bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transport, social exclusion and young people in rural England
Authors: Dibben P.
Published: November 2009

Social exclusion is high on the UK Government's agenda, and over recent years there has been an increased recognition that transport should be seen as a central issue in this debate. In particular, a range of evidence has pointed to the need for adequate transport in rural areas and drawn attention to the needs of young people. At the same time, there has been a growing acknowledgement that those who are ‘socially excluded’ should have a voice in decision making, as evidenced in the Local Government Acts 1999 and 2000 and in the Transport Act 2000. Against this background, this paper examines the experiences of young people in relation to transport provision, and also the extent to which they feel that they ‘have a say’ in local decision making. To do this, it draws on a research study involving in-depth interviews with over 200 people in a rural county, paying particular attention to those undertaken with young people. The paper concludes by highlighting the implications for both transport planning and government policy.
Gender mainstreaming within local planning authorities
Authors: Greed C.
Published: November 2009

This paper discusses the extent to which EU-derived gender mainstreaming (GM) requirements are being adopted with reference to Royal Town Planning Institute research on the situation in UK local planning authorities (LPAs). Firstly, the problem of a lack of gender perspective on planning policy is summarised. Barriers to progress are explained and the role of enablers is identified. International and European factors that resulted in GM becoming an integral component of the UK planning system are explained. The second part of the paper outlines the current extent of GM in LPAs. Although generic equalities policy is widespread, it is primarily concerned with personnel matters and there is little understanding of the impact of gender considerations on planning policy. At best there is an assumption that only policies related to women's traditional roles are affected. At worst some LPAs do not consider gender to be of any relevance to the planning process, particularly in departments where there is little social awareness and a technical and quantitative approach predominates. The methodological steps required to achieve GM that need to be applied to the planning process are summarised. Little will change unless central government gives high-level guidance on mainstreaming, and resource allocation and awareness training is increased. Cultural change is needed within the profession to enable planners to take gender seriously.
Engineering and gender issues—evidence from low-income countries
Authors: Reed B. J. , Coates S.
Published: November 2009

Engineers' work has an impact on society, economically, environmentally and socially. However, society is not uniform and some people will benefit or be adversely impacted more than others. Access to decision making is one important factor in determining the impact on different social groups. In low-income countries, the development of infrastructure can transform the domestic chores of collecting water, fuel or food and can improve the local environment through improved sanitation. Many of these tasks are the responsibility of women, yet they can be excluded from the development process. Engineers can contribute to the inclusion of socially excluded groups of people through increasing the involvement of men and women in engineering decision making and adopting technologies that suit women's needs, resulting in better infrastructure and more equitable societies.
Understanding social exclusion and social inclusion
Authors: Kenyon S.
Published: November 2009

This paper seeks to demonstrate the importance of a clear understanding of the concepts of social exclusion and social inclusion, not only for policy makers, but for all practitioners tasked with the implementation of strategies to reduce/increase each, respectively. Following a discussion of the two terms, the paper presents government transport policy as a case study, discussing the recent Social Exclusion Unit report, Making the Connections, and its likely outcomes for social exclusion. The paper highlights the dangers inherent in a strategy which seeks to increase mobility to decrease exclusion, suggesting that such a policy fails adequately to consider a holistic approach to social exclusion. The paper discusses the place of mobility in strategies to decrease social exclusion and provides practical suggestions to maximise the social benefits of such strategies.
Construction safety in 2003—time for radical action
Authors: Anderson J.
Published: November 2009

This paper aims to take a snapshot of the national situation regarding the management of health and safety in the UK construction industry. In the recent past there have been both new legislation and a number of industry-wide initiatives and campaigns. Hoped-for reductions in the recorded accident and cases of industrial ill health have not been achieved. The prevention of accidents and occupational ill health is a complex matter, but the paper suggests that there are three key groups of people who have the power to make significant improvements to the present system.
Safe streets—challenging the principles
Authors: Jones P.
Published: November 2009

This paper examines the philosophy underpinning the process of designing urban streets in the UK. Engineers are trained to identify and design out failure modes, a model which serves them well in many fields. However, it is less suitable when considering road safety failures (accidents), where human factors are much more significant. When designing highways, engineers typically use simple mathematical models that appear to relate geometric criteria to accident risk, but these models are less rational than might be assumed. Because of this, engineers are generally unable to quantify the risk arising from deviating from highway norms. Engineers therefore fall back on the imprecise tool of the safety audit, which is the preserve of another specialist, and which has several flaws. Urban streets, despite their increased complexity, are based on similar mathematical models, which have led in many places to insensitive designs that have marginalised pedestrians. It is argued that a new evidence-based approach is needed to the design of urban streets that takes into account their multi-functional nature and the way in which users of the space modify their behaviour according to its layout and appearance. This new approach should be promoted via a comprehensive Manual for Streets, which would become the principal source document for all those involved in the design and maintenance of urban streets.
Closed-circuit television in Daventry town centre, UK
Authors: Bowers S. P.
Published: November 2009

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) was installed for the first time in Daventry, a market town in western North-amptonshire, during 2001. The system, which benefited from a substantial Home Office grant under the Crime Reduction Programme, was installed by Daventry District Council following the inclusion of the project in the area's crime and disorder strategy. The design of the scheme was based on research carried out by the Home Office and experience gathered from other local authorities. In presenting the history of the scheme, this paper seeks to address the policy background to the provision of CCTV, and also to provide some suggestions for practising engineers who are faced with the task of providing public area CCTV, perhaps for the first time in their area. It also addresses legal and technical issues faced by this type of scheme, and discusses the relationship between the design of CCTV systems, civil engineering and civil engineers.
Management decision-making—an ethical perspective
Authors: Stainer A. , Stainer L.
Published: November 2009

Engineering organisations can improve their management decisions in the competitive global arena of today, especially for the long term. The main issue is to take into account not only economic metrics but also technological, environmental and ethical challenges. This can be achieved by corporate social responsibility in the workplace as well as being involved with, and accountable to, stakeholders. Increasingly, this seems to be the way forward as it is vital for companies and society to coexist. In this paper guidelines and criteria are explored to relate the ethical dimension to performance management in order to create inclusive value. There is a definite synergy between business excellence and good ethical practice, where the latter becomes a fundamental purpose rather than just an add-on. This is because such an approach contributes to an organisation's reputation which, thereupon, can be trusted and sustained. Thus, a performance-focused management system, in an engineering scenario, is the best vehicle for institutionalising targeted goals and galvanising action founded on high ethical standards.
An analytical and experimental assessment of flexible road ironwork support structures
Authors: Mohammad F. A. , Collop A.C. , Brown S.F.
Published: November 2009

This paper describes work undertaken to investigate the mechanical performance of road ironwork installations in highways, concentrating on the chamber construction. The principal aim was to provide the background research which would allow improved designs to be developed to reduce the incidence of failures through improvements to the structural continuity between the installation and the surrounding pavement. In doing this, recycled polymeric construction materials (Jig Brix) were studied with a view to including them in future designs and specifications. The paper concentrates on the finite-element (FE) analysis of traditional (masonry) and flexible road ironwork structures incorporating Jig Brix. The global and local buckling capacity of the Jig Brix elements was investigated and results compared well with laboratory measurements. FE models have also been developed for full-scale traditional (masonry) and flexible installations in a surrounding flexible (asphalt) pavement structure. Predictions of response to wheel loading were compared with full-scale laboratory measurements. Good agreement was achieved with the traditional (masonry) construction but poorer agreement for the flexible construction. Predictions from the FE model indicated that the use of flexible elements significantly reduces the tensile horizontal strain on the surface of the surrounding asphaltic material which is likely to reduce the incidence of surface cracking.
Fastway—smarter, faster travel
Authors: Collins T.
Published: November 2009

Fastway is the new ‘smart’ bus service for the people of Crawley and Gatwick Airport in West Sussex and Horley in Surrey. Incorporating kerb guidance with bus priority and intelligent transport systems, the first phase has been delivered in less than three years from gaining Government acceptance for funding, and initial services started at the end of August 2003. This paper describes how a partnership of public and private organisations has developed an innovative approach to implementing a project that is aiming to offer a solution to some of the transport problems emerging in the Crawley area, and reports that early performance results are encouraging as Fastway starts to make an impact.
Briefing: Proposed work at height regulations
Authors: Anderson John
Published: November 2009

Fortunately, over the past six years there has been a downward trend in the number of accidents resulting from falls from height. This briefing looks at the proposed Work at Height Regulations which, if approved, will mean the introduction of a completely new set of all-industry Regulations and the removal from the existing sets of UK Regulations all present references to working at height provisions. The new Regulations would also incorporate new law not required by the Directive at all. From this scenario, the question arises as to whether this is the most effective way forward or indeed whether a minimum of change to the existing industry regulations is all that is required. The proposals remain open for comment until April 2004.
Walking—social, health and economic benefits, and the law
Authors: Fewster J.
Published: November 2009

Walking is Britain's most popular outdoor pastime. It is good for health and, particularly in rural areas, good for the economy. Walkers in England spend £6 billion every year, generating in the region of 200 000 full-time jobs. Rights of way are afforded excellent legal protection. However, despite this, in England 35% of paths are difficult or impossible to use, and in Wales around half of all paths are unsatisfactory, and around a third are unusable. Highway authorities have the duty to protect and assert the public's rights to use footpaths and other highways, and new legislation—the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000—is introducing new duties and powers for these authorities.
Public leisure facilities: managing customer expectations
Authors: Robinson L.
Published: November 2009

This paper examines the impact of customer expectations on the management of public leisure services, arguing that public leisure providers will need to shift their attention from the management of service quality, to focus on the management of customer expectations of their services.
Pavement management system for Lisbon
Authors: Picado-Santos L. , Ferreira A. , Antunes A. , Carvalheira C. , Santos B. , Bicho M. , Quadrado I. , Silvestre S.
Published: November 2009

The City Council of Lisbon, Portugal, decided to build a pavement management system (PMS) for the vast road network under its administration at the beginning of 1999. This paper presents a geographical information system (GIS)-based PMS for Lisbon, developed by a team involving staff from the Lisbon City Council and the University of Coimbra. The system consists of three basic modules: a road network database, a quality evaluation tool and a decision-aid tool. The paper also describes the process leading to the creation of the PMS and the activities developed during the first and second years of its implementation. This period was mainly taken up with the preparation of a GIS for the road network, preparation of the quality evaluation tool and launching of the decision-aid tool. The final part of the paper discusses the main difficulties encountered so far and presents the developments planned for the near future.
Analysis of pedestrian transit in urban corridors
Authors: de Asís Ramírez Chasco F. , Muruzábal Irigoyen J. J. , Seco A.
Published: November 2009

This paper presents the results of a research project aimed towards, first, the characterisation of pedestrian flows in urban corridors and the identification of their explanatory variables, and second, the development of a model that would allow a prediction of these flows. The characterisation of current pedestrian trips has been obtained from data collected through a survey designed specifically for this purpose and carried out in six gauging points along the road being analysed. With regard to identifying the main explanatory variables of the phenomenon, the statistical–mathematical method of principal component analysis was applied to all the socioeconomic and geographic variables available. Lastly, in order to come up with the predictions, a gravitational-type model was calibrated. The final result is a simple model (dependent only on three variables) that offers a solid base upon which different types of infrastructure and public services can be programmed.
Litter deposition on minor rural roads in Ireland
Authors: Gray N. F. , Gray R. O.
Published: November 2009

Ireland has a vast network of minor rural roads that are immensely important to both tourism and general amenity. However, the litter problem associated with such roads is growing steadily and is attracting adverse comment not only within Ireland but also from abroad. The purpose of this pilot project was to develop a simple methodology to measure litter density, to quantify the litter problem in a randomly selected 100 km2 area in County Wicklow, and to suggest possible remedial actions. The key recommendations focus on the removal of large litter items prior to verge and hedge mowing; a levy on beverage containers, which are the single largest littering item; the periodic removal of litter; community involvement in litter abatement and collection; and the prevention of accidental littering from vehicles and rural refuse collection points.
Project management reform: a public body case study
Authors: Hamilton A.
Published: November 2009

Many projects are not being delivered in accordance with predetermined requirements. Even if one could conclude that a particular project has been successful, the general record for projects is not a good one, with overruns in time and cost being commonplace. The indications are that the private sector is no worse but, quite likely, no better than the public sector. However, the public sector uses public money and, for that reason at least, the current demands for more effective management are axiomatic. This paper examines the implications that certain factors had on changing the project management approach of a public-sector organisation that uses engineers as project managers on capital works engineering projects. The results of this research, if such results can be applied to the whole sector, would indicate that the public sector is in need of reform on how it handles the project-side of its business. Greater or lesser amounts of reform would be dependent upon the project management maturity of any single public body.
Impacts of the Olympic Games as mega-events
Authors: Malfas M. , Theodoraki E. , Houlihan B.
Published: November 2009

Mega sporting events can be defined by their impacts and complexity in organisation and delivery. This paper reviews the literature on the features of such events and, drawing particular examples from recent Olympic Games, it identifies the nature and extent of their impacts on the host country and community. These range from the political, social, economical, physical and cultural and can be negative as well as positive. The paper concludes that while the prospect of economic growth is the driving force behind bids for hosting the Olympic Games, the legacies that follow their hosting are difficult to quantify, prone to political interpretation and multifaceted.
Briefing: Safer places — the planning system and crime prevention
Authors: Huxford R.
Published: November 2009

Safer places: the planning system and crime prevention is an ODPM guide published in April 2004. This briefing sheet is a précis of the main issues raised in the guide and is intended for anyone involved in designing or planning a new development.
Sustainable housing—is it legal?
Authors: Pett J.
Published: November 2009

Most construction professionals would expect to be conversant with the relevant legislation relating to building and development: the Building Act and its approved documents, the Town and Country Planning Act, the Planning Policy Statements, the Contaminated Land Regime and the Control of Pollution Act probably spring to mind. What about sustainable housing? What legislation should be considered when thinking about housing in the context of its social, environmental and economic aspects? What issues are relevant for housing rather than houses? This paper explores the regulatory framework for sustainable housing in England and Wales, and identifies sources of information. It emerges that sustainable housing may be covered by a complex network of policy aims and guidelines, but there is little that requires housing providers to take sustainability into account unless they wish to obtain funding from bodies such as the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships. The paper does not set out construction legislation or technical standards, but seeks to identify issues of wider sustainability and discusses the issues involved in describing ‘sustainable development’ in legal terms.
The higher-density housing agenda and the ‘urban renaissance’
Authors: Crookston M.
Published: November 2009

This paper reviews the trend towards higher-density housing development. It seeks to put arguments about ‘density’ in the particular context of the towns and cities of the British Isles. The government is rightly concerned to get the most out of our stock of land and buildings, and has coupled this with the revival—the ‘renaissance’—of our cities and towns. There are real tensions and difficulties as a result; but we do have tools and models of good practice to help us achieve both the quantity and quality of development sought. More than ever before, this will mean intelligent, sympathetic joint working by all professionals whose work affects the built environment.
Public opinion and technical fact—how do we match them?
Authors: Fitch G. , Thomas D.
Published: November 2009

Although central government initiatives drive local authorities to deliver the highway service through national measurements and targets, it is apparent that these may not represent all the needs of the various users. Consequently, Kent County Council has undertaken a broad range of consultation work to understand how it can measure and demonstrate the success of its highway service. This paper describes this work and it is hoped it will stimulate further debate on this important topic.
Community participation for road safety in India
Authors: Landge V. , Jain S. S. , Parida M.
Published: November 2009

Fatalities as a result of road traffic accidents (RTAs) are on the rise at an alarming rate worldwide. The majority of RTA deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries where the volume of traffic is much lower than in developed nations. In India, two people die every six minutes and one person sustains serious injuries every minute due to RTAs. Road transportation in India is a multi-disciplinary issue and handled by multiple agencies, hence responsibility rests with no single body. Law-enforcing agencies and engineering solutions will have limited success without cooperation from the community. This paper identifies the need to bring about community participation and presents a methodology to achieve this end.
Community involvement in planning: finding a happy medium
Authors: Cohen T.
Published: November 2009

In this paper, recent changes in the emphasis on involving the community in planning are discussed. Their implications for professionals and their practice are considered. In particular, the concepts of inclusiveness and representativeness are explored and contrasted. Beyond the initial conclusion that the new planning agenda will demand more time and effort to be put into the involvement process, further inferences are made about the role of the professional changing towards one of facilitation.
Regulating urban upgrading in developing countries
Authors: Jayaratne K. A. , Sohail M.
Published: November 2009

Drawing on a four-year research programme conducted in Sri Lanka (part of a larger programme also conducted in India and Kenya) this paper addresses the issue of building and planning regulations and how such regulations affect people's livelihoods. This paper begins by reviewing the urban housing programmes undertaken in Sri Lanka over the past 30 years with special reference to urban upgrading projects and their respective planning and building regulations. The authors have analysed four cases from Colombo Municipality and two cases from a secondary town, Moratuwa Municipality in Colombo Municipal Authority, in order to assess the impacts of such urban upgrading programmes on the livelihoods of the poor; some conclusions and recommendations have been drawn. Guidance notes (based on a literature review, historical analysis and case studies) are presented towards the end of the paper for the use of local government staff as well as others acting as partners in the improvement of livelihoods in urban areas. Land reforms and land management are key components of any sustainable urban upgrading programme. The authors conclude that regulatory frameworks which take into account existing patterns (with the exception of unsafe practices) of livelihoods and socio-economic aspirations will enhance the potential for sustainable livelihoods.
The customer experience when using public transport: a review
Authors: Hutchinson T P
Published: November 2009

This review offers comments on some of the less quantitative aspects of the quality of customer service in public transport. Examples of failings of transport operators and their staff are given, and it is noted what a great range of issues matter to passengers and therefore need to be managed by operators. The paper provides a discussion on the size of both vehicles and operating organisations, and the relevance of these factors to keeping in touch with customers, access, waiting and interchange issues and the public viewing other members of the public negatively. A contrast exists between the viewpoints of operators and the public; however, methods for recording passengers' experiences are available and there have been attempts to develop theories that connect server action, via attitude, with future customer behaviour. It is noteworthy that the relevant research is widely dispersed over many different disciplines and many different journals.
Improved access to urban water services in Uganda
Authors: Kayaga S. , Fisher J. , Franceys R.
Published: November 2009

According to a 2004 Unicef/World Health Organization assessment, developing countries are more likely to achieve the millennium development goal (MDG) drinking water target in urban than in rural areas. However, this achievement is threatened by a high urbanisation rate in developing countries, where the urban population is projected to increase by about two billion between 2000 and 2030. For instance, although the global urban population with adequate water service levels increased in real terms by 36% between 1990 and 2004, overall coverage has remained practically unchanged at 95%. Given these high urbanisation rates, water utilities in developing countries need to be innovative in order to improve or maintain service coverage in their service areas. This paper presents the case of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) of Uganda, which has improved service coverage tremendously over the past decade through innovative management. Between 1998 and 2007, NWSC registered the following key performance improvements: number of service connections from 54 000 to over 180 000; service coverage from 51% to 71% of the population; towns served from 12 to 22; billing efficiency from 51% to 67·5%. The paper describes the specific measures that have contributed to this high performance improvement.
Partially and non-destructive testing of 40 concrete bridges
Authors: Tajalli S. M. A. , Rigden S. R.
Published: November 2009

This paper discusses the use of information collected from long-term bridge inspection records held by bridge owners and the carrying out of partially and non-destructive testing on a representative sample of bridges. In order to develop deterioration models for concrete structures in the Greater London area, work was carried out on the basis of the inspection and repair records of a large number of bridges owned by London Underground and Railtrack (formerly British Rail). A computer database of defect histories consisting of more than 2500 observations extending over 60 years taken from in excess of 400 bridges was collected and collated. This database was called the ‘field data’. Analysis of the field data will provide deterioration rates from one condition state to more severe condition states as observed by bridge inspectors during their regular inspections. To establish a measure of the quality of construction, cores and dust samples from 40 bridges have already been collected, together with data in relation to carbonation, reinforcement cover, Schmidt hammer readings and visual observations as to the condition of each element of each bridge. The rates of deterioration were found to vary considerably but seem to be showing reasonable correlation with the general quality of construction and the degree of exposure experienced by the element over its life. This latter condition may well have changed during the element's lifetime, which makes this correlation particularly difficult to predict.
Masonry crack damage: its origins, diagnosis, philosophy and a basis for repair
Authors: Cook D. A. , Ledbetter S. , Ring S. , Wenzel F.
Published: November 2009

This paper deals with the repair of brick-work and masonry walls that have cracked as a result of ground movement. It outlines work in this field over the last 60 years, identifying the options of repairing the foundation or increasing the ductility of the brittle structure. Practice has been to underpin or otherwise strengthen the foundation but this paper examines the potential to modify the behaviour of the masonry itself by introducing reinforcement. A study of four building facades, verified by a programme of laboratory tests, leads to the conclusion that if the ductility of existing masonry can be improved then the need to underpin will be reduced. This is of particular relevance to non-invasive restoration of historic buildings but also offers an economic repair to more routine structures. The paper concludes that localized reinforcement of masonry walls can significantly increase their tolerance to foundation movement.
Strengthening reinforced concrete girders with ‘n’ and ‘T’ cross-sections
Authors: Haldane D. , Ziara M. M.
Published: November 2009

The main aim of the programme of research described in this paper is the experimental validation of a design approach which is being put forward for the strengthening of reinforced concrete beams with channel (‘n’) and tee (‘T’) shaped cross-sections. The beams were strengthened by casting a concrete overlay on to their upper surfaces to act as a concrete compression zone within the structure of the strengthened beam. Each overlay was provided with closed links which were welded to the links in the original beam but only in the regions close to the supports. The programme of laboratory-based work consisted of tests on full-size beams, three with a channel-shaped cross-section and five with a tee-shaped cross-section. The test beams were loaded to destruction. The test results showed that the strengthened beams acted as a single unit, failed in flexure in a ductile manner and achieved their full flexural capacity. The load-carrying capacities of the strengthened beams were found to be as high as 163% of the capacity of the beams before strengthening. This approach is believed to have significant advantages over other comparable approaches to strengthening since there is less disruption to the original beam as the links in the concrete overlay are not required to extend down into the body of this beam.
Stress analysis of buildings under horizontal load. Part 1: Basic behaviour—deformations
Authors: Zalka K. A.
Published: November 2009

The equivalent column model with the characteristic bending, Saint-Venant torsional and warping (bending torsional) stiffnesses is established for the three-dimensional stress analysis of buildings under horizontal load of trapezoidal distribution. The most important geometric and stiffness characteristics are identified and their role in the global behaviour is analysed. The governing differential equations and boundary conditions are given. Closed-form solutions and diagrams are presented for the deformations of the equivalent column and the building, covering a wide range of torsional stiffnesses. Simple formulae are given for the maximum rotation and translation of the building. The technique can be used to ensure the comfort of the occupants of buildings and, by limiting second-order effects, to avoid damage to structural and non-structural elements and mechanical systems. Part 2 will present a procedure for the determination of load distribution and simple formulae for the bending and torsional moments and the normal and shear stresses in the building, together with design guidelines and worked examples.
Wall panel renaissance: tilt-up concrete construction
Authors: Glass J.
Published: November 2009

Tilt-up is a site-based construction method which involves casting large concrete panels horizontally and tilting them into place to form walls or other building elements. Tilt-up is typically used for low-rise buildings, in particular ‘shed’ type structures, up to a maximum of about four storeys. The technique is said to have originated in the USA, where it is now used for about 7000 buildings per annum. Although tilt-up is used in over 100 countries, including the USA, Australia and New Zealand, to date it has been used for few buildings in the UK, although at least ten are currently under consideration. On the basis of findings from a PhD research project, the paper outlines the development of the current design and construction methods for tilt-up, including structural and architectural design for panels, on-site ‘best practice’ and the most effective means of delivery for tilt-up. Design considerations are analysed and important aspects of the construction process are highlighted to explain the key issues in the practical application of this technique. A summary of construction cost data and results of an attitudinal survey are also presented. The paper includes original findings from research on tilt-up and concludes with recommendations for future use of the technique in the UK.
The new No. 1 court and Broadcast Centre: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon
Authors: Pike D.
Published: November 2009

The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club has been host to the World's Senior Grand Slam Championship since 1922. In the early 1990s it became clear that, in order to cope with the increasing demands of the Championships, a major upgrading of its facilities was required. A study in 1992 by BDP resulted in a proposal to construct a new No. 1 court together with a new Broadcast Centre and a new facilities building. This paper describes the design options which were put forward and then how the final chosen designs were implemented.
Croke Park redevelopment—stadium design in an urban context
Authors: Murray F. V.
Published: November 2009

This paper describes the general principles of stadium design as applied to the redevelopment of Croke Park, with a particular emphasis on safety. It goes on to discuss the design solutions that were adopted for a number of the key elements. Structural frame was a response to site constraints and maximized the number of spectators accommodated on the lower tier. The corporate level is of composite construction, suspended from the upper concourse beams. The first phase has been completed and the second phase is currently under construction with a completion date of May 2000. Planning for the third and final phase is well advanced with a start-on-site date of October 1999. The result will be an ultramodern stadium for Ireland's greatest sporting events with accommodation for in excess of 84 000 spectators.
Reliability of timber structural systems: a review
Authors: Drummond I. , Kermani A. , Wamuziri S. C.
Published: November 2009

The estimation of reliability in timber structures is a procedure complicated by the time-dependent nature of timber failure, coupled with the complex structural behaviour of timber systems. Prior to the implementation of probabilistic concepts, design recommendations given in British Standards were based on permissible stress design, and a similar procedure of allowable stress design employed in the United States. While permissible stress specifications are easy to use, their application results in an inability to achieve a desired uniform level of reliability. Such situations have led to the implementation of probability-based limit states such as load and resistance factor design (LRFD), based on calculating the ‘probability of failure’. The statistical variations and uncertainties in loading and material properties are now established and incorporated into the design process. This change in design philosophy has resulted in the development of new design standards such as Eurocode 5: Design of Timber Structures which is to replace the permissible stress codes of BS 5268. A review of the development of limit states design has been undertaken, and includes the design methods employed prior to the introduction of probability-based design. This review focuses attention on the LRFD format, and although this is not the only probabilistic format available, it is the format that has evolved as the most widely adopted technique.
A modified finite segment method for thin-walled single-cell box girders with shear lag
Authors: Luo Q. Z. , Li Q. S. , Liu D. K. , Yang L. F.
Published: November 2009

This paper presents a modified finite segment method for shear-lag analysis of thin-walled box girders. The method is based on the hypothesis that the warping displacement of a flange plate is governed by a third-order parabolic curve. Based on the principle of minimum potential energy, the governing differential equations with two unknown displacement functions are derived. The homogeneous solutions of the differential equations are used to represent the displacement functions of the finite element. By mean of the variational principle, the element stiffness equation is developed and the normal longitudinal stresses taking into account the shear lag are obtained. To verify the accuracy of the proposed method, three experiments are conducted so that the present results are compared with those obtained by the model tests and other methods.
A proposed diagnostic survey procedure for cob walls
Authors: Keefe L. , Watson L. , Griffiths R.
Published: November 2009

Following the publication of the systematic analysis of some 20 failed cob buildings, this paper proposes a diagnostic survey procedure for cob walls. The earth building research team at the University of Plymouth has been studying the causes of structural failure both by laboratory studies and observed material based upon real building failures. A definition of a healthy cob building is presented, and this is followed by an outlined check-list whereby unsound cob walls may be identified. This survey check-list has six steps: (1) a site analysis, (2) building description, (3) maintenance and repair history, (4) building condition, (5) a moisture content analysis, and (6) a cob material composition analysis. There is a need to refine and develop the proposed survey procedure in order to establish a working tool that building surveyors can use in the field, which would include a troubleshooting guide, and the discussion addresses the main issues.
Flexural behaviour of prestressed continuous beams
Authors: Lopes S. M. R. , Harrop J.
Published: November 2009

This paper describes the behaviour of six two-span pre-stressed composite beams, particularly the moment-rotation relationship of the section over the inner support. The testing technique used for this investigation was also improved relative to previous research on continuous beams. In previous research work, beams were generally constructed in one piece and transported to the test rigs, and then placed on the supports. Great care was needed when levelling the supports, because small deviations from the correct position could introduce large values for unwanted moments corresponding to support settlements. Ideally, at least one support required a device to measure forces, and a threaded device should also have been provided to adjust the height of the support as the test progressed. The adjustment was needed because the measuring device, placed between the beam and the fixed support, needed some flexibility in order to give reliable readings for low levels of loading (for instance, self-weight alone). The new technique described in this paper consists of joining two separate precast beams over the supports and maintaining the beam–supports contact surfaces undisturbed, even when a top flange is cast in situ. This procedure minimises inaccuracies that may be caused by transportation and placement of the beams and is closer to the true condition of beams in practice. The behaviour of the beams is analysed by plotting the results on a graph, where the actual rotation ratio of section 2 to a hypothetical plastic rotation was compared with the percentage of moment in respect of the ultimate moment.
The A13 viaduct: construction of a large monolithic concrete bridge deck
Authors: Collings D.
Published: November 2009

The A13 viaduct is a new structure carrying the A13 road around Ford's Dagenham plant. The structure was designed with the dual aim of fast mechanised construction by the use of glued segmental cantilever construction and of providing a low-maintenance structure with minimum joints and bearings. The use of continuity is actively encouraged in UK standards as it has obvious design and durability advantages; this paper describes the design and construction of this large fully continuous, precast pre-stressed segmental concrete structure. Emphasis is placed on the design and construction methods used to form the innovative 54 000 m2 monolithic deck from 1030 precast segmental units giving a 1750 m long continuous structure.
Stiffness of restraint for steel struts with elastic end supports
Authors: Al-Shawi F. A. N.
Published: November 2009

The force induced in a restraint for steel struts is given by BS 5950, Part 1, 1990 as 1% of the applied axial load, and for struts forming the compression flange of lattice girders as 2·5%. These values are used in the ultimate strength design of restraints. The code also states that these restraints should have sufficient stiffness but it does not quantify this requirement. The available literature deals with the determination of restraint forces and their required stiffness for struts with pinned or fixed ends. In practice, it is rare to have such ideal end conditions, but somewhere in between. This is due to the fact that connections in structural steelwork possess resistance to moment ranging from nominal to full rigidity depending on the moment–rotation characteristics of the joint under consideration. This paper deals with the design of restraints considering strength as well as stiffness through a mathematical model based on the elastic behaviour of a strut elastically supported at its ends and restrained at a point located along its length by an elastic restraint. The results obtained show that, for a given induced restraint force, the restraint stiffness requirement decreases with the increase of rotational stiffness at the ends of the strut. Although this, to some extent, is expected from a qualitative point of view, it does deserve to be better known by designers, and the present work attempts to quantify the effect of the various parameters involved so that the results can be used in the relevant design cases.
Criteria for the loading of slabs during construction
Authors: Beeby A. W.
Published: November 2009

Two inequalities are derived to establish the loads that may be imposed on slabs at an early age. These loads may arise from the slab self-weight immediately after striking the formwork or, slightly later in the construction cycle, when the slab is supporting construction loads from the slabs above. In deriving the inequalities, it was concluded that the criteria defining acceptable loading were related not to safety but to the possible impairment of serviceability performance. Results obtained during the construction of a seven-storey flat slab structure at BRE Cardington as part of the European Concrete Building Project were used to verify the proposals.
11 000 t deck superlift for RBS-8M drilling semi-submersible
Authors: Cho K. R. , Kim Y. S. , Fern D. T.
Published: November 2009

A 25 500 t semi-submersible drilling rig, the RBS- 8M, was assembled on shore in the Hyundai Heavy Industries fabrication yard in Ulsan (Korea) during 1999. The major components—the two 6000 t hull pontoons and the 11 000 t deck—were assembled at ground level and brought together to form the completed vessel during a period of only a few days. This was the first time such an operation on this scale had been attempted. This paper describes the design, construction and performance of the temporary structures that lifted the 11 000 t deck to a height of 38 m above yard level. The lift is known as the RBS- 8M 11 000 t deck superlift.
Compressive membrane action in composite floor slabs in the Cardington LBTF
Authors: Peel-Cross J. , Rankin G. I. B. , Gilbert S. G. , Long A. E.
Published: November 2009

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the ultimate load capacity of composite metal decking/concrete floor slabs. Full-scale in situ testing of composite floor slabs was carried out in the Building Research Establishment's Large Building Test Facility (LBTF) at Cardington. A parallel laboratory test programme, which compared the behaviour of composite floor slabs strips, was also carried out at Queen's University Belfast (QUB). Particular attention was paid to the contribution of compressive membrane action to the load carrying capacity. The results of both test programmes were compared with predictions by yield line theory and a theoretical prediction method in which the amount of horizontal restraint could be assessed. The full-scale tests clearly demonstrated the significant contribution of compressive membrane effects to the load capacity of interior floor panels with a lesser contribution to edge/corner panels.
Jacket design to resist ship impact
Authors: Ronalds B. F.
Published: November 2009

The response of three jacket structures is investigated under accidental ship impact. Fully non-linear finite element analysis results agree well with the predictions of a locally non-linear beam–column model attached to an elastic structure. The results suggest that typical North Sea jackets in moderate water depth and carrying moderately large topsides may be able to resist very high impact energies. For very light jackets, however, sudden overall collapse is possible, particularly under nodal impact. The criticality of ship impact for jacket design is very dependent on the relative magnitudes of the loads at which the ship and the jacket collapse. The topside configuration is also important as it determines the manner in which tension loads generated during the impact are redistributed through the structure.
Field trials on covercrete monitoring sensors
Authors: McCarter W. J. , Butler A. , Chrisp T. M. , Emerson M. , Starrs G. , Blewett J.
Published: November 2009

This paper details the application of in situ electrical measurements to study cover-zone performance and presents the initial results from a long-term field exposure study. Field data are presented from a marine test site, an urban exposure site and a roadside test site. A range of formalisms are exploited to allow ease in data interpretation and a simple electrical model is used to show the interrelationship between electrical properties of concrete, pore structure, degree of pore saturation and ionic ingress. Measurements, to date, indicate that the sensor arrangement embedded within each of the test specimens is behaving as anticipated from previous laboratory studies. Water absorption, ongoing hydration and pozzolanic activity are detected within the cover zone and, in the case of the marine site, ionic ingress is detected in one of the sets of test specimens.