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Title: The Case for a Concrete Institute of Australia Code for Concrete Structures

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Publication: CIA

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Date: 2/28/2011

Abstract:
Currently in Australia the design of concrete structures is generally performed using the “Concrete Structures” Australian Standard, AS3600. Other Australian Standards contain parts dealing with concrete structures, but AS3600 is effectively the standard from which structural aspects of concrete in all others are derived. At the time of writing, the latest major revision of AS3600 is several years overdue. This paper will argue that Standards Australia is unacceptably limited in its ability to produce an appropriate document for design of concrete structures. Although it does effectively produce most other engineering design standards, e.g. AS4100 “Steel Structures”, it is argued that concrete design is a uniquely difficult task for Standards. The author also contends that even when the updated AS3600 is finally produced there is a growing list of items which will not have been addressed. Several examples are given, including extruded precast prestressed unreinforced planks, and rules for shear friction. There are various inconsistencies between various Australian Standards for concrete design, especially on durability aspects, and it is also suggested that a new separate Durability Standard be written.