Preferred term: Dimensioning, sizing, design?

[asiga]

Hi,

My education in structures was in Spain, and there we only have one word for referring to choosing all the dimensions and properties for a cross-section so that all Limit State requirements are met. That word is "dimensionamiento". Also, when we choose an initial cross-section for the analysis of statically indeterminate structures, we call such preliminary guess "predimensionado". I'm writing a memo in English, and, after hours of search, both in books and the Internet, I wasn't able to come to a conclusion regarding the English word of choice for these concepts.

When you perform the "dimensionamiento" phase, you check a given cross-section dimensions and properties against all Limit State requirements that apply. If it passes all checks, the "dimensionamiento" ends for that element and you consider it valid.

What would be the English word of choice for our "dimensionamiento": Dimensioning? Sizing? Design? or another one?

And what about our "predimensionado": Predimensioning? Preliminary dimensioning? Preliminary Sizing? Preliminary design?

Note that when we say "predimensionado", it doesn't imply anything about how you arrived to such first guess. Maybe you used some calculations to help the first guess be close to a valid solution, or maybe you just invented the numbers, or maybe your client told you to use such dimensions. It doesn't matter, in all cases it's still a "predimensionado", as it's the dimensions you enter for the first analysis of the structure.

 

[JAE]

Sizing
Pre-sizing

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[asiga]

Thanks a lot, JAE!

 

[KootK]

Preliminary sizing
Schematic design

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[kipfoot]

In the U.S., the terms, 'sizing' and 'designing' are used interchangeably in this context, though 'sizing' is used more often when referring to engineering for steel shapes. So, predimensionado would be like kootk said: 'preliminary sizing', 'schematic design', or I'd say 'preliminary design.'

dimensionamiento, I think, is the process of 'design', resulting in the final structure. (¿lo que ha sido dimensionado?)

Also note that a 'dimension' in U.S. English is the text that shows the distance between two points. As a verb, 'to dimension', is to draw the arrows with the text showing the distance between points. So, 'predimensioning' is not a thing. Avoid that one.