
Institution.
In this address I want to explore how we can become more
‘outward facing’, by examining our relationship with others and the
opportunities that arise within change. Potential recipients and
beneficiaries will include disconnected members, other
professional groups, and society as a whole. Some opportunities
are of the here and now, whereas others relate to an extended
time frame, hence the second part of my title – looking beyond the
immediate. In exploring a number of opportunities, I hope to fulfil
my Vice Presidental election manifesto pledges, which related to
concerns about Eurocodes, mandatory reporting of CPD and
raising status. But before looking at these, as some scene setting,
I wish to share with you a unit of time, a concise definition and
three observations.
I started 40 years ago as a chainman working for John Laing in
a gap year before going to the University of Leeds to read
Architectural Engineering. With the 30 years from my exam, my
career to date comprises 4 decades, 3 of which have been as a
chartered structural engineer. Consequently, I am adopting a
decade as my unit of time within this address. Decades can be
particularly apt when looking forward.
Definition: Structural Engineering is about managing loading paths
Leslie Robertson and Michel Virlogeux, both Institution Gold
Medallists, have described structural design as ‘managing loading
paths’. This can however embrace all facets of a structure
including: managing concept, analysis and validation; managing
erection load paths and temporary works; managing materials
during the life of the structure; managing change during
alterations, and managing disassembly. My concise definition
relates to the delivery of structures and the management of assets,
but, as a practising engineer, I make no apology for this; managing
loading paths is what I am about. As I discuss later, sustainability
will also require a greater emphasis on management of assets and
this is a big opportunity for structural engineers.
Observation 1: It is not the structural solution but communication that is
paramount
Returning to my CM exam, 3 decades ago, this Presidency was
going nowhere, when towards the end of the morning I realised I
had missed a piece of data in the question. This was a yellow card
22 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
13:56 Page 22
rather than a red card mistake, and there was nothing for it but to
confess this and keep moving forward. In a framed box, I stated
how this piece of information would have affected some of my
previous design decisions and how, with more time, I would have
checked these out. Luckily the gods and the examiners took pity
on me.
The structure can be sophisticated, eloquent and economic, but
if it is late, ambiguous or difficult to construct, it will have failed.
Whether dealing with examiners or clients, it is crucial to recognise
that information and dialogue are arguably more important than the
design. In the CM Exam, many candidates fail to appreciate that
the objective is not to produce an edifying structure but to
communicate to the examiners their ability to process a design.
Observation 2: An engineer in his time plays many parts, his acts being
four ages
Professor Les Clarke in his Presidential Address candidly traced
the changing phases of his research career from individual
structural elements to complete structures, to the sociological
aspects of processes. This is true of all engineers and I wish to
add a fourth element, people. So, misquoting Shakespeare, and
taking an Elizabethan guild as a theme gives my second
observation (Table 1):
Apprentice Elemental Design Part
Journeyman Holistic design Whole
Craftsman Processes Complex
Master People Unbelievably complex
Table 1 The four ages of engineering
We all start by grappling with individual elements and gaining an
understanding of the part. By the time graduates sit their
professional exam, they need to be able to integrate the parts into
a coherent whole.
For the Chartered or Incorporated Structural Engineer, the
challenges evolve from a strictly technical solution to managing the
process within design teams. Teams need programming, input
information and resources and their deliverables need validation
and verification. With time, the teams will themselves mature and
grow with others taking responsibility for process, leaving the
master with the ultimate responsibility of managing people. And so
it has always been. Wren had Hawksmoor and Woodroffe; Marc
Brunel had his son Isambard who, in turn was assisted by Daniel
Gooch.
Even in the age of the computer, it is design teams and not
individuals that deliver solutions and it is the collaborative
cooperation with constructors that sees the physical realisation of
the design. Such teams have their own complexities and dynamics
and solutions need clear communication, an appreciation of the
viewpoint of others and confidence to compromise.
Clearly different skills and competencies are required for the
different ‘engineering ages’ and this needs to be recognised in our
professional development. Mentoring and teaching also provide
opportunities for the tutor to learn from his or her student. Learning
from others leads to my third observation.
Observation 3: Site operatives probably already know the answer; all you
have to do is ask them
This relates to my first structural design. In my first summer
vacation at Leeds, I worked in the USA at a Kentucky materials
SE2 paper train address:Layout 3 14/1/10 13:56 Page 23
1
1 The Structural Awards (held in 2009 at the
Natural History Museum, London) help to
promote the profession
laboratory and was asked to design a two-storey timber shed for
storing the concrete cylinders. I wasn’t just out of my comfort
zone, I was outside my competency, designing to an unfamiliar
building code in unfamiliar units using timber as an unfamiliar
material. I say ‘design’ loosely. The cylinder house was built by one
of the drillers between jobs. With some trepidation I went back to
the lab at the end of the summer to see my edifice standing. The
driller explained that where he felt my design had been lacking, he
just doubled up the number of joists or studs!
It was an important lesson for me in that engineering, whether
design development, troubleshooting or forensic investigation, is
always improved when tempered with the experience and
knowledge of skilled tradesmen and operatives. Investigations are
always improved by taking a few minutes to listen to the pensioner
who has known the site for greater part of his or her life. Listening
and assimilating are part of communication.
Bringing my observations together, my conclusion is that all
solutions require communication; listening is usually more
important than speaking; understanding complex issues requires
appreciation and empathy.
Outward facing
Moving onto the main thrust of my Address, one of the Institution’s
strategic objectives for the 21st century is to be ‘outward facing’
and I have adopted this as a term within my address. It has to start
with being aware of the needs of different groups and developing
our response to them. Groups include our own members, outside
parties and society as a whole, whether this is the public, the
media or politicians. Communication can be at an individual level
or an Institutional level but we need to listen, appreciate and be
responsive.
Promote for the public benefit
Professional Institutions have a responsibility to the societies in
which they operate. The Institution of Structural Engineers is a
global brand with headquarters in London and with this comes our
Royal Charter stating that: ‘The objects of the Institution shall
continue to be to promote for the public benefit the general
advancement of the science and art of structural engineering’.
Although the Royal Charter is UK-centric, the sentiments are
global and mean that the Institution has to be outward facing and
engage with the public wherever its members operate.
Whilst our recently revised Code of Conduct should be the
touchstone in our dealings with individuals and society, I suggest
that there are three aspects to ‘promote for the public benefit’.
Traditional promotion. We undertake traditional promotion of
structural engineering and the profession on a number of fronts;
our Annual Awards increase in stature (Fig 1) and the newly formed
Education Panel is looking at better liaison with universities. A new
career brochure is planned to coincide with the next The Big Bang
schools career fair, which will be held in Manchester this March.
Responsive promotion addresses what society perceives its
professionals must do to maintain their status. Professionals gain
this status from their specialist knowledge and providing guidance
on and solutions to complex matters. Status is not a right but has
to be earned and there are threats to this. Brian Simpson, in his
Presidential Address, highlighted the change in attitude to authority
in the last 50 years and Graham Owens last year discussed the
assault of commoditisation on professional knowledge and
judgment. This greater distrust and suspicion of authority
manifests itself as challenging closed disciplinary procedures and
closed self-regulation processes.
We have addressed the former with the transparency of our new
complaints procedures and need to be mindful of the latter. This
however is being reactive to the trends within society and, if we are
not careful, we will always be playing catch-up. As I have said,
communication includes listening and we need to be sensitive to
the changing needs of society. We also need to be responsive to
the needs of our own members.
Clarifying confusion is providing general guidance and direction
on the complex and often contradictory issues that society faces.
This is an aspect of being outward facing on which we need to
concentrate and one that will become more important in the
second decade of the 21st century.
In the context of being outward facing I consider five areas
where there are opportunities. One is traditional, two are
responsive and two are clarifying confusion. I also include a plug
for the new CROSS website, encouraging individual engineers
themselves to be responsive and outward facing.
Eurocodes: managing changeover safely
My first outward facing area is one of traditional promotion –
Eurocodes – a great political vision that is in danger of stalling,
particularly due to the apparent lack of coordination between UK
promoters. Eurocode implementation is one of the most important
technical issues of my Presidency.
As a principle, standardisation of design validation across
Europe is a worthy goal. The project however has been grinding
on for over 2 decades and has suffered from all the ensuing
procrastination. As an example, Professor Patrick Dowling in his
1994 Presidential Address referred to the 1993 draft of EC3, but it
was a further 14 years before EC3’s UK National Annex was
issued. With such a long gestation period, practitioners found the
time commitment difficult and were hence under represented on
the working groups. This meant that national differences tended to
be resolved by research and theoretical based procedures1.
An EU directive, agreed to by the UK Government, requires
national codes to be withdrawn on 31 March 2010 across Europe.
Now that almost all of the 58 parts of the Eurocode suite have
been published, BSI has announced, in accordance with this
directive, that it will be withdrawing support for the UK national
standards from this date. To clarify, it is support for the revision and
maintenance of the codes which is being withdrawn, rather than
the codes themselves; this means that the BSI codes will grow old
and obsolete gracefully. So, in theory, on April Fool’s Day in my
Presidency, the Eurocode juggernaut will collide with the practice
of engineering in the UK. In reality this has been clouded in that the
required revision of the Building Regulations, incorporating
Eurocodes as Approved Documents, has now been postponed to
to 2013.
In commercial organisations, time is money; and uncertainty and
procrastination are both shunned. Code drafters kept announcing
their progress, but no one in the real world was listening.
Designers, particularly in small and medium enterprises (SMEs),
are sitting on the fence in that they are now as wary as they are
weary of the project.
Very few are ready to use the Eurocodes and the majority will
continue to use the soon to be withdrawn BSI standards.
Eurocodes are here and we cannot pretend that they do not exist.
Two benefits that they bring are: a unified approach to design
incorporating modern concepts on structural behaviour, and in
embracing basic engineering principles, rather than curve fitting
The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 23
SE2 paper train address:Layout 3 14/1/10 13:56
2 Clapham Junction rail disaster, 12 December 1988
(Courtesy Getty Images)
3 CROSS has a web portal making it easy to
submit reports
rules of thumb, they put engineering judgment at the centre of
design validation. The downside is their theoretical models are
more complex than previous national codes and there is a big
perception problem in the changeover.
Managing changeover whilst maintaining a safe service is one of
the most difficult challenges to any infrastructure system.
Unfortunately there are a number of examples of failures where
such change management has been inadequate. I have been
involved in the investigations of two such failures; Flixborough and
Clapham Junction (Fig 2).
In my career, new standards have been changed one at a time
and often one section at a time. The difficulty and the weakness in
the Eurocode enterprise is changing the whole system of 10 titles
and 58 parts whilst maintaining the required competencies, safety
and audit demanded of commercial design offices. Even paring the
number of Eurocode parts down to the 10 or so that most
designers will use regularly, it is still a scaling factor of 10 on what
we have done to date.
Given that competency and safety levels have to be maintained,
I believe that it is too large and too diverse a dataset to change all
at once. There either needs to be a series of stepping stones, as a
route into the Eurocodes, or recognition that two loading datasets
will be required, using different partial safety factors, for the two
different suites of design standards with all the ensuing safety
issues that arise from this.
My concern is that none of the Eurocode promoters have
addressed or even seemed to have recognised this. There is a
need for a big reality check and we need to use the transition
period up to the Building Regulation revision in 2013 to our
advantage.
The Institution needs to be vigilant in monitoring the transition
and to give guidance where voids, conflicts or ambiguities arise.
We also need to understand what the rest of Europe is doing.
Possibilities that could be considered include:
– development of a a web based Members’ forum for rapid
sharing of concerns and consensual development of
interpretations and possible solutions. The Eurocode Expert
website could be the vehicle for such a forum.
– Route maps for assimilation of the various sections of the codes.
– Examples which demonstrate to practitioners that there are clear
benefits from embracing the greater complexity.
Whilst this issue is technically focused, the opportunity is
outward facing in that we need to engage and communicate with
the Eurocode providers and promoters to ensure a safe transition
to implementation.
Compulsory reporting of CPD
Compulsory reporting of CPD may again seem a strange outward
facing item but I believe that if we intend to be recognised as a
24 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
Page 24
2
3
beacon of knowledge in society, we need to earn and maintain its
respect and hence this is my second outward facing area. In the
modern world, no professional can claim continuing competence
without additional study and skill acquisition. My four engineering
ages demonstrate this.
Compulsory CPD was introduced for all practising members of
the Institution in 1996 with an additional Rule of Conduct. The
problem in the early years was that training course providers
hijacked CPD, equating it to their courses. CPD is far wider than
this and includes work-based learning, self directed study, horizon
broadening and courses/events/seminars. Even the last category
does not require fee paying courses as web streaming of meetings
helps all to attain the necessary balance to their CPD without the
need to sign up to courses.
I confess that I was one of the laissez-faire CPD exponents in
the 1990s, when ‘doing’ and ‘planning’ were more important than
‘recording’. My Road-to-Damascus revelation was the Kennedy
Inquiry into the Bristol heart scandal in 2001, where the surgeons
were below national standards and arrogant in their justification as
to why they did not need to undertake any training or CPD.
Whilst society demands ongoing competence from all its
professionals, this duty is strongest for those with responsibility for
health or safety. As guardians of safety in the built environment,
structural engineers have a special responsibility to society. Our
professional exams are the gold standard of technical structural
competence; but we need to burnish this by demonstrating our
ongoing maintenance of our knowledge and skills.
Compulsory reporting is required in a number of jurisdictions and
the choice is whether the Institution leads or waits for other
governments to impose compulsory reporting on us. I believe we
should lead and I will be a strong advocate for the mandatory
reporting of CPD in the lead up to the EGM which is to be held
later in the year.
Reporting to CROSS
Confidential Reporting on Structural Safety (CROSS) again may
not appear to be an obvious outward facing activity. It is however
about outward facing communication of the individual and the
collective responsibility of the profession. I make no apologies for
promoting CROSS in that I believe that society expects nothing
less from us. CROSS is now a web based, user friendly portal and
submitting reports is easy2 (Fig 3). There is much international
interest in CROSS and it has the potential to become the
international database of structural safety. I recommend it to all
members world-wide.
Although I have made three submissions to CROSS, I confess I
think I could have done better. We all need to raise both
awareness of and commitment to CROSS and whilst the details of
individual reports need to remain confidential, I would like to see a
SE2 paper train address:Layout 3 14/1/10 13:56 Page 25
time when engineers not only take pride in the number of reports
that they have made but feel empowered to include the number,
but not the detail, as a KPI on their CVs. I also look forward to
future presidents putting my rather paltry number of CROSS
reports to shame.
Lessons from the recession
I revised for my finals in Prime Minister Edward Heath’s inglorious
3-day week and have subsequently seen three recessions in the
UK, of which the current one is the most severe. Various letters of
the alphabet have been used to describe the profile of this
recession with L U V being a recent offering of the Europe, north
America and remaining G20 economies respectively.
A recession however is not just about numbers; it is about
individual people. The last 18 months have seen reductions in the
workforce and sometimes the working week. It has become a
juggling act in both personal and corporate finances with
redundancies across the board. Teams built up over many years
have been torn apart, jobs have been lost and colleagues have
departed. There is nothing I can do to soften the pain, the
uncertainty, the anxiety, the crushing of hope but I can
acknowledge that they all exist and are all too real. Stress affects
us all in different ways. I know from my own experience the mood
swings of the last year. In naming them I hope we can talk about
the effects of stress and give some empathetic support to those
who may be suffering with anxieties.
I make two promises regarding this recession. First, it is finite. I
cannot say when your particular market sectors or location will see
the upturn, but it is coming. We are moving out of the siege
mentality of the last year and most economies posted positive
GDP growth in Q3 of 2009. Even in the UK, the housing sector is
moving forward as part of the private sector renaissance. Second,
as individuals, as organisations and as the Institution, we are all
stronger for it. We are all leaner, more receptive and ready for the
upturn. There was a need for some adjustment to the overheated
first half of this decade and now that the hard decisions have been
taken, we are all ready for the opportunities of growth. If you have
been made redundant, I am sorry. I hope that now the uncertainty
has disappeared, you can plan your future. Whether as a sole
trader or in a new position of employment or still searching, I wish
you all the best.
Isolated and disconnected members
The recession has caused fragmentation in the employment
market with many more recent sole traders. This is my third
outward facing area in that there is an immediate need to nurture
and encourage the formation of sole trader groups within the
branches and divisions, and I hope that as I visit the branches, I
will meet representatives of such groups.
Sole trader groups operate as self-supporting networks,
respecting each individual’s contacts and work sources, but
providing collective support. Lancashire and Cheshire Branch has
had a successful group for many years. It assists its members with
holiday and sickness cover and acts as a shared source of
knowledge and experience. It also provides a network of engineers
to talk through a detail or a difficulty on the old adage that a
problem shared is a problem halved.
The other group of potentially isolated members are those taking
a career sabbatical because of family commitments. I prefer the
term ‘career sabbatical’ to ‘career break’ since the latter has
negative connotations of being ‘broken’ and ‘finished’. Whilst they
have nothing to do with the recession, it is about the Institution
being outward facing and caring in that we want to encourage
such members back into the industry when their circumstances
permit.
Those taking a career sabbatical may appreciate maintaining
some contact with their local branch and potential employers.
They could assist in mentoring local graduates on their CPD
schemes, imparting their experience, time management skills, and
offering guidance and advice without conflicts of confidentiality.
There is obvious symbiosis in encouraging members on career
sabbaticals to maintain their contact with the Institution and the
4
4 The Northside bridge in Workington,
Cumbria, the collapse of which in the heavy
rain of November 2009 was attributed to
global warming
Institution needs to be bold and imaginative in the way it works
with and offers opportunities to them. Fostering continuing contact
with those on a career sabbatical would give a clear message not
only to our members but to potential members and students
considering a career in structural engineering.
Climate change, embodied CO2 and sustainability
These are the fourth of my outward facing topics. Collectively they
constitute the key global challenge and uncertainty (Fig 4). I believe
structural engineers are uniquely positioned to lead on two aspects
relating to them, and the Institution on a third.
Global warming arises from greenhouse gas emissions of which
CO2 is the most significant (Fig 5). The energy expended in the
manufacture of goods or construction of buildings can be
expressed in terms of their CO2 emissions. This needs to be the
full life energy of the product or material from raw material to either
disposal or reuse3. This is the embodied CO2 .
The concept is good, however there are no accepted standards
and considerable variance in how the full-life energy should be
calculated, particularly with disposal2. For example:
– How much should the production emissions of cement or steel
be offset by recycling?
– Is timber always carbon neutral?
– Should nuclear generation include the storage and protection of
spent fuel rods for multi-millennia?
– What standard of reinstatement should be included in quarrying?
Structural engineers understand materials, their life expectancy
and maintenance requirements. We are thus in the best position to
undertake life energy assessment of structural materials and
components, factoring in maintenance, adaptions, refurbishments
and recycling or reuse at the end of the facility’s life. We must not
allow others to highjack the agenda relating to embodied energy of
structural materials.
Structural materials account for the greatest mass in a building
and over half of the embodied CO2; this can increase to over 70%
if quasi-structural elements such as cladding, glazing and
partitions are included. On bridges the structural materials become
effectively 100%. Having ownership of the majority of embodied
CO2 means we can lead on this for the whole of the built
environment. This is our first opportunity.
In managing loading paths, we, more than any other
construction professionals, are involved in the adaptation of
existing assets. As an example, in the UK, there are over 22M
houses, 60% of which were built before 1965. Approximately
200 000 houses are being built each year, representing less than
1% of the housing stock4. Consequently new build will have limited
impact on the overall energy expenditure. Assessment and
adaption of existing buildings is where we as structural engineers
have the key role in retrofitting energy improvements to existing
buildings. This is our second opportunity. Retrofitting insulation to
The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 25
SE2 paper train address:Layout 3 14/1/10 13:56
the outside of the solid brick terrace houses of urban Britain (Fig 6)
would make greater inroads into the planned carbon reductions
than headline grabbing new construction.
Sustainability has environmental, economic and social
components. As Ron Watermeyer has pointed out, the social
focus in the developing world is on reducing poverty rather than on
the social equality of the developed world5. We need to be aware
that our sustainable solution may not be theirs. In the developed
world, it is currently about the light bulb and the local journey, but
in the developing world it is about opening up procurement to
small scale enterprises and the use of labour-based technologies. I
was pleased that last year’s David Alsop Award for Sustainability
was won by Mapungubwe National Park (Fig 7) and I look forward
to other developing world sustainability submissions.
Climate change policy is fast moving. In the UK, the Stern
Report led to the 2008 Climate Change Act which defined
emission targets for 2020 and 2050 at one and 4 decades hence5.
The targeted reductions have been fleshed out still further with the
2009 Low Carbon Transition Plan containing three 5-year plans
running from 2008 to 2022, of which we have now completed the
first 2 years7.
Be clear, procrastination is not an option. Lord Stern is a former
World Bank chief economist and not an environmentalist and in
quantifying the economic cost of reducing or not reducing carbon
emissions, he concluded that we do not have a choice; we have to
act. More frightening is Professor Beddington’s Food, Energy,
Water and The Climate: A Perfect Storm of Global Events?8. He is
the UK government Chief Scientific Adviser and predicts that by
2030 ‘the world will need to produce 50% more food and energy
and 30% more water than at present, whilst mitigating and
adapting to climate change’. This is his ‘Perfect Storm’ and at 2
decades time, it is less than half a career away. It is no longer the
2º temperature debate of Copenhagen, it is temperature rise with
food and water scarcity as potential security issues for all of us,
even in temperate zones such as Britain.
It is because of the urgency of the 2020 carbon emission target
and the 2030 ‘Perfect Storm’ at one and 2 decades respectively,
that I have adopted the decade as my unit of time. I will
undoubtedly see significant changes in my remaining career.
There is reluctance by society to engage in sustainability and
climate change because it is all too confusing. As an example, a
recent headline in The Times read: ‘Climate change is not our fault,
say most voters’9. Structural engineers need to lead, using
stepping stones from the familiar to the unfamiliar. The first step is
explaining that we are all undertaking some sustainable actions at
present but will need to do far more. We have all started the
journey, we now need to quicken the pace. There are some
exciting, visionary projects around the world, including Dongtan in
China and Masdar in Abu Dhabi (Fig 8). The second step is moving
towards standardising embodied CO2. We are currently in the
‘Wild West’ with few rules and different material models being
26 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010
Page 26
5 Global temperature rises are linked to the
growth in emissions of CO2 and other
greenhouse gases (Courtesy DECC)
5
6 In the UK there are 22M houses, 60% of
which were built before 1965. Structural
engineers play a key role in retrofitting
promoted by different countries and different trade associations.
The Institution is a world-wide brand. Its global perspective
means it is well positioned as a technically informed non-
governmental organisation (NGO), which can act as an arbiter in
rolling out an equitable, reasonably level playing field in embodied
CO2 with as few bumps as possible. I believe this to be the third
climate change opportunity which relates to the Institution itself.
As engineers we are comfortable with numbers, data
manipulation and we are creative model builders. Structural
engineers are technocrats not technicians and should lead on
embodied CO2 before it is highjacked by accountants or
surveyors. Engineers have done it before. The 1860s had the Big
Stink in London and Joseph Bazalgette rose to the challenge. We
are now in the Big Heat and it will be 21st century engineers that
rise to today’s challenges. It is time for engineers to lead on
standardisation again.
Our young members are already aware of these environmental
issues and keen to rise to the challenges. Consequently, my
chosen title for the Kenneth Severn Award Young Engineers’ paper
is ‘The structural engineers’ role in overcoming Professor
Beddington’s Perfect Storm of Global Events in 2030’. I look
forward to some inspiring and visionary papers.
To conclude, the opportunities within climate change are:
– Building on our knowledge of material behaviour means we can
lead on embodied CO2 in construction and the built environment.
– Recognising that our skill in refurbishment and adaptation can
lead to significant energy savings with retrofitting systems in the
current building stock.
– The management of embodied CO2 is a global challenge and the
Institution’s international perspective means that it can speak with
authority on this.
Message, media and politics
In the current uncertain world, engineers of all disciplines need to
be a beacon of knowledge and informed opinion; engineers need
to establish a position in the broader political debate. I believe it is
impossible to remain impartial in questions of climate change, food
stress and poverty reduction without being sidelined. It is this
broader view that is my fifth and final outward facing topic and I
believe there is a clear link between such messages and society’s
awareness and perception of structural engineers. If we wish to
raise our status we need to formulate and articulate our message.
We need to be sensitive to society’s concerns and ensure that our
opinions are promoted in the media and if appropriate with
politicians and receptive government departments. Where
appropriate, we need to forge relationships with other
organisations or umbrella groups to assist in promoting our
message.
As an international organisation, our strength is twofold. Firstly,
SE2 paper train address:Layout 3 14/1/10 13:56 Page 27
7 Mapungubwe National Park won the David
Alsop Award for Sustainability in the 2009
Structural Awards
8 Masdar, the exciting new sustainable city
planned for Abu Dhabi
(Courtesy Foster and Partners)
we have an appreciation of the technology and scientific data that
underlines many of society’s uncertainties. Secondly, we have a
global, diverse perspective, which lends authority and credence to
our deliberations and announcements. Ours is not only the long
view but also the broad view. Capitalising on our roots as a learned
society, we need to be informed and to debate issues, crystallising
a general consensus without detracting from other opinions and
maintaining a respect for dissent. I see the Council debates as
being key in developing this. We are not looking to seek out
controversy, but equally we should not shy away from it and some
of the global challenges will not wait for the considered approach
of tomorrow, they need some rough guidance today.
We are slowly building relationships with the media and, as an
example, the Channel 4 Homes web page now has a section on
structural engineering with a strong recommendation to employ a
chartered or incorporated engineer together with an indication of
the fees charged on domestic projects in the UK10.
We also need to be more pro-active in assisting our members
and their firms to celebrate their successes. Journalists like more
than one source when developing an article. The Institution can
help to reinforce the message of the firm, using senior members to
provide additional comments. This will also generate more regular
media contacts for the Institution.
There is much grumbling about the lack of status of chartered
engineers, often expressed as a wish for a chartered structural
engineer to be written into one of the soaps. Given the storylines
and the characters in the soaps, I have never understood this. We
should strive for chartered structural engineers to be invited as
commentators on technology and the built environment to appear
in the media. It is as informed real commentators that we need to
engage with society and not as some dubious fictitious characters.
Building contacts and relationships with the media in all
countries is an ongoing activity. Occasionally politicians will also be
receptive to our opinions but they will only become aware of us
once we have proven our expertise with the media. I hope to move
forward on both of these during this year.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to thank Martin Powell and Phil Williams
for their advice and perceptive comments in my preparation of this
address. I also want to thank my fellow principals who have never
waivered in their support for me, even in the recent past as the
practice has shrunk and difficult decisions have had to be taken.
Finally I wish to thank and acknowledge the support of my wife,
Wanda, who more than anyone has supported me throughout my
career.
In my Address I have attempted to:
– Give you a definition and four engineering ages.
– Argue that meaningful communication has to include
8
understanding and appreciation.
– Highlight that whilst Eurocodes are an opportunity, their
implementation raises challenges.
– Challenge you as individuals to be outward facing and
demonstrate your commitment to the profession by making
reports to CROSS.
– Challenge the Institution to demonstrate it is outward facing with
its appreciation of disconnected and isolated members.
– Consider what society requires from its chartered structural
engineers. I have suggested this includes transparent professional
development and informed expertise and leadership on technical
matters particularly on sustainability and the environment.
– Highlight, with a decade as my unit of time, the urgency in
addressing climate change.
– Present a vision of how the Institution can be more outward
facing in the broader political debate and engage with the media
and policy makers and in so doing to raise the status of structural
engineers.
The opportunities are there, we just need to grasp them. They
will not all come to fruition within my Presidency; some will take
time, and are not immediate. I will however endeavour to progress
opportunities that arise during my Presidency. As I close, I return to
the start of my address and to the examination candidates of
2010. As you sit there, apprehensively waiting for the start of the
exam, remember that you have in front of you a marvellous career,
full of opportunities – and that one of you will ultimately progress
and claim stewardship of this badge. I wish you all good luck.
References
1 Johnson, R. P.: ‘Eurocodes, 1970-2010: why 40 years?’, Proc. Inst. Civil
Engineers, 162/SB6, December 2009
2 See website: (www.http://www.cross-structural-safety.org )
3 Symons, K. and Symons, D.: ‘Embodied energy and carbon – what
structural engineers need to know’, The Structural Engineer, 5 May 2009,
87/9, p19-23
4 See website: (http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/table-
109.xls)
5 Watermeyer, R.: ‘Poverty reduction responses to Millennium Development
Goals’, The Structural Engineer, 2 May 2006
6 Climate Change Act 2008, DEFRA, (http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-
08/climatechangehl.html)
7 UK Low Carbon Transition Plan, Dept for Energy and Climate Change, 2009,
The Stationary Office
8 Beddington J.: ‘Food, Energy, Water and Climate: A Perfect Storm of Global
Events’, Chief Scientific Advisor’s speech to the UK Government’s
Sustainable Development UK conference, March 2009 see website:
(http://www.dius.gov.uk/news_and_speeches/speeches/john_beddington)
9 The Times 14 November 2009
10 See website: (http://www.channel4.com/4homes/property-money/property-
development/structural-engineers)
The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 27
SE2 p&s:Layout 3 14/1/10 16:37 Page 28

Products and Services

BREEAM target on track for On-site efficiency built on Enhanced modelling tool Fire protecting a Thames-
retail superwarehouse innovative foundations software launched side London development
Skipton Properties has adopted Insulslab SFRC
(Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete), a super-
insulated and integrated foundation system, for
its flagship Grove Mills development in Keighley.
Replacing a traditional raft foundation system,
the new system is designed to provide a
number of benefits, including efficiency gains,
performance enhancements and improvements
in health and safety best practice.
Initially piloted on seven plots of phase one of
Kingspan Structural Products has supplied the scheme, the new system enabled the Canadian provider of high-performance
96 000m of its purlin and rail system, foundation programme to be completed in half software tools for engineering, science and Promat UK has provided both fire protection and
Multibeam, for a massive distribution centre the time compared to a traditional raft system. mathematics, Maplesoft™, has launched thermal upgrading solutions for a Landmark
being built at the 90 acre ProLogis Park Constructed of interlocking expanded several new products designed to help development in London. Promat SUPALUX®
Bradford. More than 3000t of steel will form the polystyrene (EPS) pods, which are simply laid in engineers better manage the complexity of Shaftwall board was supplied to protect lift shaft
framework for a 1Mft2 logistics hub for Marks & place to form a substantially rigid ‘waffle’ engineering modelling and simulation problems. walls and risers on the new 7 More London
Spencer. shaped slab, with steel fibre reinforced concrete Available in the UK from Adept Scientific, Riverside project from fire, while Promat TL
The facility is being built on the site of the then poured on top to deliver the foundation up MapleSim™, an advanced solution for physical Board® was chosen to provide thermal
former West Bowling Golf Club, in a 50/50 joint to ground floor slab level. modelling, together with a collection of new insulation for the underground car park area.
venture between Marks & Spencer and By using SFRC in place of traditional toolboxes, enables fast model development, Situated adjacent to the River Thames and
developer, ProLogis. The two companies have reinforced concrete, Insulslab SFRC, available advanced analysis and the creation of complex overlooking Tower Bridge and City Hall, the 7
set their sights on an Excellent rating under through SIG Insulations, simplifies the multi-domain models. More London Riverside project is part of the
BREEAM, as Fergie Taylor, First Vice President at installation procedure, reduces the overall The suite of software includes: MapleSim 3 – More London regeneration development. Over
ProLogis said, ‘ProLogis has built strong volume of concrete and minimises the amount MapleSim, Maplesoft’s core physical modelling 5000m2 of the calcium silicate board was used
relationships with its supply chain and aims to of steel required in the construction. product, MapleSim Control Design Toolbox, and to provide up to 60min fire protection for the lift
achieve BREEAM Excellent ratings for all its Skipton is now using Insulslab SFRC for the MapleSim LabVIEW® Connector. shaft walls and risers. It was specified for its
developments.’ entire second phase of the Grove Mills scheme, The modelling capabilities have been enhanced moisture resistance which allowed it
Multibeam’s engineering minimises steel and wherever possible, will be using it on all of extended with new component libraries for to be installed by the sub-contractor, Fireclad.
content whilst ensuring maximum performance. its future developments. hydraulics and electrical machines and refined For the underground car park area 1500m2
Kingspan also encourages and aids its suppliers solvers that handle even greater model of Promat TL Board®, which combines calcium
to return steel for recycling. Even the product complexity. In addition new user interface silicate board with phenolic insulation, was used
packing uses low carbon mild steel, recyclable features lead to faster development time and to provide thermal insulation. A thin construction
banding, biodegradable paper labels, and smoother workflow. profile means it offers minimal height loss, while
ethically sourced softwood bearers. The Toolbox provides a solid set of essential the calcium silicate board provides a high level
Barrett Steel Buildings is due to complete the control design tools that extend MapleSim’s of impact resistance and light reflectance.
framework in autumn 2009 with operations exceptional plant modelling capabilities to When completed the 650 000ft2 shell and
starting in 2010. The company’s Toolkit Design support control design. It also increases the core office will be the first commercial building
Software, which can be downloaded from the reusability of controller designs through built-in in London to include a combined biodiesel
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design, detailing and ordering on the project. The LabVIEW® Connector toolbox integrates achieve excellent environmental and BREEAM
Further information: Insulslab SFRC (tel: 0114 the modelling environment into the popular ratings.
Further information: Kingspan Panels (tel: 285 7138; email: sales@insulslab.com; web: LabVIEW real-time platform from National
01352 717 251; email: www.insulslab.com) or Maggie Turner, SIG Instruments (NI). Engineers using LabVIEW can Further information: Sean Appleton, Marketing
info@kingspanpanels.com; Insulations (tel: 0114 285 6327; email: quickly develop and optimise complex Manager, Promat UK Ltd, The Sterling Centre,
web:www.kingspanstructural.com). maggieturner@sigplc.co.uk ). engineering system models. Eastern Road, Bracknell RG12 2TD. (tel: 01344
381 350; email: sappleton@promat.co.uk; web:
Further information: The Marketing www.promat.co.uk).
First water-based coating Coatings reassessed follow Department, Adept Scientific plc, Amor Way,
to protect exposed steel fire loading changes Letchworth, Herts. SG6 1ZA (tel: +44 (0)1462
480 055; fax: 01462 480 213; email: Expectations exceeded in
Nullifire has launched S708, the first fully-tested Specialist coatings manufacturer, Leighs Paints, leads@adeptscience.co.uk; web: beam fire tests
water-based intumescent coating for semi- has announced changes to the loadings of all of www.adeptscience.com).
exposed structural steel. It protects exposed its cellulosic range of intumescent coatings Extensive four-phase fire-tests were carried out
steel during construction, when it can be fully which now incorporate multi temperature on Peikko Group‘s Deltabeam-hollow-core
exposed for up to 6 months. If it then remains assessments to the recently established criteria, Concrete slab/wall shear structure at the fire laboratory of SP Technical
semi-exposed, a sealing topcoat is required, just introduced by the Intumescent Coatings Forum, connector Research Institute in Borås, Sweden.
as with solvent products. No topcoat is needed for acceptability. The maximum loaded Deltabeam structure
in C1 and C2 buildings. As an active member of the Intumescent The new E-HLD shear connector from Ancon performed well in 60, 120 and 180min
S708 has less than 20g/litre of volatile Coatings Forum, it is believed that Leighs Paints joins new concrete slabs to existing concrete standard fire situation without any additional fire
organic compounds (VOCs), compared with over has become the first manufacturer to assess its walls. It is designed to transfer shear load protection materials.
200g/litre in traditional products. It can be entire range of thin film FIRETEX coatings and where new slabs are connected to diaphragm The recent test results,which can be found
applied either on-site or off-site, usually gain certification under the new criteria with full walls or secant pile walls in basement on the company’s website, continued the
requiring only a single coating for faster multi temperature assessment, providing construction. excellent results of previous fire tests done in
application, using less product, than solvent- loadings data for a range of temperatures from The E-HLD comprises a stainless steel dowel the 1990s at the VTT Technical Research Centre
based equivalents. It cures to a smooth, hard 400°C to 750°C. The new data enables the and a high strength, stainless steel sleeve. It is of Finland and at the University of
finish, unlike solvent-based products which coating thickness for both structural fire available in seven standard sizes and an Ancon Braunschweig, Germany.
remain soft and vulnerable to damage. engineered and cellular beam designs to be two-part resin is required to install the dowel ‘The fire-test involved experts from five
It is fully tested and approved to all relevant precisely determined. To help with the more component. countries, and the tests formed a significant
standards, including EN 13823 (SBI) and IMO complex fire protection calculations, which must portion of our R&D investments for 2009. The
smoke/toxicity; BS 467:Parts 6/7, Class O and now incorporate multi temperature data for the Further information: Ancon Building Products successful outcome of the tests makes it much
BS 476:Part 20/21:1987, in line with BCF beam’s specified limiting temperature, the (tel: 0114 275 5224; email: info@ancon.co.uk; easier for Peikko to receive national approvals
guidelines. Suitable for universal beams and company has designed and developed FIRETEX web: www.ancon.co.uk). and significantly helps us in meeting several
columns and cellular beams, it is fully Design Estimator software. national requirements,’ said Raimo Lehtinen,
compatible with other Nullifire coatings, and is Managing Director of Peikko Group Corporation.
available with 30min and 60min ratings. Further information: Lisa Hilton, Product items on these pages are selected
Communications Co-ordinator, Leighs Paints and edited in good faith from press releases Further information: Raimo Lehtinen,
Further information: John Gordon, Nullifire (tel: (tel: +44 (0)1204 521 771, fax: +44 (0)1204 supplied by the companies, and the Journal Managing Director, Peikko Group Corporation,
024 7685 5000; fax: 024 7646 9547; email: 382 115; email: lisa.hilton@leighspaints.co.uk; accepts no responsibility for the product (tel: + 358 40 520 9260; web:
protect@nullifire.com; web: www.nullifire.com). web: www.leighspaints.com). information supplied. http://www.peikko.com/).

28 The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010

SE2 p&s:Layout 3 14/1/10 16:37 Page 29

Drilling deep at Rosyth
Dock
Installation of a specially designed
permanent cage at Rosyth
Bachy Soletanche’s tender winning design saw
the company installing a piled retaining wall as
part of the entrance extension to a large scale
Rosyth Dock expansion project. Awarded by
main contractor Bam Nuttall, the geotechnical
firm’s innovative solution used dowels to extend
piles into the extremely strong dolerite rock.
The overall project requires intensive
engineering works to increase the capacity of
Number 1 Dock and widen the current entrance
by 4m as preparation for the final assembly of
two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers at
Rosyth.The project expansion programme
involved installing 50m of secant pile wall to a
25m depth, with 3m dowel extensions, installed
behind the existing entrance wall. The next step
was to excavate between the temporary piled
wall and existing dock wall and then construct
the new dock entrance.
The wall construction involved 50, 1.3m
diameter piles being installed, incorporating a
permanent cage with a tube in the centre of the
pile wide enough to insert a 300mm diameter
dowel. A string of drill rods was placed down
the tube and a rock socket was formed with a
‘down the hole hammer’. A 6m long dowel was
then grouted into the pile and the rock.
Further information: Fiona Shackleton,
Manifest Communications (tel: 01484 469 601;
email: fiona@manifestcomms.co.uk).
Consulting Partner status
awarded to CAD provider
Leading CAD solutions provider, Excitech, has
been given Autodesk Consulting Partner status
under the Autodesk Channel Services Program.
This follows Autodesk’s extension of the
programme outside of the US and recognises
Excitech’s expertise and experience in providing
consulting services to its customers.
This recognition by Autodesk of Excitech’s
skills builds upon the recent announcement of
Excitech Consulting as a dedicated division
using the experience developed and delivered
on many leading UK construction industry
projects.
Under the Autodesk Program, Excitech will
gain access to Autodesk Consulting intellectual
property which will complement Excitech’s
existing methodologies and expertise.
Further information: Excitech (web:
www.excitech.co.uk/cons2).
New design of decking
fixing launched
Lindapter has announced the expansion of its
decking fixing range with the development of
the Type MF, allowing building services to be
suspended from Metfloor 60 and 80 profiles
produced by CMF.
The new fixing is designed to be installed
within seconds and is adjustable onsite without
the requirement of specialist labour, expensive
tools or power. Contractors working on the
£1.45bn Westfield Stratford City development
and the new £8.75M A&E unit at Withybush
General Hospital have already placed orders.
Type MF, now in sizes M6, M8 and M10, is
said to preserve the strength of the decking
profile with no possibility of delamination
(separating the steel from the concrete) and
safe working loads are independently approved.
Rigorous quality procedures ensure a secure
connection with a capacity of 1.47kN per fixing,
calculated at a safety factor of 3:1.
The company’s latest addition is compatible
with all major decking manufacturers including
CMF, Corus, Kingspan, SMD and Richard Lees.
Further information: Lindapter International,
Lindsay House, Brackenbeck Road, Bradford,
BD7 2NF (tel: +44 (0)1274 521 444; fax: +44
(0)1274 521 130; web: www.lindapter.com).
‘Anchoring’ after an
expanded portfolio
Simpson Strong-Tie has expanded its already
comprehensive product portfolio and is now a
leading distributor of the German LIEBIG anchor
bolts and anchoring systems. With more than
600 product lines, LIEBIG is renowned for its
high quality and innovative heavy fastening and
anchoring system range.
The range features: Undercut Anchor
Systems, Expansion Anchor Systems and
Adhesive Anchor Systems, all of which are used
in a number of highly demanding applications
such as nuclear power plants and off-shore
drilling platforms.
The range also includes the ‘Ultraplus’
anchor – which is used for exceptionally high
loads in cracked or non-cracked concrete and
the ‘Superplus’ anchor which can be used in
safety critical application of a lower load.
Coinciding with the launch of the Liebig
range, Simpson Strong-Tie UK has produced a
comprehensive 58-page technical catalogue
and launched a dedicated website, both of
which provide full Liebig product information
and offer access to additional customer
support.
Further information: Simpson Strong-Tie (tel:
01827 255 600: web: http://www.simpson-
liebig.com).
Product items on these pages are selected
and edited in good faith from press releases
supplied by the companies, and the Journal
accepts no responsibility for the product
information supplied.
Bahrain’s paradise islands
project enters final phase
International design and engineering
consultancy Atkins has been awarded the
architectural and infrastructure design of the
final phase of Durrat al Bahrain, a 20km2
reclaimed series of paradise islands at the
southern tip of Bahrain.
Delivery of phase III requires the design and
documentation of infrastructure works,
landscaping and architectural engineering of the moisture and create problems placing the
570 luxury villas plus facility buildings on the
remaining four of the planned 13 islands.
Completion of the two inner petal islands and
two outer atoll islands, covering a total land
area of over 800 000m², will bring an end to
the construction of the luxury residential resort. typical weathered Sherwood sandstone and
Atkins began working on this signature
development for Bahrain in 2004 and
construction of phases I and II is progressing
well, with a number of villa owners having now
moved into their new homes. It is expected the
construction of phase III will start in 2010.
Further information: Katie Hodge,
Regional Communications & PR Manager,
Atkins, Middle East & India (tel: +971 (0)4405
9300; email:katie.hodge@atkinsglobal.com;
web: www.atkins-me.com;).
Structural sections
specified for new brewery
Steadmans, suppliers of cold rolled sections,
has provided both structural sections and
cladding products for the new office, warehouse on screen as well as being downloaded as a pdf
and brewing facility of the Inveralmond Brewery file. The author is Cliff Billington, Technical
in Perth, Scotland.
Located on a brownfield site near the existing spent nearly 40 years in the precast industry.
brewery, the building will eventually
accommodate the entire operation when it
relocates to the new purpose built premises.
Over 600m of Steadmans’ 170/16 sleeved
cold rolled ‘Z’ purlin system plus 100m of
200/20 eaves beams were specified for the roof systems for connections etc, and manufacturers
structure. 550m of the company’s 140/16
galvanised cold rolled ‘C’ sections were used for products. At the other end of the spectrum are
the side walls of the new brewery. The
composite roof and wall panels for the facility
were also supplied.
Crieff-based Campbell of Doune was the
project’s structural engineer, whilst the main
contractor and steelwork fabricator was
McFadzean Ltd from Perth.
Further information: Steadmans (tel: 01697
478 277, email: info@steadmans.co.uk; web:
www.steadmans.co.uk).
Aiding CFA piling problems
Hanson UK has launched a new CFA piling
concrete to help contractors overcome the
issues related to sinking cages into bored
concrete piles in difficult ground conditions.
Hanson Easypile, developed in conjunction
with admixture suppliers Sika, increases the
speed of piling by reducing the number of cage
failures in dry and dense ground conditions
prone to drawing moisture from the concrete
piles.
James Moorhouse, Hanson’s national
commercial manager said, ‘Hanson Easypile is
the result of over 12 months development and
incorporates ground granulated blastfurnace
slag (GGBS) to replace some of the cement
content and the SikaPile Pak admixture system.
‘It is designed specifically to improve the
workability of the concrete in dry and dense
ground conditions that are known to draw out
cages.’
The product has been trialled with Stent
Foundations, part of Balfour Beatty Ground
Engineering, on a project in Manchester where
ground conditions were glacial till overlying
feedback has been very positive.
Further information: Hanson (web:
www.hanson.com/uk).
Concrete database covers
‘practical’ middleground
A new, web-orientated knowledge base has
been launched for the Construction Industry.
Key2concrete is targeted at specifiers and users
of concrete, particularly precast concrete, and
aims to fill a void in the range of information
available.
The site, developed in association with the
British Precast Concrete Federation, consists of
a series of data sheets covering a broad range
of subjects such as connections and fittings,
environment, joints and interfaces, lifting and
transportation and others. They may be viewed
Director of J&P Building Systems, who has
During this time he has been involved in most
aspects of precast, such as beam and block
flooring, hollow-core flooring, double-tees,
frames, and architectural cladding.
Precast concrete frequently uses proprietary
usually provide information on their own
reference books that cover the design of
structures using precast elements. In the middle
though is the day-to-day practical knowledge
that usually only comes with experience, and it
is this area that the site is aimed at.
Further information: Cliff Billington, Technical
Director, Key2Concrete & J&P Building Systems
(tel: +44 (0)7841 361 485; email:
cliff@key2concrete.com; web:
www.key2concrete.com).

The Structural Engineer 88 (2) 19 January 2010 29