All the articles from the May 2021 issue of The Structural Engineer.
Publish Date – 4 May 2021
Jenny Pattison discusses the typical considerations that structural engineers face when seeking to add floors to an existing building, and the sustainability outcomes of potential solutions.
Tim Chapman and Ian Firth highlight the carbon differences between civil structures and buildings projects, and propose that engineers work with their clients to target low-carbon outcomes, rather than just low-carbon structures.
Will Hawkins, Angus Peters and Tim Mander argue for designers to challenge overspecification and grasp the opportunity that reduced floor loads offer for low-carbon structural design.
This month we highlight a report raising concerns about the fire safety of multistorey buildings comprising cross-laminated timber structures and the risk of collapse in the event of an uncontrolled fire.
Sally Desborough explains why mental health has been a hot topic over the past year and why it is so important that workplaces make mental health a priority.
Kristy MacDonald explains how the Institution of Structural Engineers Benevolent Fund can support members in financial difficulty or when suffering from mental health problems.
This CPD module, sponsored by IDEA StatiCa UK, introduces CBFEM, a method to analyse and design connections of steel structures, which is a synergy of the standard approach to connection design (component method) and finite elements.
Publish Date – 30 April 2021
The article showcases the University of East Anglia's Enterprise Centre project, a low-carbon, sustainable building which achieves both Passivhaus standard and BREEAM Outstanding rating.
Andy Leask sees a role for the professional institutions in creating an environment where all people – from junior staff to directors – feel comfortable discussing mental health issues with their peers.
Neil Wakeman calls for codes of conduct to balance risk and competency against a need to allow engineering skills to be applied as fully as possible in the pursuit of better solutions.
Steve Faulkner is impressed by a thought-provoking book which makes the case that all design firms should be using BIM in their projects.
This month's letters address the topics of floor loading, recycling materials and the importance of sketching skills, among others.
A roundup of online events and activities available from the Institution and its Regional Groups.
Editor-in-Chief, Leroy Gardner, has chosen to highlight a paper on soil–structure interaction and performance-based seismic design as his 'Featured Article' from the April 2021 issue of Structures.