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Thursday, 26 June 2008
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I am curious Naughty at timesCheeky most of the time“Model or Muddle?” (Thoughts on using structural software)
Computer software packages are powerful, increasingly user friendly but they remain only tools and can only be as good as the engineer using them. It is he or she who still carries the ultimate responsibility. The reliability of the results depends on the engineer’s awareness of structural principles and his or her correct assumptions on the input data – otherwise, Rubbish in equals Rubbish out.
For a start, care is needed when choosing the appropriate software package. For example, a simple steel frame is best analysed using a straightforward 3-D elastic model rather than sophisticated finite element software. Finite element software is more suited for concrete structures with distinctive features of some complexity - e.g.: Flat slab with irregular grids.
Whilst setting up of some parameters may often be assumed to be taken care of by the software defaults, this should not be taken for granted. Important parameters such as material properties, self weights, load combinations, directional axis, support conditions, etc; require checking and confirmation by an engineer. These should be considered at the beginning before even attempting to model the structure.
A model must accurately represent the structure being considered. This involves not only correct geometry but also realistic section properties, support conditions and joint details. One should not use a model that is more complex than necessary. The simplest models which satisfy the purposes of the analysis are normally the most useful.
After these models have been created and within seconds of running, mathematically demanding problems, which require numerous iterations, complex matrices or even differential equations are now easily solved without much effort by the computer. The benefits seem to be overwhelming as the design outputs are neatly displayed on calculation sheets. However, these analyses and designs can have significant shortcomings – e.g.: selection of unsuitable section sizes, impractical steel reinforcement for a concrete beam, wrong usage of connections, etc.
Thus, knowing how to get the computer model right has never been more important. These are some of my suggestions to assist engineers in their use of structural software: -
- Understand the requirements and choose the right software package.
- Check the parameters and inputs.
- Check overall equilibrium: The total applied forces should equate to the overall reactions.
- Examine the model’s deflected shape, the shape of bending moment diagram and the distribution of forces – Do these agree with what would be expected from the loading? For example, an applied uniform load on a simply supported beam should give a symmetric parabolic bending moment diagram.
- Compare results using engineering judgement with simplified hand calculations.
The final output from the software can only be as good as the engineer’s input, because powerful as it is, the computer cannot think for itself. Effective and reliable use of computer software packages requires a solid understanding of their limitations. The experience of an engineer including an understanding of the engineering fundamentals, the selection of the correct software package and using it correctly all play a critical role in the design of any structures.
Environment: Is Sustainability Attainable?
Ever since my baby daughter arrived two years ago, I have often asked myself, “What sort of a future does my daughter have in this world of shrinking resources and global warming?” One could feel that these environmental issues are far too great for an individual like me to solve. However, this is a luxury that none of us can afford!
As an engineer, it troubles me that, although my work can bring benefits, it also has implications that may harm the environment. For the sake of my daughter’s generation and future generations, I want my work to strike a balance in satisfying current needs and complying with social, ecological and economic sustainability principles. The environment must be protected for the world, as we know it, to continue to exist.
In the construction industry, Dubai has become a location which houses some of the most spectacular mega-structures of the world. Structures that engineers once thought could never be built, such as the man-made islands that are big enough to be seen from space, the tallest tower, and artificial ski slopes, are now realities. As a structural engineer, it is difficult not to be excited by these structures. These audacious developments bring pride, and the hope is that they also will bring economic development/ sustainability to that country. However, they have also had significant, negative environmental impacts since they were built, and they will have to be maintained, in a contrived environment that requires huge amounts of natural resources and expends energy, which generates greenhouse gases. These developments will provide luxurious lifestyles for just a small, wealthy minority of the world’s population.
Preservation of resources for future generations is vitally important. This is because depletion of resources will lead to poverty, starvation, and greater political instability due to competition between countries for limited resources, such as water.
Greenhouse gas emissions cause climate change, which in turn, is already having disastrous effects on people throughout the world. We in the western industrialised countries have been and are still the main cause of these emissions; but the people affected most are those in the poorer countries who have not contributed to this problem. We have a moral responsibility to act – it is not just an environmental issue, it is a matter of an impending global crisis.
However, to me, the effectiveness of this effort is also very much dependent on the level of commitment at a personal level. What kind of world do I want to leave for my daughter’s generation or future generations? Definitely, I want to ensure that they have a sustainable world with clean air, water and soil and a world in which resources are cared for in such a way that they will last indefinitely. This vision does not have to be a just a dream – we can make it happen! As a structural engineer, I am confident that through technology and experience, it is possible to design structures that are durable, energy efficient, and of good quality and that are built from sustainable materials and have the flexibility for different uses in the future.
Humans are intelligent beings, and, for hundreds of years, they have successfully survived, progressed, and developed. By inspiring those around us to incorporate a social conscience into their daily decisions, we can protect the environment rather than contribute to destruction. Not only that, I want to be the father whom my daughter can feel proud of, because, as an engineer, he designed structures that were sustainable and yet satisfied the needs and well being of future generations. To achieve sustainability, we may have to yield and compromise for the benefit and well being of all people. But for the sake of future generations, sustainability must be attainable!
As an engineer, it troubles me that, although my work can bring benefits, it also has implications that may harm the environment. For the sake of my daughter’s generation and future generations, I want my work to strike a balance in satisfying current needs and complying with social, ecological and economic sustainability principles. The environment must be protected for the world, as we know it, to continue to exist.
In the construction industry, Dubai has become a location which houses some of the most spectacular mega-structures of the world. Structures that engineers once thought could never be built, such as the man-made islands that are big enough to be seen from space, the tallest tower, and artificial ski slopes, are now realities. As a structural engineer, it is difficult not to be excited by these structures. These audacious developments bring pride, and the hope is that they also will bring economic development/ sustainability to that country. However, they have also had significant, negative environmental impacts since they were built, and they will have to be maintained, in a contrived environment that requires huge amounts of natural resources and expends energy, which generates greenhouse gases. These developments will provide luxurious lifestyles for just a small, wealthy minority of the world’s population.
Preservation of resources for future generations is vitally important. This is because depletion of resources will lead to poverty, starvation, and greater political instability due to competition between countries for limited resources, such as water.
Greenhouse gas emissions cause climate change, which in turn, is already having disastrous effects on people throughout the world. We in the western industrialised countries have been and are still the main cause of these emissions; but the people affected most are those in the poorer countries who have not contributed to this problem. We have a moral responsibility to act – it is not just an environmental issue, it is a matter of an impending global crisis.
However, to me, the effectiveness of this effort is also very much dependent on the level of commitment at a personal level. What kind of world do I want to leave for my daughter’s generation or future generations? Definitely, I want to ensure that they have a sustainable world with clean air, water and soil and a world in which resources are cared for in such a way that they will last indefinitely. This vision does not have to be a just a dream – we can make it happen! As a structural engineer, I am confident that through technology and experience, it is possible to design structures that are durable, energy efficient, and of good quality and that are built from sustainable materials and have the flexibility for different uses in the future.
Humans are intelligent beings, and, for hundreds of years, they have successfully survived, progressed, and developed. By inspiring those around us to incorporate a social conscience into their daily decisions, we can protect the environment rather than contribute to destruction. Not only that, I want to be the father whom my daughter can feel proud of, because, as an engineer, he designed structures that were sustainable and yet satisfied the needs and well being of future generations. To achieve sustainability, we may have to yield and compromise for the benefit and well being of all people. But for the sake of future generations, sustainability must be attainable!
Friday, 27 July 2007
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