Issue 4

The paper describes an experimental and theoretical study of the behaviour of folded plate structures, in which particular attention is given to examining the influence of end diaphragm restraint upon the structural action. The end diaphragms used in the experimental investigations were mounted on special bearings which ensured that the diaphragms imposed no ‘overall’ longitudinal force or longitudinal bending moment upon the folded plate structure. The diaphragms therefore provided a minimum of overall restraint whilst ensuring that the ends of component plate remained in the plane of the diaphragm. Nevertheless this degree of restraint is considerably more than that assumed in the elasticity method of analysis and it is shown this method will generally underestimate the overall rigidity of a folded plate structure. The paper also establishes that the finite element method can accurately predict the behaviour of folded plate structures. K.C. Rockey and H.R. Evans

The paper describes experiments conducted on the use of the high-strength friction-grip bolt to provide the shear connection between the concrete slab and steel beam in composite construction. The first part deals with static push-out tests to determine the strength of such connectors. The second describes tests on beams, some with precast and others with cast in situ slabs using them. The results show that the high-strength friction-grip bolt can be used as an efficient connector in composite construction. W.T. Marshall, H.M. Nelson and H.K. Banerjee

Mr. E. C. Ruddock (Department of Architecture, University of Edinburgh): ‘I quibble at the title of Dr. Hilson’s article. Unless we are to return to the language of the early nineteenth century, when “mechanical philosophy” described a course in applied physics, there is no need to call his course “philosophy of structure”. I would prefer to say that it is directed to the understanding of structures.

In this paper a general method is proposed for optimization by non-linear programming. The method is used to design, for minimum weight, a family of fixed base pitched roof frames for which the elastic deflexions are restricted by BS 449. The method is used to produce design charts which are presented in the paper and can be used directly for design purposes. They can be used to select optimum pitch for the frame and optimum sections of the members. A method is given to make use of the fact that a continuous set of sections is not available in the safe load tables. Using these charts the optimum pitch and sections are selected from the available discrete sections. The programming problem is extended to deal with several unknowns and an example of the design of a pin-jointed frame with three unknowns is given. K.I. Majid and D.W.C. Elliott In the design of structures, the current standard sp

The paper is concerned with the design of plane, perforated shear walls, loaded in their plane by forces transverse to the axis of the wall. Attention is given to the reduction in wall flexural stiffness due to perforation, and to the stress distribution in the wall. The design data, presented in the form of charts, are based on analysis by the stiffness method in which the perforated wall is represented by wide columns connected by beams.