In recent years, integral bridges have become increasingly popular in the UK. The Highways Agency standard now requires, where possible, that all new bridges with a length of less than sixty metres should be of integral form. In addition, it has been found that, due especially to the problems and costs associated with failed expansion joints, integral bridges are not only cost effective but also have a longer lifespan. Integral Bridges was commissioned by the Highways Agency to produce guidance for bridge designers by addressing the thermally induced soil/structure interaction problem created by environmental changes of temperature and the associated cyclical displacements imposed on the granular backfill to the bridge abutments. It develops a better theoretical understanding of the cyclic performance, in particular the strain racheting in the backfill soil when in contact with a stiff structure. It also identifies the governing soil parameters and examines their influence in the interaction problem, develops numerical modelling procedures to predict interactive soil behaviour, and identifies and quantifies the controlling features of bridge structures relevant to the interaction problem.

"Fair Park Deco" is a fascinating tour of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition. Like every American exposition in the 1930s, it began in economic depression. Although its economy had been buoyed by major oil discoveries in the early '30s, Texas agriculture was hard hit by the Great Depression. By the middle of the decade, state officials had set their sights on a great centennial celebration to help stimulate the economy and attract tourist dollars. "If during the next six months the people of the state could become filled with the idea of holding a big celebration on the one hundredth anniversary of the establishment of Texas independence," the state's centennial commission speculated in July, 1934, "it would have the effect of creating a general forward-looking spirit through the state. It would be more stimulating than anything we can think of, and this effect would be immediate."

This book focuses specifically on the Art Deco art and architecture of Fair Park--the public spaces, buildings, sculptures and murals that were designed for the 1936 exposition. Most of the chapters in the book represent different areas of Fair Park, with buildings and artwork effectively arranged in the same order that a visitor to the Texas Centennial Exposition might have seen them. The art and architecture are featured in original photography by Jim Parsons and David Bush as well as in historic photographs.

Fair Park is one of the finest collections of Deco architecture in the country, but it is so much more: the embodiment of Texan swagger, it is a testament to the Texanic task of creating a dazzling spectacle in the darkest days of the Depression.

Vivid imagery and original research are the hallmarks of DFW Deco: Modernistic Architecture of North Texas, the latest in Jim Parsons and David Bush's series of books documenting Art Deco and Art Moderne design in the Lone Star State. DFW Deco examines a vibrant architectural heritage that spans legendary eras in American history, from the Roaring Twenties through the Great Depression to World War II. DFW Deco explores the full range of modernistic building styles and some of the uniquely Texan influences that shaped the growing cities of North Texas. Classic zigzag skyscrapers promoted by Fort Worth boosters and Dallas businessmen, Art Deco storefronts in the booming towns of the great East Texas oilfield, and streamlined facilities inspired by innovations in transportation and communications all have a place in this book. DFW Deco looks not only at whole buildings, but also at their finely crafted details, ranging from vibrant tile murals depicting the scope of Texas history on Fort Worth's monumental Will Rogers Memorial Center to stylized gold-leaf pinecones and cotton bolls in the ornate People's National Bank Building in Tyler. Using a mix of original and historical photographs, this lavishly illustrated book promotes an appreciation of Main Street movie theaters, innovative suburban homes, and even a surprising collection of modernistic soft drink bottling plants. DFW Deco also documents the federal programs that helped build exceptional courthouses, schools, and post offices from small towns to big cities. The book ends with a chapter of short biographies of the architects and artists who created these landmarks. By illustrating the broad reach of modernistic design in North Texas, the authors hope to advance the preservation of significant buildings and encourage readers to explore the region themselves and discover their own Art Deco treasures.