What is Structural Engineer?

 I have been super busy the last three weeks. We had a submission, a Detailed Design submission, you don't have to know what that is. So, I didn't have enough time to sit down and pen my thoughts carefully. I have the resources though, both theoretical and application wise.  Today's blog is an update that I have completed my first project as a Structural Engineer. It is a mall at Sharjah, by the name ALJADAH. You can google, it's pretty, at least Architecturally. It wasn't the smoothest of projects, that's what my mini bosses told. It's my first project, who am I to judge? I learnt few things down the process. I got to learn technical structural things, but also the working of a corporation. But maybe, it is what it is.  Ow! why do you have to google it. I will attach the image here. See how pretty it is. But it was such as dreadful for us Engineers. I don't understand the Architecture urge to make changes as fast as they do. Some interesting takeaways f...

It's always good to read about the works and words of the people before us. And I come across lots of writings which suggests the importance of hand/manual calculations to cross verify the results by a software. It usually goes like this : " Whenever I ask a beginner/trainee whether he checked it manually, their answer is usually NO". Manual calculations are a must, but if it's just a calculation, what better than a computer. So it's more important to understand how the software works and gives the results of an analysis/design. ETABS is a software by CSI. It is an integrated software for the structural analysis and design of buildings. It is like an standard in the construction industry. But it is a tool, which gives the results as per the input and it should not be taken at a face value. This series will be updated as per my experience and discovery of the working of the ETABS software. There are manuals for its working for sure. But what good is a manual if you...

As an engineer, Iterations is a part of you. Until you have the required experience, it is one of the best ways to learn and understand the trade. I do believe Senior Engineers require their share of iterations too. For me, it's the endless analysis of structural models.  Don't mind my naming of the files. Lucky for us, we have software to do the work for us. Now you might ask why we don't just do the work with the codes and the books, the manual way. In a way, it is nearly impossible to design a whole structure just by hand calculations. It would take too much of our time and the transfer of Reactions might not be accurate. REACTIONS are what the building/structure would experience when it is subjected to different loads. I did explain, ever so slightly about the loads in my first blog. As a rookie, my task is to check whether the reactions are within the allowable limits. For this, the first task is to model the building in the software, then the model is subjected to the...

"Every other profession has its final product. A car manufacturer has the new model, a singer has her songs, a developer has the line of codes. For us Structural Engineer, we have our drawings, detailed by the analysis and design." That's the pep talk our Head of Design Unit gave at the short welcome orientation.  So today, I will be writing about the first task, other than the training ofcourse, I did after joining the company. It's called Beam Schedule. It's one of the final sheets we deliver the contractor/client. BEAM SCHEDULE: Beam Schedule is a table which informs a contractor of the required beam types in a building. It gives the quantity, size and the different beam types in a particular building. The number of reinforcing bars, stirrups/cadre required for each type of beam and the spacing between the bars. The table is an end product of a long iterative process, and it should be taken as such. The size of a beam is given in terms of its Width x Depth. You...

 Lately, I have been asked of what I do as a Structural Engineer. So through this post, I will explain my understanding of the world of Structures. A lot of people think that Structural Engineering is merely a branch of Civil Engineering. It is kind of true, Civil Engineering is quite vast given its early introduction compared to other branches of Engineering. But to be fair, it should be treated as a unique branch of Engineering. Some of the concepts and theories that Civil Engineer learns is applied and extended in Structural Engineering. In India, one can go for Masters in Structural Engineering. It has a deep connection with Science and Mathematics. It is closely related to Architecture, without their infinite imagination. It is founded on logical and analytical thinking.  Given the early introduction, it has been quite researched and exploited too. Thus we have code books which is our Bible. The work of a Structural Engineer can be put under two categories: Analysis and D...