The present issue of Structures and Buildings contains four papers, with authors from the UK, China, Greece, Cyprus and Thailand. The first paper (Vintzileou, 2011) traces the history of the use of timber elements within masonry structures in Greece over the past four millennia. The study explores the methods used to protect the timber, assesses the efficiency of the structural systems and joints and suggests an early awareness of the benefits of the timber in resisting seismic events.
The second paper relates to cable structures, where the authors (Xi et al., 2011) propose a simplified force density method for form-finding of cable domes. The method can be applied to a range of dome types and is reported to be accurate, yet simpler and quicker than existing approaches.
The third and fourth papers examine different aspects of joints in reinforced concrete structures. Stehle et al. (2011) present a series of tests on filigree slab joints, and compare their experimental results with current code requirements. The authors conclude that, provided the joints are appropriately detailed, adequate performance can be achieved. There are, however, a range of influential parameters on the performance of these joints, and further research to develop a more generic understanding was recommended. Joyklad and Pimanmas (2011) report a seismic assessment of existing reinforced concrete structures, together with a series of half-scale tests, focussing on beam-to-column joint failure. A range of parameters were investigated and correlations were developed.
