The role of competition within communities, in shaping the structure and composition of the community matrix itself and in influencing day to day functioning of the system is particularly controversial.

Geomembranes are increasingly being used in transportation, environmental and geotechnical applications to control gas and liquid movement. The book aims to provide guidance on identification and testing of geomembranes. The report has been prepared by an international committee under the auspices of RILEM, the International Union of Research and Testing Laboratories for Materials and Structures.

This work reviews methods for the experimental determination of concrete toughness and presents theories and models suitable for describing cracking and fracturing phenomena in plain and reinforced concrete.

Fly ash is an important industrial by-product, with more 170 million tonnes produced annually throughout the world. It is the fine particulate material which is collected from the stack gases of power stations burning pulverized coal and it is being increasingly used as a partial replacement for cement in concrete and other cement-based onstruction materials.

It is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive for demolition contractors to dispose of building waste and demolition rubble. For environmental reasons, public authorities are looking for ways of reusing these materials. The purpose of this book is to make the construction industry and public authorities aware of the technical possibilities for recycling of demolished concrete and masonry. It also shows how localized cutting and partial demolition of concrete structures can be carried out.

This book contains general recommendations for site clearing after man-made and natural disasters. It provides guidelines on the demolition of damaged structures and the reuse of demolition and construction materials. It has been prepared by an international task force originating from cooperation between RILEM and UNESCO. The book provides guidance for professionals and organizations on this increasingly important subject of disaster planning.

Concrete structures can be designed for durability by applying the principles and procedures of reliability theory combined with traditional structural design. This work attempts to introduce into structural design a general theory of structural reliability and existing calculation models for common degradation processes. It covers both the theoretical background and practical design for service life, and includes worked examples which highlight the application of the design procedure and methods.

This book is an investigation into the barrier qualities of concrete. The transport of fluids, in particular organic and contaminating liquids, through concrete can lead to water and soil pollution. This is a world-wide problem on which there is little published material. This state-of-the-art report redresses the balance and sets out current knowledge on all aspects of the problem, testing methods and indicates the need for further research.

The aim of the studies presented in this report is the implementation of rational concepts and testing procedures for the design and manufacture of bituminous materials for applications in pavement construction. Practical test procedures are recommended for binder evaluation, mix design and performance assessment of bituminous materials. The three main topics addressed are binder testing, mix design and mechanical testing of mixtures. Each is examined through interlaboratory tests and there is a literary review of existing practices and methods for the production of polymer modified binders,...