Structural Engineer
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A Structural Engineer is responsible for making sure that the physical structures we use in our daily lives (like bridges and buildings) are safe, stable, and don’t collapse under any foreseeable conditions. Some examples of these foreseeable conditions that these engineers must account for include:
- Gravity/weight of the structure itself
- Number of vehicles/objects on a bridge
- Storms/Weather
- Extreme Environmental Events (like earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.)
These engineers use their technical and scientific knowledge to analyze, design, and facilitate the construction of various structures.1https://structuralengineeringbasics.com/what-is-structural-engineering/
What Do Structural Engineers Do?
A great deal of what structural engineers do involves designing structures such as buildings, bridges, tunnels, etc. Most structural engineers work mainly as consultants to architects or design-build contractors. The architect or design-builder comes up with a building layout, and then it’s the structural engineer’s job to calculate the loads/potential forces (such as snow, wind, and earthquake forces), fit the structure to the architecture, and decide on what structural systems to use.2https://seaoo.org/What_Does_a_Structural_Engineer_Do_
What is a structural system?
Structural systems include steel, concrete, masonry, wood, and other materials from which the engineer selects beams, columns, and other members that support the building/keep it upright. If one considers the human body as analogous to a building, structural engineers would be the professionals that design the skeleton so that the body can support its weight and other forces that act on it.3https://seaoo.org/What_Does_a_Structural_Engineer_Do_
What do structural engineers do, other than designing and analyzing structures?
Although structural engineers usually design buildings, they are sometimes involved in the demolition or destruction of a structure, either permanently or to repair it. They also inspect structures both during and after construction to ensure that they are properly built.
Because the work of structural engineers is closely tied to public safety, they must be registered with the state in which they practice to demonstrate their abilities meet expectations. 4https://seaoo.org/What_Does_a_Structural_Engineer_Do_
Structural Engineer Project Example:
Structural Engineers can work in all stages of a construction project. Often they will lead the preliminary design of a project and work closely with architects.
As a Structural Engineer, an example of a project is the design of a rail bridge for a public entity like a Transit Authority. This requires collaboration with hundreds of engineers who work together to find the precise detail for sizing and planning:
- large steel beams that hold it up the deck of the bridge
- concrete plinths (blocks) that support the rails that the train runs on
- and different structural features of the rail bridge
After the design is complete, the engineers need to facilitate the actual construction of the bridge. Once the structure is built, structural engineers complete regular inspections of bridges to evaluate their active capacity and serviceability (aka make sure they still work properly/safely).
What is the difference between Structural Engineering and Architect?
The role of a structural engineer is often confused with an architect since they both design buildings. But the main difference is shown in the table below:
In other words, the structural engineer makes the architect’s dream a reality. Structural engineers typically work for, or in conjunction with, architects. It’s the combined efforts that create a successful and long-lasting structure.5https://schaefer-inc.com/what-do-structural-engineers-do/
Typical Structural Engineering Hierarchy:
While the specific titles vary a lot depending on the type of company, below is a typical promotional path for a structural engineer:
What types of Structural Engineering Jobs are out there?
Every company that touches engineering or construction will have structural engineers. Some common types are:
- Aeronautical – aircrafts, satellites, etc.
- Buildings – Houses, skyscrapers, stadiums, etc.
- Oil & Gas – Pipelines, oil fields, etc.
- Bridges
- Nautical – Ships and other sea-based structures
What qualifications are needed to be a structural engineer?
Usually, a registered engineer has at a minimum a bachelor’s degree in engineering and at least four years of experience working under the supervision of a registered engineer. After obtaining these credentials the engineer must pass a licensing exam and after passing the exam the engineer can then practice as a registered engineer.6https://seaoo.org/What_Does_a_Structural_Engineer_Do_
However, one can get an entry-level structural engineering job after college and gain a lot of relevant and useful skills/experiences before qualifying for a license.
What types of skills are necessary to be a successful Structural Engineer?
- Good with numbers
- Civil Engineering/Structural Engineering knowledge
- Scientific/physics knowledge
- Analytical thinking
- Computer programming ability
- Good communication skills
- Team Player
- Attention to detail
- Ability to work under pressure7https://myjobsearch.com/careers/structural-engineer.html
What are some challenges of being a Structural Engineer?
- Work hours can be long – often need to complete projects within a strict deadline
- Can be dangerous at the work site – project sites have construction machinery, dust, sharp tools, pollution, etc.
- Remote locations for work – can be difficult traveling a lot and not working in the same place
- Stressful work at times – since the consequences of making a mistake can be very dangerous when designing and analyzing large structures8https://www.apnaahangout.com/pros-cons-civil-engineer/
What are some benefits of being in Structural Engineering?
- Good pay
- Always will be demand for structural engineers, since structures will always need to be designed and analyzed for safety, efficiency, etc.
- Exciting to see your hard work have a tangible, and often large final result
- Unique blend of creative and technical work
- Not sitting at a desk all day9 https://www.apnaahangout.com/pros-cons-civil-engineer/
Typical Salary?
The average structural engineer, according to payscale, makes around $70k per year.
Should I become a Structural Engineer?
If you are interested in using mathematics, physics, and other technical skills to design and analyze physical structures that build modern society, you should consider a career in Structural Engineering. It can be a difficult job but ultimately is very rewarding working through a project from start to finish, and seeing hundreds, thousands or maybe even millions of people interact with your structure regularly.
Structural engineering tends to be a discipline considered as a subset of “civil engineering”, so becoming this type of engineer requires experience in these subjects. Demand for individuals with this type of experience will always be high as structures need to be designed, built, maintained, and even destroyed in a safe, stable, and efficient manner.
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