Structural Engineering is an important civil engineering branch that studies and applies the laws of math and physics to man-made structures. The main focus is to assess the performance of various materials and shapes in order to see how a structure can resist. It’s focused on the idea of stress testing and making sure that you are getting the utmost resistance and support.
What is Structural Engineering focused on?
This is a sub-discipline of civil engineering. Structural Engineers are focused on making sure that a building will not fall apart and that the structure itself is sturdy. In order to do that, they focus on understanding material stability, rigidity and strength, as it’s important to know how materials work with one another. Otherwise, it is extremely hard to identify what could possibly happen in any given situation.
Sometimes, Structural Engineering professionals will be involved in the design of medical equipment, vehicles and other tools that might end up influencing the structural integrity of that location. Understanding all these things makes it easier to create a structure that’s sturdy and durable, and that will withstand a lot of pressure in the long run. That’s why it’s important to assess and manage this at a high level.
Structural Engineering specialization
There are different specializations when it comes to Structural Engineering. You have structural building engineering that includes all topics related to building design. It’s connected to architecture and it brings a tremendous array of benefits and ideas to the table. Then, there are earthquake engineering structures, civil engineering structures like power stations, bridges, dams, foundations, roads, railways, tunnels, reservoirs, and many others.
Structural Engineering also covers mechanical structures as well as aerospace structures, nano-scale structures and medical science. All of these require the expertise of a Structural Engineer who can assess and adapt accordingly to obtain the best possible results in every field.
What type of Structural Engineering services are there?
You will find that a Structural Engineering professional will provide a vast range of different services. These vary from one company/professional to the other, but there are some common services, too. For example, you have constructability analysis, then there’s seismic analysis, force protection blast analysis, alternative design for construction cost, crane design and analysis, repairing and retrofitting structures, fire and disaster investigation, steel, timber and masonry design, and many others. All of these are related to the structure of a building and establishment. Used adequately, they can make a huge difference, and that’s exactly what you need to take into consideration.
Is Structural Engineering relying on technology?
For the past decade, Structural Engineering has changed quite a bit thanks to advances in technology. It’s bringing in some incredible features and benefits, and the best part is that it’s adaptable and adjustable in a very rewarding manner. You get to use state-of-the-art software for things like drawing production, design and analysis. Not only does this help you embrace the process and make it simpler, but you are also getting a much better return on investment. It’s unlike anything you can find out there, and you will appreciate the value that it can bring to the table. Just consider checking it out accordingly and it will certainly make a huge difference.
What is the role of a Structural Engineer?
Although the tasks that a Structural Engineer does every day can differ from one place to the other, there are some common tasks for all of them. That includes analyzing reports, maps and blueprints or geological data. They also estimate the amount of labor, material and equipment needed for a project, as well as the related costs.
The Structural Engineering professional will also study and adapt the grade requirements, computing loads, as well as material stress factors and water flow rates. All of these need to be studied to ensure that everything is working at the highest possible level.
It’s also the job of a Structural Engineer to inspect the project sites in order to track the progress and see that the process is handled accordingly and up to the designated requirements. He will also need to study the environmental conditions and any traffic patterns. The main focus is to identify issues and how those problems can be solved at the highest possible level all the time.
A Structural Engineering expert needs plenty of knowledge in the world of math and physics. He also needs to understand material properties like bending and tensile strength, harness, density and the bulk modulus among many others. This helps figure out how materials will perform in time. It’s crucial for a Structural Engineer to assess the performance that building will have not only in a year or two, but in decades to come and what results can be expected in case of natural disasters or any possible problems that can arise.
Where will a Structural Engineer work?
That depends, but normally you can find such a professional on projects where the use of a building changes, a building needs some expansion or more floors are added to it. These alterations can bring in severe structural challenges, so Structural Engineers need to assess everything and ensure that the entire process is okay to complete and focus on at this time.
One thing a lot of people tend to misunderstand is the fact that Structural Engineers and architects are not the same. The main focus of a Structural Engineer is on structural integrity and making sure everything is safe, whereas an architect will bring his vision and make the design for the entire home, among many others. Safety is still important for architects, but for the Structural Engineer this is the most important aspect and it’s pivotal to focus on.
Conclusion
Structural Engineering is a very important part of the building process, especially if you’re expanding a building and want to ensure there are no potential risks. This field has grown immensely in the past few decades, and it will push the boundaries to help keep people safe within any building!
If you have any other questions regarding your next structural project, reach out to us here today. We look forward to working with you!
