Complete issue (May 2014)

Institution Fellow, Bob Wilson, suspects that previous titles by Francis Ching notwithstanding, this latest offering might be of more interest to architects than structural engineers.

Letters this month include discussion on: flood prevention, the Exam and Eurocode requirements for steel connections.

During remediation of distressed buildings in Dublin, horizontal cracks more than 20mm wide have been seen in the concrete block sub-structure walls. When pyrite-rich calcareous aggregate oxidises beneath a ground floor slab, it can raise and crack the concrete floor. In addition, it has been found that when tightly compacted fill expands, it may grip the substructure walls such that the whole super-structure is lifted off these support walls.