Last year, HERA was successful in being awarded a new research project by NZTA to develop a design guide for existing steel-concrete composite bridges. Working in collaboration with Opus International Consultants, to date, the project has identified the many different shear connector types that have been used in New Zealand since the 1920s. Design rules…
Our General Manager Structural Systems Dr Stephen Hicks contributed to the current Engineering Insights article on New Zealand steel research activities and its implementation within the new University of Auckland building. This article was first published in Engineering Insight January/February 2015, Volume 16/1 and is reproduced with the permission of the Institution of Professional Engineers…
3D printing and additive manufacturing are two of the newest and most discussed topics in design and manufacturing in recent years. A component can be created in almost any shape using successive layers of material, making rapid prototyping and manufacturing a reality and bringing with it low one-off manufacturing costs. What impact can engineering analysis…
Good progress has been made in developing the new steel-concrete composite standard AS/NZS2327. Due to the maturity of the standard, the Standards Australia BD-032 Committee is inviting software companies to participate in the final stages of the development by undertaking calibration studies using the new provisions; companies that already provide design software to other international…
New consumer protection regulations for building work costing $30,000 and over are expected to take effect from 1 January 2015. Acting Chief Executive of Standards New Zealand Michelle Wessing said the New Zealand standard 3902 Housing, alterations and small buildings contract will help meet the new regulations and makes the building process smoother and easier…
Through his membership of IABSE Working Commission 2 (responsible for Steel, Timber and Composite Structures), our General Manager Structural Systems Dr Stephen Hicks has been selected as the Facilitator for Professional Session on “International Design Challenge: Complexity of Design Rules”. Participants wishing to make a contribution in accordance with the global themes of the conference…
The fire design of steel-concrete composite columns using concrete filled tubes to EN 1994-1-2:2005+A1:2014 (Eurocode 4) is seemingly a simple task, assuming that the temperature distribution of the cross-section is conservatively known. Reading the rules in the section that deals with the structural behaviour and evaluation of the resistance to axial compression, one gets the…
Our General Manager Systems General Manager Dr Stephen Hicks has been invited to deliver a keynote address at the National Road And Rail Infrastructure Symposium in Australia this month. This symposium will bring together an array of local, national and international leaders working in the area of road and rail infrastructure to try and bring…