February 2021 issue of The Structural Engineer (IStructE)

[martintorres]

Several exciting articles in the February 2021 issue of The Structural Engineer published by IStructE! Making low-carbon material choices offers advice on selecting the most appropriate materials and structural systems for various situations (hint: there is no silver bullet). How can we reduce the embodied carbon of structural concrete? explores various methods such as improving kiln operations to reduce expenditure of thermal energy during cement production, adding semi-cementitious materials like fly ash or slag to reduce the cement content of concrete, specifying maximum cement content in lieu of performance-based targets that require EPDs, and engaging with the contractor to align concrete strength and curing time more closely with construction needs. Structural fire safety when responding to the climate emergency urges engineers to consider fire resistance needs by maintaining awareness of potential failure modes and expanding knowledge of how and why fire resistance standards are developed.