Structural engineering

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Structural engineering deals with the making of complex systems like theInternational Space Station,
here seen from the departing Space ShuttleAtlantis.

Structural engineers investigating NASA's Mars-bound spacecraft, thePhoenix Mars Lander

The Eiffel Tower is a historical achievement of structural engineering.

Structural engineering is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design
of structures that support or resist loads.[1]
Structural engineers are most commonly involved in the design of buildings and
large nonbuilding structures[2] but they can also be involved in the design of machinery, medical
equipment, vehicles or any item where structural integrity affects the item's function or safety.
Structural engineers must ensure their designs satisfy given design criteria, predicated on
safety (i.e. structures must not collapse without due warning) or serviceability and performance
(i.e. building sway must not cause discomfort to the occupants).
Structural engineering theory is based upon applied physical laws and empirical knowledge of
the structural performance of different materials and geometries. Structural engineering design
utilizes a number of simple structural elements to build complex structural systems. Structural
engineers are responsible for making creative and efficient use of funds, structural elements
and materials to achieve these goals.[2]
Contents
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1 Structural Engineer (Professional)

2 History of Structural Engineering

3 Timeline

4 Specializations

5 Structural elements

6 See also

7 References

8 External links

9 Further reading

Structural Engineer (Professional)[edit]

Main article: Structural Engineer
Structural engineers are responsible for engineering design and analysis. Entry-level structural
engineers may design the individual structural elements of a structure, for example
the beams, columns, and floors of a building. More experienced engineers may be responsible
for the structural design and integrity of an entire system, such as a building.
Structural engineers often specialize in particular fields, such as bridge engineering, building
engineering, pipeline engineering, industrial structures, or special mechanical structures such
as vehicles, ships or aircraft.
Structural engineering has existed since humans first started to construct their own structures.
It became a more defined and formalised profession with the emergence of
the architecture profession as distinct from the engineering profession during the industrial
revolution in the late 19th century. Until then, the architect and the structural engineer were
usually one and the same - the master builder. Only with the development of specialised
knowledge of structural theories that emerged during the 19th and early 20th centuries did the
professional structural engineer come into existence.
The role of a structural engineer today involves a significant understanding of both static and
dynamic loading, and the structures that are available to resist them. The complexity of modern
structures often requires a great deal of creativity from the engineer in order to ensure the
structures support and resist the loads they are subjected to. A structural engineer will typically
have a four or five year undergraduate degree, followed by a minimum of three years of
professional practice before being considered fully qualified. Structural engineers are licensed
or accredited by different learned societies and regulatory bodies around the world (for
example, the Institution of Structural Engineers in the UK). Depending on the degree course
they have studied and/or the jurisdiction they are seeking licensure in, they may be accredited
(or licensed) as just structural engineers, or as civil engineers, or as both civil and structural
engineers. Another international organisation is IABSE (International Association for Bridge and
Structural Engineering).[3] The aim of that association is to exchange knowledge and to
advance the practice of structural engineering worldwide in the service of the profession and
society.

History of Structural Engineering[edit]

Main article: History of structural engineering

Pont du Gard, France, a Roman era aqueduct circa 19 BC.

Structural engineering dates back to 2700 B.C.E. when the step

pyramid for Pharaoh Djoser was built by Imhotep, the first engineer in history known by
name. Pyramids were the most common major structures built by ancient civilizations because
the structural form of a pyramid is inherently stable and can be almost infinitely scaled (as
opposed to most other structural forms, which cannot be linearly increased in size in proportion
to increased loads).[4]
However, it is important to note that the structural stability of the pyramid is not primarily a
result of its shape. The