B4965 - Structural Engineering and Design

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will have acquired the fundamental concepts for the design of structural systems aimed at ensuring the mechanical safeness of the architectural works: direct and indirect actions, constraints, calculation models, measurement of safety with probabilistic methods; design and execution criteria; load tests; regulations.

Course contents

The course is subdivided into the following teaching units:

1. Structural Analysis.

Fundamentals of statics: Forces, moments, resultants; Equilibrium equations for rigid bodies; stresses and strains in isotropic materials; Hooke's law.

Analysis of isostatic structures: calculation of reaction forces; internal actions; diagrams of internal actions. Truss beams: equilibrium of joints, Ritter sections.

Bernoulli's Beam theory: fundamental assumptions and equations. Second moments of sections; stresses in sections. Calculation of displacements: Principle of virtual work.

Hyperstatic structures: method of forces (basics), method of displacements. Stiffness of beams. Moment redistribution method.

2. Fundamentals of structural design.

Fundamentals of structural reliability: characteristics values, design values, load combinations, Limit state design, safety verifications..

Materials for structural engineering: concrete physical and mechanical properties; steel physical and mechanical properties.

Actions on  structures: dead and live loads, wind loads, snow loads.

Conceptual design of structures: structural systems used in buildings and civil engineering structures.

3. Design of Reinforced Concrete structures according to Eurocode 2

Analysis of RC cross sections: cracking, yielding and ultimate conditions; calculation of resisting moments; analysis of cross sections under the combined effect of bending moment and axial force.

Design and verification of RC elements agains shear.

Reinforcement detailing rules: anchorage, laps.

4. Design of steel structures according to Eurocode 2

Classification of cross sections. Verification of cross sections: bending moment, axial force, shear. Stability of equilibrium.

Bolted and welded connections.

Readings/Bibliography

• Structural Analysis: In Theory and Practice, Alan Williams, 2009, Elsevier
• Structural and Stress Analysis 4th Edition, T.H.G. Megson, Elsevier

Teaching methods

Lectures with the support blackboard and powerpoint presentations. Homework assignments.

Assessment methods

Achievements will be assessed by means of homework assignments and a final written examination. They are based on an analytical assessment of the learning outcomes described above.

The written examination is closed-book ad aims at evaluating the knowledge and critical understanding of the key concepts of the course. It is based on exercises on structural analysis and structural design. The duration spans from 120 min. to 180 min., depending on the questions.

In order to obtain a passing grade, students are required to demonstrate a knowledge of the key concepts of the subjects, some ability for critical application, and a comprehensible use of technical language. A failing grade will be awarded if students show knowledge gaps in key-concepts of the subject, inappropriate use of language, and/or logic failures in the analysis of the subject.

Teaching tools

Blackboard and powerpoint presentations. For homework, educational versions of softwares for structural analysis. Instructional shaking table.

Office hours

See the website of Nicola Buratti

See the website of Claudio Mazzotti

See the website of Nzeeh Roumia