Aims

To provide an understanding of the properties of timber, steel and concrete materials and their application in design and construction.
To introduce students to limit states design with special emphasis on the design of timber, steel and concrete structural elements.
To provide students with the essential theories and concepts that enables them to design simple structural elements in structural timber, steel, and reinforced concrete.
To introduce students to appropriate Codes of Practice (such as Eurocodes).

Summary:
Put simply, structural engineers design buildings and infrastructure for structural sufficiency. This module is the first in a series of structural design modules where students learn to do this. The module introduces students to the principles of limit states design and discusses the relevant limiting states and how these are derived. The module then describes the theory behind the structural models used to determine if a structure is structurally sound. In this module, design is limited to simple element design; however the relationship between element design and building system design is introduced. Construction issues are also discussed and some of these are demonstrated with a series of practical classes where full sized steel beams, concrete beams and steel columns are tested to destruction. Analyses of test results help to reinforce the theory. Finally, students are introduced to relevant Codes of Practice for designing structures.

Outline Of Syllabus

Material science, technology, and behaviour of timber, steel and concrete, introduction to reliability theory and the principles of limit state design, limiting states relevant for structural design of timber, steel and concrete structures, bending of reinforced concrete beams at service loads, bending of reinforced concrete at ultimate limit state, shear in reinforced concrete beams, concrete compression members. Steel tension members, steel compression members, steel members subjected to bending. Timber subjected to compression and timber subjected to bending

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This subject is a professional, design type subject and as such the teaching tries to simulate a work environment as closely as possible. Teaching and learning is mainly through lectures and design examples. Students are encouraged to practise example problems at home and to do further reading. Solutions to these problems are given in the lectures. Practical classes help to introduce practical aspects of structural design and analyses of test results from these practical classes help to reinforce the theory. Small group teaching activities are run to give students the opportunity to further their understanding and solve examples.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The learning outcomes from this module are essential if students are to become chartered structural engineers. As such it is important that the material is not only understood, but can be quickly applied in a variety of situations. An exam is the best way of assessing if the students have achieved this. The practical work is meant to help students link the simplifying assumptions used in the design of steel and concrete elements with the real phenomena. Students are given time to do this then tested with formative feedback in practical session before being assessed via digital examination based on practical results.

The resit will be a 3 hour exam covering all elements of the module.