Andrew Nimmo talks to David Nelson of Foster and Partners about their Sydney projects, practice structure, and processes for working across the world.

A new commercial tower by Foster and Partners with Hassell responds to changing work patterns with large, flexible floor plates and a dramatic atrium.

This paper provides a broad overview of different historic developments for concrete high-rise buildings. The evolution of concrete skyscrapers from the first reinforced concrete high-rise, the Ingalls Building, which was 15 stories high to modern skyscrapers Petronas and the Jin Mao is discussed. How new innovations in construction technology such as the advances in formwork, mixing of concrete, techniques for pumping, and types of admixtures to improve quality have all contributed to the ease of working with concrete in high-rise construction is also briefly discussed in the paper.

Available for sale through Standards Australia, or for loan through CCAA library.

Guide to Long-Span Concrete Floors has been produced to provide architects, building designers, structural engineers and architectural and engineering students and lecturers with an appreciation of the factors that should be taken into consideration in selecting a flooring system for a particular building. Covering major architectural, structural design and construction considerations this publication incorporates sketches and photographs and included graphs to enable designers to quickly identify appropriate floor systems to carry applied loading for the desired span and provide approximate dimensions for the preliminary design.

This paper describes a research program on the dynamic behaviour of posttensioned concrete floors that is presently underway at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. Results from this research will enable the development of much needed design guidance on the dynamic behaviour post-tensioned concrete floors in buildings.

POST-TENSIONED slab design is widely used in Australia, with the main benefits over conventionally reinforced concrete being its ability to span greater distances without resorting to thick slabs and beams (and the consequent loss of head height), and reduce deflection and cracking. There are also some associated labour and time savings.

Advances in Corrosion Protection and Design Flexibility Give Contractors New Options.

Available for sale through Standards Australia, or for loan through CCAA library.

This Recommended Practice provides guidance for consultants involved in the preparation of specifications for the use of Super Workable Concrete. It covers properties, ingredients, proportioning, and production control of the material. It was not the aim to provide exhaustive information on each topic but to give only guidance; full information can be found in the material listed under References and Bibliography. (Australian Standards do not currently cover suitable test methods for this type of concrete).

This paper provides an overview of the structural engineering and innovative construction technologies used to build the Eureka Tower.

The recipients of a Highly Commended for the National Australia Bank Property Development Award were Bovis Lend Lease and Investa Property Group for Deustche Bank Place, 126 Phillip Street, Sydney.

This publication is an excellent and timely consolidation of state-of-the-art information on high-strength concrete and will become the basis of design in high-strength concrete before the code is revised.