DESIGN EXAMPLE PROBLEMS

[DANIEL-JSN]

Hi all,

I graduated college with my bachelors in civil engineering almost a year ago. I started working in a small structural engineering office shortly after and immediately felt quite lost and confused. I assumed things would get better as I learned from my mentors and co-workers, however 8 months later I still feel like I am often lost. While my "engineering sense" has gotten better I still feel like I am lacking in calculation skills and general understanding of codes and standards. A lot of the senior engineers at my firm put a large emphasis on "quick hand calcs" to check things and I was hoping someone would have suggestions on review/practice problem books that I could get to help me in this sense. We work in a very diverse field so I need to learn it all: steel, concrete, wood, and light gauge design are all used very regularly around here and I would like to get myself up to speed ASAP so I can stop seeming clueless so often. Any suggestions or advice is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Daniel

 

[birneys]

A couple suggestions:

1. Look into study materials for the SE Exam. There's a significant amount of information out there, so be judicious with what you spend your money on. I believe there are several threads on this site about SE Study advice. I would read through those threads. Study material will probably be the best place for example problems besides textbooks, and you'll get a jump on studying for your SE Exam at the same time.

2. Read the material codes and commentary (AISC, ACI, etc) as well as ASCE 7. I would start with the AISC manual and specification as I think it is the easiest to follow as it is very well organized. The ACI 318 code has also been reorganized recently, so it should be easier to follow than it was before.

 

[CURVEB]

Look on the AISC website for example problems. They have a pretty good library.

https://www.aisc.org/globalassets/aisc/manual/v15.0-design-examples/aisc-design-examples-v15.0.pdf

I'd also get some study guides for the PE or SE exam. Although it's probably a few years until you take the test, those books do have some really good examples that can help get you started.

Although you should never rely on software to do your designs without fully understanding what it does or how it works, some software packages can get you pointed in the right direction in terms of better understanding code provisions. Look at the results output and try to replicate what they are doing by hand. Good packages will include references to specific code sections and equations to be very transparent about what they are doing.

Read this forum daily. I've learned so much from the people who post here. It's not always a direct answer to your question, but at a minimum will pique your interest in a given subject and give you a starting point towards learning something new.

Try to not get frustrated - this is a very challenging field and it takes years to become proficient. No one ever stops learning, and no one hasn't made a mistake. Just keep asking questions, do your research and self-study, eventually things will start to click and feel easier.

 

[MrHershey]

Borrow someone's Structural Engineering Reference Manual or buy your own. Read it cover to cover and solve the examples.

Amazon Link

 

[MotorCity]

Four suggestions....

First, put all of the code books off to the side and just start drawing free body diagrams and convince yourself of the load path. Analysis is the challenging part as it requires assumptions and a clear understanding of how the load travels through the structure. That is the real art of structural engineering. Not to over simplify it, but after you have the correct loads, its just plug and chug using the code based design equations.

Second, try not to get too caught up in learning the codes cover to cover. They are constantly changing, and its impossible, even for a seasoned engineer to keep up. The main thing is to understand what topics and technical issues the codes cover.

Thirdly, even the best engineering curriculums leave new graduates feeling let down by their degree. The fact is, is that there is so much more out there than what can possibly be crammed into a 4 year program. Your education simply gives you the basics. Only experience and a good mentor can fill in the blanks.

Lastly, never turn down an opportunity to make a field/site visit. Good (and bad) contractors are always a good source of information to help you understand how things get built. Likewise, never turn down a new or interesting project at work. Sometimes the small or trivial projects that no one else is interested in offer the greatest opportunities and experiences.

 

[Hudhaifa]

Great topic. I was about to write such topic in this forum asking for guidelines how to improve myself in structural design.

With regards to RC Design, I was recommended to read Reinforced Concrete Design by W.H. Mosley first. I would like to hear from your feedback about this textbook. And which edition you would recommend ?