2019 05 23 Editorialmac The PDF

June 2019
TheStructuralEngineer
Volume 97 | Issue 6
The flagship publication of The Institution of Structural Engineers
MORE THAN
MEETS THE EYE
2018 Milne Medallist, John Parker, explores the
unusual knowledge that projects can bring
PROFILE: LAURA LEGNANI
100 YEARS OF THE WOMEN’S

ENGINEERING SOCIETY
ALISTAIR DAY AND

DYNAMIC RELAXATION
TSE 88_COVER .indd 1 23/05/2019 09:53

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Upfront
thestructuralengineer.org Contents
PAGE 20 ALISTAIR DAY PAGE 28 PROFILE: LAURA LEGNANI PAGE 31 WES CENTENARY
Volume 97 | Issue 6
34 Book review: Becoming leaders: A practical

Upfront Features handbook for women in engineering, science, and
5 Editorial 12 Milne Medal 2018: Unexpected education technology (2nd ed.)
6 Institution news:
36 Book review: Temporary works: Principles of design
Institution AGM 20 Alistair Day and the origins of dynamic relaxation.
and construction (2nd ed.)
Essential Knowledge Series: 19 key texts on Part 1: Bringing an idea to life
fundamentals of structural engineering 37 Verulam
Sign up for Structures content alerts
8 Institution news: Professional guidance
Apply now for an EEFIT Research Grant
Watch highlights from the Institution’s Technical 27 Business Practice Note No. 25: Reporting
At the back
wrongdoing 40 Diary dates
Lecture Series
Call for papers: Special issue on sustainable 42 Spotlight on Structures
structures 45 Products & Services
10 Industry news Opinion 46 Services Directory
28 Profile: Laura Legnani
47 TheStructuralEngineer Jobs
31 Viewpoint: A century of progress: the Women’s
50 And finally…
Engineering Society at 100
Front cover: HUNGERFORD MILLENNIUM FOOTBRIDGE © GETTY
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TSE88_03_Contents.indd 3 23/05/2019 10:31

p04_TSE.Jun19.indd 4 21/05/2019 17:12
Upfront
thestructuralengineer.org Editorial
Editorial
Magnificent women
Robin Jones Managing Editor
It’s not often that we describe a book as being like a ‘benevolent (page 28). Her projects include the development of a gravity-based
aunt’, but that was the verdict of Fiona Cobb on reviewing Becoming support structure for the turbines at Scotland’s MeyGen tidal energy
leaders: A practical handbook for women in engineering, science and scheme – a Structural Awards winner in 2017.
technology (page 34). Fiona found the book useful as a ‘paperback If you’re looking for more examples of inspiring women engineers
mentor’ containing a wealth of experience and advice from mature on #INWED19, our Profile archive (www.istructe.org/tse/profiles)
women in the sector. What better book to read this month as we features women at various stages of their careers.
mark International Women in Engineering Day (#INWED19) on
23 June? Elsewhere in the issue, we start with an article based on John
Conceived in 2014 by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) Parker’s 2018 Milne Medal address (page 12). John reveals some of
to promote women in engineering, INWED has since grown from a the more unusual aspects of projects he was worked on, and the
UK-focused event to an international one. This year, WES celebrates unexpected education these can bring.
its centenary and we mark the occasion with an article from Past We also feature the first of a two-part article looking back at the
President Dawn Bonfield MBE in which she looks back at the career of Alistair Day and his role in the development of ‘dynamic
society’s successes – and the obstacles women have encountered relaxation’ – a calculation technique used in a number of software
over the past 100 years (page 31). applications today. Keen for Alistair’s achievements not to be
Dawn’s article also highlights some ground-breaking women at forgotten, authors Tristram Carfrae and Duncan Michael explore
the Institution. If you can shed any more light on our ‘female firsts’, the origins of the method in his projects of the 1960s and 1970s
do get in touch with the Library (library@istructe.org) to share your (page 20).
knowledge. And you can find out more about women’s achievements We also bring you a Business Practice Note on how to report
in the wider engineering sector at www.magnificentwomen.org.uk. wrongdoing (page 27), and our regular Verulam (page 37), Diary
Our Profile this month shows how far we have come since WES dates (page 40), Spotlight on Structures (page 42) and ‘And finally…’
was founded. Laura Legnani is a young woman making her mark (page 50) sections.
at Robert Bird Group on some complex and challenging structures I hope you enjoy the issue.
The Structural Engineer The Institution The Structural Contributions published in The Structural Engineer are
provides structural engineers and related has over 31 000 members in over 100 countries Engineer (ISSN published on the understanding that the author/s is/are
professionals worldwide with technical information around the world 1466-5123) is solely responsible for the statements made, for
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TSE88_05_Editorial.indd 5 23/05/2019 09:56

Upfront
Institution news thestructuralengineer.org
Institution AGM Essential

Knowledge
Notice is hereby given
Series: 19
that the 110th Annual General Meeting of the Institution of Structural Engineers key texts on
will be held at The Crystal, One Siemens Brothers Way, Royal Victoria Dock, London
E16 1GB, UK, on Thursday 18 July 2019 at 4:00pm for the transaction, by Voting
fundamentals
Members, of the business set out below. of structural
1) To read the notice convening the meeting.
engineering
2) To read, confirm and sign the minutes of the 109th Annual General Essential Knowledge Text No. 19. Ground engineering:
Meeting held on 19 July 2018 (published in The Structural Engineer, Part 2 – Practical design is now available to buy/
September 2018). download.
Text No. 19 is the last in a series of accessible
3) To receive the financial statements and balance sheet for the year 2018, study texts explaining the key fundamentals
together with the auditors’ report thereon, and the report of the Board for of structural engineering. The texts cover the
2018. core principles of structural design, analysis and
mechanics, providing an invaluable resource for
4) To appoint auditors for the ensuing year and to fix their remuneration. engineering students around the world.
(The Board recommends BDO LLP, chartered accountants and registered Ground engineering: Part 2 – Practical design
auditors, at a fee to be agreed with them by the Board.) details the subject knowledge required of all
structural engineers to enable them to carry out the
5) To consider and, if thought fit, to adopt the following motion: design of simple foundations, slopes and ground
improvement that do not require specialist advice.
THAT, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 3.1, and in An introduction to the design of strip, pad, raft
confirmation of proposals of the Board, annual subscriptions with effect and piled foundations is followed by a discussion
from 1 January 2020, and until otherwise determined, shall be: of slope stability and the design of retaining walls.
The practical implications of high-plasticity clays on
Fellow £448 heave and settlement are followed by an introduction
Member, Associate £352 to ground improvement and soil–structure
Associate-Member £230 interaction.
Technician Member £179 Essential Knowledge Texts are free to download
Graduate, Companion, Student (working) £172 for Student and Academic Members of the
Institution. For everyone else, they are available to
By order of the Board buy from the Institution Bookshop, priced at £19 +
VAT (standard) or £9 + VAT (members).
D M POWELL Find out more about the series at
Chief Executive 1 June 2019 www.istructe.org/essential-knowledge.
Explanatory Note 1 – Regulation 5.7.1 defines ‘Voting Member’ as a Chartered or an Incorporated

Structural Engineer or a Technician Member or a Graduate whose subscription and other Sign up for
membership payments have been paid.
Structures
Explanatory Note 2 – The financial statements and balance sheet, the auditors’ report and the content alerts
report of the Board are on the website (www.istructe.org/about-us/governance/annual-report-
and-accounts); copies may be obtained on application to the Chief Executive at the Institution of Did you know you can receive
Structural Engineers, 47–58 Bastwick Street, London EC1V 3PS. alerts by email about recent
content published in the
Explanatory Note 3 – Under Regulation 5.8, unless a poll is demanded, a motion put to the vote Institution’s research journal,
of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands by a majority of the Voting Members present Structures?
in person and voting. If you’d like to keep up to
date with the latest research
Explanatory Note 4 – In accordance with Regulation 5.3, only the business specified in this in structural engineering, register at
notice may be considered at the meeting. www.sciencedirect.com/journal/structures and
opt in to receive content alerts. You can subscribe
Explanatory Note 5 – The rates of subscription paid by retired members are set by the Board either to a ‘Table of contents’ alert each time a new
under Regulation 3.5. The rates for 2019 will be: Retired Fellow with The Structural Engineer £91; issue is published, or to an ‘Articles in press’ alert
Retired other grades with The Structural Engineer £75, Retired without The Structural Engineer to be informed each time a new article is made
£40. available online.
Find out more about Structures at
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6 June 2019 | TheStructuralEngineer
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Upfront
Institution news thestructuralengineer.org
Apply now for an EEFIT Call for papers: Special

issue on sustainable
Research Grant structures
Applications for the 2019 EEFIT Research  Assessing resilience. The Institution’s research journal, Structures,
Grant scheme are now open. Up to two is seeking contributions to a special issue on
grants of £1500 each are available. Eligibility sustainable structures. The issue will explore
EEFIT Research Grants support short- The Research Grant scheme is only open whole-life analysis, environmental impacts,
term projects that will benefit earthquake to current EEFIT members (non-members and material efficiency.
disaster mitigation and post-disaster can join EEFIT for a subscription of The issue aims to accelerate real-world
reconnaissance efforts. Projects on hazards £15/£20). Applications must be submitted impact among structural engineering
related to earthquakes can also be funded by the project lead, or in the case of an practitioners in this challenging and
under this scheme. undergraduate, graduate or PhD student by interdisciplinary field. Submissions are open
their academic supervisor. until 1 October 2019.
Topics for study All applications must be submitted using Suggested topics include:
 Hazard assessment. the EEFIT Research Grant application form.  design optimisation of whole structures and
 Post-disaster impact assessment. The deadline for submitting applications is structural elements to minimise structural
 Field data collection tools. 17:00 GMT on 13 June 2019. mass and/or lifecycle environmental
 Post-disaster data assessment methods. Find out more at impacts
 Damage assessment techniques. www.istructe.org/resources-centre/  novel methods for comparative lifecycle
 Mitigation measures. technical-topic-areas/eefit/eefit-research- analyses (LCAs) of different structural
 Monitoring recovery and/or reconstruction. grant-scheme. materials
 the significance of resource availability in
different geographical regions to promote
specific structural materials
Watch highlights from the Institution’s  novel structural materials that can help
address sustainability issues in the sector
Technical Lecture Series  novel construction engineering practices
and approaches aimed at material
The Institution’s YouTube channel features recordings of events held at HQ – both the reduction, prolonged service life, reduced
popular Technical Lecture Series and one-off events. Recent highlights include: maintenance and/or resource reuse at the
end of life
Computational design at scale Structural fire engineering:  novel computational methods to increase
Paul Jeffries, Computational Design Lead A performance-based approach accuracy and reliability of the LCAs of
at Ramboll, talks about computational Mark O’Connor, Director and Head building structures at early design stages
design techniques and technologies, of Specialists in WSP’s Property and  the significance of the impacts related to
exploring what they are and what value Buildings business, discusses tools and the building structures for different projects
they bring. techniques that can be used to design and materials
The potential these techniques unlock efficient structural fire protection systems.  novel methods and approaches to tackle
will transform the way we design the Severe fires that affect the structure are inefficient over-design of buildings
built environment. Paul uses case studies fortunately quite rare. Yet, structural fire  novel methods to reduce material
to show how computational design protection of the main frame remains an consumption and its implication on the
techniques can be applied to projects on important part of the overall fire strategy lifecycle of the structure
a range of scales and levels of complexity. of the building.  structural archetypes and parametric
Paul is a chartered engineer and This lecture makes the case that approaches and methods to facilitate future
computational design specialist. As the structural engineer should be research in the sustainability of buildings
Computational Design Lead at Ramboll, responsible for the design of structural fire  the role of machine learning and neural
he pushes forward the use of the protection systems, rather than relying on networks in supporting large-scale
computer as a design tool. He has prescriptive guidance. sustainability analyses.
taught courses on the subject at the Mark has over 30 years’ experience in
Architectural Association School of structural engineering consultancy and The Guest Editors of the issue will be:
Architecture, Imperial College London, structural steel research. He was involved  Dr Francesco Pomponi, Edinburgh
and The UCL Bartlett School of in the major fire testing programme at Napier University, Resource Efficient Built
Architecture. Cardington, UK (1995–96), which remains Environment Lab (REBEL)
To view the lecture, the largest fire testing  Dr Bernardino D’Amico, Edinburgh
scan the QR code or carried out on a real Napier University, Resource Efficient Built
visit https://youtu.be/ structural frame. Environment Lab (REBEL)
bVfppP-vbIw To view the lecture,
scan the QR code or To find out more about contributing to
visit https://youtu.be/ the issue, visit www.journals.elsevier.com/
PDj2pbBwAVk structures/call-for-papers/whole-life-analysis-
environmental-impacts-and-material-effic.
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p09_TSE.Jun19.indd 9 21/05/2019 17:19

Upfront
Industry news thestructuralengineer.org
SCOSS Alert: Failure of reinforced BSI seeks input to review of standards

autoclaved aerated concrete planks on fire performance of external
The Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS) has issued a
cladding systems
new Alert on the risks posed by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete
(RAAC) planks. The public consultation process for the revision of the existing fire
In late 2018, the Local Government Association and the Department performance of external cladding systems standards, BS 8414 – Part
for Education contacted all school building owners in the UK to draw 1: Test method for non-loadbearing external cladding systems applied
attention to a recent failure to the masonry face of a building, and Part 2: Test method for non-
involving a flat roof constructed loadbearing external cladding systems fixed to and supported by a
using RAAC planks. There was little structural steel frame – is now open.
warning of the sudden collapse. Views are being sought on these voluntary standards from all
Although the failure was in a interested parties, including industry practitioners, regulators, fire
school, it is believed that RAAC safety specialists and consumer organisations. The consultation is
planks are present in many types of open until 8 July 2019 and comments can be submitted online:
buildings. This Alert is to emphasise  BS 8414–1: https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/
the potential risks from such projects/2019-01079
construction.  BS 8414-2: https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/
Read the Alert at www. projects/2019-01080
structural-safety.org/media/667411/
scoss-alert-failure-of-raac-planks.
pdf.
New guide supports
implementation of
New analysis illustrates recycling EU targets for energy
success of GB aggregates industry performance of buildings
The Mineral Products Association markets is double the European The Buildings Performance Institute
(MPA) has launched a new average recycling share of around Europe (BPIE) has released a guide to
briefing, The Contribution of 15%. the implementation of the amended
Recycled and Secondary Materials Government data and MPA Energy Performance of Buildings
to Total Aggregates Supply in research indicates that virtually Directive (EPBD) (2018/844), in which
Great Britain, highlighting that all potentially reusable materials EU Member States agreed an objective to minimise CO2
the aggregates industry is one are now used in the aggregates emissions from buildings by 2050. National governments now
of the UK’s recycling and circular market. As such, the scope for have to implement regulation and support schemes to achieve
economy success stories. increasing the use and share of their commitment.
Over 70M tonnes of materials recycled materials in aggregates The BPIE guide supports policymakers to develop and agree
from a range of sources are markets is likely to be incremental effective instruments which will lead to healthy and climate-
reused in British aggregates and linked largely to the amount of friendly buildings for all citizens. The guide includes good
markets and 90% of these construction and demolition work practice examples from around Europe and covers long-term
recycled materials are sourced carried out in the future. renovation strategies, financing renovation and calculating
from construction activity, The report is available at https:// energy performance, as well as energy performance certificates
following demolition work and mineralproducts.org/documents/ and the smart readiness indicator.
road repairs. Contribution_of_Recycled_and_ The full report can be found at http://bpie.eu/publication/a-
Great Britain’s 29% market Secondary_Materials_to_Total_ guide-to-implementing-the-energy-performance-of-buildings-
share of recycling in aggregates Aggs_Supply_in_GB.pdf. directive/.
UK construction industry launches campaign Building Equality is an alliance of

over 30 organisations nationally, with
to address LGBT+ issues faced in workplace over 20 in the Greater Manchester
region – who have led this campaign.
LGBT+ network, Building Equality, has The posters challenge There is representation from across
released a Toolbox Talk alongside a misconceptions, such as people only the construction industry including
poster campaign aimed at educating, getting their jobs because they tick the consultants, engineers, developers,
empowering and addressing the key diversity box, and highlight examples contractors and institutions.
issues that the LGBT+ community of inappropriate language – turning it Find out more at www.linkedin.com/
faces, both in the construction industry on its head to show how damaging it company/building-equality/.
and in society as a whole. can be.
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Feature
Milne Medal 2018 thestructuralengineer.org
Milne Medal 2018:

Unexpected education
John Parker
MA, CEng, FIStructE, FICE
Director, WSP, London, UK
Introduction
It is a tremendous honour to be awarded
the 2018 Milne Medal, particularly given the
great engineers who have been awarded
the medal before me. This paper is based
HS2/WSP/WILKINSON EYRE
on the lecture given in November 2018, and

in it I hope to show some of the privileges
that structural engineers have, and their
responsibilities, and the often unexpected
education that engineering projects can
provide. Figure 1
Old Oak Common station
Old Oak Common station

The High Speed 2 (HS2) railway provides BOX 1. OLD OAK COMMON STATION
much-needed additional capacity for the rail "WHEN EVERYONE IS AT A
system between London, the Midlands, the Client High Speed Two Ltd
LOSS, THEY TURN … TO THE
North of England and Scotland. Passenger Engineer WSP STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS"
journeys have doubled in the last 15 years,
and the new railway makes additional Architect Wilkinson Eyre
train paths available, allowing growth in
passenger and freight traffic, and reducing be seen from aeroplanes, and that affect
car journeys and short-haul air travel. many people’s lives. With these privileges
Old Oak Common station (Box 1 and come responsibilities: for safety, for making
Figure 1) is in West London. It allows efficient use of resources, and for the
interchange between HS2, the Elizabeth appearance of the structure.
line and the Great Western mainline; and There are opportunities too – junior
connects the Old Oak Common and Park engineers gain valuable training and
Royal development area to the railway advance their careers, new techniques can
system. It is the largest new station to be be devised, and everyone involved learns
built in the UK since the 19th century, with and develops through working on the
eight at-grade platforms serving Network project. Sometimes this learning concerns
Rail trains and six underground platforms structural engineering, but at other times
for HS2. The station box is 840m long, 65m it takes the engineers in unexpected
wide and 13m deep to platform level. Above directions.
ground, the station is covered by a 250m Every project has a brief, and Old Oak
long, multi-span, tied-arch roof. Common station is no exception. The
Structural engineers are granted huge Contract Requirements – Technical (CRT)
privileges when they work on projects such document sets out what is required of
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
as Old Oak Common station. They are each discipline, and includes a section
entrusted with the creation of enormous for structural engineering. Somewhat
infrastructure assets that are designed to surprisingly, it includes the statement: ‘The
endure until at least the middle of the 22nd design within HS2 stations shall prevent Figure 2
Feral pigeons are a common
nuisance in railway stations
century, that are so large that they can pigeon roosting.’
TSE88_12-19_Milne-Medal.indd 12 23/05/2019 10:03

Feature
thestructuralengineer.org Milne Medal 2018
Figure 3
Hungerford
Millennium
footbridges
CROSS RIVER PARTNERSHIP
I have not been able to discover why this BOX 2. HUNGERFORD FOOTBRIDGES
is a structural requirement, and so I have
taken it as a compliment. I have decided Client Westminster City Council (on behalf of Cross River Partnership)
to believe that, when everyone is at a loss, Engineer WSP
they turn to the discipline most likely to use
intelligence, flair and creativity to solve the Architect Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
problem – in other words, to the structural Contractor Costain Norwest Holst
engineers.
Contractor’s engineer Gifford
Feral pigeons (Figure 2) are often a
nuisance, fouling the areas where they
congregate and spreading diseases such to learn about edible dormice when we – together with the late Bruce Nicholson
as psittacosis, tuberculosis and pigeon embarked on the project! – we devised impact parameters from
fancier’s lung. They are found in railway first principles. The calculation used a
stations because the spaces are sheltered Hungerford Bridge probabilistic assessment of collisions
but not enclosed, and there are frequently The Hungerford Bridge Millennium by different types of vessel, together
sources of food around waste bins and retail footbridges (Box 2 and Figure 3) replaced with information on the construction of
outlets. Plastic spikes are used to deter an earlier walkway which cantilevered those vessels and an assessment of the
pigeons from settling on ledges, but they are from the side of Sir John Hawkshaw’s energy that would be absorbed in plastic
unsightly, and it is not unknown for the birds ‘aesthetically notorious’2 Charing Cross deformation of the steel.
to use the spikes to support their nests. railway bridge, itself a replacement for a Interestingly, the same 30MN force
Initially, I sought assistance via the suspension bridge designed by Isambard was derived for 3000t gravel carriers and
company intranet, and the replies varied in Kingdom Brunel. The walkway was too 2000t rubbish barges, because the latter
helpfulness. The most popular suggestion narrow for the number of pedestrians that are stiffer: they are designed not to suffer
was to use trained hawks; other ideas used the bridge and so the Cross River damage when they hit something. It was
included ultrasonic devices, playing the Partnership organised a design competition particularly satisfying to devise a design for
cries of predator species over the public for a new bridge. WSP and Lifschutz the foundation structure that looked good,
address system, and electrified tapes stuck Davidson Sandilands’ winning design3 as well as being able to withstand these
to surfaces where pigeons might land. comprised a pair of multi-span, cable-stayed large forces.
However, the most helpful advice was footbridges that quadrupled the capacity of Later, we learned a great deal about
to consult the CIRIA report on invasive the crossing. Today, more pedestrians use bombs. (It is somewhat depressing that
species management1, which recommended the Hungerford footbridges than any other a considerable part of the design effort
the removal of all sources of food: if there London river crossing. for major projects centres around World
is no food, the pigeons will not come. The The first major challenge in designing War II unexploded bombs and modern-day
waste management strategy for the station the new footbridges was to ensure safety terrorist devices.) During the construction
therefore includes a requirement for bins to following a ship impact4. About 54 000 of the Hungerford bridges, a concern arose
be covered, and for food retailers to clear up vessels over 200t passed the site each that unexploded WWII bombs could be
leftover food as quickly as possible. year, with the largest weighing 3000t and present in the riverbed, and there was a
The CIRIA report covered more than travelling at 4.1m/s (8 knots; 15km/h) relative risk of flooding nearby tube tunnels if the
pigeons: it described, for example, the to the water – which itself moved at 2m/s. bombs were disturbed by piling operations.
nuisance caused to forestry in the Midlands Eurocode advice for ship impact forces5 Furthermore, closing the floodgates on
by the edible dormouse. I did not expect was not available in the late 1990s and so the tunnels would not completely eliminate

Feature
E Figure 4 Hungerford Bridge – Victoria

Embankment supports
a) Before redesign b) After redesign
JOHN PARKER
the risk because WWII bombs sometimes (Figure 4) so that metal detectors could be strongbacks to avoid kinks and craned
contained timers, and so the bomb could used to search for bombs as excavation into place with a pre-set bow. Then, when
exploded after the floodgates were proceeded. Mercifully, none were found. the deck was lowered to the correct level,
reopened. We also learned – unexpectedly – about the bows straightened out and – in theory
It was difficult to compare this low- the equation governing the vibration of a – all the rods were at the correct tension.
probability, high-consequence risk with guitar string (Equation 1). However, it was necessary to check; but
other more ‘everyday’ risks. This could have strain gauges were found to be unreliable
led to a great deal of effort and money being and Macalloy’s hydraulic ‘techno tensioner’
T
expended on a risk that could have been f = (1) was too slow.
safely ignored; or vice versa. We therefore 4mL2 Shaking the cables by hand to determine
employed the ‘fatal accident rate’ (FAR) the natural frequency, and then employing
method described by Hambly and Hambly6. where: the guitar string equation, proved to be a
The calculations showed that the FAR f = frequency (Hz) quick and accurate method to discover the
was considerably higher for a potential T = tension (N) tension in each rod. It also demonstrated
unexploded bomb in the river than for m = mass per unit length (kg/m) that shaking one rod would set off all the
travelling by car (but lower than the value for L = length of string (m). other rods with the same natural frequency
motorbike travel) and so the design of the – even those that were tens of metres
bridge was changed. One pier was moved The bridge deck was installed using a away. Of course, this followed from the
out of the river, and three foundations were launching truss, initially set slightly high. mathematics, but it was still spooky to
changed from piles to hand-dug caissons The supporting rods were attached to observe!
BOX 3. 28–29 ST GEORGE STREET
Client Wolfe Property Services Ltd

Engineer WSP
Architect Trehearne

TREHEARNE
TREHEARNE
Figure 5

Figure 6
28–29 St George Street –
spiral stair and lanterns
28–29 St George Street

Feature
Figure 7
London Bridge station
WSP/GRIMSHAW
NETWORK RAIL
28–29 St George Street

This project, near Hanover Square in
BOX 4. LONDON BRIDGE STATION REDEVELOPMENT Figure 8
London Bridge
station – plan
of arches4
central London (Box 3 and Figure 5), was Client Network Rail
designed as a ‘scholarly replica’ of a much
Engineer Arcadis WSP joint venture
earlier property on the same site. Internally,
the building had an efficient composite Architect Grimshaw
steel frame, with cellular beams spanning Contractor Costain
from the core to the perimeter. Externally,
however, it appeared to be Georgian on
one side, Hanoverian on the other, with a little-changed since then. Sadly, the station concourse in the UK – to link all the
Victorian extension at the back. business, which supplied period fittings platforms together.
So, as well as designing a fairly made in its works behind the shop, is no London Bridge station was built on
straightforward steel frame, we also learned longer in existence. brick arches, setting the rail tracks about
about 18th century brickwork (5mm mortar 9m above the surrounding fields so that
joints for the Georgian side; 8mm joints and London Bridge station livestock could pass beneath the railway
partially burnt bricks for the Hanoverian). The redevelopment of London Bridge (Figure 8). The station was enlarged nine
We learned too about ‘pre-aging’ Portland station (Box 4 and Figure 7) was on an times during the 1800s and the arches for
stonework – sadly, the architect’s original altogether larger scale. In order to provide each phase appeared to have been built
proposal to apply yoghurt was not adopted, additional capacity for north–south without regard for what had gone before.
because there was insufficient time before Thameslink train services through London, Span lengths varied from about 5m to 13m
contract completion for natural lichens to all 15 of the station’s platforms were and, while most arch spans were parallel
grow – and Keim paint was used instead. realigned, creating three new through tracks to the tracks, some were perpendicular.
The central stair (Figure 6) was a modern and removing three of the old terminating One section – which, following the
version of a cantilever (or more accurately, tracks. redevelopment, was used to link the new
torsion) stair7. The precast treads were London Bridge was operated in the mid- concourse to the London Underground
match-cast by the fabricator to ensure a 19th century by the South Eastern Railway station – had two-way spanning
good fit, and each tread was fixed to the (serving Kent) and the London, Brighton and (quadripartite) arches.
supporting wall with vertical bolts to provide South Coast Railway. There were numerous The project was therefore an education
the necessary torsional restraint. The six- disputes between the two companies, which in arches for the structural engineers
storey stair was said by the architect to be led to London Bridge operating as two involved. Service corridors were required
the tallest of its type in London. separate stations which were notoriously and seven different methods were devised
In the centre of the stair was a set of difficult to navigate. John Betjeman wrote: for creating openings through the arch
glazed brass lanterns, each hanging from ‘London Bridge is … the most complicated, piers. The version shown in Figure 9 created
the one above and together weighing half muddled and unwelcoming of all London a concrete ‘picture frame’ in small sections:
a ton. The contractor was rather alarmed termini … I do not see how anyone of the it used a large number of couplers but no
at the initial proposal to carry all the load thousands who have to use it during rush temporary works. In addition, one arch had
through curved brackets and brazed joints, hours, can find his way about it without a been filled with concrete at some point, and
and asked us to advise the manufacturer. long apprenticeship.’8 The redevelopment it was rebuilt in brickwork to create a new
We made the lanterns safe in a way that was finally corrected this by introducing a retail unit. Expanded polystrene was used as
sympathetic to the aesthetics by introducing ground-level concourse – the largest centring, but in all other respects traditional
a threaded rod through the centre; this was
surrounded with a brass tube that was also
used to conceal the electrical cable.
It was fascinating to visit the Soho "THE PROJECT WAS THEREFORE AN EDUCATION IN ARCHES
premises of W. Sitch and Co., a company FOR THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS INVOLVED"
established in 1776 and to all appearances

Feature
Figure 9
London Bridge station – creating large opening
without temporary supports
JOHN PARKER
methods were used.

Figure 10
London Bridge station –
board-marked finish
The line of quadripartite arches had
been partially demolished to introduce
new escalators in the 1990s, at the time
the Jubilee line extension to the London
Underground was built, and some arches
to the east of the escalators were in a poor
condition. The station budget did not permit
the vaults to be rebuilt in brickwork and so
a ‘modern take’ on the quadripartite form,
using reinforced concrete, was employed
instead. The concrete had a board-marked
finish – a style that had been popular half
a century ago, and which we unexpectedly
learned about all over again. Together
with the architect and the contractor,
we carried out trials at various scales,
developing formwork that used timber of
tightly controlled thickness. This ensured
that there were no steps in the profile from
one board to another, giving a subtle texture
and a less ‘brutal’ finish than much board-
marked concrete (Figure 10).
JOHN PARKER
Every platform was covered for its full

length and so there was almost 3km of
canopy in total. The design aesthetics were
demonstrated to planners and client staff by
constructing a full-scale mockup in medium-
Figure 11
London Bridge
station – canopy
density fibreboard (MDF). Only half the
width of one bay was constructed: mirrors
prototype
on each end and one edge provided the
impression of a full-width, very long canopy
(Figure 11).
Train services ran throughout the
construction period and often it was only
possible to erect the canopies during
night-time possessions. Safe and efficient
construction was essential, and so the
canopies were designed to be assembled
in modules, with cladding and services
pre-installed. The platforms curved to follow
the tracks, and the fabricators used the
design team’s 3D building information (BIM)
model to define the shape of the modules.
A trial assembly was carried out at the steel
fabrication yard; this was used to train the
JOHN PARKER
construction team and to show that there

was good access for maintenance of wiring,
lamps and loudspeakers.

Feature
entire floors. The structure was designed

to be very efficient, with fabricated steel
beams in the office levels and post-
tensioned concrete floors in the hotel and
apartments, where spans were smaller.
Above the apartments was the ‘spire’,
which contained the viewing gallery and
several building maintenance units. It was
also a decorative feature, with different
illuminations every Christmas. The spire
was steel-framed, 60m high, topping
out the 310m height of the building, and
the main piece of visible structure on
the project. Safe construction was a
challenge, and in response to early ideas
for piece-small construction, I proposed a
modular system. The fabricator developed
the idea further, employing modules that
were the maximum size that could be both
transported by lorry and erected by the
tower crane (Figure 13).
The modular approach increased the
safety and speed of construction. The
number of bolted connections completed
at height was greatly reduced compared
with piece-small construction. It was
possible to lift a module from the delivery
truck to the top of the building, fix it
RENZO PIANO BUILDING WORKSHOP
in place and return the crane hook to

ground level within 20 minutes. As for
the London Bridge canopies two years
later, a trial assembly was carried out:
three, 20m tall sections of the spire were
erected in the fabrication yard (Figure 14),
allowing details to be refined and the site
construction team to be trained before
they built the steelwork 300m above
The Shard
Next to London Bridge station, and
N Figure 12
The Shard
completed just as the railway project

began, was the Shard9: Western Europe’s
tallest building and one of London’s most
easily recognisable structures (Box 5 and
Figure 12). It was designed as a ‘vertical city’
and the distinctive tapering shape reflected
its different uses: large office floor plates
at the base; medium-sized floors for the
hotel at mid-height – with a corridor around
the core and rooms against the facade;
and smaller floors at the top, where the
apartments occupied either one or two
E Figure 13
The Shard –
spire modules
BOX 5. THE SHARD
Client Sellar Property Group / LBQ

Engineer WSP
JOHN PARKER
Architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Contractor Mace

Feature
Figure 14
The Shard – trial assembly
of lowest 20m of spire
"LESS UNEXPECTED, BUT

STILL FASCINATING, WAS OUR
EDUCATION IN THE USE OF
CRANES"
ground level.
At this height, the weather was a
challenge, and early in the project the
amount of time the tower cranes would be
‘winded off’ was a matter for speculation.
The general pattern – with more crane
JOHN PARKER
downtime as the building grew in height

and in the winter months – was predictable,
but the exact figures were unknown
because the Shard was so much taller
than any previous building in London. By London City Airport. This indicated that the spire (Figure 17). Finally, it erected a recovery
the end of the project, the most downtime cloud base had been below 150m for only 2% crane on a second bracket at level 72, which
recorded was 80% in January 2012, when of the time during the winter of 2010/11. removed the crane on the first bracket. The
the building was about 260m tall. There Less unexpected, but still fascinating, was recovery crane was dismantled by a ‘spider’
was considerable variation: during the our education in the use of cranes during the crane, which was taken down in the lift.
previous month, the downtime was only 41% construction of the Shard (Figure 16). The This sequence helped the site team to
(Figure 15). contractor achieved a world first by mounting achieve the client’s objective of completing
Wind downtime followed a predictable the central tower crane on the slipform rig, the Shard externally before the 2012 London
pattern; more unexpected was a query from allowing the crane to rise continuously as Olympics.
the client about clouds: another example of the core was built. (The usual method would
asking the structural engineer when nobody have been to fix the crane to the concrete, Conclusion
else knew what to do. An article had been and stop the slip from time to time in order to I hope that these examples demonstrate
published in a US magazine which predicted raise the crane.) some of the privileges that we have as
that the view from the Shard apartments However, the central crane obstructed the structural engineers: to create buildings and
would be obscured by cloud one-third of the construction of the spire, and so it was used other structures that shape our cities and
time, and we were asked to refute the figure to erect another crane on an external bracket improve the lives of our fellow human beings.
(or remove the clouds!). My colleague Bill at level 52. This crane then dismantled the With these privileges come responsibilities
Price obtained data about low cloud from crane on the slipform rig; and assembled the – for safety, and for the use of resources,
and for the appearance of our structures.
Figure 15
The Shard – crane downtime
And there are opportunities for learning: for
increasing our knowledge of engineering;
for finding new ways to apply our ability in
the use of incomplete information to reach
an economical and safe solution; and for
knowledge in unforeseen areas.
So, next time you find yourself in a
discussion about partial safety factors, or
stuck in a never-ending meeting, or chasing
up a bad debt – remember the privileges
you have as a structural engineer, and your
responsibilities, and how you can enjoy
unexpected education.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my colleagues at
WSP, together with the clients, architects,
contractors and other professionals that
DATA PROVIDED BY MACE
I have worked with, on these projects and

many others.
About the author

John Parker was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk
and gained a degree in engineering from

Feature
Churchill College, Cambridge. After five

years as a highways engineer, he joined
Kenchington Little and Partners, which
became part of WSP. He has worked for
WSP since then, and is now a Director in the
London Structures group. He was awarded
the IABSE Milne Medal in November 2018.
WATCH ONLINE
You can also watch John's

Milne Medal lecture at
www.youtube.com/
RON SLADE
watch?v=Zl4D1tE1rRI.
Figure 17
N Figure 16
The Shard – tower crane sequence
Completing
the Shard
HAVE YOUR SAY
To comment on this article:

Eemail Verulam at tse@istructe.org
Etweet @IStructE #TheStructuralEngineer
REFERENCES
E 1) Booy O., Wade M. and White V. (2008)

C679: Invasive species management
for infrastructure managers and the
construction industry, London: CIRIA
E 2) Burke M.P. (1998) ‘Aesthetically
notorious bridges’, Proc. ICE – Civ. Eng., 126
(1), pp. 39–47
E 3) Parker J.S., Hardwick G., Carroll M.,
Nicholls N.P. and Sandercock D. (2003)
‘Hungerford Bridge millennium Project:
London’, Proc. ICE – Civ. Eng., 156 (2), pp.
70–77
E 4) Parker J. (2009) ‘Ship impact
protection for Hungerford Bridge, London,
UK’, Proc. ICE – Struct. Build., 162 (1), pp.
11–19
E 5) British Standards Institution (2006)
BS EN 1991-1-7:2006+A1:2014 Eurocode
1. Actions on structures. General actions.
Accidental actions, London: BSI
E 6) Hambly E.C. and Hambly E.A. (1994)
‘Risk evaluation and realism’, Proc. ICE – Civ.
Eng., 102 (2), pp. 64–71
E 7) Price S. (1996) ‘Cantilevered
staircases’, Architectural Research
Quarterly, 1 (3), pp. 76–87
E 8) Betjeman J. (1978) London’s Historic
Railway Stations, London: John Murray
(Publishers) Ltd
E 9) Agrawal R., Parker J. and Slade R.
(2014) ‘The Shard at London Bridge’, The
MACE
Structural Engineer, 92 (7), pp. 18–30

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Alistair Day and dynamic relaxation thestructuralengineer.org
Alistair Day and the origins

of dynamic relaxation.
Part 1: Bringing an idea to life
Tristram Carfrae Duncan Michael
FREng, FIStructE FREng, FIStructE
Deputy Chairman, Arup Former Chairman, Arup
Introduction
Alistair Scott Day was the engineer who
invented, named, applied and developed the
calculation technique ‘dynamic relaxation’.
He died in 2015, but always a quiet man, his
story had become scattered and he was
in danger of being historically overlooked.
This two-part article is intended to give an
account of his life and record his exceptional
achievements. The authors knew Alistair,
since 1981 and 1966 respectively.
Early days
Alistair Day was born in 1929 in Penang.
His father was engineer for the electricity
station, a Glaswegian educated as a marine
engineer who had sailed the seas, as Clyde-
built as the hulls and the engines. He had
taken a shore job when his Glasgow fiancé
came to marry him in 1927 at the Raffles
Hotel.
Alistair went to school in the Central
Highlands of Malaya and then to a UK school
which he hated. In 1939, his brother George
was born. All four were in Australia choosing
a new school for Alistair when Japan invaded
Singapore, stranding the family in Perth. In
1946, the family settled in Bristol. Alistair’s
father worked at Hinckley Point Power
Station.
Alistair graduated from the University
of Bristol around 1952, held back to let
demobbed men go through. He said that by
then he had attended 13 different schools.
His first job was as a civil engineer with
the British Colonial Service in Tanganyika,
an alternative to National Service. In 1956,
CHORLEY AND HANDFORD LTD
Alistair married Nancy Hughes, whom he had

met while they were students. Alistair joined
Rendel for its Thames flood protection work,
and the couple lived in Putney, London.
Figure 1
Construction
of Thames
Origins of dynamic relaxation Barrier
The idea of ‘dynamic relaxation’ (Box 1) –
TSE88_20-26_Alistair Day.indd 20 23/05/2019 10:07

Feature
thestructuralengineer.org Alistair Day and dynamic relaxation
BIOGRAPHY: ALISTAIR SCOTT DAY combining with Richard Southwell and then to run a small step of time calculation
his great facility with numbers, from rock on a Pegasus computer, cycling repeatedly.
1929 Born in Penang. mechanics to water hammer. He left in 1957 It incorporated the slightly changed
School, Highlands, for Northwestern University, Illinois, which masses and geometries after each cycle.
Malaya had the latest computer, and he never looked Even for these restrained engineers, Otter
1938 Boarding school, back, working with finite elements for the and Alistair surprised themselves at the
England rest of his life. matches produced. The tidal profiles were
1940 School, Perth,
Alistair Day arrived at the same ideas ‘astonishingly close to the observed levels,
Australia
1946 Sixth form and university, concurrently, but by his own route. At Rendel no more than one foot different at any time
Bristol, England Palmer & Tritton in 1956, he assisted Joseph and distance up the river’. The technique was
1951 Civil engineer, Colonial Service, Otter on its Thames flood prevention work published in 1960, but it was not yet called
Tanganyika (Figure 1) following the surge tide floods dynamic relaxation1.
1954 Rendel Palmer & Tritton, Thames of 1951. Rendel had to understand the
Barrier, London
flow cycles well enough to make weather- Wylfa Nuclear Power Station
1960 Taylor Woodrow, Wylfa Nuclear
Power Station, London based height predictions and study various Alistair had also seen that these transient
1965 Arup, London defences. Would a barrier induce wave wave time integrations could, if damped,
1992 City University, London. Then reflections on top of a crest? Algebraic come to rest and so deliver a structural
retired to Maidenhead, England functions were known and used for an analysis. The moment of invention was at
2015 Died in Maidenhead. idealised taper of the channel. Forecasts Rendel in 1961. Alistair transferred to Taylor
Widow: Nancy; children: Susan
were calibrated against site measurements Woodrow and used his invention for the
and Ian
and the model at the Hydraulics Research structural design and analysis of the thick
Station in Wallingford. concrete containment vessels at a 1180MW
In 1958, Alistair had the idea to put the nuclear power station at Wylfa, Wales. It
disaggregating a body into small pieces, modelled masses of the water, a grossly was being created for the Central Electricity
calculating the accelerations from new smoothed river geometry and some Generating Board (CEGB) by the British
loads (hence, the displacements and its new difference of water height together, and team of Taylor Woodrow, English Electric
shape) and then repeating it all as sequences
of small steps of time, with a computer to do
the slog, was an idea waiting to happen. Like
all good ideas, obvious, once you say it. "ALISTAIR HAD ALSO SEEN THAT THESE TRANSIENT WAVE
Olgierd Zienkiewicz at the University TIME INTEGRATIONS COULD, IF DAMPED, COME TO REST
of Edinburgh was getting answers for AND SO DELIVER A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS"
hydroelectric schemes in Scotland,
BOX 1. DYNAMIC RELAXATION FOR STATIC ANALYSIS
Dynamic relaxation is a and its acceleration are used to integrated into nodal forces. small movement not to create
deceptively simple method to find calculate a nodal movement using numerical instability. But
a state of minimum energy within a small period of time or time Then the nodes are considered otherwise their values only affect
a structural system. This minimal step. The new nodal velocity is again. solution speed, not the solution
energy state is that of static stored for the next cycle. itself.
equilibrium. 4) If the node is restrained, then it Convergence
The structural system is is not moved in that direction. If left to its own devices, this Advantages
idealised as a set of elements 5) The nodes are repositioned simple system of massive nodes Dynamic relaxation automatically
connected to a set of massive in space according to these and elastic elements will continue accounts for geometrical
nodes. The system is acted upon movements. oscillating forever, in a form of non-linearity because the
by external loads and supported harmonic motions.
geometry is updated at each
by restraints. Elements But if a small amount of kinetic
time step. With sufficiently small
The system typically starts 1) Each element is now energy is removed from every
elements, buckling and moment
in an unstrained state and then considered one at a time. The node at each time step (a form
magnification are naturally
follows this cyclical process: element strains are calculated of damping), then a well-behaved
accounted for. Non-linear material
from the current positions of its structure will eventually converge
behaviour can be built into the
Nodes nodes when compared with its on an equilibrium position when
1) Each discrete node is unstrained geometry (often the the net force on every node element stress–strain relationship
considered one at a time and all starting geometry). becomes insignificantly small, permitting, for example, the real
the forces, either from elements 2) The strains are converted and the analysis is complete. behaviour of woven fabrics to be
connected or loads applied, to stresses using whatever emulated.
acting on the node are summed stress–strain relationship is most Solution speed The solution process requires
up to a single force. appropriate. There is no need for The nodal mass, time step and no matrix inversion or large
2) The applied force together with this relationship to be linear and damping are all somewhat amounts of computer storage,
the node’s mass is converted to it could even include hysteresis if arbitrary parameters. The which was originally a very
an acceleration. required. time step and nodal mass important consideration, and
3) The current node velocity 3) The element stresses are have to create a sufficiently made the method feasible.

Feature
Figure 2
Taylor Woodrow team for
Wylfa Nuclear Power Station
and Babcock. A team photo has R.S. Taylor,

Roger Browne and Alistair Day on the front
bench, 40 males in 40 ties (Figure 2)2.
They went to the 1964 UN Peaceful Atomic
Energy conference in Geneva3 to display
their designs for the world’s largest concrete
pressure vessel. The operating temperature
of the CO2 reactor coolant was 700°C. Steel
pipes corrode in such gas, so the station was
run at half power. In the 1960s, designs were
infused with optimism4.
Alistair’s paper, ‘An introduction to dynamic
relaxation’5, stated that he invented the
term ‘dynamic relaxation’ for the structural
application of his idea. Otter later gave it
academic endorsement6.
Structural analysis methods in 1950s

To better appreciate Alistair’s invention, analysis. this period, provides a timeline of the ideas’
one can recall the then state of structural John Argyris at Imperial College had development. That work started in 1957 as
analysis. Engineers were using a plethora developed the idea of finite elements in the the search for equations to fit the freeform
of hand calculation techniques. All had the 1940s for airframe stressed-skin designs. drawings, both the geometry and the
same basis, but they were seen, taught and The symmetries of force and displacement stresses.
used as if different and distinct. ‘Member were appreciated and matrices were Solving the structural design issue
instability’ was a separate, odd phenomenon. resurrected. Many programs were written by would be difficult, but Ronald Jenkins
Many books were published and the Steel the 1960s to simply automate the existing was confident. This evolved into carrying
Designers’ Manual, in particular, had achieved methods and codes, but they never thrived. out analysis of pieces of the whole using
biblical status. Some, often the creative engineers, saw numerical computation methods and
Computers had been available from 1955 choosing the forces as the unknowns to manual calculators. Imperial College was his
at some universities, a marriage of hot be more useful, with minimised demand for reference base. Once Jenkins decided in
valves, unreliable electricals and awkward computer capacity. These flexibility methods 1961 that these shells could never be strong
operations. But with knack they could be were based on understanding your problem. enough, fresh options arose, exploiting the
cajoled to deliver a new world, and the Leading practitioners were John Henderson new computational ideas and approaches of
possibilities were already huge and obvious. and Hugh Tottenham at Imperial College and younger people. The new computation was
However, there was much debate on the best Southampton. Alan Baker’s 3D 6×6 matrix, brushing aside
way to carry out computer-based structural Others saw making displacements the Peter Rice’s tiny-capacity flexibility software.
unknowns as The new approaches were Jack Zunz binning
the way. These all Jenkins’ design work and treating these
Figure 3
Concrete radio telescope
at Jodrell Bank
stiffness methods
were a universal
fantasy shells as frames of pieces just like
structural steelwork.
but relatively Various computer 2D analysis programs
mechanistic using stiffness matrices for in-plane loads
process that used were accessible. From Leeds in 1959, Felicjan
more computer Sawko issued his program to analyse 2D
capacity. Edgar frames with out-of-plane loading, i.e. grids.
Lightfoot at Leeds By 1962, Baker and Alan Yettram had written
was a key leader, their software for 3D frame linear analysis,
his book Moment a 6×6 local matrix. It lacked friendly input
distribution7 finally or output, just the engine, an incomplete
published in 1961 program and an unfinished PhD. Arup hired
after computers had Baker to run his software for the Sydney
begun taking over. structures, and to enable him to finish his
The outcome of doctorate. Proprietary issues did not arise in
this quasi-religious these formative years.
debate with strongly Alistair sidestepped this battle over
held and promoted method, by integrating the damped
beliefs was not equations of motion in little, linear time steps
clear for years. for a network of structural parts, masses,
The Sydney loads and displacements. It was a simple
Opera House roof, computation that used little computer
ARUP
designed through power, but took more time. It also required

Feature
a fair degree of competence from the difficult to deploy, as he inwardly sought to

engineer. The vision and implications of
"ALISTAIR PRODUCED use his dynamic relaxation method. A few
dynamic relaxation were a revelation to this
writer when Otter came to a tall buildings
RESULTS THAT WERE appreciated him: Peter Rice, Tristram Carfrae
and Michael Shears. Though Alistair had
symposium at Southampton in 1966 and OTHERWISE PRACTICALLY total faith in his ideas, he was careless of
gave an impromptu presentation. UNOBTAINABLE. THOSE WHO self, truly an intellectual. He had seen the
Alistair would soon find himself COULD COPE GAINED RICH potential of dynamic relaxation early on, and
participating in ambitious and challenging REWARDS" its achievements held little surprise for him.
projects that were both testing and proving Nor did he feel much need to record,
ground for the evolution of the method. publicise or promote himself, saying that it
was trivially obvious. In a way it is, just using
Bigger Jodrell Bank telescope, in instruments inside a 120m, half-sphere, thin a computer to follow the natural trajectory
concrete concrete shell, itself floating via a thin layer from changes of load or displacement
Bernard Lovell of Jodrell Bank, Manchester of water within a half sphere of concrete or mass or geometry or structure. It is
University, wanted a bigger, better radio bedded directly in the soil (Figure 3). The inherently likely to reach the natural outcome.
telescope, 400ft in diameter instead of net weight on the steering bogies was tiny But Alistair produced results that were
250ft, in order to reach further back in and adjustable, just enough to grip. It could otherwise practically unobtainable. Those
time. He challenged the audience at his be easily rotated on plan and vertically. who could cope gained rich rewards. In
1964 Maitland Lecture – could some larger The telescope’s research potential was 1969, he published ‘The analysis of hanging
apparatus be realised?8 Alistair felt inspired improved9. roofs’, a sales pitch to Rice to use dynamic
and began designing. This obsession led to Alternative steelwork-based schemes relaxation for designing flexible roofs11. By
his move to Arup in 1965. Taylor Woodrow came from Husband and Freeman Fox, but 1971, Rice had taken up the offer12.
stayed supportive, giving free advice on the government eventually abandoned the
constructability to Alistair and Arup, as did project. Plus ça change. This is not in Lovell’s Microwave towers
GEC Marconi on the radio aspects. The Story of Jodrell Bank10, which ends at Arup helped Marconi and GEC on
Alistair had chosen concrete. It was 1960, was written in 1962 and published in the civil works of their microwave
stiffer, cheaper and less responsive to wind 1968. telecommunications installations, particularly
and sun than steelwork, offering superior, for developing countries, transcending
more continuous performance. But it was Life at Arup highways and landlines. To build the towers
very heavy. His solution was to set the Alistair stayed at Arup for 27 years. He was near the tops of high, remote hills required
Figure 4
Bundesgartenschau
ARUP
Pavilion, Mannheim

Feature

Figure 5
KOCOMMAS hall, Riyadh
minimum weight as well as maximum erected Bundesgartenschau team of Ian Liddell and
stiffness. Strengthening and stiffening the Happold were in Structures 3, with Alistair
lattice towers for additional dishes was a and Rice, all together since 1968. A 1974
recurrent and sensitive exercise, exposing consultation by Happold and Chris Williams
code ambiguities and minor errors. with Ove Arup and Ronald Jenkins did not
Alistair spent years of intermittent effort on point to dynamic relaxation as the solution.
these jobs for Nigeria, Mexico, Ethiopia, Gulf These senior partners knew nothing of such
States, Peru, Bolivia and Hong Kong. How far new ideas.
he used his dynamic relaxation is no longer
clear, but it would have been very applicable. KOCOMMAS, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
GEC found civil works incomprehensible. 1974
They could fix the price of a transistor to KOCOMMAS was a set of new central
0.1 pence, but the roads and steel erection government buildings in Riyadh: the King’s
prices were only firm to within 50%, with time Office building, the Council of Ministers
variations similar. building and the Majlis al-Shura building.
In 1974, Rolf Gutbrod was appointed as
Reflection architect, with Arup as engineer in a joint
Alistair’s four key projects – a flood barrier, venture. Special features were to be the
a nuclear power station, a radio telescope curved roofs, echoing the soft forms of tents
and microwave telecoms towers – indicate (Figure 5). This idea had been used by some
the progressive and innovative technical of the team in 1966 for the Conference
capabilities of UK companies in the 1960s. Centre, Mecca.
Today, much of this is imported. From 1974, Day developed specific
versions of his Fablon dynamic relaxation
Centre Pompidou, Paris, France, 1971 software for KOCOMMAS. Given Otto’s
Returning to Arup from Cornell in 1968, Rice method of using hanging chain models
was placed in Structures 3 to add more to find a geometry with members free of
intellectual sparkle, a routine move at Arup. bending, this was achieved digitally as
Thus, Rice and Ted Happold, along with dynamic relaxation. Gravity was then inverted
Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, won the for stress analysis as a dome. For the various
Plateau Beaubourg design competition in (live) load patterns, the dynamic relaxation
ARUP
1971 (for what would become known as the analysis of the dome showed significant
Centre Pompidou). bending of members despite the funicular
Alistair used dynamic relaxation to geometry.
settle technical items, including calculating The domes were overclad with polygonal
accurately the cooling stresses and cracks in "THE DYNAMIC RELAXATION glass and shading panels, held out from
the cast steel gerberettes that were central ANALYSIS OF THE DOME the dome steelwork by steel struts. These
to the scheme’s design. SHOWED SIGNIFICANT geometries were determined using Fablon.
In 1973, Nancy, Alistair and their teenagers, BENDING OF MEMBERS Because they are movement-sensitive
Susan and Ian, towed their caravan through
DESPITE THE FUNICULAR structures, the calculations were also
Germany to park for a week near Paris
where Alistair was to meet the Beaubourg
GEOMETRY" sensitive, needing care over the choices
of damping and time steps for efficient
approving engineers. His task, as he put convergence.
it to his family, was to show that if a bomb Shallow bowl-shaped hall floors were to
took out a piece of the structure, the Centre Exhibition) roof, 1973–75, did not use it. The be supported by tree-form steel structures
Pompidou would not collapse. roof is a ‘square mesh’ of 5cm × 5cm laths of beneath. The dynamic relaxation software
Alistair clearly succeeded, setting off hemlock pushed up to form a doubly curved was used to find optimum forms for the
from the caravan in his old suit and tie each roof surface of about 70m spans (Figure network of trees. Some live loads would
morning. This short, soft voiced, untidy 4). The lath crossings were then clamped cause the butt joints between blocks to
British man must have seemed yet another by steel bolts. That whole compression open. A further dynamic relaxation program
bizarre Arup engineer. Holidays followed jobs surface was supported where it touches was produced to describe and understand
that Alistair had worked on, like Emley Moor the ground. The engineer in the Mannheim this intermittent loss of contact action
mast in Yorkshire, with their last tour to a wet design team had resigned. Frei Otto, already reliably.
Skye in 1976. on the project, introduced Arup, who did a Eight engineers left Arup in May 1976
lot more, even directing the erection. The to set up in partnership as BuroHappold.
Bundesgartenschau, Mannheim, analysis checks needed great skill and effort, KOCOMMAS was shared, with the Council
Germany, 1973 especially the buckling risks. It yielded a 37- of Ministers building design work getting the
Some designs benefited from Alistair’s page paper on the roof13. BuroHappold eight started. They seem to
dynamic relaxation skills, even if its Possibly, Alistair and his dynamic have used chain model measurements for
application was not initially obvious. Others, relaxation would have delivered answers form-finding until Mike Barnes came to Bath
like the Bundesgartenschau (World Garden rather more easily and confidently. Arup’s in 1978 from City University, where he had

Feature
studied Alistair’s work since 1970. Williams requirement was ‘no seals broken’, even in Arup. By 1982, Rice had set up RFR in Paris
had left Arup in 1976 to become a lecturer the worst train accident. Vast amounts of with Martin Francis and Ian Ritchie to do
at Bath University and took up dynamic stress and strain dynamic analysis, elastic, edgy structural buildings across Europe. All
relaxation when Barnes arrived. plastic and fracture, had to be done. five firms are still global names in 2018.
Jane Wernick and Martin Manning were Alistair’s dynamic relaxation was able In 1979, Arup formalised a team, the
the Arup project engineers with Alistair and to do this and was considered along with Lightweight Structures Laboratory (LSL),
Rice until the project was stopped in 1980. other software by John Miles and Michael to protect the Arup projects led by Rice.
Shears, the project leaders. They settled on Alistair Day was the wizard and Rice the
Lagoon barriers, Venice, Italy, 1976 DYNA3D (later LS-DYNA), published in 1976 king. Around them gathered a shifting set of
Alistair devised an ingenious design in a by John Hallquist of the Lawrence Livermore bright young engineers. Some stayed longer,
public competition in 1976 to prevent the National Laboratory. Both packages clearly Brian Forster and Tristram Carfrae from
regular flooding of Venice. Large, long gates use the same mathematical physics but have 1981 and Alistair Lenczner from 1985. Rice
were needed, in 20m depth of flowing water, different cultures. DYNA3D envisaged events needed answers, and if the youngsters were
to hold a 2m head. His gates were steel box like a missile crumpling on impact. It also had not up to it, they were dropped. One now
walls, hinged flat on the sea bed, rotating up well-produced support information. Dynamic sees how this was dislocating. Not many
by pumping air into the boxes, all simple and relaxation had come to focus on the form progressed far within Arup and few stayed
cheap, without piers (Figure 6). and safety of buildings. It was not organised to retirement. The engineers of the LSL are
Alistair deployed his dynamic relaxation for sale, nor was it industry certified. not named by Rice in his book, An Engineer
skills to model the water flows using his These disappointments – Jodrell in 1969, Imagines, except for Alistair Day16.
Thames Barrier experience, to analyse the Mannheim in 1974, Venice in 1977 and CEGB Alistair stayed out of that human turmoil,
gate structures during raising and lowering, in 1978 – led Alistair to concentrate on declining to go to Bath. He carried out
and to search for flutter vibrations as the solving the problems offered by the ideas of jobs for RFR and Arup on their technical
water flowed over the rising gates. others, becoming no longer the actor, rather merits. With his dynamic relaxation, he was
It was a design-and-build bid with an Italian the reactor. indispensable for Rice’s explorations. It was
build partner. The client did not proceed. Also, Alistair is said to have regretted his a deal. The single source of projects which
Today, 40 years later, Alistair’s design is choice of the name ‘dynamic relaxation’. If depended on Alistair’s expertise narrowed
being installed in the lagoon, completing in left unnamed, it could have become ‘Day’s down his exposure to the opportunities
2022. The hinged gates and the compressed method’. which could stimulate dynamic relaxation’s
air are being used. Even the gate size is the scope. Any urge to publish on the technique
same, each steel unit 30m long14,15. Arup Lightweight Structures was lost into project papers.
Laboratory Dynamic relaxation was now the key tool
Nuclear material transport flasks, By 1976, with the Centre Pompidou about for many special projects engineered by the
CEGB, 1978 to open, the design team looked to their three firms: RFR, BuroHappold and Arup.
In 1978, Arup studied, for the CEGB, the futures. Rogers had a practice in London, The boundary between Arup and RFR was
safety of nuclear materials transported on Piano in Genoa. The BuroHappold eight had very soft in terms of people, computation
Britain’s railways between the power stations left Arup for Bath. Happold got a post at the and materials, a broad demarcation being
and the processing plant. One central university and recruited more engineers from UK and France. The boundary between Arup
and BuroHappold stayed extremely hard for
decades, to no clear purpose or benefit17,18.
Sadly, none of these three practices seems
to retain much in the way of folk memory or
mythology of Alistair or his work.
In 1990, Rice was diagnosed with brain
cancer. He kept going until his death in 1992,
W Figure 6
Lagoon flood
barrier gate,
working on his book and some projects.
Venice
After the 1990 UK financial recession,
disastrous for the construction industry,
the LSL faded. Carfrae was in Australia,
and neither Forster nor Lenczner chose to
lead in place of Rice. Day was sponsored
to City University in 1992, to write down
his achievements and views, as a doctoral
thesis with Mike Barnes. Apparently, after a
few years, he just stopped, Barnes having
left for Bath, Alistair declining the offer to go
with him.
The LSL had delivered a series of
exceptionally innovative projects. In part two
of this biographical look at Alistair Day and
dynamic relaxation, we will explore some of
ARUP
the projects that used the technique.

Feature
REFERENCES
E 1) Otter J.R.H. and Day A.S. (1960) ‘Tidal Bank, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Acknowledgements
flow computations’, The Engineer, 209, pp. E 11) Day A. and Bunce J. (1969) ‘The analysis
Alistair Day made no effort to tell his own 177–182 of hanging roofs’, Arup Journal, 4 (3), pp.
story. However, Ove Arup kept records of E 2) Anon. (1964) ‘The Wylfa Pressure Vessel, 30–31
everything, as did his firm. For this reason, Taylor Woodrow’s Atomic Design Team’, E 12) Rice P. (1971) ‘Notes on the design of
27 years of Alistair’s work can more or less Taywood News, August cable roofs’, Arup Journal, 6 (4), pp. 6–10
be pieced together, and the narrative of his E 3) Third United Nations International E 13) Happold E. and Liddell I. (1975)
thinking discerned. Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic ‘Timber lattice roof for the Mannheim
Some elements have got lost in Energy, Geneva, 31 August–9 September 1964 Bundesgartenschau’, The Structural Engineer,
translation when files were shredded after E 4) Otter J.R.H. (1965) ‘Computations for 53 (3), pp. 99–135
being digitised or only partly retained. Old prestressed concrete reactor pressure E 14) Day A. and Rice P. (1977) ‘Lagoon
vessels using dynamic relaxation’, Nucl. Struct. Barriers at Venice’, Arup Journal, 12 (2), pp.
timesheets remain a valuable source of
Eng., 1 (1), pp. 61–75 21–22
information. Ironically, data protection rules
E 5) Day A.S. (1965) ‘An introduction to E 15) Ashwell E. (2018) ‘The £62M giant
now also get in the way. dynamic relaxation’, The Engineer, 219, pp. flood gates designed to save Venice’, New
Taylor Wimpey holds some of its pre- 218–221 Civil Engineer [Online] Available at: www.
merger records and has kindly provided E 6) Otter J.R.H., Cassell A.C. and Hobbs R.E. newcivilengineer.com/the-gallery-the-
items on Alistair. Rendel, Palmer & Tritton’s (1966) ‘Dynamic relaxation’, Proc. ICE, 35 (4), 62m-giant-flood-gates-designed-to-save-
successor Rendel Ltd has searched its pp. 633–656 venice/10028977.article (Accessed: May
records on the Thames Barrier. Wallingford E 7) Lightfoot E. (1961) Moment distribution, 2019)
produced material on the Barrier model London: Spon E 16) Rice P. (1994) An Engineer Imagines,
tests. E 8) Lovell B. (1965) ‘Maitland Lecture. London: Artemis
Astronomy and the Engineer’, The Structural E 17) Dickson M. (2015) ‘Frei Otto – inspired
Engineer, 43 (1), pp. 3–10 inventor, researcher and designer (part 1)’, The
HAVE YOUR SAY
E 9) Day A. (1969) ‘A proposal for a 400ft Structural Engineer, 93 (8), pp. 12–17
To comment on this article: radio telescope in reinforced concrete’, Arup E 18) Dickson M. (2015) ‘Frei Otto – inspired
Eemail Verulam at tse@istructe.org Journal, 4 (2), pp. 15–19 inventor, researcher and designer (part 2)’,
Etweet @IStructE #TheStructuralEngineer E 10) Lovell B. (1968) The Story of Jodrell The Structural Engineer, 93 (9), pp. 12–17
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Professional guidance
thestructuralengineer.org Business Practice Note | No. 25
Business Practice Notes

No. 25: Reporting wrongdoing The Business Practice
Note series has been
developed by the
Institution’s Business
Practice and Regulatory
In the latest note, Kevin Corbett and Stephen Gregson provide Control Committee to
provide guidance on
guidance on steps members should take to report an allegation aspects of running a
of serious wrongdoing. practice and project
management.
Introduction What action should you take? scheme2. CROSS works with general is usually defined as in
All grades of member of the Members should take adequate construction professionals and the ‘What is wrongdoing?’ section
Institution of Structural Engineers and appropriate steps to bring the industry to collect reports above.
are required to abide by the the wrongdoing concern to the (confidentially) on safety concerns.
Institution’s Code of Conduct1. attention of their employer, client, Appropriate discretion and Summary
This note is designed to clarify institution/professional body and/ confidentiality should also In accordance with the
the steps that members should or relevant authority/regulator. be exercised when notifying Institution’s Code of Conduct,
take when they identify, suspect A member’s employer or client wrongdoing – considering any members should, at all times, act
or receive an allegation of may have prescribed procedures potential sensitivity relating to the with integrity and fairness and
wrongdoing (such as a potential for raising such concerns. circumstances and/or nature of take appropriate action in matters
fraud, act of bribery/corruption, Company ‘whistleblowing’ the wrongdoing. concerning wrongdoing.
unethical or improper conduct or procedures will typically involve
behaviour). alerting an identified person, such UK government definition of This note has been prepared
In such circumstances, as a manager, or internal legal whistleblowing by Kevin Corbett BSc, CEng,
members should consider how or compliance department. In The UK government’s guidance MIStructE, MICE and Stephen
best to report and escalate the such instances, members should on whistleblowing for employees3 Gregson MA, CEng, MIStructE,
wrongdoing. Members should follow the procedure prescribed describes whistleblowing as MICE on behalf of the Institution
not ignore the wrongdoing or do by their employer or client and follows: of Structural Engineers’ Business
nothing. notify the wrongdoing. The Practice and Regulatory Control
procedure may also offer a third- ‘You’re a whistleblower if you’re Committee.
What is wrongdoing? party confidential/anonymous a worker and you report certain Members are reminded that
Wrongdoing can take a number mechanism for reporting types of wrongdoing. This will they should always comply with
of forms and situations, including whistleblowing. usually be something you’ve seen the legislation of the region in
areas such as legal, ethical and/or Where there is no prescribed at work – though not always. which they are working and should
professional breaches. The more procedure, or in situations where ‘The wrongdoing you disclose be aware of any jurisdictions
obvious include: the member has a concern must be in the public interest. This specific to that region.
 an act, or attempted act, of that the matter is not being means it must affect others, e.g. Business Practice Notes
bribery, theft or fraud taken seriously or responded to the general public.’ are provided as guidance to
 discrimination, bullying or other appropriately, the member should members, but do not form part of
improper behaviour consider escalating the matter to This is generally considered the Regulations and/or Laws of
 poor health, safety or their institution/professional body to be a restrictive interpretation the Institution. All members are
environmental practices or relevant authority/regulator. relevant to disclosures in the public obliged to abide by the Institution’s
 and/or other activities, Members should also be familiar interest, whereas wrongdoing in Code of Conduct.
circumstances or behaviour that with the CROSS (Confidential
give rise to a genuine concern. Reporting on Structural Safety)
REFERENCES
FURTHER READING
E1) Institution of Structural Engineers (2019) Code of Conduct and
Further guidance is also available from the following organisations: Guidance Notes [Online] Available at: www.istructe.org/downloads/
EACAS (www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1919) about-us/governance/code-of-conduct-and-guidance-jan2019.pdf
EEngineering Council (www.engc.org.uk/standards-guidance/guidance/ (Accessed: April 2019)
guidance-on-whistleblowing/) E2) Structural-Safety website (2019) [Online] Available at: www.
EInstitution of Structural Engineers (www.istructe.org/about-us/ structural-safety.org/ (Accessed: April 2019)
governance/ethics/whistleblowing) E3) HM Government (2019) Whistleblowing for employees [Online]
EProtect (www.pcaw.org.uk/) Available at: www.gov.uk/whistleblowing (Accessed: April 2019)
TSE88_27_Business Practice Notesv2.indd 26 23/05/2019 10:08

Opinion
Laura Legnani thestructuralengineer.org
ProfileLaura Legnani was told at the start of her career not to worry about what she didn’t know,
but to go and find out. From an airport roof, to tidal stream power, to residential towers, it is
advice that has underpinned her approach to her work, she tells Jackie Whitelaw.
by the main contractor to carry

out a numerical analysis of the
erection sequence that would
validate the structural stability of
the roof during construction.
Legnani’s job was the erection
stress analysis of the steel roof,
with particular focus on the
automation process that was
developed at RBG to analyse
the complex structure during
the 200 critical stages of its
After six years with Robert Bird construction, which resulted in
Group (RBG), Laura Legnani is more than 10M checks on the
back where she started, working steel elements. N Figure 1
Turbine and support structure awaiting installation
in the firm’s Advanced Technical ‘The permanent design for
Services (ATS) team. This time, the Midfield roof was amazing,
though, she’s not the graduate but it was a challenge in terms
engineer but the team leader, of getting it built,’ Legnani says.
able to use her reputation, ‘The contractor brought us
gained from experience on onboard to help it understand
some of the most challenging what to do, and advise on
structural projects in an an achievable construction
engineer’s repertoire, to develop sequence. In terms of a first
the unit. project, it was a great place to
The ATS team takes on start.’
projects where standard design Midfield was followed by
and construction approaches the first phase of the MeyGen
won’t suffice and combines tidal turbine scheme. This is
them with the company’s stated the world’s largest tidal stream
speciality of being able to array and has been described
work out how to build the most as ‘Britain’s moonshot’ in terms
complex of structures. of how far at the edge of human
Legnani was involved in understanding it is. N Figure 2
Tripod
incudes
cutting-edge work from her first Legnani was part of the team articulated
days at RBG, which she joined in establishing the design and feet with
spherical
2013 following a master’s degree construction approach for the bearings to
allow self-
in earthquake engineering from first four of potentially hundreds levelling
Imperial College London. The of turbines operating at a depth and lifting
eye for
first project was the construction of 31m beneath the seas, off the installation
sequence for the central northeast tip of Scotland (Box 1).
processor roof for the Midfield This was an opportunity to be
Terminal Building at Abu Dhabi at the forefront of a completely
International Airport. new industry. The scheme
The 300m wide by 400m long won the Award for Structures
structure is a steel grillage with in Extreme Conditions at the
fabricated girders supported Structural Awards 2017.
on 18 inclined arches, which W Figure 3
Installation
of tripod
are leaned in pairs but don’t Classical inspiration from barge
touch. RBG was commissioned Legnani has been fascinated
TSE88_28-30_Profile.indd 28 23/05/2019 10:11

Opinion
thestructuralengineer.org Laura Legnani
for a long time by the early buildings. So, Legnani switched

engineering pioneers such
"FROM THE OUTSIDE, SOMETHING MAY horses in 2016 to a building
team and chartered two years
APPEAR TO BE AN EASY BIT OF
as Florence Cathedral dome
designer Filippo Brunelleschi, later.
who in the 1400s took on what ENGINEERING, BUT IN REALITY THERE IS A She has enjoyed the building
was considered impossible to LOT OF SKILL NEEDED TO MAKE IT LOOK work. ‘Buildings give you a lot
build – and did it anyway. It was THAT SIMPLE" in terms of challenge, interest
that spirit which she took into the and innovation,’ she says. ‘I
MeyGen scheme, supported by really like the coordination and
RBG director John Ward, along Engineering was the obvious strong, ‘but at the time I joined communication part. There
with advice from former team choice,’ she says. ‘I had a there were between 50 and 60 may not always be the big
leader Jonathan Chadwick, ‘who friend who was studying civil people and the company had engineering issues, but there
taught me not to worry about engineering and he took me to a very interesting projects. I could are always some very detailed
not knowing; just find a way to couple of his lectures and I loved see lots of potential and knew I elements that you need to
learn it’. them.’ would not just be a number, but employ all your talents on. From
Legnani’s appreciation of Legnani, now 29, was born could connect with people in the the outside, something may
Brunelleschi is no surprise. She and brought up in Bologna and business and with clients and, appear to be an easy bit of
too is Italian and admired the went to the university there, most importantly, learn’. engineering, but in reality there
skills of the ancients from her studying for three years as She joined as one of two is a lot of skill needed to make it
schooldays where her education an undergraduate. She then graduate engineers, the other look that simple.
included a healthy amount of selected a two-year master’s being her partner, Francesco, ‘And there are challenges
Latin and Greek. Nevertheless, degree with the option of taking and while he was assigned to that come from how you put
it was her love of maths and the final year in England. the building team, she found the building together on site;
physics that drove her when herself in ATS. Despite the how you interact with others. It
looking for a career. Building experience innovative projects, there came a is often working in combination
‘I wasn’t patient enough to At Imperial she applied to join point when, to meet her ambition with different disciplines that
study mathematics or physics RBG after meeting them at a of becoming chartered with the you find the right solution.
alone. And I wanted to see and careers fair. The UK office of Institution, she needed some ‘I’ve also enjoyed the feeling
touch the results of my work. the international firm is now 200 experience of conventional of ownership that working on
BOX 1. WORKING ON BRITAIN’S ‘MOONSHOT’
The MeyGen site in the fast-flowing waters of behavioural assessment of the combined self-level on the irregular seabed. Ballast blocks
a 2km channel between the northeast tip of substructure-turbine system under dynamic for the tripod legs were stressed together,
Scotland and the island of Stroma had a storm loading. Bespoke software tools were developed with the lifting eye for installation welded to
surge current that could reach 5.2m/s, with and validated by the team to support the work. the connecting pin, which, as well as holding
wave heights up to 15m. ‘As it was the world’s first turbine array, many together the plates, also transferred lifting loads
‘The challenge was to work in what is design aspects lay outside existing codes. In (Figure 2).
considered quite shallow water, where waves particular, the behaviour of structures in marine Buildability and turbine maintenance were
produce strong reactions,’ Legnani says. ‘We environments with large waves and strong a major focus of the design. ‘The combination
were at the breaking depth of waves from the currents was not fully understood and was of depth and strong currents meant it was not
Atlantic.’ poorly documented,’ Legnani says. safe for divers to go so deep, and we had only a
The chosen concept for the first phase of A 1:36 scaled tank test was performed at the 40-minute operating window to work in during
MeyGen (Phase 1A) project was a gravity-based HR Wallingford fast-flow facility to calibrate the
neap tides only, when the waves were no more
structure comprising a 190t fabricated steel basis of hydrodynamic loading assumptions.
than 2m,’ Legnani explains.
tripod weighted down by two 200t steel ballast And the design and installation concepts were
‘For construction, we largely removed the
blocks per leg. A 15m high pylon then supports field tested at the European Marine Energy
need for humans, though for maintenance it
the 100t turbine above the seabed (Figure 1). Centre test site in Orkney.
is possible for divers to work on the turbines
The turbine is designed to yaw about the ‘The typical solution for a fixed marine
which are only 16m down.’
pylon to align its rotor blades with the tidal flow. structure is a tubular jacket, but in such
Remote-operating autonomous vehicles
By careful consideration of the prevailing tidal relatively shallow water it would have interfered
streams and most onerous wave directions, an with the turbine operation and attracted (ROAVs) were the answer for overseeing
isosceles tripod configuration was chosen with significant drag,’ Legnani says. ‘We developed assembly of each unit, with everything placed
the longest leg facing west. an alternative low-profile structural form to from a barge (Figure 3). ‘The ROAV went down
RBG worked with Imperial College and the enable development of the shallow-water with the tripod first, watching where it landed.
Danish Hydraulic Institute in the early project MeyGen site. This low-profile form also One leg was put down, then the second, then
stages to better understand the turbine minimises frontal area that is exposed to the third. The ballast blocks were shaped to slot
hydrodynamics and oceanic interaction. environmental drag, thereby reducing the size of in over the legs.
Based on research and first-principle studies, ballast required and enabling the turbine to be ‘In the next tide window, the turbine was then
in-depth dynamic analysis procedures were placed in a high-tidal-energy region.’ dropped in from the surface to automatically
developed, including multi-axial fatigue analysis Articulated feet with spherical bearings wet-mate with the pylon, with the ROAV giving
to efficiently design the structure, along with were developed to allow the tripod base to the crane operator line of sight.’
TSE88_28-30_Profile.indd 29 23/05/2019 10:11

Opinion
Laura Legnani thestructuralengineer.org
Figure 4
Design work at Elephant
and Castle in London
includes two 11-storey
mansion blocks
buildings gives you – you can

see them through from start to
finish.’
Leading the show

With her new change of role,
Legnani is able to have the
best of both worlds – at least
for a while. She is just finishing
the designs for Elephant Park
Masterplan Phase 4, one
part of the redevelopment of
Elephant and Castle in London.
This involves the design of two
towers – one 19 and one 25
storeys high – and two 11-storey
mansion blocks (Figure 4).
Legnani has been involved
in the project from the early
stages. She was responsible for she says. the group that she has been HAVE YOUR SAY
the conceptual and developed At the same time, however, charged with developing.
design of the buildings and an she is conscious of the ‘The directors get the leads To comment on this article:
alternative concept design using responsibility she has been and can let clients know our Eemail Verulam at
modular construction. given to build up the ATS team, capabilities. But we are the tse@istructe.org
Etweet @IStructE
‘I feel I can’t let go until the and that her past experience show. And I’m looking forward
#TheStructuralEngineer
design is complete in November,’ is very much a selling point for to proving what we can do.’
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TSE88_28-30_Profile.indd 30 23/05/2019 10:12

Opinion
thestructuralengineer.org WES centenary
Viewpoint A century of
progress: the
Women’s
Dawn Bonfield MBE, Past President of the Women’s
Engineering Society, reflects on the organisation’s work
to advance the cause of female engineers since its founding
Engineering
100 years ago. Society at 100
The centenary of the Women’s Engineering famously wrote that ‘it has been a strange Lobbying for recognition
Society (WES) in 2019 represents a perversion of women’s sphere – to make Another important role of WES was its work
watershed moment to take stock of the them work at producing the implements in lobbying for women to be allowed to
achievements of women in engineering of war and destruction, but to deny them become members of the learned societies.
over the past 100 years, to celebrate their the privilege of fashioning the munitions of The engineer Hertha Ayrton, who had studied
success, and to reflect on what continues to peace’2. maths at the University of Cambridge, was
prevent their progress. the first woman to be proposed as a Fellow of
World War I effectively represented the Origins of WES the Royal Society, but was refused admission
first real opportunity for women in the UK to WES came into being when a group of because she was a woman – and married.
enter this otherwise unattainable profession seven women – including Katharine and The next approach to the Royal Society
for all but a very few women. Women were Rachel Parsons, wife and daughter of Sir was made by WES in 1922 through Caroline
called upon in significant numbers to replace Charles Parsons, Lady Shelley-Rolls, the Haslett, but it was not until 1945 that the first
the men who had gone off to war in many sister of Sir Charles Rolls, and Laura Annie women fellows were finally elected: Kathleen
skilled and semi-skilled engineering and Willson, a lathe factory owner, housebuilder Lonsdale (crystallographer) and Marjory
other technical roles, such as munitions and engineer from Halifax – got together to Stephenson (biochemist).
manufacture, aircraft production, and support women who wanted to remain in Nonetheless, in that same year, William
construction work. these technical roles, and to help them to Astbury wrote, ‘I must confess that I am one of
It was not without some surprise that it continue to train and work as engineers. those people that still maintain that there is a
was found that they excelled in these roles, The society was managed by a young creative spark in the male that is absent from
being dextrous with their hands and creating woman called Caroline Haslett – from Three women, even though the latter do so often
factory efficiencies thanks in part to their Bridges in West Sussex – who went on to such marvellously conscientious and thorough
home management and organisational become one of the most influential women work after the spark has been struck’3.
skills. ‘The work being done by women in of her era. Her achievements include being
unaccustomed occupations is one of the the sole female delegate to the World Power Amy Johnson
surprises and triumphs of this tremendous Conference in Berlin in 1930; the first woman In 1937, WES got its most famous President
upheaval,’ wrote The Times in March 19161. to be elected a Companion of the Institution in Amy Johnson. A record-breaking aviatrix
In 1919, Katharine, Lady Parsons – of Electrical Engineers (IEE) in 1932; the who had completed a number of solo flights,
founder of WES and wife of the industrialist first female member of the British Electricity including from England to Australia on a
Sir Charles Parsons – gave a speech Authority (later the Central Electricity perilous journey, and other accompanied
on women’s work in engineering and Authority) in 1947; and the President of the flights from London to Cape Town, and
shipbuilding at the victory meeting in International Federation of Business and Wales to America – making her one of the
Newcastle upon Tyne. She described the Professional Women in 1950. most famous women of the time – she was
skilled work of women, and the money and In 1924, WES formed a spin-off also one of the first women to qualify as an
resources that were spent on their training organisation, through the work of President aeroengineer.
during the war. She noted in the speech how Mable Matthews, called the Electrical Johnson famously said of women in
1.5M women received training in schools, Association for Women, to popularise engineering: ‘The only argument that men can
costing the country over £30M, but how the domestic use of electricity. This bring forward against woman’s intrusion is that
they were then unable to use these skills organisation, which continued its work until of physical strength, but this seems to me very
when the war ended and men retook their 1987, developed the All-Electric House in poor grounds for establishing and retaining a
jobs, thanks to the Restoration of Pre-war Bristol in 1935. It was instrumental through monopoly. After all, physical strength is purely
Practices Act. its training, publications, booklets and tea relative – there are some women stronger
Indeed, women were not only replaced by towels in getting women to feel confident than some men. In engineering there are many
returning men, but it became illegal to employ using electricity and labour-saving electrical jobs beyond a man’s strength. What does he
them in any profession where they had appliances in their household chores, thus do? He fetches an instrument. What did I do
not worked prior to the war. Lady Parsons freeing them up to enter the labour market. when I found a job beyond my strength? At
TSE88_31-33_Viewpoint.indd 31 23/05/2019 10:13

Opinion
WES centenary thestructuralengineer.org
Figure 1
A large contingent of women
worked on the replacement of
Waterloo Bridge during WWII
first I used to fetch a real man engineer, and

if he couldn’t do the job he’d fetch some tool
that would. I soon learned that it saved time to
fetch the tool right away.’4
The Ladies’ Bridge

World War II, like the first, was again a
period of growth for women in engineering
and construction. One of the most iconic
construction projects of the time – Waterloo
Bridge in London – was completed with a large
contingent of women workers (Figure 1), many
Irish, and is still referred to for this reason as
The Ladies’ Bridge5. Yet in 1945, when the
GETTY
bridge was reopened by Herbert Morrison of

the London County Council, he thanked the
men who built the bridge but failed to mention
the women. to be underpaid for their equal work.
The bridge itself has four plinths, one on It was hoped that the Soviet space
"SHIRLEY WILLIAMS MP
SUPPORTED WOMEN IN
each corner, which had been intended to be programme, which employed many women
decorated with sculptures. A competition in in technical roles, would help the case of
1947 to commission artists to design these promoting women in engineering roles here ENGINEERING YEAR IN 1969"
resulted in a set of drawings and maquettes in the UK, but disappointingly the government
by Barbara Hepworth, among others, which shied away from backing the employment of
can be seen today in the Tate Modern. None women, preferring to suggest in the Social companies themselves began to become
of the artists was chosen to make the full-size Survey of 1961 that they ‘teach’ instead of ‘do’. more common, and in 1984, WISE – Women
sculptures, however, and the plinths remain The number of women in engineering at this in Science and Engineering – was established
empty to this day. point was still fewer than 1% of the workforce. by the Engineering Council and the Equal
This changed later in the same decade Opportunities Commission as a result of the
Post-war progress when Shirley Williams MP supported Women Finniston Report on the future of engineering.
WES continued its struggle to promote in Engineering Year in 1969, and women for Since this time, the work of organisations
engineering to women throughout the 1950s the first time were actively encouraged into such as WES and WISE has continued to
and 1960s, but had very little support from engineering careers. Networking groups build on an acceptance that more diversity
industry or government, and women continued within the professional institutions and within in engineering is a desirable thing – not least
BOX 1. FEMALE FIRSTS AT THE ISTRUCTE
FIRST MEMBER FIRST FELLOW FIRST PRESIDENT

Florence Mary Taylor Marjem Chatterton Sarah Buck OBE
CBE (1879–1969) (1916–2010) Sarah Buck was
Florence Taylor (née Marjem Chatterton, a Jewish elected the 88th
Parsons) was the first emigre from Poland, was the President of the
qualified female architect first woman to be elected a Institution – and first
and the first woman Fellow of the Institution in female President – in
to train as an engineer 1954. Having left Warsaw 2007. Following an
in Australia. She became the first female for Palestine in 1932, she studied civil engineering degree at
member of the Institution in 1926 when engineering at the Hebrew Technical Institute the University of Exeter (1971–74), she
elected an Associate. She was also a in Haifa, before settling in Southern Rhodesia began her career at Freeman Fox &
successful publisher, editor and writer of (later Zimbabwe) in 1947. Specialising in high- Partners in 1975. Sarah later went on
trade journals for the building industry. rise buildings, she eventually started her own to co-found BSW Consulting in Exeter
Find out more about Florence in the book, consulting firm in 1969. in 1996. She also recorded another
Florence Taylor’s Hats: Designing, Building Find out more about Marjem in the article ‘A milestone when becoming the first
and Editing Sydney, by Robert Freestone and 20th century life in structures’ (The Structural woman to be elected to the Institution
Bronwyn Hanna (Halstead Press, 2008) – Engineer, 2009, 87 (18), pp. 10–13). Council in 1983.
available in the Institution Library.
FIRST CHARTERED MEMBER

Mary Thompson Irvine (1919–2001)
If you have any information to share about milestones for women at the Institution,
Mary Irvine (later Lindsay) is believed to
please contact the Library (library@istructe.org).
have been the first women to be elected
a Chartered Member of the Institution in 1947.

Opinion
thestructuralengineer.org WES centenary
because of the identified skills gap, but also women in engineering, entitled Magnificent
REFERENCES
because of the recognition that diverse teams Women and their Revolutionary Machines.
create better outcomes – and activities to WES invites the professional engineering
E 1) The Times (1916) 8 March
promote engineering to under-represented organisations to uncover some of their own
groups are now widespread. Percentages of hidden histories and join in the celebrations. E 2) Parsons K. (1919) Women’s Work in
women, which had remained at approx. 7% Engineering and Shipbuilding during the War
[text of speech by the Honourable Lady
since the 1970s, have now started to creep Dawn Bonfield Parsons, read at the Victory Meeting in
up, and current numbers are estimated at an MBE, CEng, HonFIStructE, FICE, Newcastle upon Tyne, 9 July 1919] [Online]
average of 11–12%. FIMMM, FWES Available at: www.magnificentwomen.co.uk/
uploads/4/0/3/7/40379829/speech_by_
Dawn is a Past President of the
WES today lady_katherine_parsons_1919.pdf (Accessed:
Women’s Engineering Society May 2019)
In 2014, International Women in Engineering and founder of International
Day was established to mark the 95th Women in Engineering Day, E 3) Mason J. (1992) ‘The admission of the
anniversary of the society, and this is now Magnificent Women first women to the Royal Society of London’,
an annual UNESCO-sponsored International Notes and Records of the Royal Society of
(www.magnificentwomen.co.uk)
Awareness Day which takes place on 23 June. London, 46 (2), pp. 279–300
and the Top 50 Women in
The 2019 centenary campaign celebrates Engineering List. She is currently E 4) ‘Extracts from speeches by Miss
the 100-year history of women in engineering Royal Academy of Engineering Johnson’ (1941) The Woman Engineer, 5 (6),
with a number of initiatives: the Centenary Trail Visiting Professor of Inclusive p. 86 [Online] Available at: www2.theiet.org/
across the UK will pick out notable places and Engineering at Aston University. resources/library/archives/research/wes/
WES_Vol_5.html (Accessed: June 2019)
people, and populate a UK map of remarkable
achievements; a number of wikithons aim to E 5) Concrete History (2018) The Ladies’
FIND OUT MORE
document these stories and these women on Bridge [Online] Available at: www.
Wikipedia; and in September a Top 100 List of theladiesbridge.co.uk/ (Accessed: June
Find out more about the Women's
2019)
Historical Women Engineers will be released, Engineering Society at www.wes.org.uk.
along with a book documenting the history of
Apply for an Earthquake Research Grant
Grants are available to support short-term projects that will benefit

earthquake disaster mitigation and post-disaster reconnaissance efforts.
Apply by 13 June 2019
Find out more at www.istructe.org/eefit
www.istructe.org/eefit | eefit@istructe.org

Opinion
Book review thestructuralengineer.org
Review This unique and ambitious book is like a benevolent aunt who gives practical advice
and moral support to women working in STEM, Fiona Cobb finds.
perhaps worth saying that the advice in

Becoming leaders: A this book is just that – advice. Not all parts
will suit everyone and I found the section
practical handbook for provided for children to read difficult to
confront:
women in engineering, – [your mother] ‘is often busy with
important work so she encourages you to do
science, and technology stuff on your own’.
– ‘learn to make yourself a healthy snack if
(2nd ed.) you are hungry’.
Ouch! My guilt was piqued rather than
parked and I was left wondering why
Authors: F. Mary Williams and Carolyn J. Emerson mainstream books on leadership don’t tend
Publisher: ASCE Press to offer similar advice.
Price: £36.95 (paperback); $35.00 (ebook) Ultimately, I also found the title of the
ISBN: 978-0-784-41523-8 book slightly confusing, as I generally
think of leadership as something which is
done with other people, while the content
Originally published in 2002, this updated seemed slightly geared towards individuals.
edition of Becoming Leaders starts with the
"THIS BOOK’S GREAT So, if there is a future edition, inclusion
bold claim, ‘If you think this is just another
STRENGTH IS THAT IT of gender-specific sections covering
the MBA-style soft skills (such as non-
CONTAINS A WEALTH OF
book about women’s issues, think again.
This one is different’. And as it was the only verbal communication, lateral and upward
title covering women, leadership and STEM EXPERIENCE AND SAGE influence) would be very useful.
(science, technology, engineering and ADVICE FROM MATURE Above all, this book’s great strength is
maths) that I could find, that claim seems WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN that it contains a wealth of experience and
entirely reasonable! THERE AND DONE THAT" sage advice from mature women who have
The book is aimed at women at all levels been there and done that. Working in STEM
in STEM and those who support them: can sometimes feel like sailing into a strong
including students, mature professionals and headwind, and the advice comes across like
human resources (HR) teams. Rapid-fire tips role models and unconscious bias, which a warm and benevolent aunt giving practical
and advice are spread across 20 chapters, affect all women in STEM, the authors also advice and moral support. So, would I buy a
with a ‘roadmap’ giving suggestions for the touch on sensitive subjects such as how to copy? Yes – probably not as a book about
four to six chapters which might be most encourage partners to carry out a fair share ‘leadership’, but it has great value as a sort
appropriate for particular reader groups: of domestic work and how to negotiate of paperback mentor.
students, career women (private or public balance in a dual-career household.
sector), faculty members, deans/heads/ In this respect, the book is a good
chairs and HR managers. reference to dip into at different times of Fiona Cobb
In this context, there is something for life. Each reader will come with their own MEng, MSt, CEng, FIStructE
everyone, as leadership is defined by the questions and challenges, and the authors
Fiona joined Price & Myers in 1997
authors as ‘the ability to ask for the change have tried to cater to all. The range of topics
as a graduate engineer, becoming
you want and then help to “lead” that covered is so impressively wide that there an Associate in 2002. She is
change’. It promises a digest of research were many parts outside my experience, e.g. author of the Structural Engineer’s
and guidance in a compact format with postgraduate studies, academic careers or Pocket Book, now in its 3rd edition
‘actionable’ practical advice. media appearances. Therefore, this review is having sold nearly 40 000 copies.
The authors certainly provide a unique heavily swayed by my perspective as a part- Fiona enjoys working on small to
and ambitious range of subject matter. time worker and mother of two. medium-sized building projects,
Whole chapters are dedicated to time The advice in relation to work-life balance ideally combining modern design,
management, career progress and job was very sensible: park the guilt, define your conservation and environmental
hunting. In addition to dealing with lack of balance and share the load. However, it is sustainability.
TSE88_34_Book Review.indd 34 23/05/2019 10:14

The perfect place to find
the LATEST structural
engineering VACANCIES
The Structural Engineer
Jobs is the official jobs
board for The Institution
of Structural Engineers
350
jobs
posted on
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thestructuralengineer.org/jobs
p35_TSE.Jun19.indd 35 23/05/2019 11:55

Opinion
Book review thestructuralengineer.org
Review Jim Tod recommends this updated book which brings together a wide range of topics on
temporary works design, with each chapter written by a recognised expert in the field.
Temporary works:
Principles of design
and construction
(2nd ed.)
Editors: Peter Pallett and Ray Filip
Publisher: ICE Publishing
Price: £145.00
ISBN: 978-0-727-76338-9
‘Temporary works’ are the parts of the references, the second edition includes
works that allow or enable construction of,
"READING THE RELEVANT seven new chapters:
protect, support or provide access to the
CHAPTER WILL BETTER  Chapter 28: Backpropping (propping of
INFORM YOU AND MAY SAVE

permanent works, and which might or might in situ floors to support construction of
not remain in place at the completion of the floors above)
works. The term applies equally to props TIME AND MONEY IN THE  Chapter 29: Pressure testing of pipelines
that might hold up a brick wall while a new DESIGN OF THE WORK" (includes advice on puddle flanges and
doorway is created in an existing building, thrust blocks)
to temporary shafts to launch tunnel boring  Chapter 30: Basement construction
machines, or to the massively complex if you don’t go on to buy the book. (If you  Chapter 31: Digital project delivery –
works used to construct the Queensferry are wavering, reading these will help you visual planning and BIM
Crossing and Mersey Gateway bridges. decide.)  Chapter 32: Rebar stability
The Institution of Civil Engineers has The format of the book is a series of  Chapter 33: Needling and forming
recently published a second edition of chapters on different aspects of temporary openings in walls
Temporary works: Principles of design and works written by contributors who are all  Chapter 34: Temporary works in
construction. This revises the first edition recognised as experts in their field. If you demolition
published in 2012. are designing any of the temporary works
There can never be only one source of in the topics listed in the contents, then
information on a topic. There are a large reading the relevant chapter will better
number of publications on specific parts of inform you and may save time and money in
temporary works that have been issued by the design of the work.
specialist interest groups, mostly for free Why the revision? While many of the
(many of which cover the same topics as construction techniques and types of Jim Tod
this book). This book differs in that it brings temporary works we use have not changed, BSc, CEng, MICE
a wide range of topics together in a single there has been a recent change in the UK
Jim is Tony Gee’s Temporary
publication. legal requirements surrounding design and Works Director. He has 38 years’
The Contents and Index sections of the construction – the Construction (Design experience of solving complex
book can be downloaded from the ICE and Management) Regulations 2015 – which engineering problems during the
Publishing website (www.icebookshop. makes that section of the first edition out construction of civil engineering
com) free of charge. The Foreword and of date. works, 13 years of which have
Introduction in the free Contents section In addition to revisions and expansion of been with specialist jacking and
are worth downloading and reading, even existing chapters, as well as updates to the temporary works contractors.
TSE88_36_Book Review.indd 36 23/05/2019 10:15

Opinion
thestructuralengineer.org Letters
Verulam
Send letters to…
All contributions to Verulam should
be submitted via email to:
tse@istructe.org
Contributions may be edited on the

grounds of style and/or length by the
Institution's publishing department.
Readers’ letters,
comments and queries
could not occur. Often, insurance companies shy away from

Subsidence or Settlement displacement from leaking
pipes arises as a result of the water
such properties and one is forced to remain
with the same insurer or, indeed, premiums
settlement? enabling the mobilisation of particles when
exposed to a displacing pressure. In such
are increased significantly. In the eyes of
the public, any building with ‘subsidence’ is
circumstances, further consolidation of the a high-risk investment and blighted.
Matthew Groves shares his
foundation material either through vertical or A correctly repaired, formerly damaged
experience of dealing with
horizontal compaction can occur. drain should not carry with it the adverse
building displacement and
The weight of the building is the source connotations and constraints associated
whether it should be labelled as
of the displacing pressure and the cause with ‘subsidence’. Either the terminology
‘subsidence’ or ‘settlement’.
of particulate displacement; hence, in my needs to be redefined and better
view this should be termed ‘settlement’ not understood, or the existing terminology
I have been involved with several projects ‘subsidence’. Without the presence of the correctly applied.
involving subsidence claims, and a recent building, the ground would be wet or dry, The industry should ensure ‘subsidence’
project has brought to light again the but the ground level would not drop; in fact, relates to unstable ground as a result of
problems attributed to the term subsidence heave in clay soils would occur, the very trees, cliff erosion, land slippage, swallow
and its true definition. opposite of subsidence. holes, mining collapse, etc. These are long-
My own understanding of subsidence The insurer also goes on to say that term issues that affect the site, not just
is: ‘The downwards movement of land settlement only occurs in the first 10 years buildings on the site, and should carry with
irrespective of the weight of any building following construction, as the new building them the negative associations related to
sitting upon it.’ finds an equilibrium position of stability. such influences.
A leaking pipe on this recent site had led If something should change, however,
to ‘settlement’ under the corner of some after 15 (or one hundred) years, this All buildings ‘settle’ as load is applied
internal, loadbearing walls. The owner quite settlement process can recur. Such changes to their foundations gradually during
rightly contacted their insurer to assess the might be new concentrations of load by construction; safe bearing pressures are
movement and to determine its cause and replacing a wall with a beam or, indeed, truly values which assure absolute and
liability. I became involved to help determine wetting the ground. differential settlements are kept within
the correct repairs and to provide a second These changes create a new situation sensible limits.
opinion on the insurer’s findings. and thus the building must adjust and settle/ Generally, ‘subsidence’ implies some
It was agreed that the leaking pipe had displace again to find a new position of longer-term, gradual increase in vertical
caused the issue; however, the insurer’s equilibrium. displacement consequent on the
agent attributed it to ‘subsidence’ and Confusion arises, therefore, when the FOS properties of the supporting ground (the
not ‘settlement’. When I challenged this, I goes on to specifically include leaking pipes rate and magnitude might be affected by
was referred to the Financial Ombudsman as a cause of subsidence. the weight of the structure).
Service’s (FOS) definition of ‘subsidence’ on In my opinion, the definition of subsidence It seems probable that the general
which the insurance cover was based: provided by the FOS and quoted above is public might not grasp the subtle
‘Subsidence is the downward movement of quite clear and correct, but should not be difference between the two terminologies
the site on which a building stands – where attributed to leaking pipes and/or based and Matthew is surely right in pointing out
the soil beneath the building’s foundations is on a timescale relative to the alternative the need for clarity.
unstable. The movement is not caused by the terminology of settlement. Unfortunately, I It might be argued that displacement
weight of the building.’ believe that the true definition has not been due to leaking pipes does not neatly
The leaking pipe had been wetting the adhered to for so long that misconceptions fit into either of the above definitions.
ground in a specific location. The water as to its correct application have become This might be important if the wording
penetrating the ground was not part of a the norm. of insurance cover specifically includes
free-flow groundwater system with running There is an important distinction between one kind of displacement and excludes
sands or highly mobile particles. The ‘settlement’ and ‘subsidence’, however, as another. And, as Matthew suggests, it will
moisture from the leak was extremely slow the labelling of a building as having suffered be important in influencing longer-term
moving and washing away of fine particles subsidence has major ongoing implications. property values.
TSE88_37-39_Verulam.indd 37 23/05/2019 10:16

Opinion
Letters thestructuralengineer.org
repeated edge lift is not considered

Safety factors desirable even if the structure as a
"HOW TO GET CODES THAT
for overturning
whole cannot credibly ‘overturn’. Neither
ARE SIMPLE, CLEAR AND
EASY TO USE?"
of these considerations is explicitly
considered for routine foundations.
and design life of Regarding ‘design life of bridges’, if
we target sustainability and proper use
bridges of scarce resources, it seems eminently that hamper progress is setting them up as
sensible to design for longer lives if the a ‘man of straw’ in the debate – a caricature
marginal construction costs are small. that is easy to knock down but bears little
Paul Jackson responds to two
If we design properly for durability, relationship to reality. In reality, good codes
letters published in the May issue.
rather than least first capital cost, we have always been based on ‘performance-
are also minimising the exposure risk of based’ standards, but with prescriptive
1) Safety factor for overturning. I also maintenance workers who might thereby requirements introduced where necessary
note that some codes or specifications I not be needed during the structure’s life. on a ‘horses for courses’ basis.
have worked with, notably for wind turbine In extending a bridge’s life, fatigue is So, what is the debate about? While
bases, specify ‘notional’ overturning factors an undoubted design issue. Increases engineers debate ‘performance-based’
which are less than the ratio of adverse wind in environmental factors (wind and codes versus ‘prescriptive codes’, there are
load factor to relieving dead load factor. temperature) seem unlikely to be critical. others in the background with a rather more
This makes it impossible for them to ever Experience suggests that attention should sinister, politically-driven agenda which
be critical, as structure and ground have be focused on learning lessons from the views regulations (particularly national
to be checked for a more onerous case. factors that actually limit life: salt being regulations) as ‘barriers to free trade’ which
It is not clear why they have the notional one. Perhaps we should worry less about should be stripped down and minimised as
factor: presumably a hangover from earlier the mathematics and concern ourselves far as possible. In this view, governments
documents. more with traditional detailing and should only set minimum performance
2) Design life of bridges. The longer ‘maintainability’? standards and leave businesses free to
design life (actually 120 years in the UK) comply with these in any way that they wish.
also affects fatigue calculations, and it was However, rules which are only defined in
for fatigue calculations that explicit design
life was first introduced (by Idris Price, I Which way now abstract theoretical terms may be open to
endless debate about interpretation and
think). Highway live loads are not explicitly
altered for it, although the derivation of UK for codes and difficult to police and enforce. It can be
easier to be sure of getting what you want
loads does include a contingency factor for
future increases. The wind and temperature standards? by saying, ‘I want a spade’, than by listing all
the performance parameters the desired
actions are explicitly increased for increased implement should have and then leaving the
return periods (the UK National Annex to supplier free to supply anything they wish
Alasdair Beal responds to Stuart
the Eurocode enabling you to do this by that they believe complies with these.
Matthews’ recent Viewpoint
changing either nominal action or factor), but In the aftermath of Grenfell Tower, it is
(May 2019) about performance-
not as yet for any increased climate change hard to escape the conclusion that if the
based codes versus prescriptive
effect. Building Regulations Approved Documents
codes.
In reliability terms, whether the effect had been more ‘prescriptive’ and less
of the increased life should be applied is ‘enabling’, tragedy might have been averted
debatable. It depends whether you think It is unfortunate that Stuart Matthews and a large amount of money saved.
the required reliability should be expressed confuses discussion about the form of A serious debate about the form and
as ‘target risk of structure failing per year’ codes of practice by setting up a false content of modern codes is long overdue.
or ‘target risk of structure failing over debate about ‘performance-based codes’ However, arguments about the relative
design life’. I think it was Chris Hendy versus ‘traditional prescriptive codes’. If he merits of ‘performance-based rules’ and
who suggested the latter was morally looks at BS 449 (which I would recommend ‘prescriptive rules’ are not the point, as
questionable, as it implicitly valued the life to any modern code-writer), he will find that both have their roles. What we should
of construction workers who spend their its recommendations are in fact generally be debating is how to get codes that are
working lives on temporary structures with a performance-based: maximum allowable simple, clear and easy to use – and how to
short design life lower than that of those of stresses and minimum safety factors are establish and enforce building regulations
us who work mainly in permanent offices! defined and engineers are largely left that will ensure public safety.
free to do as they wish within these limits.
Regarding ‘overturning’, it may be the case Prescriptive/standard/‘recipe’ requirements Stuart’s Viewpoint ended with: ‘So,
that for large bases subject to dynamic are only introduced in a few situations when what do you think: prescription or
loads, structures respond by ‘rocking’ necessary, which is as it should be. performance-based or what?’ Surely, this
rather than (complete) ‘overturning’. It Traditional codes may be simple and is the invitation to ‘a serious debate’ that
might also be the case that a decision has clear (and what’s wrong with that?) Alasdair endorses in his last paragraph?
to be made over whether base edge lifting but portraying them as anachronistic Alasdair writes as well about the choice:
is tolerable or not. In some circumstances, ‘prescriptive solutions’ and rules of thumb ‘both have their roles’. True – and BS 449
TSE88_37-39_Verulam.indd 38 23/05/2019 10:27

Opinion
thestructuralengineer.org Letters
offered a set of easily applied prescriptive examiner failed to explain the problem The ability to inspire with ‘spur of
rules, but didn’t stop us using purlin safe clearly. the moment’ sketches in any situation,
load tables which were derived from test without the need for a computer, power, or
performance. Bob is perhaps a little harsh: his modem, can still work well.
Alasdair must be right in being suggestion that the question is When I was studying to become a
concerned that total freedom might ‘ambiguous’ might more fairly be structural engineer, we had a life drawing
prejudice public safety or serve to ‘idealised’. The Steel Designers’ Manual class every week and all became very
confuse. We must all agree that a shows a one-bay portal using the same proficient at drawing.
prescription of ‘the structure must be nomenclature as the question, with Being able to think and draw in three
safe’ is admirable: but how do you assure ‘spacing’ in the orthogonal direction. dimensions is vital to any engineer,
that in practice? Contributions to the The frame in the question would not as it’s usually where joints occur that
debate are encouraged. be a portal if all its joints were pinned; in problems arise and need to be resolved.
that case it would be a mechanism. As This is where engineering judgement
Bob highlights, there is one rigid joint and expertise come into play, so that the
Ambiguous or which makes the frame a structure – and

a portalised one. An open circle is a
‘practicality’ of the joint details can work,
e.g. can they actually be manufactured
idealised? common idealisation for a pin (as in the

Steel Designers’ Manual).
and assembled safely with the available or
appropriate tools?
In reality, there are variations. As Bob There are so many situations where
states, intersections occur at the face of construction details need to be resolved
Our old friend, Bob Hairsine, is
columns. But with practical connection simply with drawings. The famous
back with comments on April’s
sizing, you cannot have a real pin directly architect Sir Christopher Wren only did
‘And finally…’ problem.
on the column flange. Moreover, taking general arrangement drawings with plans
account of finite column widths, the and elevations, but no working drawings
Somewhat belatedly, I have just looked beam length is a moot point. And where of construction details, which were all
at the brainteaser in the April issue of does the vertical base reaction act? resolved on site with the master masons
The Structural Engineer. Is it deliberately and carpenters.
ambiguous? The old proverb that ‘a picture is worth
Worth a thousand a thousand words’ is still true today, so the

ability to draw well will be with us for many
words? years to come.
Anyone who has visited a Leonardo

exhibition will be left in no doubt of
We end with encouragement
his fabulous skills in sketching. Our
from David Brett for engineers to
competition winners in May’s issue
draw.
might not match Mr da Vinci’s standard
but are still pretty good, so the skills
The question describes the structure as The Editor of The Structural Engineer are not yet dead. A possible concern is
a portal frame with three bays. Presumably raised an important issue about the ability the ever-increasing division of labour,
it means three spans. ‘Bay’ is normally the to draw in his editorial (May issue). whereby all drawings are farmed out
spacing between parallel frames. Many great ideas have started life on the to specialists. This denies incomers
In normal usage, portal frames have rigid back of a fag packet or a napkin when we the opportunity to learn. If you don’t
joints between the columns and beams or all used pen and paper. practice you won’t improve – and the
rafters, but the solution indicates that joints However, with the advent of computers demise of ‘fag packets’ should be no
are pinned. So, it isn’t a portal frame. and CAD (computer-aided design), this excuse.
The nodes at the member intersections ability has gradually declined, which is a
and base supports are denoted by open pity as well-executed drawings can still
circles – ambiguous. Closer examination inspire even a non-technical audience.
shows just one intersection does not have a As a young engineer at Arup, I remember beam must be zero.
circle and is intended to be a rigid joint. seeing the fabulous competition-winning D) Incorrect. The slope at the fixed end of this
In practice, you cannot have a pin at drawings of Coventry Cathedral by Sir C) Correct.
the intersection of beam and column Basil Spence, and could understand how moment, the beam must deflect downwards.
centrelines. It must be at the face of the these swayed the committee judging B) Incorrect. To the right of the applied
column or, less commonly, at the underside the architectural competition for this the beam must deflect upwards.
of the beam. prestigious project. A) Incorrect. To the left of the applied moment,
So, the joint symbols should have been They drawings weren’t particularly
Answers to May’s question
shown accordingly. structurally ‘honest’, as the slender
Had this been an exam question, I ‘columns’ sitting on glass spheres actually
might have failed – not because of lack hang from the roof structure like stalactites, AND FINALLY...
of structural knowhow, but because the but the impression was wonderful.
TSE88_37-39_Verulam.indd 39 23/05/2019 10:17

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Spotlight on Structures thestructuralengineer.org
Spotlight on
In this section we shine a spotlight on papers recently published in Structures – the Research Journal of The
Institution of Structural Engineers.
Structures is a collaboration between the Institution and Elsevier, publishing internationally-leading research across
the full breadth of structural engineering which will benefit from wide readership by academics and practitioners.
Access to Structures is free to paying-grade Institution members as one of their membership benefits,
with access provided via the ‘My account’ section of the Institution website. The journal is available online at:
www.structuresjournal.org
Read the latest issue

The latest issue of Structures (Volume 19, June 2019) is available at www.sciencedirect.com/journal/structures/vol/19/suppl/C. The issue
contains the following articles:
Article title Authors Available at:
Machine Learning for Sustainable Structures: A B. D’Amico, R.J. Myers, J. Sykes et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.11.013
Call for Data
Proposed EN 1992 tension lap strength equation Robert Vollum and Charles Goodchild https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.10.003
for good bond
Sway Model for the Lateral Torsional Buckling Yang Du, Magdi Mohareb and Ghasan Doudak https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.11.012
Analysis of Wooden Twin-beam-deck Systems
Performance of Precast Prestressed Steel- Olivia Mirza, Sukanta Kumer Shill and Jason https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.12.001
Concrete Composite Panels Under Static Johnston
Loadings to Replace the Timber Transoms for
Railway Bridge
The Effects on the Bracing Stiffness of Timber Anders Klasson and Roberto Crocetti https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.12.003
Structures of the Stiffness of Its Members
Present State of Eurocode 2 Variable Strut Oladimeji Benedict Olalusi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.11.016
Inclination Method for Shear Design and
Possible Improvement
Reinforcing steel fracture identification for a Islam M. Mantawy, Travis Thonstad, David https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.11.017
high-performance bridge system H. Sanders, John F. Stanton and Marc O.
Eberhard
Least Cost Design of Curved Cable-Stayed Fernando Ferreira and Luís Simões https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.12.004
Footbridges with Control Devices
Multi-objective topology optimization using the Hélio Luiz Simonetti, Valério S. Almeida, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.12.002
Boundary Element Method Francisco de Assis das Neves and Marcelo
Greco
Steel Building Friction Connection Seismic Jose Christian Chanchi Golondrino, Gregory https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.11.008
Performance – Corrosion Effects Anthony MacRae, James Geoffrey Chase et al.
Seismic Response and Vulnerability Assessment Avik Samanta and Arabinda Swain https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.002
of Representative Low, Medium and High-rise
Buildings in Patna, India
Effects of parameter estimation techniques and S. Chowdhury, M. Deeb and V. Zabel https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.11.018
uncertainty on the selection of fatigue crack
growth model
Rectangular Stress-block Parameters for Fly- Tung T. Tran, Thong M. Pham and Hong Hao https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.006
ash and Slag Based Geopolymer Concrete
Assessment of Cohesive Parameters Using High B. Kesava Rao and A.S. Balu https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.004
Dimensional Model Representation for Mixed
Mode Cohesive Zone Model
TSE88_42-44_Spotlight.indd 42 23/05/2019 10:17

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thestructuralengineer.org Spotlight on Structures
A finite element based approach for fatigue life Md. Manik Mia and Anjan K. Bhowmick https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.001
prediction of headed shear studs
Experimental investigation of strengthening M. Tahamouli Roudsari, M. Torkaman, A.R. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.009

reinforced concrete moment resisting frames Entezari, H. Rahimi and K. Niazi K.
using partially attached steel infill plate
Numerical model for the non-linear dynamic S. Koriga, A.N.T. Ihaddoudene and M. Saidani https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.008
analysis of multi-storey structures with semi-
rigid joints with specific reference to the
Algerian code
Influence of plastic pour-in form on mechanical Nwzad Abduljabar Abdulla https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.007
behavior of concrete
Investigation of Flexural Toughness for Steel- S. Lee, Y. Park and A. Abolmaali https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.12.010
and-Synthetic-Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Pipes
Post-earthquake Damage Simulation of Two Salvatore Marino, Serena Cattari, Sergio https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.010
Colonial Unreinforced Clay Brick Masonry Lagomarsino, Dmytro Dizhur and Jason M.
Buildings Using the Equivalent Frame Approach Ingham
Maximum axial load carrying capacity of Fibre Hayder Alaa Hasan, M. Neaz Sheikh and https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.12.012
Reinforced-Polymer (FRP) bar reinforced Muhammad N.S. Hadi
concrete columns under axial compression
Effects of Higher Modes and Degrees of S. Reza Salimbahrami and Majid Gholhaki https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.015
Freedom (DOF) on Strength Reduction Factor
in Reinforced Concrete Frames Equipped With
Steel Plate Shear Wall
Losses of prestress in post-tensioned glass Michael Engelmann and Bernhard Weller https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.011
beams
Sheathing Bracing Requirements for Cold- Sivaganesh Selvaraj and Mahendrakumar https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.005
formed Steel Wall Panels: Experimental Madhavan
Investigation
Analytical behaviors of concrete-filled circular Fa-xing Ding, Yi-xiang Yin, Jian-feng Mao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.013
stainless steel tubular (CFCSST) stub columns
under axial loading
An experimental investigation on the shear and Ehsan Nikbakht, Amin Al-Fakih, Chieng Chew https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.018
flexural behavior of steel reinforced HPSCC Hui, Lee Yuan Jake and Mst. Sadia Mahzabin
beams
Influence of temperature and relative humidity Aditi Chauhan and Umesh Kumar Sharma https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.016
variations on non-uniform corrosion of
reinforced concrete
Analysis of a mock-up of a new sustainable easy- Mariella Diaferio, Michele Dassisti, Dora Foti https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.017
assembling modular arch and Vitantonio Vacca
Static performance analysis of single-layer steel Hui-huan Ma, Shao-zhen Li and Feng Fan https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.003
cooling tower
Seismic fragility assessment of a multi-span RC Md Rashedul Kabir, A.H.M. Muntasir Billah and https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.021
bridge in Bangladesh considering near-fault, far- M. Shahria Alam
field and long duration ground motions
Rehabilitation of Shear Deficient Steel Beams Amirreza Bastani, Sreekanta Das and David https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.01.019
Using BFRP Fabric Lawn
Tension Lap Splice Length of Reinforcing Bars Hussein Al-Quraishi, Mahdi Al-Farttoosi and https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2018.12.011
Embedded in Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) Raad AbdulKhudhur
Bond strength between corroded steel Musab Alhawat and Ashraf Ashour https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.02.001
reinforcement and recycled aggregate concrete
Prediction of fatigue failure of steel beams Le Li, Chun-Qing Li and Mojtaba Mahmoodian https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
subjected to simultaneous corrosion and cyclic istruc.2019.02.003
loading
Flexural performance of reinforced concrete Mohammed Haloob Al-Majidi, Andreas P. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
beams strengthened with fibre reinforced Lampropoulos, Andrew B. Cundy, Ourania T. istruc.2019.02.005
geopolymer concrete under accelerated Tsioulou and Salam Alrekabi
corrosion

At the back
Spotlight on Structures thestructuralengineer.org
Beam-to-beam eccentric end plate connections Daniel Allan Hawxwell and Konstantinos https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
- Experimental comparison to fin plate and Daniel Tsavdaridis istruc.2019.02.012
partial-depth end plate connections
Experimental investigation and Finite Element Adeayo Sotayo, Sarah Green and Geoffrey https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2019.02.011
(FE) analysis of the load-deformation response Turvey
of PVC fencing structures
Impact response of hybrid FRP-steel reinforced Tohid Mousavi and Erfan Shafei https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
concrete slabs istruc.2019.02.013
Load capacity predictions of continuous Othman Hameed Zinkaah and Ashraf Ashour https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
concrete deep beams reinforced with GFRP istruc.2019.02.007
bars
The effect of correlations among random Dimos C. Charmpis https://doi.org/10.1016/j.

member properties on structural reliability istruc.2019.02.002
Performance of composite metal deck slabs Fakhreddin Emami and Mohammad Z. Kabir https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
under impact loading istruc.2019.02.015
Flange-notched wood I-joists reinforced with Md Shahnewaz, M. Shahidul Islam, Thomas https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
OSB collars: Experimental investigation and Tannert and M. Shahria Alam istruc.2019.02.009
sensitivity analysis
Axial-flexural interaction diagram of RPC Ahmed Al-Tikrite and Muhammad N.S. Hadi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
columns reinforced with steel fibres istruc.2019.02.008
Dual effect of axial tension force developed in Mohamed Ahmed Galal, Milan https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
catenary action during progressive collapse of Bandyopadhyay and Atul Krishna Banik istruc.2019.02.006
3D composite semi-rigid jointed frames
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schemes varying in scale from straightforward projects to complex and LQQRYDWLRQDQGZLWKWHFKQLFDOH[FHOOHQFHLQGHVLJQPDQXIDFWXULQJ
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We are seeking experienced Senior Structural Engineers, who ideally: RSSRUWXQLW\WREHSDUWRIDPXOWLGLVFLSOLQDU\WHDPDWWKHVWDUWRIDQ
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TSE Recr Jun19.indd 48 23/05/2019 09:11

Recruitment
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IMAGES SHOW RECENT PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY SOME OF OUR CORE CLIENTS

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At the back
And finally... thestructuralengineer.org
The place to test your knowledge and
And finally... problem-solving ability.

If you would like to submit a quiz or
problem, contact tse@istructe.org
This month we present another question from the Institution’s Structural Behaviour Course.
The answer can be found on page 39.
Question
Choose the correct deflected shape
of the beam under the load shown.
A B
C D
The Structural Behaviour Course is available at www.istructe.org/resources-centre/structural-behaviour.

Access is free to Student Members of the Institution, as well as members of its Academic Community.
For other members of the Institution, access costs £5 + VAT for one year.
Enter a sketch in the next competition – deadline 1 July 2019

The Drawing Board Sketches must be: To take part, submit your
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Engineer’s quarterly • from a real project (i.e. not drawn for the competition)
Each published entry will receive
sketching competition, • at a suitable scale for publication (i.e. not too
a free single e-book from the
judged by Ron Slade intricate/detailed).
Institution’s current list of titles.
FIStructE of WSP. Please also submit a short description (150 words) to put
the sketch into context. Background sketch by Kevin Lyons (Lyons O’Neill)
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June 2019

The ﬂagship publication of The Institution of Structural Engineers

PROFILE: LAURA LEGNANI

100 YEARS OF THE WOMEN’S

ALISTAIR DAY AND

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UK Steel Construction Day 2019

SCI/BCSA Members £50 | Non-member £100

p02_TSE.Jun19.indd 2 21/05/2019 17:10

34 Book review: Becoming leaders: A practical

Front cover: HUNGERFORD MILLENNIUM FOOTBRIDGE © GETTY

The Structural Engineer www.thestructuralengineer.org

TheStructuralEngineer | June 2019 3

TSE88_03_Contents.indd 3 23/05/2019 10:31

TheStructuralEngineer | June 2019 5

TSE88_05_Editorial.indd 5 23/05/2019 09:56

Institution AGM Essential

Explanatory Note 1 – Regulation 5.7.1 deﬁnes ‘Voting Member’ as a Chartered or an Incorporated

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on the lecture given in November 2018, and

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TheStructuralEngineer | June 2019 13

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E Figure 4 Hungerford Bridge – Victoria

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methods were used.

Every platform was covered for its full

construction team and to show that there

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