Building to Bridge Engineering
Building to Bridge Engineering
(OP)
Hello all,
I have been doing structural engineering for buildings for ~6-8 years. I have recently been considering moving toward bridge engineering. I have a PE. The architects are killing me!! Any thoughts from others structurals. How hard would the move be? Good idea bad idea???? Thanks for the input.
I have been doing structural engineering for buildings for ~6-8 years. I have recently been considering moving toward bridge engineering. I have a PE. The architects are killing me!! Any thoughts from others structurals. How hard would the move be? Good idea bad idea???? Thanks for the input.






RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
Starting with a DOT is the easiest way and after a year or two consultants will hire you away at a respected salary. Good luck.
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Mike McCann
McCann Engineering
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
-AASHTO LRFD Manual is a beast. Have you ever seen it? It's huge. There's no way possible to get a firm grasp on the equations in the steel section. Each equation has about 10 different variables that need to be determined from other longer, iterative equations. Long story short: you will flip through the whole steel section just to successfully complete one equation. Basically, as I was once told by someone with the DOT: you better have some good computer programs if you want to use this code. For a young engineer, I hated being so heavily reliant on computers to do my analysis for a bunch of code equations that it was hard to get a good physical grasp of.
- Bridge work also involved a lot of number crunching. It seemed to me like less of an art form. Everything pretty much has a set process and solution. Once you have done one typical prestressed concrete girder bridge, you have done them all, etc.
-Also, the DOT has a too tight a grip on you. They are very restrictive about what should be used and what's acceptable, which is probably a good thing for QC, but ties back into my claim of one process, one solution.
The main thing for me was the new AASHTO LRFD. I used AASHTO standard specs for a brief period and might still be giving bridge a chance if that were the current code. Also, I am young so I haven't had to deal with architects directly yet, so my opinion may be changed pretty quickly once that happens. I am started to see how much it sucks to work with sloppy architects. Can anyone highlight the pros/cons of industrial work?? lol
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
What I dont like about bridge design is the seemingly slow process of DOT review and approval, at least in my state. I also dont like dealing with Right of Way issues, that always come up with bridge design. If you can stay inside a box and just design the bridge, and have others worry about the other stuff, it would be great, but working this way is not practical. Also, you have to get familiar with issues such as line of sight, roadway safety, and the geometrics of roadway layout to be effective. None of which is difficult, however, they are important concepts to grasp, which can affect your bridge design widths. Also, bridge roadway surfaces normally aren't flat, and are usually built to a vertical curve profile which much be determined so that screed elevation can be given to the contractor which account for the DL deflection. Again not too difficult, you just need to understand what is going on. You may also find yourself doing quantity takeoffs for all of your bridge designs, which is normally not done for buildings, as most DOT's require quantities on the plans.
Fees are usually better than dealing with Architects, so that is a big plus.
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
If your joy is doing math, it may not be the field for you. If your joy is solving 3-D puzzles in your head, it may be.
I'd think that someone with building experience wouldn't be any less hireable than a new graduate with no experience, but I'm no authority on the matter.
Hg
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RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
RE: Building to Bridge Engineering
If you think that once you design one you have designed them all rethink what you are doing. The new NU girders can span 150 feet, design a new product that can be fabricated locally to replace small spans instead of installing box culverts. Think outside the box, don’t design the easy solution design the best solution. Often they are not the same, educate your clients, and teach them to build bridges instead of hiring a contractor. Counties can build probably 3 bridges for every 2 that contractors build if not 2 for 1. Get into pedestrian bridges were you are allowed construction budgets to engineer art.
Hopefully you will have good contractors in your area, that is one of the biggest differences between buildings and bridges I have seen. Bridge contractors in our area are local, they seem to have a pride in their work that I seldom see in buildings. The relationship is more like a design build; after all we all know that we will be working together again.
If you work for the DOT you might get stuck in the Central office and do nothing but design, great for new guys. Then you can move to regional office and do inspections deal with county officials but you will never get to do all aspects unless you are with a consultant.
I still love buildings and keep doing them to keep up with the codes but I would pick bridges over buildings any day. And with that, I need to get back to a building design, the architect made some last minute changes and need the plans in the morning.