This picture, of a man in his element, has been provided by Malcolm Tucker.
In James' own words
James contributed a piece to a book on "Eminent Civil Engineers" edited by David Doran (ref to follow). He talked of his work on the Laingspan system buildings and the lessons he learnt.
Laingsapn was not my only new commitment, but as its development led to new beliefs and a new way of thinking about materials and structures behave. The idea of a single right way of approaching any design could no longer be contemplated, analytical methods laid down in textbooks and codes being only convenient models by which routine structures can be made to work. Clearly the ‘answers’ given by such analyses bear little relation to the way in which structures actually behave. Once built, a bridge or building will decide for itself how it will behave, often far better than conventional models indicate. Further, the structure may well change its ‘mind’ about its action as a time passes and conditions change. Thus, in any design or analysis I believe that we should recognize the limitations of our methods and look for means of extending these limits. Full reality may not be achievable but the search for it can be rewarding. These beliefs have remained with me throughout my career. They may have developed and been clarified but initially they stem more from experience on the Laingspan system than anything else. I recommend such thoughts for consideration by others, particularly those either appraising existing structures or trying to help in the resolution of disputes.
At one stage I wondered whether my first ten years of heavy civil engineering had been wasted, but later I decided that they had not. They provided a sound background from which to develop and also something to rebel against. Later, when tackling civil engineering on my own, for roads and bridges and major mixed projects such as the new universities of Essex and Bath, with their lakes, level changes and extensive earthworks as well as buildings, this early experience was reassuring. However, the lessons of Laingspan still applied, although the scale was vastly greater.
How to contribute
The normal arrangement of a blog would be for me to post lots of messages and for anyone who wishes, to respond. In this case, I propose to say very little. If you have a story of James, his work and how he touched your life, please place it here by clicking comment and saying what you wish. I have sent the link to Julia who can therefore see the response develop.
We hope to put together a paper for The Structural Engineer about James' life and work, so longer comments that might contribute are welcome.
If you have images you want to load, you may need to email them to me [email protected].
Bill