The following are summaries of papers published in other parts of ICE Proceedings during 2004 that readers of Structures and Buildings may find of interest. Non-subscribers can buy any paper using our pay per view service for £17 or $33 per paper. Summaries of all papers in ICE journals are also freely available and fully searchable at the ‘journals on-line’ section of the ICE website at www.ice.org.uk/jol.
New bridge technology for sustainable development
P. R. Head
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Bridge Engineering, 157, No. 4, December, 193–202
This paper describes a 20-year programme of the development of new advanced composite material applications in bridges to improve durability, lower whole-life cost, lessen disruption to traffic and lower environmental impact. The work is described within and follows the Framework for Effective Innovation set out by the Civil Engineering Research Foundation in the USA in 1996. The paper covers the development of global standards and performance criteria, the building of demonstration projects, examples of cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing and the use of partnering. Many examples are given of applications worldwide. The paper concludes with a brief description of ongoing work to create performance specifications for sustainable development across all disciplines, which builds on the lessons learned from this work.
Rammed earth: a natural option for walling
P. Walker and V. Maniatidis
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 1, February, 5
Over two billion people live in earth buildings including quite a few in Britain. Peter Walker and Vasilios Maniatidis of Bath University report on a UK Government-backed project to encourage greater use of this long established and highly sustainable construction method.
Re-using urban foundations
T. Chapman, T. Butcher and R. Fernie
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 1, February, 6
Continuing redevelopment of the world's cities is getting more difficult as the earth beneath them fills up with foundations and tunnels. Tim Chapman of Arup, Tony Butcher of BRE and Rab Fernie of Cementation report on an EU-funded research programme that aims to encourage re-use of existing foundations.
Integer Hong Kong Pavilion: showcasing sustainable construction
R. Slade
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 1, February, 19–25
Last month a new sustainable energy centre opened in Beijing. It was formerly the Integer Hong Kong Pavilion, a unique Britishinspired industry showcase for sustainable high-rise construction that attracted over 100 000 visitors during 2001 and 2002. The pavilion combines a multi-media exhibition and two demonstration apartments known as ‘flats of the future’. It also demonstrates many examples of sustainable, low-waste construction techniques in its own design and construction—not least its re-usability
Stabilising the Paute river in Ecuador
B. Abril and D. Knight
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 1, February, 32–38
Ten years ago a landslide in the mountains of Ecuador killed over 100 people. It also blocked a mountain river, creating a temporary flood reservoir that, a month later, burst through the debris and caused extensive flood damage downstream. The geomorphology of the whole valley was substantially altered and it become unstable, not helped by continued local aggregate mining. This paper reports on the delicate, long-term operation to monitor and stabilise the Paute river valley, including shaving two million m3 off a mountain and installing a novel system of drop structures on the river bed
Cement: reducing pressure on the green belt
A. Bromage
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 2, May, 57
The UK Government's target to build over two million new homes on Brownfield land by 2016 looks ambitious given the amount of contamination. Alan Bromage, head of civil engineering at The Concrete Centre, says greater use of cement could be the answer to saving the green belt.
Dismantling the Maureen platform—an overview
P. Broughton, R. Davies and M. Green
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 2, May, 79–85
Removing, dismantling and recycling the world's largest steel gravity platform has proved that the energy industry can safely and sustainably decommission its vast offshore infrastructure when the oil runs out. Nearly 100% of the 110 000 t Maureen platform and its associated 9000 t loading column was either reused or recycled—with major structural components being used to build new port facilities and 42 000 t of steel landed ashore for scrapping. This paper reports on the complex and delicate task of cleaning and progressively dismantling the vast structure in a Norwegian fjord. It was the final phase of a £150 million decommissioning project, which has now set a benchmark for over 200 other steel structures currently operating in the British sector of the North Sea.
Earthquake-proof house shakes bamboo world
L. Jayanetti and P. Follett
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 3, August, 102
Over 1 billion people already live in houses made from bamboo, the fastest-growing woody plant on the planet. Lionel Jayanetti and Paul Follett of Trada say there is significant further potential for bamboo as a strong and sustainable building material, particularly after the success of a recent fullscale earthquake test
Full circle for UK canals: restoring the South Pennine Ring
K. Paylor, M. Marshall and C. Wearne
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 3, August, 116–125
Britain's emergence as the world's leading industrial power in the nineteenth century was highly dependent on its extensive new canal network created by the founders of the UK civil engineering profession. Reopening the network—much of which has been closed for over half a century—is now seen as a valuable catalyst to regenerating Britain's former industrial cities. However, the task presents today's civil engineers with almost as many challenges as the original construction. The £58 million project to reopen the final sections of the trans-Pennine Rochdale and Huddersfield Canals—and thus restore the South Pennine Ring waterway—is a classic example of the flexible and innovative approaches needed to thread new life into today's decayed and congested urban environments.
Stress-laminated arches: a stronger case for timber bridges
G. Freedman and A. Kermani
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 4, November, 172–178
Timber bridges have been around for a long time but are still viewed with suspicion by design engineers and the public alike. Though not as durable or strong as steel and concrete, timber is nevertheless a sustainable material in plentiful supply and can be combined with other materials to make up for its structural shortcomings. ‘Stress-laminated construction’, where short planks of low-grade timber are simply bolted together to make large flat slabs, is now a primary design option for secondary road applications in the US. This paper reports on pioneering UK research which has shown such bridges can be even stronger when built with arched rather than flat decks.
How community volunteers can help make disaster response sustainable
J. Ross-Jordan
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 6, November, 32–36
Technology-based disaster response projects are only appropriate of they are built within the social, economic and institutional capacities of a disaster-hit community. Mobilising, training and monitoring community volunteers is the key, helping to ensure that aid-funded projects such as water wells and latrines do not fall into disrepair and disuse. Using case studies of water and sanitation projects carried out by UK charity Tearfund in postcivil war Sierra Leone, this paper shows how quick fixes can be converted into sustainable, long-term solutions when they are conceived, built and maintained by local volunteers.
Sustainable poverty alleviation—changing role for engineers
D. Singleton and N. Hahn
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Civil Engineering, 157, No. 6, November, 37–42
A significant proportion of volunteer engineers are involved with poverty alleviation in the developing world. Such work invariably involves a contribution from professional engineers, whether voluntary or otherwise. However, there is an increasing danger of using good engineering to support poor policy. The role of engineers is important, but they must work in collaboration with other professionals if long-lasting solutions are to be achieved. As illustrated by the case studies in this paper, sustained alleviation of poverty through implementation of infrastructure solutions requires careful attention to underlying social, economic and political influences
Reuse of construction waste: performance under repeated loading
V. Sivakumar, J. D. McKinley and D. Ferguson
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Geotechnical Engineering, 157, No. 2, April, 91–96
The use of recycled aggregates has increased greatly over the last decade owing to enhanced environmental sensitivities. The level of performance required by such materials is dependent upon the applications for which they are used. Many recycled construction wastes have adequate shear strength in relation to various geotechnical applications. However, a possible drawback of these materials is the risk of crushing during repeated loading. The work reported in this paper examined two waste materials: crushed concrete and building debris, both regarded as construction wastes. Tests were also performed on traditionally used crushed rock, in this case basalt. The materials were subjected to repeated loading in a large direct shear apparatus. The amount of crushing was quantified by performing particle size analysis of the tested material. The results have shown that both recycled construction wastes were susceptible to particle crushing. The amount of crushing was influenced by both the vertical pressure and the number of loading cycles. This leads to a marked decrease in peak friction angle.
Structural performance of a steep slope landfill lining system
N. Dixon, S. Ng'ambi and D. R. V. Jones
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Geotechnical Engineering, 157, No. 3, July, 115–125
The stability and integrity of a landfill barrier, in both the short and the long term, are vital to performance as a containment system for leachate and landfill gas, and are a requirement of the UK permitting process. The structural performance of steep, nonself- supporting barrier systems depends in part on the adjacent waste body for lateral support. This paper presents the results of an investigation into structural performance during construction of a typical UK mineral steep slope landfill lining system. Instrument installation, monitoring and results are presented. Measurements and observations have shown shear and overturning modes of clay barrier failure, leading to loss of integrity. Normal stresses measured at the waste/barrier interface demonstrate that waste adjacent to the barrier provides low and variable lateral support. It is concluded that this has led to the observed failure mechanisms. Temporary conditions during phased construction are shown to be critical. This investigation has demonstrated that current UK municipal solid waste, placed using standard practices, cannot by itself provide sufficient support to ensure the integrity of a clay barrier in a steep slope lining system. Waste/barrier interaction must be considered as part of the design process.
Deconstruction of the Maureen platform and loading column
P. Broughton, R. L. Davies and M. Green
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Maritime Engineering, 157, No. 1, March, 3–21
The Maureen Steel Gravity Platform (TSG) and associated concrete articulated loading column (ALC) were both successfully refloated and removed from their North Sea locations in the summer of 2001. The two structures were towed to the Aker construction base at Stord Island (between Stavanger and Bergen) on the west coast of Norway. At this location they were securely moored up in deep water, for the purposes of further decommissioning, which involved internal tank cleaning of the substructure, deconstruction, and partial reuse of large elements of both structures. This process involved many significant marine construction/deconstruction activities. This paper describes the main elements of this decommissioning/deconstruction work, including the reuse of large elements of the steel gravity platform as part of a new quay construction, and the reuse of the column section from the ALC, as a breakwater for a marina development.
Simulation of the Egyptian coastal ecosystem functions
W. Hamza, P. Ennet and R. Tamsalu
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Maritime Engineering, 157, No. 1, March, 23–33
The mathematical models actually used to solve problems related to water resources and their management are complex in nature due to the fact that they are required to make an effective combination of a range of environmental reactions. These models typically consist of several parts: hydrodynamic, chemical and biological. In addition, atmospheric effects and other factors such as external forces must be considered when simulating existing conditions and in predictions of variations in the ecosystem functions. The aim of this study was to create a tool for operational prediction of the state of the aquatic ecosystem in the Egyptian Mediterranean coastal area. In order to accomplish this task the three-dimensional (3D) Hydrodynamic-ecosystem FINEST model has been implemented over the entire Egyptian Mediterranean coastal area, and the validity of this model for the coastal area was tested. The coupled 3D hydro-ecosystem FINEST model is characterised by a double sigma coordinate system, which divides the marine basin into two parts: an upper layer and a lower stratified layer. The ecosystem part of the model consists of the plankton community, inorganic nutrients, organic nutrients and detritus sub-models. The plankton community food web comprises four triplets where each triplet is formed by one heterotrophic predator-grazer and zooplankton prey, and one phytoplankton according to the class size. In the last (fourth) triplet the zooplankton prey is replaced by bacterioplankton. The application of the coupled 3D model on the ecosystem of the Egyptian Mediterranean coastal area demonstrates its suitability as an operational management system able to simulate external forcing factors (e.g. nutrients discharge, land runoffs, coastal meteorological forces, etc.) and predict the effects of these forces on the ecosystem components. A short-term validation test of specific parameters in the model has shown its sensitivity toward variations in the ecosystem due to external forcing factors. The results obtained from this test and presented here are preliminary ones however; further implementations of the model are in progress and will be published elsewhere with mathematical details of the model equations.
Saltmarsh loss and maintenance dredging in estuaries
N. I. Pontee
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Maritime Engineering, 157, No. 2, June, 77–97
The removal of sediment from estuaries by maintenance dredging has the potential to be detrimental to habitats such as saltmarshes. This paper examines the case for environmental reparation with respect to maintenance dredging activities in two estuaries within the western Solent in England. These two examples suggest that the detrimental impacts of maintenance dredging and requirement for beneficial use schemes may have been overstated in some areas of the UK. The examples also demonstrate that beneficial use schemes themselves can potentially have deleterious impacts on estuary systems and therefore should not be viewed as a universal panacea for estuary management.
Minimising marine mud removal for Peng Chau seawall construction
P. Neville-Jones, L. Swann, H. Dou and C. C. Wai
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Maritime Engineering, 157, No. 3, September, 103–111
This paper describes the alternative design for the construction of the sea defence wall for Peng Chau Town in Hong Kong that allowed the wall to be constructed with the minimum of marine mud dredging. The design and construction of this seawall demonstrates that rockfill seawalls may be built without substantial mud removal and in a reasonable time period, such that the Environmental Protection Department's requirement to minimize the removal of marine mud may be met. The design was instigated to avoid the risks of dredging adjacent to the old town seawall due to concerns of damage to or even collapse of adjacent houses. The design adopted the installation of wick drains and carefully controlled stages of reclamation to maintain stability during construction. The seawall was constructed by China Harbour Engineering Company for the Territory Development Department.
Coastline change and implications for habitat loss
N. I. Pontee, J. R. Drummond and D. J. Morrisey
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Maritime Engineering, 157, No. 3, September, 133–142
This paper assesses the main controls on macro- and meso-scale evolution and contemporary morphological form of the East Lothian coastline. Importantly, many contemporary environments on this coast represent features inherited from earlier in the Holocene. Future changes to coastal environments are strongly dependent on sediment availability which is difficult to predict. However, it is likely that falling sea levels throughout much of the Holocene facilitated coastal accretion, which is now likely to be replaced by coastal erosion under rising sea levels and potentially increased storminess. The magnitude and location of future coastal change has important consequences for designated sites, which comprise habitats of local, national and international value. Although the loss of habitats is likely to be seen as a negative point, the potential for a return to a more dynamic functioning coast offers some conservation benefits, particularly for mobile habitats such as dunes.
Evaluation of UK waterway regeneration and restoration
G. Maeer and G. Millar
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 2, June, 103–109
Following the original boom of Britain's network of navigable rivers and canals during the Industrial Revolution, the waterways fell into decline following the Second World War. Now this trend has been reversed, under the care and management of British Waterways. This paper outlines the restoration work undertaken, and the economic benefits are illustrated by means of a recent case study on the Kennet and Avon Canal.
New approaches to sustainable tourism in Devon
E. Chorlton
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 2, June, 121–127
Devon can lay claim to being one of England's favourite counties. It possesses an outstanding environment, and also serves as a year-round premier tourism destination. Devon County Council (DCC) is adopting innovative approaches to providing highquality sustainable tourism. These approaches promote yearround sustainable tourism through initiatives such as a new customer-focused tourism web portal, managing England's first natural World Heritage Site and integrating tourism and economic development in a remote rural area. Devon is also enhancing opportunities for people to enjoy access to the countryside. Linked to DCC's status as a Centre of Excellence for Transport Planning, the county council's sustainable travel initiatives include improving facilities for walking, cycling and leisure travel by public transport. This paper assesses the successes and challenges of strategic approaches to sustainable tourism with particular emphasis on transport networks.
Geotechnical aspects of sewage sludge monofills
B. C. O'Kelly
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 3, September, 193–197
More stringent controls on the quality of wastewater discharges are giving rise to increasing volumes of sewage sludge for disposal. Within the European Community, the disposal of sewage sludge to sea ceased by 1998 under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Stricter waste disposal legislation and higher landfill taxes are forcing the water industry to look for more efficient disposal strategies. Dedicated sludge-to-landfill operations are presented as a viable option. The sewage sludge is dewatered to the optimum water content for compaction, placed in the landfill in layers and compacted to the maximum dry density, thereby maximising the operational life of the landfill site. The design, construction and long-term performance of such monofills are described. Adequate levels of dewatering for the sludge-to-landfill route can best be achieved at the treatment plant using conventional mechanical dewatering devices, sludge drying beds or thermal drying processes.
Bringing Brownfield sites back into use
A. Carey
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 4, December, 231–237
To meet Government targets for the building of infrastructure and new homes, particularly in London and the South East, redundant Brownfield sites will need to be rapidly brought into use. This paper describes the challenges surrounding these aspirations, specifically the problems that accompany Brownfield developments. These are outlined by reference to specific Building projects undertaken by St George during its 17 years of developing in London, on Brownfield sites. The paper also describes the company's areas of research and concludes by making recommendations for the future.
Sustainable housing—is it legal?
J. Pett
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 4, December, 239–244
Most construction professionals would expect to be conversant with the relevant legislation relating to building and development: the Building Act and its approved documents, the Town and Country Planning Act, the Planning Policy Statements, the Contaminated Land Regime and the Control of Pollution Act probably spring to mind. What about sustainable housing? What legislation should be considered when thinking about housing in the context of its social, environmental and economic aspects? What issues are relevant for housing rather than houses? This paper explores the regulatory framework for sustainable housing in England and Wales, and identifies sources of information. It emerges that sustainable housing may be covered by a complex network of policy aims and guidelines, but there is little that requires housing providers to take sustainability into account unless they wish to obtain funding from bodies such as the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships. The paper does not set out construction legislation or technical standards, but seeks to identify issues of wider sustainability and discusses the issues involved in describing ‘sustainable development’ in legal terms.
Sustainable urban development and drainage
J. B. Ellis, L. Scholes, D. M. Revitt and J. Oldham
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 4, December, 245–250
The recent Barker Report on housing supply has identified serious shortages which partly result from slow planning decisions and conservative interpretations of Planning Policy Guidance 3 (PPG3) development rules. Increased and wider stakeholder interests and associated consultation times are also stretching out medium- to large-scale development approval times. Sustainable development design for high-density masterplanning, based on enhanced lifestyle and environmental parameters and which incorporate sustainable drainage systems are proposed, which bring together the apparently contradictory objectives of PPG3 development and PPG25 flood risk regulations.
The higher density housing agenda and the ‘urban renaissance’
M. Crookston
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 4, December, 251–256
This paper reviews the trend towards higher-density housing development. It seeks to put arguments about ‘density’ in the particular context of the towns and cities of the British Isles. The government is rightly concerned to get the most out of our stock of land and buildings, and has coupled this with the revival—the ‘renaissance’—of our cities and towns. There are real tensions and difficulties as a result; but we do have tools and models of good practice to help us achieve both the quantity and quality of development sought. More than ever before, this will mean intelligent, sympathetic joint working by all professionals whose work affects the built environment.
Home Zones—an innovative approach to community streets
J. Barrell and J. Whitehouse
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 4, December, 257–265
In January 2002, the UK Department for Transport (DfT) announced the 61 schemes that had been successful in sharing a £30 million grant allocation to develop the Home Zone concept throughout England. Eight pilot schemes in England and one in Wales were announced in August 1999 (together with four in Scotland one year later) and the DfT decided that the concept should be extended. Many of the UK's existing residential areas were not designed for the level of traffic, and particularly parking, that now takes place. As a consequence the streets in front of houses have become extended car parks and are perceived as dangerous for children. This has resulted in a breakdown of local communities as families become isolated within their properties. Children particularly are denied the opportunity of playing and mixing with friends in areas that also include traffic. The aim of the Challenge Programme is to develop residential communities where the streets are shared equally between traffic and residents and introduce different uses within the streets—particularly play. An important aspect of the development of these streets is that they should be designed such that vehicle speeds are kept down to between 10 and 15 mph. The local communities should also be actively involved in their design and development. This paper reviews the progress of these schemes to date and examines the various techniques that have been developed to engage the community fully in the design process.
A rural housing sustainability index
M. F. Gray and M. Carton-Kenny
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers—Municipal Engineer, 157, No. 4, December, 275–283
The pressure on planning authorities in Ireland to grant permission for rural housing has led to increasing public dissention, frequently leading to political intervention on behalf of individuals; this in turn has severely undermined county planning strategies. The objective of the rural housing sustainability index is to ensure that better-quality and more sustainable housing is constructed in rural areas, while also minimising the effect of such housing on the rural environment. The index uses 70 criteria or indicators categorised into site, design, construction and social indicators. A score is allocated for each indicator with higher scores allocated for more sustainable actions or options. Threshold scores are set for each category from which the sustainability of the proposed development is determined. This allows planners to more accurately assess the impact of rural development as well as increasing the sustainability of the housing stock. The concept of a trade-off, by allowing more sustainable and sensitive housing in areas where normal housing is inappropriate, is explored.
