Structural Engineering

Structural engineering is the field of engineering related to the analysis and design of structures that are meant to resist loads. It is a branch of civil engineering. Structural engineers design buildings and other structures, machinery, equipment, or vehicles. Structural engineers have to take into account safety of the structures they design and build.

Structural elements can be beams, columns or the floor of a building. They are simple elements that a complex structure is made of. There are specialised fields in structural engineering like bridge engineering, pipeline engineering, or design and building of vehicles or aircraft. Structural engineers work close with architects on various projects. The structural design of buildings have to make sure that the building will stand up safely, no matter what environmental problems arise, that there will not be excessive movement that can eventually cause cracking or failure of the partitions, fittings or fixtures in a building.

Structural engineering involves detailed knowledge of loads, physics and materials and being able to predict if structures can support self-weight and imposed loads. Structural engineering combines technical skills with artistic flair. Structural engineers are innovators, and as they create the built environment, they have a great impact on our lives.

As every part of a building will have to withstand effects of gravity, wind or earthquakes or temperature changes, a structural engineer has to go beyond these limitations and predict the behavior of the buildings and their components. They also have to ensure that structures are built according to the specific conditions of the environment where these structures will be functional.

A senior structural engineer can provide expert technical support and supervision for civil or structural engineering projects. One task can be to ensure all the project work is in compliance with requirements, policies and practices approved for the project. He can also prepare the schedules for work and allocate resources so that the project is completed on time and within the given budget. The progress has to be monitored and a structural engineer has to be the one to initiate any remedial action if required. Supervising a project may entail preparation of preliminary and detailed specifications and documentations for a structural engineering project and also ensuring that the work complies with the parameters set out in the initial project.

An example of a project where structural engineers working together with other engineers had to build a structure that was able to sustain a building is The Icehouse in Melbourne. The Icehouse at Waterfront City in Melbourne is the first ice sports venue in Australia. It was opened just as the 2010 Winter Olympic Games started in Vancouver, Canada. The building included eco friendly features such as rainwater collection, reuse of heat from cooling systems and high-performance insulation. One of the major engineering feats was pouring a concrete slab, without cracks or joints for each of the ice rinks in the complex. Structural engineers, together with electrical and mechanical engineers worked together to develop and finalize this project successfully.