Advanced Structural Engineering

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The appreciation of the structural behaviour of mass timber products from experimental tests.
• The concept of structural sufficiency (strength and stiffness) in order to decarbonise structures.
• The design of structural members made of reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, timber and composite materials, under a variety of limit state loading conditions, such as axial load, flexure, shear and torsion.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Solve complex problems via idealisation and analysis.
• Communication through written reports.
• Apply critical analysis to engineering problems.
• Use practical and workshop skills.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Undertake embodied carbon assessment using existing tools.
• Carry out design calculations for complex practical design situations.
• Identify failure modes in mass timber structures
• Undertake ultimate limit state calculations of reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete and composite structural elements

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Understand the behaviour and design aspects of reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, composite, and timber structures
• Identify the underlying structural mechanics which are used in design codes
• Apply theoretical principles of structural mechanics to a wide range of design situations.
• Apply the basic hierarchy of carbon impact reductions and efficiency.

Part 1: Decarbonising Structures

Embodied carbon basics and decarbonisation hierarchy; Net-zero roadmaps to reduce carbon emissions of concrete, steel and timber; Introduction to the design of timber structures.

Part 2: Prestressed Concrete Design

Prestressing systems and devices; Analysis for flexure; Losses in prestress; Ultimate strength and design for flexure; Shear behaviour and design.

Part 3: Advanced Reinforced Concrete Design

Strut and tie method; Design of slender columns; Design of two way flat slabs; Design for torsion; Design of shear walls; Serviceability, crack width and deflection calculations.

Part 4: Composite Construction

General concepts; Composite beams; Composite slabs; Composite columns.

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include:

• Lectures
• Tutorials

Learning activities include:

• Worked examples
• Tutorial questions
• Coursework
• Problem assignments
• Private study

PowerPoint slides, tutorial sheets and solutions, worked examples and pre-recorded videos available from the module Blackboard site.

Resources & Reading list

Internet Resources

The Structural carbon tool - version 2.

Textbooks

Mosley, W. H., Hulse, R., & Bungey, J. H. (2012). Reinforced Concrete Design to Eurocode 2. Macmillan International Higher Education.

Collings, David (2010). Steel-concrete composite buildings: Designing with Eurocodes. London: Thomas Telford Ltd.

Hewson, Nigel R.v (2003). Prestressed concrete bridges: design and construction. Thomas Telford Publishing.

Collings, David (2013). Steel–concrete Composite Bridges: Designing with Eurocodes. ICE Publishing.

Gilbert R.I, Mickleborough, N.C., Ranzi, G. (2017). Design of Prestrestressed Concrete to Eurocode 2. CRC Press.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External