March_1968 — Page 9

world news

Plans Being Prepared for Second Asian Trade Fair

A LEADING Iranian architect, Mr. Moaid Ahd. is to plan the site layout and the Iran Government pavilions for the Second Asian International Trade Fair, which will be stag- ed in Tehran from October 5 to 24, 1969.

The object of the fair, which is being organised by the Government of Iran with the support of the United Nations, is to promote trade among the developing coun- tries of Asia and between them and the rest of the world. The first Asian Fair. held in Bangkok in 1966 achieved this end. Some 33 governments and about 3,000 com- panies took part and orders worth about US$20 million were placed at the fair.

At the Second Asian Fair special attention will be given to the petro-chemical industry. Oil producing com- panies, oil refining companies and makers of chemical machinery will all be invited to take part.

Information about the fair can be obtained from: Asian International Trade Fair, Ministry of Economy, PO Box 22, Tajrish, Tehran.

Big Swedish Hospital Built in 150 Weeks

A NOTABLE hospital project has recently been completed in Lund, South Sweden. By applying a technique of parallel design and construction, building costs of the 15- storey complex are said to have been cut by Kr. 10 mil- lion to Kr. 175 million (US$34,000,000) while the build- ing time has been reduced by 57 weeks to 150 weeks.

It

Lund Hospital, opened in 1768, is one of the oldest in Sweden and the largest run by a County Council. serves as a regional hospital for a large part of southern Sweden and is also a research and medical training centre. By the recent addition, it will accommodate close on 1,900 in-patients.

The new central complex was built for the County Council by

SIAB, Stockholm contractors, who have pioneered a method of simultaneous design and construc- tion. The builders claim that this technique of program-

med and rigidly controlled construction makes a hospital between two and three years "more modern" than if con- ventional procedures construction following upon the presentation of the finished design had been applied.

The central block includes beds for 690 in-patients plus some 60 for the admission and intensive care de- partments. There are 14 special clinics and 22 operating theatres.

In its equipment the new hospital is in many res- pects the most up-to-date in Europe. The equipment in- cludes the world's first fully automatic sterilisation plant. There is closed-circuit television both for colour and black- and-white as well as an automatically controlled X-ray pic- ture archive. The entire building, with a volume of 330,- 000 cu. m., has 27 elevators and climate-conditioned ventilation.

Madrid Symposium on Steel for Prestressing

THE Federation Internationale de la Precontrainte (In- ternational Federation on Prestressing) in conjunction with the Instituto Eduardo Torroja de la Construccion y del Cemento, the Spanish member group of FIP, has arranged a two day Symposium on Steel for Prestressing'. The symposium will be held at the Instituto Eduardo Torroja in Madrid on June 6 and 7, 1968.

A general report, based on papers submitted by FIP member groups, will be presented on 12 themes including improvements in properties and manufacture, relaxation losses, corrosion, friction and bond, influence of extremes of temperature, fatigue strength, behaviour under impact loads, etc.

Information about the symposium is available from the Secretary, Design and Development Committee, The Concrete Society, Terminal House, London S.W.1.

Lightweight Concrete Bridge Built by Cantilevering

THE world's first lightweight concrete structure to be built by cantilevering has been completed at Wiesbaden- Schierstein. Germany. The Dyckerhoff footbridge, 505 ft. long, spans the harbour entrance to town.

An arch bridge, it has cantilevering approach ramps which form structural counterbalances to the 307 ft. main arch. Each counterbalance consists of an extension to the main arch to form a dog leg approach ramp which begins at the springing of the arch. The ramps were constructed in dense concrete but lightweight concrete was used for the central section of the arch.

Work on the bridge began with the construction of the approach ramps. Cantilever construction was then carried out in 10ft. sections from each side of the bridge. Each segment was prestressed back to the approach ramp between 30 and 40 hours after casting. The specified strength of the lightweight concrete at the time of pre- stressing was 3.414lb. per sq. in.

Lund Hospital, Sweden

Dyckerhoff footbridge, Germany

Far East Architect & Builder March, 1968

27