Issue 1

This lecture was written before the Prime Minister, Mr. Heath, announced his proposals for the re-organization of central government (White Paper dated 15 October, 1970). These proposals have two main objectives: to group related functions in unified departments, and to improve the machinery of decision-faking at the centre. They include inter alia the creation of a single department to deal with trade and industry, and another to cover all the responsibilities of central government for the physical environment. They also include the enlargement of the Cabinet Ofice by the addition of a central policy review staff to advise Ministers collectively on policies and priorities from the point of view of the Government's overall strategy. Baroness Sharp of Hornsey

In January 1967 the Monopolies Commission was asked to report ‘on the general effect on the public interest of certain restrictive practices so far as they prevail in relation to the supply of professional services’. In its reference to the Commission the Government specified seven practices, including restriction on entry to a profession by the passing of prescribed examinations; the remaining practices were those which, by long-standing convention, specify fees, the terms and conditions upon which services are to be supplied, restriction upon advertising and other matters.

The pilot scheme of eight Special Study Groups is now in full operation. Each works under the direction of a Convener appointed by the Council, who is personally responsible for organizing the work of his Group, conducting correspondence, producing and exchanging draft documents, etc. The general procedure for the working of a Study Group is set out on this page; some such simple rules are clearly necessary but it is the hope of the Council that the strength of a Study Group will lie in its informality and the opportunity it provides for members in all parts of the world to exchange ideas and experience. Members interested in contributing to one or other of the eight groups now working are invited to get in touch with the appropriate Convener at the address, given below. Full details of the purpose and work programme of each Study Group will be found in recent issues of The Structural Engineer under the references given.

Following an outline of the events forming the background to the project, the authors have set down their approach to the decisions which were required at the various stages of its development. The major disciplines are stated and reasons for the choice of the particular layout, articulation, materials and finishes finally adopted are given. W.A.F. Fairhurst, A. Beveridge and G.F. Farquhar

The conditions for the 13th Biennial Competition for the Drury Medal, founded by the late Mr. F. E. Drury (Past President) are now available.

The paper first describes the general planning concepts which have led to an unusual hospital building, and the method of working of the Project Team responsible for if. The evolution of the structural principles used in each of the main units of the building, and the methods of construction adopted, are then described. The sequence employed is that of the design; the superstructure is described first, followed by a note on preliminary site works and a fuller description of the design and construction of the foundations including a number of problems that were encountered. The main structural material used is lightweight aggregate concrete and some comments on the experiences gained with this material are given. G. Mould

The transfer of stress between two walls that are connected by beams, when the walls are subjected to different axial stresses, is evaluated. Methods of calculation are given for the following cases : firstly, when loads are applied during construction and therefore affect only the section of the frame already constructed; and secondly, when loads are applied after completion of the structure. A solution for the case of unequal stresses applied at the top of the structure is implied in the first method. The solutions are based on the simplification that the beams connecting the two walls can be replaced by a continuous connecting medium. Expressions are given for the total shear in the connecting medium, measured from the top of the wall to any point along the height of the wall, for the local beam shears and for the horizontal deflection of the walls. I.J. Jordan