CH 3

Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures
IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG

1
ROLE OF STRUCTURAL
ENGINEER IN THE 21
st
CENTURY

2
ROLE OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IN THE 21
st
CENTURY
CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
THE CHALLENGE FACING THE DESIGNER
DURABILITY AND LIFE CYCLE COST
ISSUES
THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF STRUCTURAL
ENGINEER
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
CONCLUDING REMARKS

3
INTRODUCTION
Engineers - Creators of artefacts, using their ingenuity
and capacity for original thinking within the
constraints of affordability and practicability

- Understand the role of financing, project
management and information technology in
improving the quality of designs

- Full and on-going interaction between other
members of the design team is essential to
maintain effective communication across
professional boundaries

4
INTRODUCTION
Besides principal role as an innovator, the designer
of constructed facility has to ensure that his plan is

Fit for its purpose
Economical and durable
Safe, both for the users and for the environment
Buildable, without inconveniencing the community
Aesthetically pleasing.


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CHALLENGE FACING THE DESIGNER
There is no single correct solution to design
problem. There are many correct solutions due to

Designs are subjective to individual taste
Solutions are different according to specific
requirement
Designers own individual bias

Design problems are open ended

6
Goals of the design project are

Safety of the structure and human beings
Timely completion of the project
Cost within the budgeted estimate

Engineering design:

A creative activity of building a new artefact which
provides an optimum solution to satisfy a defined
requirement or need without endangering the
environment.

7
Herbert Hoover, a former President of the United
States of America - described the Engineering
profession as follows (1961):

It is a great profession. There is the fascination of
watching the figment of the imagination emerge
through the aid of Science to a plan on paper. Then
it moves to realisation in stone or metal or energy.
Then it brings jobs and homes to men. Then it
elevates the standards of living and adds to the
comforts of life. That is the Engineers high
privilege. The great liability of the engineer
compared to men of other professions is that his
works are out on the open, where all can see them.


8
His acts, step by step, are in hard substance. He
cannot bury his mistakes in the grave like
physicians. He cannot argue them into thin air or
blame the judge like the lawyers. He cannot, like the
architects, cover his failures with trees and vines.
He cannot, like the politicians, screen his
shortcomings by blaming his opponents and hope
that the people will forget. The engineer simply
cannot deny that he did it. If his works do not work,
he is damned forever.


9
On the other hand, unlike the doctor, his is not a
life among the weak. Unlike the soldier, destruction
is not his purpose. Unlike the lawyer, quarrels are
not his daily bread. To the engineer falls the job of
clothing the bare bones of science with life comfort
and hope. No doubt, as the years go by, the people
forget which engineer did it, even if they ever knew.
Or some politician puts his name on it. Or they
credit it to some promoter, who used other peoples
money But the engineer himself looks back at the
unending stream of goodness which flows from his
success with satisfaction that few other
professions may know. And the verdict of his
fellow professionals is all the accolade he wants.


10
DURABILITY AND
LIFE CYCLE COST ISSUES
Traditionally the Professional Structural Engineer is
responsible for the complete process from the
conceptual stages to the finished structure

Structural Engineer in the 21st century will not be
confined to immediate economic and environmental
impact and also responsible for the long-term
environmental effects on the community by
considering the life cycle costs

11
THE INFRASTRUCTURE CRISIS
Advances in Science and Technology in last 50
years plunged the world into a number of crises,
which have impacted directly on the construction
industry. Global effect of these dramatic changes
can be collectively termed the Infrastructure Crisis

Problem is enhanced by
Uncontrolled population growth
Industrialisation that resulted in global urbanisation

12
THE INFRASTRUCTURE CRISIS
Housing sector

Land contamination by sub-structures.

Water pollution

Environmental degradation , for instance in the form
of climate change, ozone depletion, deforestation
and acid rain

13
THE DURABILITY CRISIS
Is it better to spend (say) 40% more initially, in order
that the life of a structure could be doubled? What
is better value to the client? Spend less initially or
opt for a longer life?
Total neglect of durability considerations in all the
infrastructure projects undertaken so far combined
with primitive construction practices have resulted
in a durability crisis
It is costing billions of rupees annually for repair
and rehabilitation of structures all over the world.
Hence, life cycle costing is now a mandatory
requirement in the planning process in West

14
TIME WASTED IS MONEY WASTED AND
OPPORTUNITIES LOST
When a constructed facility is completed early, it will
result in an early return on the capital employed

Delays in the completion of a project would
therefore represent a delay in the return on capital
invested, besides the loss of interest, which that
sum would have earned otherwise

This essential relationship between time and money
is well understood in the Western world but
unfortunately this is not the case in India

15
COST COMPETETIVENESS BY USING
ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS
In India, the designs are invariably limited to
concrete-intensive structures

Often the best optimal design solution will be a
sensible combination of reinforced and/or
prestressed concrete elements with structural steel
elements

There is a direct link between GNP per capita and
the per capita consumption of steel


16
ASTM E917- 83 (1983) describes standard practices
for evaluating LCC of buildings and building systems

Motivation for LCC is that on any investment
decision, all costs arising from decision, both
immediate and in future are potentially important

Fast track methods in construction in western world
triggered the wide spread implementation of LCC
study that ensure enhanced productivity and efficient
utilisation of the capital.

17
Life cycle cost of a structure can be regarded as
being made up of

INITIAL COST

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE COST

COST OF DISMANTLING THE STRUCTURE

LESS THE SALVAGE VALUE

18

INITIAL COST

Actual Cash Cost
Cost of the Investment Lock-Up without Returns
(The Time Cost)
Cost penalty to the Community due to
inappropriate Construction (Hidden Penalty
Cost)
Cost of damage to the Environment due to
Pollution (The Environment Cost)
Total Initial Cost

19

Flyover construction - The Indian way

20

Flyover construction - The Indian way

21

Do the business need roads?

22

Do the business need roads?

23

Where else do we store junk?

24

Where else do we store junk?

25

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE COST

Contributes to the longevity of structure

Economising this cost results in increased
expenditure later date

Most neglected activity in India

Problem is compounded by several myths
prevailing in Engineers and Architects

26

Myths

Concrete lasts forever without maintenance
Concrete bridges outlast steel bridges
Concrete bridges last forever without
maintenance
Structural steel can not be adequately protected
from corrosion
A steel structure is less safe in a fire than other
types of structures
Maintenance of Concrete intensive structures is
significantly cheaper than that of Steel
intensive Structures

27
COST OF DISMANTLING THE STRUCTURE
AT THE END OF ITS LIFE

Cost of dismantling steel structure is well below
R.C. structure

SALVAGE VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION
PRODUCTS

Cost of material recovered from steel-intensive
construction is almost equal to the original cost

28
EVERYDAY LIFE OF A
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Structural engineer designs structural systems for
buildings, bridges, dams, offshore platforms etc.

System - An assemblage of components with
specific objectives and goals and subject to certain
constraints.

Any constructed facility is a system; Structural
system is one of its major sub systems.

Components of the structural system have to meet
design requirements of strength and stiffness while
satisfying economy, buildability and durability
criteria.

29

Examples of Steel Framed Structures
Braced frame Moment resisting
frame
Core and suspended
floors

30

Saw tooth roof Space frame roof

31

Pylon
Lattice girder
Tapered portal

32
GOALS
Every system will have goals and specify what
the system is to accomplish and how it will effect
the environment and other systems

They are made in statements of specific design
objectives such as
purpose
time limitation
cost limitation
environmental constraints

33
SYSTEM OBJECTIVES
Objectives explain in detail the requirements that the
system must satisfy to attain the goals.
Some essential objectives are

Health, safety and welfare of occupants of the structure
Minimization of initial cost
Life cycle cost
Construction time

One criterion must be associated with each objective;
it helps to evaluate alternative systems for the
structure.

34
CONSTRAINTS AND STANDARDS
Constraints: Restrictions on the values of design
variables that represent properties of the system,
which are under the control of the designer. (For
example, an I-beam section of 200 mm depth may
be desirable, but not available.)

Standard: Value or range of values associated
with each constraint


35
CODES AND SPECIFICATIONS
Structural engineer uses relevant codes and
specifications in design of structures
A detailed set of rules and suggestions for design
of a class of structures is called an engineering
specification. Interested party prepares these
specifications and they have no legal or official
sanction.
Codes are frequently formulated by a group of
professionals with a view to their adoption by the
profession as a whole. Revised at regular
intervals.


36
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
Principal design requirement of a structure is
that it should be both buildable and fit for its
purpose.

Fitness for purpose requirement of the
constructed facility depends on the satisfaction
of its structural and other requirements.

Other design requirements include those of
economy and harmony.


37
MULTI - DISCIPLINE PROJECT ORGANISATION
Owners
representative
Design Team
Management
Lead disciplines
Principal
disciplines
Support
disciplines
THE PROJECT MANAGER Engineer or Architect
DESIGN PROFESSIONAL
Engineer or Architect
Lead design team leader
Engineer or Architect
Struct.
Engg
Electrical
Engg.
Architecture
Mech
Engg.
Civil
Engg.
Geotech.
.Engg
Survey-
ing
Space
planning
Land
Scaping
Scheduling,
Estimating
Urban
planning

38

THE OVERALL
DESIGN PROCESS
Definition of the
problem
Use
Consideration of
alternative designs
Primary design
Selection
Modification
Final design
Final evaluation
Documentation
Execution

39
The structural design process
Design Criteria
Design Codes
Design criteria
Design codes
Knowledge
Experience
Imagination
Intuition
Creativity
Invention or modification of
structural system
Preliminary analysis
Approximation
Loads
Behaviour
Proportioning Members and Joints
Analysis
Loads
Behaviour
Evaluation
Final Design

40
DESIGN VERSUS ANALYSIS
In an analysis problem, all the parameters
are known - a unique solution can be
arrived.

Designer has to make several decisions,
each of which could affect the final result.
As a consequence, no unique solution can
be offered

41
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
Design for strength

Specifies that the design resistance of a structural
component is greater than the required strength to
transmit the loads safely

Design for serviceability

In the serviceability design criteria for structures, the
designer seeks to make the structure sufficiently stiff so
that its deflections under the most adverse working
loads will not affect its serviceability


42
FACTORS CONSIDERED IN THE
DESIGN COMPARISON
Materials to be used
Arrangement and structural system and flooring
system to be adopted
Fabrication and type of jointing
Method of erection of the framework to be used
Type of construction for floor, walls, cladding and
finishes
Installation of ventilating/ heating plant, lifts,
water supply, power etc.
Corrosion protection required
Fire protection required
Operating and maintenance costs


43
MAJOR BUILDING STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS
Wall-bearing construction
Beam and column construction
Trusses
Rigid frames
Arches
Suspension cables and cable-stayed systems
Steel lamella roof
Dome


44

Beam and column construction

45
Single Bay, SingleStorey Structures
Knee brace 3 pin portal Flat

46

Cable stayed structures

47
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Role of a structural engineer in designing
constructed facilities in 21
st
century is discussed.
Importance of life cycle costing and a rational
selection of appropriate materials for construction
is stressed .
A strong case is made to account for durability
and environmental considerations in the design
process.
Structural design process and structural systems
are described.

CH 3

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Teaching Resource in Design of Steel Structures

IIT Madras, SERC Madras, Anna Univ., INSDAG

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