Structural Engineering

Fundamentals of Structural Analysis

Basic Principles of Statics

• Understanding force systems, free-body diagrams, and equilibrium equations in two and three dimensions.
• Calculating reactions at supports for various structural elements like beams, trusses, and frames.
• Determining internal forces (axial, shear, moment) within structural members using method of sections and method of joints.

Mechanics of Materials

• Analyzing stress and strain relationships, including normal stress, shear stress, and thermal stress.
• Applying Hooke's Law and understanding material properties such as Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and yield strength.
• Calculating deflections of beams and shafts under various loading conditions using integration and superposition methods.
• Understanding torsional stresses in circular shafts and combined loading scenarios.
• Analyzing column buckling using Euler's formula and understanding the concept of critical load.

Structural Loads and Load Combinations

Types of Structural Loads

• Identifying and quantifying dead loads, including self-weight of structural elements and permanent attachments.
• Determining live loads based on occupancy and use, referencing relevant building codes (e.g., ASCE 7).
• Calculating snow loads considering ground snow, flat roof, sloped roof, and drift effects.
• Understanding rain loads and their impact on roof design.
• Evaluating wind loads, including basic wind speed, exposure category, topographic factor, and pressure coefficients for different building geometries.
• Analyzing seismic loads using equivalent lateral force procedure, considering site class, occupancy importance, and structural system.
• Understanding other specific loads such as soil pressure, fluid pressure, impact, and thermal expansion/contraction.

Load Combinations and Factored Loads

• Applying load combinations from building codes (e.g., ASCE 7) for Strength Design (LRFD) and Allowable Stress Design (ASD).
• Understanding load factors and resistance factors used in limit state design.
• Differentiating between serviceability limit states and ultimate limit states.

Analysis of Statically Determinate Structures

Trusses

• Analyzing planar and space trusses using the method of joints and method of sections to determine axial forces in members.
• Identifying zero-force members and their role in structural efficiency.

Beams and Frames

• Drawing shear force and bending moment diagrams for various beam and frame configurations under concentrated, distributed, and moment loads.
• Calculating deflections of beams using direct integration, moment-area method, and conjugate beam method.
• Analyzing simple frames to determine internal forces and reactions.

Analysis of Statically Indeterminate Structures

Classical Methods

• Applying the force method (flexibility method) to analyze indeterminate beams, frames, and trusses.
• Understanding the displacement method (stiffness method) for analyzing indeterminate structures.
• Using the slope-deflection method to analyze continuous beams and rigid frames by relating joint moments to joint rotations and chord rotations.
• Applying the moment distribution method for continuous beams and frames, including carry-over factors, distribution factors, and fixed-end moments.

Introduction to Matrix Methods

• Formulating stiffness matrices for individual elements (beams, columns, trusses).
• Assembling global stiffness matrices for entire structures.
• Solving for unknown displacements and subsequent member forces using matrix operations.

Design of Steel Structures

Material Properties and Design Codes

• Understanding the behavior of steel as a structural material, including stress-strain curves, yield strength, and ultimate tensile strength.
• Applying design principles based on AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (LRFD and ASD).

Design of Beams

• Designing steel beams for flexure, considering compact and non-compact sections, lateral-torsional buckling, and local buckling.
• Designing beams for shear, understanding shear capacity and web stiffener requirements.
• Checking serviceability criteria, including deflection limits and vibration.

Design of Columns

• Designing steel columns for axial compression, considering effective length, slenderness ratio, and various end conditions.
• Designing members subjected to combined axial force and bending moments (beam-columns).

Design of Connections

• Designing bolted connections, including shear capacity, tensile capacity, slip-critical connections, and bearing stress.
• Designing welded connections, understanding weld types, strengths, and inspection methods.
• Designing moment connections and shear connections for various framing conditions.

Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures

Material Properties and Design Codes

• Understanding the composite behavior of concrete and reinforcing steel.
• Applying design principles based on ACI 318 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete.
• Understanding concrete strength, steel yield strength, and stress-strain relationships for both materials.

Design of Beams

• Designing simply reinforced and doubly reinforced concrete beams for flexure using strength design methods.
• Analyzing and designing for shear and diagonal tension, including the use of stirrups and bent bars.
• Checking serviceability for deflections and crack control.

Design of Columns

• Designing axially loaded short and slender concrete columns with tied and spiral reinforcement.
• Designing columns subjected to combined axial load and bending moments using interaction diagrams.

Design of Slabs

• Designing one-way and two-way slabs, including flat plates, flat slabs, and waffle slabs.
• Analyzing slab systems for punching shear and flexural capacity.

Design of Foundations

• Designing isolated and combined footings for buildings, considering soil bearing capacity and settlement.
• Understanding raft foundations and pile caps for heavier structures or weaker soils.

Geotechnical Engineering Principles for Foundations

Soil Mechanics Fundamentals

• Classifying soils based on properties such as grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, and consistency.
• Understanding effective stress, total stress, and pore water pressure in saturated and unsaturated soils.
• Determining shear strength parameters (cohesion and friction angle) through laboratory and in-situ tests.

Shallow Foundations

• Evaluating bearing capacity of soils for shallow footings (spread footings, strip footings, mat foundations).
• Calculating settlement of shallow foundations, including immediate and consolidation settlement.
• Designing for uplift and overturning stability of foundations.

Deep Foundations

• Understanding the behavior of piles (driven piles, bored piles) and caissons.
• Determining the axial and lateral load capacity of single piles and pile groups.
• Analyzing settlement of deep foundations.

Lateral Earth Pressure

• Calculating active, passive, and at-rest earth pressures for retaining wall design.
• Designing simple retaining walls, including gravity walls, cantilever walls, and counterfort walls.

Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering

Fundamentals of Structural Dynamics

• Understanding single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems and their free and forced vibration response.
• Calculating natural frequency, damping ratio, and damping coefficient for SDOF systems.
• Analyzing multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) systems using modal analysis.
• Understanding the concept of response spectrum and its application in earthquake engineering.

Principles of Earthquake Engineering

• Understanding seismic wave propagation and ground motion characteristics.
• Applying seismic design philosophy, including strength, ductility, and energy dissipation.
• Implementing seismic detailing requirements for reinforced concrete and steel structures to ensure ductile behavior.
• Understanding base isolation and energy dissipation devices as seismic protection strategies.

Advanced Topics in Structural Engineering

Prestressed Concrete

• Understanding the principles of prestressing, including pre-tensioning and post-tensioning methods.
• Analyzing stresses in prestressed concrete members at transfer and service loads.
• Designing prestressed concrete beams for flexure and shear, considering loss of prestress.

Bridge Engineering Fundamentals

• Classifying bridge types (beam, truss, arch, suspension, cable-stayed).
• Understanding bridge loading (e.g., AASHTO live loads, wind, seismic).
• Basic concepts of bridge deck, superstructure, and substructure design.

Introduction to Finite Element Method (FEM)

• Understanding the basic concepts of discretization, element stiffness matrices, and global assembly.
• Interpreting results from finite element analysis software for complex structural systems (e.g., stress contours, deformation plots).
• Recognizing the limitations and assumptions of FEM.

Structural Detailing and Construction Considerations

Detailing of Structural Elements

• Producing clear and accurate structural drawings for reinforced concrete elements (beams, columns, slabs) and steel connections.
• Understanding standard bar bending schedules and steel connection details.

Constructability and Buildability

• Considering construction sequence, temporary supports, and lifting requirements during design.
• Understanding the practical implications of design decisions on construction cost, time, and safety.

Quality Control and Assurance

• Understanding common construction defects and their structural implications.
• Knowledge of typical inspection points for concrete placement, rebar installation, and steel erection.