Significance of Structural Design in Civil Engineering
Structural designing is one of the most fundamental disciplines of civil engineering as it deals directly with the strength and integrity of buildings and structures. It includes the complete process of planning, designing and structural analysis of structures & foundations such as buildings, bridges, skyscrapers, tunnels, towers, lighthouses and even off-shore structures like oil rigs.
There is a strong collaboration between the profession or discipline of structural engineers and architects. The architects specialize in the aesthetics and spatial functionality aspects of the infrastructure and prioritize the look, feel, creativity and functionality of structures. And structural engineers focus on safety, the strength of materials and feasibility of the construction project.
Keep reading to explore more about the importance of structural design in civil engineering.
Fundamental Principles of Structural Design
Structural engineers apply knowledge of physical laws and mathematics. It includes geometry & calculations to ensure that the built structures are strong enough to withstand the loads and possible environmental conditions. Further, it depends on the decisions made by structural engineers during the project’s structural design phase. It will affect and impact everything from the estimated cost and project duration to the structure’s ultimate safety & feasibility.
When designing a building, structural engineers must consider some of the most important factors listed below:
- Structural Analysis to Understand the Impact of Forces
Safety and stability of the structures are the primary concern for Structural engineers. They must perform detailed and thorough structural analysis concerning the design principles to ensure that the system can withstand different forces during its operation. It helps with the information about the maximum load the constructed building can bear, the wind velocity it can withstand and durability under different environmental conditions.
For instance, we are having accurate details of the magnitude of tremors a skyscraper. It can withstand and the safe amount of weight bridges can bear will surely help prevent future disasters.
- Choosing Appropriate Materials
Selecting appropriate construction materials is one of the vital aspects of the structural design. The structure’s ability to resist external and internal forces and maintain a state of equilibrium and stability depends on the properties of materials used in its construction. The choice of materials for construction is based on properties such as — strength, toughness, elasticity and plasticity that predict their performance in construction applications.
- Elements of Structural Design Must Remain Stationary
One of the main structural design principles is elements such as the roof, floors and walls that must remain stationary. A solid foundation helps ensure that the structure is immovable and can resist external forces. The sum of forces acting on the building must always equal zero. The external forces, including occupants, furniture or environmental loads such as wind, snow and earthquakes, will impact the built structure throughout its operation. Hence, the effective structural design needs proficient civil engineers to ensure that structure can absorb external forces by maintaining its equilibrium.
Wrapping up
Structural design plays a significant role in construction projects. The civil and structural engineering consultants use structural analysis to examine the forces that could act on a structure and helps choose materials and reinforcements that will effectively withstand those forces.
