Structural Design Course

Lesson 1 • Introduction to Structural Systems

Covers primary structural system types and their load paths. Connects system selection to overall building performance and design intent.

Lesson 2 • Structural Safety and Reliability Concepts

Introduces factor of safety, limit states, and probability-based design philosophy. Frames the regulatory context for all subsequent design decisions.

Lesson 3 • Types of Structural Loads

Classifies dead, live, wind, seismic, and environmental loads. Provides the basis for load combination strategies used throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Equilibrium and Free Body Diagrams

Applies static equilibrium to isolate structural members and solve reactions. Builds analytical skills required for internal force calculations.

Lesson 1 • Statically Indeterminate Structures

Introduces compatibility equations and the force method for indeterminate beams and frames. Extends analysis capability beyond determinate systems.

Lesson 2 • Internal Forces in Beams

Derives shear force and bending moment diagrams for simply supported and cantilever beams. Directly supports member sizing in later design chapters.

Lesson 3 • Deflection Calculations

Uses integration and moment-area methods to compute beam deflections. Connects deflection limits to serviceability requirements introduced earlier.

Lesson 4 • Stiffness Method and Matrix Analysis

Formulates stiffness matrices for beams and frames and solves displacement-based systems. Bridges hand analysis to software-based structural modeling.

Lesson 1 • Steel Section Classification

Categorizes steel sections by compactness and local buckling behavior. Establishes which design equations apply to each section class.

Lesson 2 • Steel Connection Design

Designs bolted and welded connections for shear, tension, and moment transfer. Covers failure modes including bearing, shear-out, and weld fracture.

Lesson 3 • Beam Design for Flexure and Shear

Sizes steel beams for bending, shear, and lateral-torsional buckling. Integrates load effects from Chapter 2 into practical member selection.

Lesson 4 • Column Design and Buckling

Applies effective length factors and slenderness ratios to design axially loaded columns. Addresses combined axial and bending interaction formulas.

Lesson 1 • Concrete Behavior and Reinforcement Basics

Explains concrete compression behavior and the role of steel reinforcement in tension. Establishes the Whitney stress block model used throughout concrete design.

Lesson 2 • Reinforced Concrete Column Design

Constructs interaction diagrams for short and slender columns under combined axial load and bending. Addresses spiral vs. tied column detailing.

Lesson 3 • Singly and Doubly Reinforced Beams

Calculates flexural capacity for beams with tension-only and compression reinforcement. Addresses over-reinforced and under-reinforced failure modes.

Lesson 4 • One-Way and Two-Way Slab Design

Designs one-way slabs by beam analogy and two-way slabs using direct design. Covers punching shear around columns as a critical failure mode.

Lesson 1 • Deep Foundation Systems

Designs driven piles and drilled shafts for axial and lateral loading conditions. Covers pile group efficiency and cap design.

Lesson 2 • Shallow Foundation Design

Sizes spread footings and combined footings for concentric and eccentric loading. Checks bearing pressure, sliding, and overturning stability.

Lesson 3 • Retaining Wall and Basement Design

Designs cantilever and counterfort retaining walls against active and passive earth pressure. Addresses drainage and waterproofing as structural durability factors.

Lesson 4 • Settlement Analysis

Calculates immediate and consolidation settlement for cohesive and granular soils. Links settlement limits to structural serviceability requirements.

Lesson 1 • Braced Frame and Diaphragm Design

Designs concentric and eccentric braced frames and horizontal diaphragms for load distribution. Covers collector elements and diaphragm-to-wall connections.

Lesson 2 • Moment-Resisting Frame Design

Proportions steel and concrete moment frames for drift control and ductile behavior. Addresses strong-column weak-beam hierarchy and connection demands.

Lesson 3 • Shear Wall Design

Designs reinforced concrete and wood-frame shear walls for in-plane shear and overturning. Covers wall pier behavior and hold-down anchorage.

Lesson 4 • Wind Load Determination

Calculates design wind pressures using exposure categories, terrain factors, and building geometry. Establishes wind load inputs for lateral system design.

Lesson 1 • Steel Fabrication and Erection Details

Produces shop drawing-ready details for steel connections, camber, and erection sequence. Bridges design intent to fabricator and erector requirements.

Lesson 2 • Reinforcement Detailing for Concrete

Details bar placement, cover, splices, hooks, and development lengths for concrete members. Directly implements reinforcement designs from the concrete design chapter.

Lesson 3 • Structural Specifications Writing

Writes performance and prescriptive specifications for materials, testing, and workmanship. Complements drawings to form a complete contract document set.

Lesson 4 • Structural Drawing Standards

Establishes drawing conventions, notation, and sheet organization for structural sets. Ensures documents communicate design intent clearly to contractors and fabricators.

Lesson 1 • Project Scoping and Structural Concept

Defines project parameters, selects structural system, and establishes design criteria. Sets the framework for all subsequent project design decisions.

Lesson 2 • Gravity System Design and Sizing

Sizes all gravity members including slabs, beams, girders, and columns for the project. Integrates steel and concrete design methods from earlier chapters.

Lesson 3 • Lateral System Design and Drift Check

Designs the complete lateral force resisting system and verifies drift compliance. Applies wind and seismic analysis methods to the project building.

Lesson 4 • Foundation System Design

Selects and designs the foundation system based on project soil conditions and column loads. Integrates geotechnical data with structural demand calculations.