As an architect at one of India's leading structural engineering services provider, I've had the privilege to work on many different types of projects. The projects range from big to small, easy to complex. All the projects that I work on enable me to use both my problem-solving and communication skills.The nature of the project is not always clearly established, meaning I have to work with the client to determine exactly what they need and to what degree they need. I love waking up to work knowing the job I'm doing isn't boring and pointless as some other jobs might be.
One day I could be working on the design of a highrise building in the city in which I grew up and love, while the next day I could be working on the base design for large manufacturing equipment in an aerospace factory. One day I can be at the office planning a heritage building and the next day I will go to northern Canada to do a construction evaluation.
Either the structural engineers work with new structures or with existing ones. New building styles include schools, bridges, dams, and highways. When the design process starts for a new structure it often involves, along with other disciplines, a team of engineers (structural, mechanical, electrical) and architects.The structural engineer must collaborate with the architect and/or owner to help their dream come to life for new structures and do their best to accommodate their desires and requirements for that specific structure.This is a particular type of project as it is applied to an existing structure by a new structure, so the existing structure needs to be able to support new loads and often includes reinforcement to support new loads.
Projects dealing with existing structures involve reinforcing structural elements to support new loads, or accommodating improvements in load bearing elements of structures. If building owners or tenants wish to add heavy equipment to the structure which was not originally planned for in the design, structural engineers are consulted.Mechanical and electrical equipment can weigh thousands of pounds, and can surpass the structure's live design load. The challenge facing structural engineers is to find the most cost-effective and practical means of supporting such additional loads, whether by reinforcing existing structural elements or by designing a new structure within the existing structure.The relocation of several large and heavy pieces of electrical equipment to the fourth floor of a heritage building was one of the projects I worked on. After research and design study, we concluded that it would be more feasible to build a steel structure above the level of the floor to support the equipment instead of putting the equipment directly on the floor and reinforcing the floor.
Structural engineers often work with architects on construction projects where the architect frequently needs to change or modify some of the load bearing features of buildings. Some of these modifications involve eliminating load bearing walls or columns, or modifying the occupancy form to which a room is being used.When the structural elements are removed, new load paths need to be established. This can be achieved by installing beams, columns, braces and at times a new foundation that can be quite costly.When the structural elements are removed it is necessary to establish new load paths. This can be accomplished by building beams, columns, braces and a new base that can be quite costly at times.
If there are no current plans available for the construction, they need to use their investigative skills to assess how the structure was built and how the original builder planned to withstand the loads applied to the structure.If there are no current plans available for the construction, they need to use their investigative skills to assess how the structure was built and how the original builder planned to withstand the loads applied to the structure.Upon researching and evaluating the existing structure, we concluded that it would be best to remove and replace the entire floor structure with a new floor system and base that could withstand the heavy loads. It was not possible to repair the floor, as there was limited room in the crawl space below the floor to get staff to improve the structure.
New beams and columns have been mounted above and beside the windows to accommodate roof loads for the new window openings.
The Views and Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of this Web-Site or its agents, affiliates, officers, directors, staff, or contractors.