Details
1-day course
CPD Credit: 6 hours, C1
Course Aim
The aim of this course is to provide participants with an understanding of qualitative analysis techniques used in structural analysis
Course Overview
This course provides a comprehensive review of qualitative analysis methods, for two dimensional beams and frames, commonly introduced in the early stages of structural analysis in civil/structural engineering degrees.
Good qualitative analysis skills allow engineers to quickly recognise potential problems in a structure. This can include knowing which face tension steel is needed in a reinforced concrete structure; how the behaviour of the structure can change during construction due to placement of temporary supports or method of installation; the impact of alternative boundary conditions; or, as a method of verification of outputs from computational analysis. The course emphasises the significance of qualitative analysis in understanding and predicting the behaviour of structures, which serves as a valuable skill for structural engineers.
Participants are expected to have completed a civil/structural engineering degree and possess familiarity with terms needed in the production of bending moment diagrams (BMD), shear force diagrams (SFD), and deflected shape diagrams (DSD). However, the course will begin with foundational concepts in qualitative analysis and progressively advance throughout the day, ensuring that participants can develop their skills in this area even without prior expertise in qualitative analysis.
Learning Objectives
After the course, participants should be able to:
Demonstrate the effect different load types have on a BMD and SFD.
Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the BMD and DSD.
Demonstrate an understanding of the effect boundary conditions have on the response of the structure.
Carry out checks on diagrams (BMD, SFD, DSD) and identify errors in them.
Programme
The course will involve working through examples individually and/or in groups throughout the day.
Morning Session – Building the Skills
- Check-in on current knowledge
- Basics of Diagrams
- Effect of Load Types
- Joints in Frames
- Boundary Conditions
- Points of contraflexure
- Basic Skills on Simpler Problems
- Predicting deflections
- Reaction directions
- Tension faces
- Building to completed BMD
- Comparing diagrams
Afternoon Session – Applying the Skills
- Using the tools from the morning to apply to increasing complexity of frames.
- Check-out on current knowledge.
Who should attend
Recent graduates from Civil/Structural Engineering courses involved in structural design. Some background knowledge is expected but not necessary.
Trainer’s Profile
Louise Lynch MSc BEng CEng MIEI
Louise is a Lecturer in the School of Transport and Civil Engineering at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) since 2016. Prior to lecturing Louise worked in industry for 10 years, with both site and design office experience. Louise’s master’s thesis was on dynamic loads from people bouncing. She is currently working on her PhD with the University of Bristol on Overuse of Material in Structural Engineering.
Please contact the Team for further information on scheduled course dates and In-Company options. You can reach us by phone: 01 665 1305 or email cpdtraining@engineersireland.ie