Following the establishment of the New Zealand National Group of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE), Structural Systems General Manager Dr Stephen Hicks attended the IABSE Conference in Geneva in September 2015. The conference objective was ‘Providing Solutions to Global Challenges’, which was underpinned by following global themes: Climate Change and the…
As previously reported, HERA took up Minister’s Joyce’s offer made at the re-opening of HERA House to investigate why industry funding from (heavy engineering research) levy-funded activities are not able to attract Government R&D funding support in the same way direct industry R&D money does. The main point of HERA’s letter was our concern that…
According to EN 1090-2, steel components have to be identifiable and traceable throughout the whole production chain. The choice of identification method is not specified consistently in international rules and standards. In terms of durability and liability, markings should be resistant to particular fabrication processes such as sandblasting, hot-dip galvanizing or coating. The methods are…
This month, the HERA Training Centre is again offering Part 2 of its training programme in welding inspection leading to national and international qualifications. This is for the CBIP Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), and the globally-recognised IIW International Welding Inspector Basic (IWI-B) and International Welding Inspector Standard (IWI-S). The Centre is New Zealand’s only International Institute of Welding (IIW) Accredited Training…
Following an introductory email members will have received from WorkSafe New Zealand regarding the Government-funded Health and Safety Representative (HSR) transition training programme, WorkSafe is now introducing Safety ‘n Action. Safety ‘n Action is developing the HSR transition training course in partnership with WorkSafe New Zealand. This free training is available for HSRs within our…
The ASME Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) Conference 2015 held in Brussels, Belgium this year was the third consecutive conference of its kind and takes place every two years. A total of 214 submissions for presentation were received for this conference of which 142 were accepted, 53 of them in poster presentations. The conference attracted more…
As a past reviewer, Dr Stephen Hicks was invited to author a paper for the flagship journal of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Civil Engineering. Following its recent publication, details of the paper are given below. Eurocodes – Overcoming the Barriers to Global Adoption, by Dr Stephen Hicks In 2010 the Eurocodes replaced the equivalent…
Research aim 1-4 – heat transfer performance data Heat transfer test rig design and data (critical step 1-4-1/2-2-1) A test rig design for heat exchanger performance investigation has been completed and now undergoing review with our industry partner. The rig will use a temporary heat resource and has been configured to allow testing in two…
The risk of fire and explosion is ever present with welding and thermal cutting and the fatal accident at an Auckland tank farm is a timely reminder of this. It is no coincidence that most welding equipment and welding consumables come with warnings either in the user instructions or on the packaging. Nor is it…
HERA is currently working on assessing the fire performance of a typical New Zealand light steel frame floor of a multi-storey building with the aim to provide input into the fire section of the resulting design guide. As the first part of the research, an overseas experimentally-tested floor slab has been investigated numerically by advanced…
Announced in the Budget on the 21st May was an item around the establishment of independent regional research institutes. The intent being that the Government would provide funding towards the establishment of a number of institutes to be located in regional areas and not in the three large centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The…
The HERA Annual General Meeting took place as part of last month’s Metals Week and the members of the 2015/16 HERA Executive were confirmed. The terms of elected members Peter Hutton, Sean Gledhill, David Moore, and John Frear ended with the AGM. Peter Hutton, David Moore and John Frear were re-nominated and willing to stand…