The Institution of Structural Engineers’ Chartered Membership Examination is highly regarded both nationally and internationally. It requires the candidates to rapidly justify their initial design concepts. Concrete Buildings Scheme Design Manual; A handbook for the IStructE chartered membership examination, by Owen Brooker, published for The Concrete Centre by The Concrete Society, has been written specifically for those who are preparing to sit the examination, but it should also prove useful to all those involved in preparing outline and scheme stage designs on a day-to-day basis. The publication gives guidance on every section of the examination, including selecting viable options, appraising the designs, initial sizing, design calculations and producing drawings, details, method statement and programmes. It is packed with useful design data and charts.

Whilst many of the principles in the book can be applied to structures around the world, it must be understood that environmental and geotechnical factors encountered may be significantly different. It is also written with the design of building structures in mind rather than civil engineering structures, such as bridges.