The IABSE British Group Henderson Colloquium has been held annually since 1976. This year’s version involved eighteen eminent engineers and academics gathering in Cambridge to discuss the topic of serviceability, covering what we really mean by serviceability and how new technologies might change our understanding and allow more adaptable structures.
A stimulating discussion covered topics such as efficiency and energy issues created by serviceability limits governing design; our current understanding of vibration performance; the opportunities created by monitoring and sensing; and the potential effects of new traffic and loading conditions. The Colloquium concluded with an extended discussion about the possibilities of new and adaptable technologies, with presentations about different possibilities and difficulties with mechanical actuation and the state of the art in research and practice around biomimetic solutions to the deflection and serviceability criteria.
The Colloquium findings will be discussed more widely in a seminar and presentation to be held in London in the autumn, as well as at the IABSE Guimaraes Symposium. Dates will be confirmed in the near future.