EG-154 Conceptual Design Section 1

Module EG-154
Conceptual Design and

Analysis
Dr Will Bennett
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Swansea University
EG-154 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN - Introduction
EG-154 Lecturer Information

 Who I am: Dr Will Bennett – Tutor in Civil
Engineering
 Undergraduate degree: Civil Engineering MEng
(Hons) - 2014
 Postgraduate degrees: PhD Civil Engineering -
2017
 Current research themes: Climate change impacts on coastal flooding and
erosion, nature based coastal defences & sustainable construction
materials
 Office hours: Tuesdays 9AM
 Where to find me: Engineering Central, Office A122.
 w.g.bennett@swansea.ac.uk
EG-154 Teaching
 Lecture notes: The complete lecture notes related to conceptual design,
EG-154 Data Book, worked examples, solutions and practice quizzes will be
available on Canvas. All lectures will be recorded.
 Lectures: Will take place through a mix of traditional lecture sessions,

example classes, and then workshop sessions later in the module.
 Questions/queries: Questions relating to material covered in class are very

welcome and should be raised during lectures or office hours, not by email
please!
The conceptual design aspect of EG-

154 will:
• Explain what conceptual design is and
where it sits within the design process
• Help you explore how to form ideas, and
how your background influences your
outlook
• Show you how to calculate the forces on
and within structures
• Show you how to carry out preliminary
design of structures in:
 Steel
 Concrete
 Timber
 Masonry
EG-154 Assessment – Conceptual Design

 Class Tests:
 Class Test 1 (7.5%): Concrete Design
 Class Test 2 (7.5%): Steel Design
 Class Test 3 (Pass/fail): Masonry and Timber Design
 Practice quizzes and examples in each section will prepare you for these
tests.
 Project (50% of module – 20% of which is conceptual design): Group project

including aspects of conceptual design, structural analysis, and graphical
communication.
 Note: You must pass the conceptual design component of EG-154 individually in
order to pass the module.
 Recommended text for EG-154: “Design of Structural Elements” by Chanakya Arya.

The library currently holds hard copies of the 2009 edition. It can also be accessed
for free on campus as an electronic book (go to library reference: TA658.A79 2009)
 Structural Eurocodes: You can access and download almost all of the BS standards
for free online under the University’s subscription. Go to https://bsol.bsigroup.com/
- it should automatically recognise the University IP if you are on campus wifi or if
working off-campus you can login with your Swansea Uni login.
 Zero tolerance of late coursework submissions - zero coursework mark.

 Zero tolerance of unfair practice (collusion/plagiarism/commissioning of
work etc) – zero module mark.
 Full details of the University policy for unfair practice can be found in the
online Academic Guide:
http://www.swan.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/assessmentissues/unfairpractice/
Professional Membership
 The degree is accredited by the following bodies that all have free student
membership!
 Institution of Civil Engineers
 Institution of Structural Engineers
 Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation
 Institute of Highways Engineers
 Permanent Way institution
 There is more information on the benefits of membership on Canvas

Module EG-154
Analysis
Section 1: What is
Conceptual design
& how do we
ideate?
Dr Will Bennett
Faculty of Science and
Engineering
Swansea University
EG-154 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN - Section 1
Conceptual design within the engineering design process

 Every project requires conceptual design. Taking an idea or problem from

the imagination of the client and creating a feasible solution.
 It starts off as a blank page. It may first exist in the client’s head, A desire or
business need that has to be fulfilled. At some point the client decides to
take the plunge and employs a series of professionals.
 The conceptual design may be carried out largely by the architect with
some later engineer involvement, or in closer collaboration.
 Engineering is required at conceptual design phase on every project.
 The conceptual design stage is the most creative, most fast-paced and most
ill-defined of any stage of a project.
‘Good’ Concept Design
• Ideally we would do everything right

first time i.e. do everything once and
only once
• This is not possible to get a full design
right first time – the system is too
complicated
• Key decisions made at early stages can
have far reaching impacts
• Good conceptual design should offer
flexibility and a rational solution that
works for everyone
It is not only important to get the conceptual design right, but you also need to communicate it.
The communication will be verbal, written and through drawings. Drawings often form the
heart of the conceptual design. This may be through rapid sketching at early stages, through to
neat detailed sketches and CAD drawings towards the end of the process.
Who’s who in a civil engineering design project?

 The Client commissions the creation of the structure and develops the
conceptual brief and specifications
 The Architect is primarily concerned with designing the functional and
visual aspects of the structure in accordance with the Client’s brief. The
architect may have designed many engineering-related aspects of the
structure before you, the Engineer, even get involved.
 The Quantity Surveyor (QS) manages the cost of the Project, and ensures
legal and quality standards are met
 The Engineer’s primary concern is to develop an optimal structural solution
which is harmony with the architectural design, the cost needs of the QS,
and the relevant design regulations (Structural Eurocodes)
 ….as well as considering other constraints: site, time, financial, workforce,
political, environmental….
 There may also be acousticians, building services engineers, CDM
coordinators, a project manager and many more roles within a design team
• The conceptual design occurs between stages 0-2.

Stage 0 is ‘Strategic definition’ and stage 1 is
‘Preparation and briefing’. Stage 2 is the ‘Concept
design’
• You may join a project after stage 2, but you will
still need to go through the process. It just means
that the design is far more constrained and
options may be limited
• In some circumstances there a risk that joining a
project at a later stage results in a design that is so
constrained there is no solution, resulting in going
back to stage 2
• In general it is better for both the client and
engineer, for the engineer to be involved earlier
rather than later in the project
Why do engineers need good ideas?

 The world is constantly changing, so we need new ways to meet society’s needs,
particularly in the context of climate breakdown
 If we don’t, the creative thinking would be left to other people who don’t
necessarily have our technical understanding
 Having good ideas give us a greater opportunity to shape the outcomes of the
projects we work on
 In a future where computers do most of the analysis work, it will still be the role of
the engineer to dream up what to analyse
Deliver a new Nuclear Power station, one of

Europe’s biggest construction projects,
managing rising costs, public opposition and
political uncertainty
Decide to protect or move a settled, close

community at risk of increased coastal flooding
due to climate change
Designing rapidly deployed and

resilient housing, water and
waste infrastructure for refugee
camps
70 million displaced people globally

37,000 forced to flee homes per day
What is an idea?
“an idea is nothing more or less than a new combination of old elements” –
James Webb Young
The Kalideascope
 Thus the process of having an idea is like using a kaleidoscope – with the multi-
coloured different shaped pieces of glass representing existing elements in the
mind.
 We can influence this process via:

 The pieces of glass we put in i.e. the
information in our minds
 How we turn the kalideascope i.e. what
actions we take to simulate new
connections
How can we gather information in order to have ideas?

 The act of researching a problem generates ideas
 The act of playing around with a problem reveals new areas of research
that are necessary to develop the idea
It is not only the information you gather that warrants attention, but the
process you go through in order to gather it
The information that we need to have ideas can be split into two categories:
 Information in the moment – we actively seek knowing the problem we
want to solve
 Information over time – which builds up and we draw on when we have
ideas
The design brief Go to site Previous projects
The client Ask someone
Tools for idea generation
Professional Questioning
knowledge attitude
Outside
interests
The importance of divergent thinking

The previous slide explored how we can gather information to form the basis of
new ideas. How we simulate connections between pieces of information is also
key
Maximum creative potential exists towards the start of the design process
before many elements are set. At this point it is worth considering the widest
set of ideas in order to explore their potential.
Proliferate options
Ask: ‘What if?’
Draw from a
different Design brief
perspective disruption
Challenge the
Learn from central question
extremes
Engineers might be thought of as ‘numbers people’ but a wider skill set is required and
communication through drawing and sketching is a key part of this
The build environment is constructed by interpreting drawings into reality so sketching

is the basis of understanding and communication in the design world
Sketching through the design process can take many forms:

 Concept sketches (quick immediate way of explaining an idea)
 Coordination sketches (in meetings to coordinate a response from the design team)
 Sequence assumed in design (to demonstrate to the contractor how construction takes
place)
 On-site sketching (to capture detail during site visits)
 Details sketching (very localised detail sketching to communicate a piece of the
structure)
 Sketching for reports
 Sketching to solve a problem
 Sketching is a skill that if practiced, will not only you better develop and
communicate ideas, but will also make you stand out when you enter professional
life
 Practice! Try setting aside time to practice sketching every day or every other day.
Try drawing something in 1 minute, then 5 minutes, then 15 minutes to practice
capturing different levels of detail
“Universal Design refers to the design and composition of an

environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used
to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their
age, size, ability or disability”
Disability Discrimination Act, 2005

Bay Campus is great now, but when it opened in 2015…
• students complained because there had been hardly any informal student
spaces designed in. Students had few spaces to relax, study or or eat lunch.
• There was no prayer room, despite large numbers of Muslim students and
students of other faiths.
•There was no space for breastfeeding staff/students to express milk. All of

these have been resolved now! But at extra expense….
The campus had been designed with too a narrow perspective of the purpose of a
university campus. The designers hadn’t considered from the perspective of the diverse
range of users
Smart motorways (where the hard shoulder becomes a live lane in busy periods, with refuge
areas only every 2.5 km) were brought in to ease congestion, but have lead to excess road
deaths. Maybe the designers weren’t thinking about what it’s like being in a broken-down
car, in the dark, in a live lane.
 What unites these case studies is a failure to consider things we lack experience of
in design
 It’s difficult for any of us to keep a broad perspective, we need to think about the
experiences of others
 It’s hard for us to see blind spots particularly when we in a cultural majority, part of
the reason is to do with how our brains work
 Examples of being in cultural majority:
 Being white in the UK
 Being male in an engineering course
 Being a female in a nursing course
 Being middle-class in the law profession
Why does this happen?

 Chunking is the way our brains deal with complexity
 We build up patterns of association in the brain because it helps us to think quicker
 The culture we grow up in builds up mental patterns that make us implicitly

associate things that we frequently see in relation to each other
 When we grow up surrounded by people of a single race (could be Black or White), we see the
majority group as ‘normal/ default’ and we can mentally label minority groups as ‘other’
 When the authority figures around us are all straight, it’s cognitively hard to imagine an LGBTQ
person in a leadership role
 When we spend all our lives around adults, we forget to look at the world the way a child does
(schools are often poorly designed for children’s needs)
 When we haven’t experience loss of someone to suicide, we don’t see multiple suicide risks inbuilt
into the fabric of a city
 Real World Consequences for blind spots:

 Deaths due to non-inclusive engineering design(Car design, smart motorways,
bridge design)
 Systemic barriers to leadership positions for BAME (Black & Minority Ethic),
LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer), disabled
 One tried and tested method is to understand our own lens
 In Engineering Design, we talk about our ‘lens’, how our unique

experiences shape how we see and interpret the world
 Your brain makes sense of the world by grouping information in a process

called ‘chunking’
 It builds patterns based on the culmulative effect of everything you have

been exposed to throughout your life
 It uses these patterns to inform future decision making, through ‘heuristics’

(cognitive shortcuts)
These, heuristics or biases can interfere with good design

“Cognitive biases, reflecting systematic errors in thinking or

reasoning, arise from the quick, pragmatic, and adaptive
nature of one part of our information-processing system.
Although cognitive biases may be highly useful in helping us
make quick decisions in hazardous environmental conditions,
they can lead us astray when making decisions in situations
that require controlled, thoughtful, and logical thinking such
as in scientific endeavors” Leighton (2010)
Example of Heuristics in design – Anchoring

Bias:
The first design idea has a psychologically anchoring

effect on idea generation and a disproportionate impact
on the final design idea.
Example of Heuristics in design

Social Harmony Bias:
We strive to keep
people happy instead of
challenging them
We expect others to
confirm to thinking
like us
Example of Heuristics in design

Confirmation Bias (echo chambers):
Or tendency to accept
evidence we agree with at
face value and dismiss
information we don’t agree
with unless the evidence is
overwhelming.
Confirmation biases limits
our ability to seek out and
uncover the truth.
How a
heuristic
bypasses
cognition
 If our brain is wired into cognitive shortcuts that limit the potential for
creative design, how can we overcome them?
1. By understanding and noticing when we are subject to different

biases
2. By working in groups to disrupt each other’s ‘auto-pilot’ decision

making
3. By using proven ideation techniques

Architectural and conceptual design values

Architectural & conceptual design values make up an important part of what
influences architects and designers when they make their design decisions. However,
architects and designers are not always influenced by the same values and intentions.
The differences in values and intentions are directly linked to the pluralism in design
outcomes i.e. that there is not a single “correct” solution to a design brief, but many
possibilities..
The influence that each design value has had on design movements and individual
designers has varied throughout history. What follows is an illustrated discussion of
four main architectural and conceptual design values:
 Aesthetic design values
 Social design values
 Environmental design values
 Traditional design values
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_design_values
Aesthetic design values

Aesthetic design values are to some degree a reflection of the evolution of styles
found in the art community, as well as more general changes taking place in society
eg. technology, politics, economics.
It can typically be found that the aesthetics of contemporary architecture and design
are influenced by one or more of the following seven aesthetic design values:
1. Artistic/self-expression aesthetic design value
Characterised by a belief that individual self-expression should be the base used when designing.
These sentiments are closely linked to a number of artistic values found in movements like
Expressionism and the Avant-garde art.
e.g. Frank Gehry
e.g. Rem Koolhaas
Eero Saarinen Jorn Utzon Fariborz Sahba

2. The spirit of the time aesthetic design value
This design value is based on the idea that every age has a certain spirit or set of shared attitudes
that should be utilised when designing. The Spirit of the Times design value reflects the
intellectual and cultural climate of a particular era, which can be linked to an experience of a
certain worldview, sense of taste, collective consciousness etc.
eg. 1960s “USA Space Age” or “Googie” architecture
e.g. Brasilia
3. The structural, functional and material honesty aesthetic design value
“Structural honesty” is linked to the idea that a structure shall display its true purpose i.e. not be
decorative. “Functional honesty” is linked to the idea that a building form shall be shaped on the
basis of its intended function (i.e. form follows function). “Material honesty” implies that materials
should be used and selected on the bases of their properties and that the characteristics of a
material should influence the form it is used for. Thus, a material must not be used as a substitute
for another material, as this subverts the material’s true properties and would therefore be
dishonest to the viewer.
John Hancock Building, Chicago Pompidou Centre, Paris Prince George Airport, Canada
4. The simplicity and minimalism aesthetic design value
This design value is based on a preference for simple forms, i.e. aesthetics without considerable
ornaments, simple geometry, smooth surfaces etc and is linked to the idea that simple forms will
free the user from everyday clutter, thus enhancing tranquillity and restfulness.
5. Nature and organic aesthetic design value
This design value is based on the idea that nature (i.e. all sorts of living organisms, numerical laws
etc.) can provide inspiration, functional clues and aesthetic forms that architects and designers
may use as a basis for design or design inspiration.
6. The classic, traditional and vernacular aesthetic design values
This value is based on a belief that a building and product should be designed from timeless
principles that transcend particular designers, cultures or trends. Implicit in this design value is
the notion that if these forms are used, the public will appreciate a structure’s timeless beauty
and understand immediately how to use that building. However, what might be considered
classical or traditional will vary significantly between countries or even regions.
Social design values

Many architects and industrial designers have a strong motivation to serve the public
good and the needs of the user population. Social awareness and social values within
architecture and design can be a reflection of the emphasis these values are given in
society at large. Social values can have an aesthetic impact, but can at times also be in
conflict with other design values. Three main social design values can be identified as:
1. Social change design values
This design value can be described as a commitment to change society for the better through
architecture and design. This design value is closely connected and associated with political
movements and subsequent building programs. Architects and designers that are committed to
the design value of social change often see their work as a tool for transforming the built
environment and those who live in it.
Godin’s Familistère (Social Palace) in Guise, 1856. Le Corbusier Unité d'habitation (housing unit), 1952.
2. The consultation and participation design value
This design value is based on a belief that it is beneficial to involve stakeholders in the design
process. This value is connected to a belief that user involvement leads to greater meeting of
social needs and more effective use of resources, improved user influence during the design
process as well as improved user awareness of design consequences, more relevant/up-to-date
information provided to the designers.
3. Crime prevention design value
This design value is based on the belief that the built environment can be manipulated to reduce
crime levels, and may be attempted through creation of defensible space, crime prevention
through environmental design, situational crime prevention.
Environmental design values

Concern for the environment is not new and can be found to a varying degree throughout
history. Environmental design values can be focussed on the development of environmentally
high-tech architecture, or the modern use of low-tech ecologically orientated building
materials/techniques. Three environmental design values can be identified as:
1. Green/sustainable buildings
This value is based on a belief that a sustainable and/or environmentally friendly building
approach is beneficial to users, society and future generations. Key concepts within this design
value are: energy conservation, resource management, recycling, toxin free materials.
2. Re-use and modification
This is based on a belief that existing buildings, and to some degree products, can be continuously
used through updates. Within this value there are two separate schools of thought with regards
to aesthetics: one camp focuses on new elements that are sublimated to an overall aesthetic, and
the other advocates for aesthetical contrast between the old and the new.
3. Health
This design value is based on the belief that the built environment can contribute to ensuring a
healthy living environment. Built into this design value are ideas such as minimisation of toxic
construction materials, maximisation of natural light, heating/ventilation.
Traditional design values

Within both architecture and industrial design there is a long tradition of being both
inspired by and re-using design elements of existing buildings, e.g. styles such as
Classicism, Vernacular, Restoration and Preservation etc. The traditional design values
may consist of:
1.The tradition-based design value
The belief that traditional designs are the preferred template for buildings because they create
timeless and functional designs. This is achieved by interpreting the traditional typologies and
templates and applying them in a modern way, by adhering to the most literal traditional form, or
some compromise in between the two.
2. Restoration and preservation design value
This is based on a commitment to preserve the best of buildings for future generations. This
design value tends to represent restoring a building to its initial design and is usually rooted in
either an architectural perspective (to preserve something of historical interest), an artistic
perspective (to preserve something of beauty) or a social perspective (to preserve the
familiar/reassuring).
3. The vernacular design value
Based on a belief that a simple life and its design, closely linked to nature, are preferable to that
of modernity.
Civil Engineering Conceptual Design

Whilst the architect will primarily be concerned with the final form and the spaces
around and within a building, the Civil Engineer will also have an important role to play
right from the start of the conceptual design process, including consideration of:
 Design location, orientation (motivated by engineering considerations such as
ground conditions, access, environmental factors etc. )
 Constraints such as BREEAM requirements, workforce availability, available
workforce skills (for design or construction, access to materials, site constraints,
timing or financial constraints
 General structural form i.e. Multi-storey? Low-rise – these will be strongly
influenced by / influence other factors such as....
 Choices of materials to be used (steel, concrete, timber, masonry etc)
 Construction methodology (e.g. Prefabricated/precast vs. made/cast on site)
 Structural layout (e.g. directions of slab spans, beams, column placement) options
Conceptual design is about the evaluation of multiple viable solutions to a problem,
weighing up the pros and cons of each so that a fully informed decision can be made
before advancing into the detailed design stage.
Case Study: Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI) Building, Bay Campus
Continuous reinforced concrete slab supported by primary beams and columns

Continuous reinforced concrete slab supported by secondary and primary

beams and columns
Slab, beams and columns - some structural layout options

Concept 1: North-South spanning continuous floor slab, supported by East-
West spanning primary beams along perimeter and interior corridor
Continuous slab and supporting beams section:


Concept 2: North-South spanning continuous floor slab, supported by East-
West spanning secondary beams, supported in turn by N-S spanning primary
beams


Concept 3: East-West spanning continuous floor slab, supported by North-
South spanning primary beams

Module EG-154
Analysis
Section 2:
Building
Information
Modelling (BIM) in
Construction
Dr Will Bennett
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Swansea University

EG-154 Conceptual Design Section 1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

EG-154 Conceptual Design Section 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Module EG-154

Conceptual Design and

EG-154 Lecturer Information

 Lectures: Will take place through a mix of traditional lecture sessions,

 Questions/queries: Questions relating to material covered in class are very

The conceptual design aspect of EG-

EG-154 Assessment – Conceptual Design

 Project (50% of module – 20% of which is conceptual design): Group project

 Recommended text for EG-154: “Design of Structural Elements” by Chanakya Arya.

 Zero tolerance of late coursework submissions - zero coursework mark.

 There is more information on the benefits of membership on Canvas

Conceptual design within the engineering design process

 Every project requires conceptual design. Taking an idea or problem from

 Engineering is required at conceptual design phase on every project.

‘Good’ Concept Design

• Ideally we would do everything right

Who’s who in a civil engineering design project?

• The conceptual design occurs between stages 0-2.

Why do engineers need good ideas?

Deliver a new Nuclear Power station, one of

Decide to protect or move a settled, close

Designing rapidly deployed and

70 million displaced people globally

 We can influence this process via:

How can we gather information in order to have ideas?

The design brief Go to site Previous projects

The client Ask someone

Tools for idea generation

The importance of divergent thinking

The build environment is constructed by interpreting drawings into reality so sketching

Sketching through the design process can take many forms:

“Universal Design refers to the design and composition of an

Disability Discrimination Act, 2005

•There was no space for breastfeeding staff/students to express milk. All of

Why does this happen?

 The culture we grow up in builds up mental patterns that make us implicitly

 Real World Consequences for blind spots:

 One tried and tested method is to understand our own lens

 In Engineering Design, we talk about our ‘lens’, how our unique

 Your brain makes sense of the world by grouping information in a process

 It builds patterns based on the culmulative effect of everything you have

 It uses these patterns to inform future decision making, through ‘heuristics’

These, heuristics or biases can interfere with good design

“Cognitive biases, reflecting systematic errors in thinking or

Example of Heuristics in design – Anchoring

The first design idea has a psychologically anchoring

Example of Heuristics in design

Example of Heuristics in design

1. By understanding and noticing when we are subject to different

2. By working in groups to disrupt each other’s ‘auto-pilot’ decision

3. By using proven ideation techniques

Architectural and conceptual design values

Aesthetic design values

e.g. Rem Koolhaas

Eero Saarinen Jorn Utzon Fariborz Sahba

Social design values

Environmental design values

Traditional design values

Civil Engineering Conceptual Design

Continuous reinforced concrete slab supported by primary beams and columns

Continuous reinforced concrete slab supported by secondary and primary

Slab, beams and columns - some structural layout options