It is appropriate that the editorial contribution for the December issue of Bridge Engineering should reflect upon the level of success achieved during the first year of publication of this new part of the Proceedings. In the first editorial, I wrote that the aim of the Editorial Advisory Panel was to produce the premier journal read by bridge engineers worldwide. In order to achieve this it was considered that Bridge Engineering should focus on innovation and encompass all aspects of bridge engineering. Furthermore, the journal should not only deal with the great international bridges of the day but also report on innovative solutions for the whole range of bridge structures.
These objectives have been substantially achieved during the first year of publication. Papers have been published on bridges located in four continents and all the main construction materials have been considered. As reported in the June editorial, one of the hot topics exercising the mind of bridge engineers in recent times has been ‘wobbly bridges'. As expected, Bridge Engineering has published a number of papers (including one in this issue) on this topic and the general area of bridge dynamics. Hence we can claim to have been partially successful in achieving our main aims and objectives during the first year of publication.
Although the Editorial Advisory Panel is satisfied with the four issues produced in the first year, it accepts that there is room for improvement. The second and third issues were published somewhat behind schedule, which may have been anticipated due to the short time-scale available to set up the Panel and to review the limited number of papers offered in the first months of its existence. We have managed to catch up with our schedule by the end of the year and current indications are that we should now be able to publish future issues in good time. Despite these initial teething problems, the Editorial Advisory Panel is of the opinion that the quality of the journal is more important than the actual date of publication during its formative period of development.
Another area of some concern to the Editorial Panel is the lack of short contributions on innovative developments in bridge engineering. Potential authors may be dissuaded from submitting papers since the author guidelines for the Proceedings states that ‘the preferred length is about 5000 words'. Whereas this may be the case when major structures or companion papers from designers and constructors are offered, this is not the case for all papers. The Panel welcomes shorter papers from bridge engineers on any novel aspect of bridge engineering.
As indicated in the editorial for the June issue, the Editorial Panel will dedicate the September 2004 issue to the general topic of bridge maintenance. In this Special Issue we hope very much that a number of shorter contributions will be offered dealing with any innovative aspect of maintenance. We have already received a number of abstracts for this Special Issue and the review process will be started early in the new year. It is not too late for further contributions to the Special Issue to be considered for publication—in particular, short contributions drawing attention to innovative work would be most welcomed.
One of the successes of the first issue was the inclusion of a reprint of a paper by Barlow, from the 1867 Proceedings, dealing with the internationally acclaimed Clifton Suspension Bridge. Two similar papers have been identified for inclusion in Bridge Engineering in 2005. If any of our readers are aware of any significant anniversary (for any world renowned bridge) taking place in 2004, please inform the Editor.
Finally, at the conclusion of this editorial in the last issue of the inaugural year for Bridge Engineering, I would like to repeat the last paragraph from the first editorial: ‘The quality of any journal depends on its perception by the readers and, in particular, that of potential authors. We will only achieve the highest standards by encouraging the best to contribute to the journal. That is the challenge for the Editorial Advisory Panel and also for the long list of potential authors'. I hope that the information given above regarding the positive response that will be given to short contributions dealing with innovation will encourage a number of busy bridge engineers to share their experience with the international bridge engineering community.
