A good knowledge of the philosophies and techniques of structural design and analysis are essential elements of the training of civil engineers. In this module you will learn about these philosophies, methodologies and techniques, and their application to the design of steel, reinforced concrete, and pre-stressed concrete structures. You will learn about factors such as elasticity, cracking, tensile strength, shear and flexure, through observations laboratory experiments and analysis. You will complete a design project in steel and will get the chance to carry out calculations, sketch and exercise critical judgements. You will undertake laboratory experiments on a reinforced concrete beam and understand the flexural behaviour of beams.

Furthermore, you will get the opportunity to hone your skills in methods of structural analyses, technical report writing and presentation. In addition, the module emphasises the role of the Codes of Practice (e.g. Eurocodes), the application of engineering judgement, and the execution of appropriate structural analyses in the context of design problems.

This module aims to give you a grounding in methods of analysis for both linear elastic and plastic modes of behaviour, and to help you gain an understanding of how engineers apply these methods to the design of real structures. It focuses particularly on steel, reinforced concrete, and prestressed concrete, materials that are often used in civil engineering, despite their complex properties.

You will learn how, for this reason, simplified but realistic engineering approaches are required for design purposes. In addition, the module aims to help you appreciate the limitations of these methods, to understand the underlying philosophies of current professional Codes of Practice, and to gain competence in using appropriate methods for the design of simple structures.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge: 

1. Describe in detail a range of structural theories and methods of analysis, and comprehend their relevance to real structures fabricated in steel and/or concrete and the roles of Codes of Practice;

2. execute appropriate structural analyses in the context of design problems and understand the reasons behind the choices of methods of analysis.

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge: 

3. appreciate design synthesis and the importance of engineering judgment in the context of design within the civil engineering discipline;

4. create a detailed design that an engineer can use to build from at a level appropriate to Masters level;.

5. become familiar with the terminology of modern design codes (Eurocodes) and the limit state design approach;

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge: 

6. undertake independent studies;

7. communicate effectively to a level appropriate to a graduate engineer with a Masters level qualification.

Structural analysis:

• Review basic assumptions for linear elastic analyses;
• Employment of appropriate structural analysis tools such as moment distribution, influence lines, FEA;
• Plastic methods for limit analyses;
• Non­linear aspects of material behaviour and slenderness effects: various forms of buckling; ­Perry­Robertson curves;
• Limit state design;
• Serviceability and Ultimate Limit State concepts (SLS and ULS, respectively) and associated partial safety factors and their significance in terms of stochastic behaviour;
• Structural materials;
• An overview of steel production and fabrication;
• An overview of concrete production, casting, and structural properties with consideration of shrinkage and creep.

Steel structures:

• Design of structural elements, e.g., beams, columns, plates, stiffeners;
• Buckling with consideration for ULS;
• Introduction to connection design.

Reinforced concrete beams:

• Cracked elastic behaviour for SLS;
• Deflections & creep effects;
• Modes of failure for ULS;
• Under/over­reinforced modes of failure;
• Plastic hinges & moment redistribution;
• Shear modes;
• Analytical models based on Bernoulli and/or equilibrium;

Prestressed concrete beams:

• Forms and methods of construction, with consideration of losses of prestress;
• Stress diagrams and design for SLS;
• Magnel diagrams for zero tension and/or limited tension;
• Tendon profiles and load balancing with post­tensioning;
• Structural analyses.

Reassessment will be by a single written exam only worth 100% of the module. For deferred candidates, the mark will be uncapped. For referred candidates, the mark will be capped at 50%. 

Basic reading:

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Web based and Electronic Resources:

Other Resources:

Reading list for this module: