Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
(OP)
I am involved in designing Retaining Walls, Channels, Box Culverts, Floodwalls, Reinforced Concrete Pipes, Sheet Piles, Inlet and Outlet Strucutres, etc.
I am a junior engineer and constantly reading and doing research because I want to be as productive and knowledgeable in what I do.
I am curious to see what is the extend of structural engineer work you guys perform. In other words do guys have knowledge and are involved in all types of structural engineering, such designing steel/concrete bridges, designing wood houses, designing heavy civil works projects, designing steel building, desining concrete structures, designing mansory buildings etc. Or do you guys mainly concentrate in a field of structural engineering. I am trying to find out if you guys have detailed knowledge of all engineering subjects, such as concrete design, timber design, steel design, foundation engineering, etc. OR if you guys are specialized in a particular field.
Really appreciate your feedback. THANKS.
I am a junior engineer and constantly reading and doing research because I want to be as productive and knowledgeable in what I do.
I am curious to see what is the extend of structural engineer work you guys perform. In other words do guys have knowledge and are involved in all types of structural engineering, such designing steel/concrete bridges, designing wood houses, designing heavy civil works projects, designing steel building, desining concrete structures, designing mansory buildings etc. Or do you guys mainly concentrate in a field of structural engineering. I am trying to find out if you guys have detailed knowledge of all engineering subjects, such as concrete design, timber design, steel design, foundation engineering, etc. OR if you guys are specialized in a particular field.
Really appreciate your feedback. THANKS.






RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
Someone who does timber design will not acquire experience in high rise buildings and vice versa, but there will opportunities to work in both areas, as well as many others. Rather than divide experience by materials, I prefer to use the categories of civil structures (your current work), industrial structures, bridges, dwellings, and then buildings from low rise through medium rise to high rise.
I suppose I am an all-rounder, but that is after 40 years experience. And although I know a lot about some things, I don't consider myself an expert (unless testifying in court).
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
However, I have been mostly imnvolved in steel and Wood structures, and that is where my specialization has developed.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
I am expected to be somewhat proficient in many materials because of the kind of work we do at the places I have been employed. Someone that specializes in doing one thing all the time (like prestressed concrete) can sometimes prove me wrong or have a better way of doing something. But I still get enjoyment out of diversity, I might specialize later. I have mostly done commercial and office buildings but have done a lot of other structures at least one time. You can make a whole career of just designing one thing, like metal buildings or parking decks. It is really up to what you want to do.
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
Architects expect this all the time.
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
As others have said above, you cannot know everything. I have had engineers with 30 years experience say to me that there is always more to learn.
To be a good engineer you really need to:
1. Understand the limitations of your knowledge and experience.
2. Take steps to expand that knowledge through reading and training, particularly in the area that you are currently practicing.
3. Never forget the fundamentals e.g different material characteristics, statics, physics and chemistry. These things always apply regardless of the specific structure and will always give you a good feel for when something is not right.
I would recommend that any new engineer get a hard cover note book and record all lessons learnt, rules of thumb, and useful formulii in it. I also jeep a ring binder with photocopies of important references. You can never have too much reference material.
RE: Required Knowledge of a Structural Engineer
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering