48359 Structural Design 1

Requisite(s): 48349 Structural Analysis AND 48352c Construction Materials
Fields of practice: Civil Engineering program
Undergraduate
Subject coordinator: Richard Lai

All engineers who wish to practice as civil engineers in Australia must have a competent knowledge of structural design to the relevant current Australian Standards, and a competent knowledge of structural analysis to allow the design to be done. Structural analysis is an integral part of the structural design process because it allows engineers to model the behaviour of structures under load and to determine the design actions induced by the applied loads. The prior structural subjects that students have completed have introduced them to statics, solid mechanics, simple aspects of the (structural) design process, the structural behaviours of materials (in the corequisite subject) and methods of structural analysis. Structural design then builds on prior fundamental knowledge of material properties and structural analysis and allows the engineer to design a safe and economical structure complying with the requirements of the relevant Australian Standards, based on his or her knowledge of and experience in structural behaviour.

Students learn about structural behaviour and become competent in the structural design of reinforced concrete elements (beams, slabs and columns) and of timber elements (beams, columns, tension members, beam-columns and bolted and nailed connections) in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards. The competence gained in structural analysis assists students in gaining experience and competence in the structural design of these structural components.

Topics include: reinforced concrete – introduction to reinforced concrete behaviour, uncracked and cracked section analyses, linear elastic and ultimate behaviour in beams, serviceability of beams and ultimate strength design for moment and shear in beams, one-way, two-way and flat slab analysis and design, punching shear, column design (stocky and slender) and reinforcement detailing; timber – introduction to timber behaviour, material properties and supply, design of tension and compression members, design for moment, shear, bearing and deflection in beams, design for combined actions, design of nailed and bolted Type 1 connections and durability-based design.

Assessment: assignments (25 per cent), mid-semester examination (35 per cent), short-answer quiz (5 per cent) and an examination (35 per cent).

Typical availability

Autumn semester, City campus
Spring semester, City campus
Autumn semester, Hong Kong
Spring semester, Hong Kong
Summer session, Hong Kong
Winter session, Hong Kong