Structural Engineer Course

Lesson 1 • Statics and Equilibrium Principles

Covers free-body diagrams, force resolution, and moment equilibrium. These tools underpin every structural analysis method introduced later in the course.

Lesson 2 • Structural Systems Overview

Surveys beams, columns, frames, trusses, shells, and cables as distinct structural typologies. Establishes vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Mechanics of Materials Basics

Introduces stress, strain, and constitutive relationships for common engineering materials. Connects material behaviour to structural performance under load.

Lesson 4 • Engineering Units and Notation

Standardises unit systems, sign conventions, and notation used in structural calculations. Prevents errors in subsequent analytical work.

Lesson 1 • Determinate Beam Analysis

Applies equilibrium to compute reactions, shear forces, and bending moments in simply supported and cantilever beams. Produces shear and moment diagrams.

Lesson 2 • Deflection and Deformation Calculations

Computes beam deflections using integration, moment-area, and conjugate-beam methods. Links deformation to serviceability limit states.

Lesson 3 • Influence Lines and Moving Loads

Constructs influence lines for reactions, shear, and moment to evaluate critical load positions for moving loads such as vehicle traffic.

Lesson 4 • Indeterminate Structure Analysis

Introduces force method and displacement method for structures with redundant supports. Builds toward matrix and computer-based approaches.

Lesson 1 • Masonry and Composite Materials

Evaluates compressive-dominant masonry behaviour and introduces fibre-reinforced polymers and other composites used in modern structures.

Lesson 2 • Steel Material Properties

Examines yield strength, ultimate strength, ductility, and weldability of structural steel grades. Connects material behaviour to design assumptions.

Lesson 3 • Concrete Material Properties

Covers compressive strength, tensile weakness, creep, shrinkage, and mix design for structural concrete. Explains why reinforcement is required.

Lesson 1 • Steel Beam Design

Sizes compact and non-compact steel beams for flexure, shear, and deflection, including lateral-torsional buckling checks.

Lesson 2 • Steel Column and Compression Design

Designs axially loaded columns and beam-columns considering global and local buckling, slenderness, and effective length factors.

Lesson 3 • Steel Connection Design

Designs bolted and welded connections for shear, tension, and moment transfer, including prying action and block shear checks.

Lesson 4 • Limit-State Design Philosophy

Contrasts allowable stress and limit-state approaches, defining strength and serviceability limit states. Establishes the design framework used throughout the chapter.

Lesson 1 • Reinforcement Detailing and Anchorage

Specifies development lengths, lap splices, hooks, and bar cutoffs to ensure force transfer and ductile behaviour at critical sections.

Lesson 2 • Shear and Torsion in Concrete

Designs stirrups and longitudinal bars to resist diagonal tension, shear, and combined torsion using strut-and-tie and sectional models.

Lesson 3 • Flexural Design of Beams and Slabs

Applies the equivalent rectangular stress block to size tension and compression reinforcement for singly and doubly reinforced sections.

Lesson 4 • Two-Way Slab Systems

Analyses flat plates, flat slabs, and waffle slabs using direct design and equivalent frame methods, including punching shear checks.

Lesson 1 • Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations

Applies general bearing capacity equations to isolated footings, strip footings, and mats, including shape, depth, and inclination factors.

Lesson 2 • Retaining Structures and Lateral Earth Pressure

Calculates active and passive earth pressures and designs gravity walls, cantilever walls, and sheet pile systems for stability.

Lesson 3 • Soil Classification and Properties

Identifies soil types by grain size and plasticity, and determines key parameters including unit weight, friction angle, and cohesion.

Lesson 4 • Deep Foundation Systems

Designs driven piles and drilled shafts for axial and lateral loads, including group effects and negative skin friction.

Lesson 1 • Response Spectrum and Modal Analysis

Performs modal superposition using response spectra to capture higher-mode contributions in irregular or tall structures.

Lesson 2 • Equivalent Lateral Force Method

Applies simplified static seismic force distribution to regular buildings, including base shear calculation and vertical force distribution.

Lesson 3 • Fundamentals of Structural Dynamics

Derives equations of motion for single and multi-degree-of-freedom systems, introducing natural frequency, damping, and resonance concepts.

Lesson 4 • Seismic Design of Lateral Systems

Designs moment frames, shear walls, and braced frames for ductility, capacity design, and energy dissipation under seismic loading.

Lesson 1 • Concrete Repair and Strengthening

Selects repair mortars, fibre-reinforced polymer wraps, and post-installed anchors to restore or enhance concrete structural capacity.

Lesson 2 • Condition Assessment and Inspection

Applies visual inspection, non-destructive testing, and material sampling to characterise the current state of an existing structure.

Lesson 3 • Seismic Retrofit Strategies

Designs global and local seismic retrofits including base isolation, supplemental damping, and wall or frame additions for deficient buildings.

Lesson 4 • Steel Structure Rehabilitation

Addresses fatigue crack repair, section loss from corrosion, and connection upgrades to restore steel structural performance.