Structural engineering

Structural engineering is a field of engineering that deals with the design of a structural system(s) with the purpose of supporting and resisting various loads. Though other disciplines touch on this field, a physical object or system is truly considered a part of structural engineering, regardless of its central scientific or industrial application, if its main function is designed to resist loads and dissipate energy.

A structural engineer is most commonly involved in the design of buildings and non building structures, but also plays an essential role in designing machinery where structural integrity of the design item impacts safety and reliability. Large man-made objects, from furniture to medical equipment to a variety of vehicles, require the input of a structural engineer.

Structural engineers ensure that their designs satisfy a given "design intent," predicated on safety (e.g. structures do not collapse without due warning), on serviceability (e.g. floor vibration and building sway do not result in discomfort for the occupants). Structural engineers are responsible for making efficient use of funds and materials to achieve these goals. Entry-level structural engineers may design simple beams, columns, and floors of a new building, including calculating the loads on each member and the load capacity of building materials such as (steel, timber, masonry, and concrete). More experienced engineers would render more complex structures, often calculating the physics of moisture, heat and energy as they relate to building components.

In the United States, the structural engineering field is often subdivided into bridge engineering and building engineering. Structural engineers often further specialize into special structural manufacturing or construction, such as pipeline engineering or industrial structures.

Structural loads on structures are generally classified as live loads and dead loads. Live loads are the weight of a building's occupants and furniture, the forces/weights of wind and water, and seismic activity. Dead loads are the weight of the structure itself and all major architectural components, as well as roof loads experienced only during construction. The limiting design criteria include forces of nature such as winds, earthquakes and tsunamis. In recent years, reinforcing structures against terrorism has also taken on increased importance.

History of Structural Engineering

Structural engineering is one of the oldest professions in the world, dating back to at least 2700 B.C.E. At this time, the stepped pyramid of King Djoser was built by Imhotep, who many regard as the first structural engineer. In ancient times, most of structural engineering works were carried out by other professions, such as architect, royal builder and other artisans. No actual record exists pointing to the first calculations of the strength of structural members or the behavior of structural material. At that time, structures tended to be a simpler and more straightforward element compared to today's standards. Nevertheless, the desire to build higher and longer structures with larger internal spaces pushed the need to formulate improved structural configurations and materials.

Here is an outline of developments in Structural Engineering since 1500 C.E. :

- By the 16th/17th centuries, an introduction of ‘Two New Sciences’ by Galileo established the scientific approach for structural engineering. This is also regarded as the beginning of structural analysis, the mathematical representation and design of building structures.

- Late 19th and early 20th centuries, structural engineering undergoes a tremendous development. In 1868, reinforced concrete was developed by Joseph Monier to strengthen cement material that was considered to be too brittle. Russian structural engineer Vladimir Shukhov developed many new analysis methods in structural engineering which led to new industrial designs such as the hyperboloid structure, tensile structure and others.

- In 1889, the cast-iron Eiffel Tower was built by Gustave Eiffel and Maurice Koechlin, and visibly demonstrated human talent for constructing modern high-rise structures.

- Prestressed concrete, invented by Eugene Freyssinet in 1928 (and later standardized by Tung-Yen Lin) gave a novel approach in overcoming the weakness of concrete structures in tension.

- In 1930, with Professor Hardy Cross’s Moment Distribution Method, the stresses of many complex structures can be determined quickly and accurately.

Modern structural engineering’s achievements can be seen all over the world in examples such as: Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge, Mega-Float at Tokyo Bay, Sears Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Millennium Dome.

Specializations

Architectural Structures

• Building Engineering
• Demolish Engineering
• Façade Engineering
• Fire Protection Engineering
• Roof Engineering
• Tower Engineering
• Wind Engineering

Civil Structures

• Bridge and Viaduct Engineering
• Earthquake Engineering
• Foundation Engineering
• Offshore Engineering
• Retaining Structures and Wall Engineering
• Pipeline Engineering

Mechanical Structures

• Airframe and Fuselage Engineering
• Coachwork and Carriage Engineering
• Vessel and Hull Engineering
• Heavy Lifter and Traveler Engineering

Industrial Structures

• Forensic Engineering
• Material Engineering

See also

• Structural Engineer
• List of structural engineers
• Architects
• Architectural Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Structural failure

External links

All links retrieved November 20, 2007

• Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE (SEI)
• Advanced Structural Analysis
• National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA)
• List of NCSEA State Member Organizations
• IABSE International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering
• Structural Engineering International
• Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
• Institution of Structural Engineers Structural Awards
• The Structural Engineer - The international journal of the Institution of Structural Engineers
• Structural Engineering Association - International
• Structural Engineering Association of Northern California
• Structural Engineering Association of Central California
• Structural Engineering Association of Illinois
• Structural Engineering Association of Metropolitan Washington
• The Structural Engineers of the World - A Knowledge Sharing Platform
• Structural Engineers' eBook
• Database of Structural Engineering Software and Structural Wiki
• STRUCTURE magazine Monthly joint publication of NCSEA, CASE, and SEI for Structural Engineers

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

• Structural engineering  ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

• History of "Structural engineering"

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.