2nd edition of the book "Reinforced and Prestressed Concrete Design" by OBrien, Dixon and Sheils

Professor Eugene O Brien has just finished work, with his co-authors, on the 2nd edition of his book, Reinforced and Prestressed Concrete Design. The book has been extensively revised and updated but retains the ‘Complete Process’ concept – it covers all aspects of the design process from load paths, preliminary scheme design, analysis and detailed design. The most significant change is the addition of a full chapter on Case Studies. Working with local designers, the authors have put together a range of problems and alternative solutions. Dr Emma Sheils has joined the authors this time around. Emma was a post-doctoral assistant at UCD until recently. She is now a Design Engineer with Roughan & O’Donovan Consulting Engineers.

Concrete is an integral part of twenty-first century structural engineering and an understanding of how to analyse and design concrete structures is a vital element in the subject. With Eurocodes having replaced European national standards it’s important to get to know the new codes which, for most countries, are more complex than before. Newly revised to Eurocode 2, this second edition retains the original’s emphasis on qualitative understanding of the overall behaviour of concrete structures.

A unique feature of the new edition is a whole chapter on case studies. This provides a unique insight into the way a structure is put together and the alternative structural schemes that are considered in the early stages of design. The concept has been used very successfully in a Problem Based Learning environment at University College Dublin. Groups of students are assigned case study problems, and after a few days they present their solutions to expert judges who give feedback on the practicalities of their chosen solutions. This highlight of the undergraduate experience teaches the students communication as well as design skills.

This book provides civil and structural engineering students and graduates with complete coverage of the analysis and design of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures. Great emphasis is placed on developing a qualitative understanding of the overall behaviour of structures and on bringing together all the strands in the design process – load paths, developing a structural scheme, preliminary sizing, analysis and detailed design.

Eugene OBrien is Professor of Civil Engineering at University College Dublin.

Andrew Dixon is Director of Downes Associates Consulting Civil & Structural Engineers.

Emma Sheils is employed by Roughan & O’Donovan, a Civil and Structural Engineering Consultancy and is a former Postdoctoral Research Fellow of University College Dublin.

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