Now that we know what a structure is. How do we design one? Designers usually follow a process when constructing a building. Here is an outline of this general procedure:
The first step is to create the building's frame. Typically, the engineer would make an initial model based on the architect's plans. It includes, for example, positioning components, giving them properties, and assigning their behavior.
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Next, one must identify all possible loads the created model in the previous step may experience during its lifetime. These represent the forces that the building will carry. Usually, we find these using structural codes and reliable resources. Examples include the following:
After identifying loads comes analysis. The main goal of this step is to investigate the structure's behavior. Later on, we'll see how this stage answers questions about the structure's stability, reactions, stresses, and deflection under the loads set in Stage 2.
After studying the structure's behavior in the previous step, engineers can design the building parts. Through this process, we finally make a safe and usable structure. It involves a lot of things, such as:
This stage answers questions such as the following: what size do we need for the members? How many fasteners do we need to place? How should we connect the column to the base? What strength of steel and concrete must we use?
Part of this stage is also to detail all structural parts. At the end of this stage, we'll have a sound drawing or model that the contractor will use to build the structure.
All stages are connected - it is a logical step-by-step process from Stage 1 to Stage 4; however, it may be more than a one-way process. Engineers may go back and forth among stages to address their findings. For instance, let's say we are analyzing a tall building and find out that the building sways too much due to the wind. To minimize this effect, they can decide whether to:
In addition, engineers may repeat the whole process after successfully creating a good model. Let's say we have made a safe and usable structure; however, after running a cost check, it is way above the owner's budget. Engineers may redo the whole process again until they have a cost-friendly solution.
If we summarize the procedure's goal, it should produce a safe and functional structure.
We analyze and design structures using a pre-defined process.
One can break it down into several stages: (1) modeling, (2) load analysis, (3) structural analysis, and (4) design.
Modeling is the stage when we create the structure's skeleton.
Load analysis is the stage in which we identify all possible loads or forces the structure may experience during its lifetime.
Structural analysis is studying the behavior of the structure under the given loads.
Design is the process of making a structure safe and usable. It includes detailing and documentation of the plan.
All stages are connected. In summary, the whole process should produce a safe and functional structure.
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