Issue 9

During the past few years the writers have almost inadvertently developed an experimental Learning Unit within the Department of Civil Engineering at Heriot-Watt University. A few tentative attempts to make use of audio-visual aids rapidly led to the development of teaching methods in which the majority of the instruction is pre-recorded and is used by small groups of students at their own pace. The lecturing staff prepare this material and are available during the study periods to deal with the students' individual problems at considerable length. The scheme is popular with students and staff, and examination results are encouraging. This descriptive paper has been prepared in the belief that other engineers may be interested in the innovation or may wish to comment on it. J. Cowan, J. Morton and A. Bolton

President's Diary The President and a number of his Council colleagues will be meeting holders of the Institution's Technician Certificate who are resident in the London area at an informal reception to be held at the Institution on Wednesday 12 September at 6.0 pm. All holders of the Certificate are cordially invited to attend; those from other parts of the country who have not been advised of the arrangements but who will be in London on 12 September are assured of a warm welcome. The President looks forward to discussing with those attending, the future of technician engineers within the Institution.

Routine checking The task of checking the work of another structural engineer is becoming an increasingly frequent one for members of the Institution. It is a trend to be welcomed but the professional responsibility of an engineer in such checking cannot be over-emphasized.

In this paper is summarized the development of a rational method for the plastic design of biaxially loaded steel columns which is sufficiently compact for inclusion in structural codes of practice. The study takes account of previous work on flexural and flexural-torsional buckling of columns and fills in some of the gaps where knowledge is lacking. The effects of local buckling are not considered. B.W. Young

When Mr. L. R. Creasy, CB, OBE, BSc(Eng). CEng, FIStructE, FICE, delivers his Presidential Address at an Ordinary Meeting to be held at 11 Upper Belgrave Street, London on Thursday 4 October at 6.0 pm, the institution for the first time for over 20 years will have a President who holds a distinguished appointment in the public service.

Just as the structure of the Sydney Opera House is unique in its shape and overall complexity, so are the glass walls which enclose the building. Many of the problems encountered in the design and construction of the walls were entirely without precedent, and had therefore to be solved from first principles. D.D. Croft and J.A. Hooper