Structural Engineering

Do you ever think about?

Who are the creators of these big buildings & structures?

How they have been constructed?

Behind all these questions……….The answer is “Structural Engineering”.

Structural Engineering is a branch of civil engineering that comes under Engineering courses. It deals with design and analysis of different structures like buildings, flyovers, bridges, tunnels, towers, etc. In simple ways, structural engineers make sure that the structure should be strong and withstand all the atmospheric conditions.

“Generally, structural engineers create framework, drawing, specifications, observe construction sites, perform calculations and overseas the constructions of new buildings”.

“Structural Engineers are the minds behind the safe and stable structures”.

Structural engineers are specialized in particular fields, such as bridge engineering, building engineering, pipeline engineering, industrial structures, or special mechanical structures such as vehicles, ships or aircraft.

The Pyramids are the best example of structural engineering; the pyramid was built by Imhotep for Pharaoh Djoser in 2700 B.C.E.

Eligibility & Courses

Skills Required for a Structural Engineer:

• Good skills in Mathematics, IT and Science.
• Excellent communication & technical skills.
• Project management skills.
• Good time management with ability to manage a budget.
• Knowledge of construction methods, legal regulation and health & safety.

How to pursue Structural Engineering?

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Courses After 12th Science

Structural Engineering is a specialization of Civil Engineering. Students can pursue structural engineering as a specialization of Civil Engineering at master’s level. It can also be studied as a separate discipline. Some of the most sought courses in this field are listed below:

Bachelor Courses:

• B.Tech in Civil Engineering
• Bachelor of Engineering (structural Engineering)

Entrance Exam – JEE Main 2024, CUET 2024

Master Courses:

• Post Graduate Diploma in Structural Engineering
• Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering)
• M.Sc in Structural Engineering
• M.Tech in Structural Engineering

Entrance Exam – GATE 2024

To become a chartered structural engineer it is required to hold post graduate (PG) degree in Civil or Structural Engineering.

Subjects and Topics cover under Structural Engineering:

• Theory of elasticity and plasticity
• Structural Dynamics
• Matrix Computer Methods of Structural Analysis
• Soil Structure Interaction
• Concrete structures
• Steel structures
• Disaster resistant structures
• Finite Element Analysis
• Aseismic Design of Structures
• Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Structures
• Industrial structures

There is no B.Tech/ B.E. course in structural engineering. However, the aspirants can take B.E/ B.Tech in Civil/ Mechanical engineering from a reputed institution and then go for a M.E/ M.Tech in Structural Engineering.

Students can pursue full-time as well as part-time courses in structural engineering. Many colleges/ Universities in India offers M.Tech in Structural engineering through distance mode.

Eligibility:

For bachelor courses, students must have passed 10+2 with PCM group and for master courses; students must possess a bachelor degree in the related field.

To be eligible for M.Tech in Structural Engineering, candidates should have bachelor of Technology/Bachelor of engineering degree in civil engineering.

“From where you can pursue Structural Engineering”

Some of the colleges offering Structural Engineering course is listed below.

• Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
• Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
• National Institute of Technology (NIT), Agartala
• Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
• Indian Institute of Technology,Guwahati
• VIT University (VIT), Vellore

Admission

Admission into B.E./ B.Tech courses will be carried out through entrance exam. JEE Main is the national level entrance exam which provides entry to the first year B.Tech course. Candidate’s selection to the postgraduate course (M.Tech) in different universities/institutions is through Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) scores.

In addition to this, various other state level and University level entrance test is conducted for granting admission to structural engineering.

Career & Jobs

What are the duties of a Structural Engineer?

How they work?

Duties of a Structural Engineer:

• Making frame work, drawings & specifications of various structures like building, bridges, towers, etc.
• Calculate the stresses, pressures and strain of structural components.
• Checking the properties of building materials like steel, concrete, glass, etc.
• Checking unsafe buildings and advising how to improve structure’s safety.
• Using Computer Aided Design (CAD) & computer technology.
• Making sure that the project meets the legal guidelines, health & safety regulations and environmental rules.

Career in structural engineering is open for graduates of structural & civil engineering. Graduates from other fields can also make career in this field, but it could take longer time to get familiar with this profession. Structural engineers play the most important role in the construction and development of our cities & towns.

Job Profiles:

• Chief Engineer
• Project Manager
• Division Head
• Supervisory Engineer
• Director of Public Works
• Consultants
• Quality Analysts
• Researcher
• Professor and Teachers

Structural engineers can start their career as a construction designer and can further become project managers. One can seek employment in private section and public sector as well.

Professionals in Structural engineering plays an important role in construction industry. They can also work as a self-employed contract engineer or as consultants. Most structural engineers work in engineering consultancies.

Some major reputed recruiters are:

• Jaypee (India) Capital Services Ltd
• The Stellar Group of Companies
• Jindal Steel and Power Ltd
• Larsen & Toubro
• Bharat Heavy Electronics Ltd
• Reliance Infrastructure

Salary Packages

What will be the salary of a Structural Engineer?

In India, the starting salary of a fresher structural engineer is Rs. 4 to 5 lacks per annum. With a good experience they can earn more.

At senior level, a structural engineer can earn an average salary of Rs. 8 to 12 lacks per annum.

In the United States, the average salary of a structural engineer is $65k per year.

Study Materials & Books

Here we have listed the some of the best books for structural engineering:

• Structural Analysis – R.C.Hibbeler
• Craig’s Soil Mechanics – R.F. Craig, Spon Press
• Foundation Design and Construction – M.J. Tomlinson, Prentice Hall
• Plasticity for Engineers – C.R.Calladine
• Design of Foundations – M.J.Tomlinson
• Reinforced Concrete Design – Mosley and Bungee
• Bridge Deck Behaviour – E. Hambly, John Wiley & Sons
• Computational Structural Mechanics – Rajasekharan & Shankarasubramanian
• Finite Element Analysis – Kong and Evans
• Structural Dynamics – Mario Paz
• Structural analysis using classical and matrix methods – Jack McCorma
• Intermediate structural analysis – CK Wang
• Structural Analysis – Aslam Kassimali
• Matrix methods of structural analysis – CK Wang

For any queries regarding Structural Engineering, you may leave your comments below.