Understanding structural design

The dominance of the computer in the design office has made a high level of numerical analytical skills redundant. With the power of analytical software on each desk, every engineer is able to analyze virtually any structure. This now presents new challenge to those responsible for training of young engineers.

This course will empower young engineers by teaching them how to develop a structural scheme including configuring stability and sizing all principal elements in steel and reinforced concrete for a variety of building types. This will mean that they stay in control when using computer applications because they will be able to anticipate element sizes and so recognize when a computer-generated element size is wrong. Consequently, they will be able to use the computer to refine their design starting from a sound base.

The course also appraises a variety of structures (with case studies) to encourage a deeper understanding of how they work.

Advice and direction are given with the modelling process and the interpretation of the results.

Lessons will include:

• Scheme design

• Element and foundation design Fundamental behaviour of structural elements

• Stability elements

• The behaviour of three-dimensional structures

• Look, interpret and explain the behaviour of real structures

• Reduce complex structures to simpler forms

• Case studies

At the end of the course, delegates should be able to scheme design, by simple ’rules of thumb’ and basic hand calculations, an entire building in concrete and steel (including foundations) whilst linking back to the pitfalls in computer modelling. The course also assesses several existing buildings including those reliant on masonry and timber.  Delegates will be able to configure and explain major systems of maintaining overall stability and be able to reduce complex structures to a simpler form.

Designers. Both junior and senior structural engineers.

The course is based on presentations made for the course.