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Structural Engineering Basic Questions

Structural Engineering Basic Questions

Structural Engineering Basic Questions

(OP)
Hi All!

This is my first post here on this forum and I am happy to have joined.

Now after watching one video, I became interested in structural engineering and browsed a few websites to know the basics such as structural members (columns, beams, slabs) and how they are put together.

I came across Broad Sustainable Building Company (from China) video on youtube. The video shows the assembly of prefabricated steel modules being assembled on construction site with nuts and bolts and the whole structure of 5 storeys assembled in 19 days. No reinforced slabs are used but I guess they use thick boards of wood or something as slab. The whole structure is steel structure.

Sorry for my ignorance and being naive, but my question is whether such a Meccano-like or Lego-like building system is as strong as reinforced concrete structure from structural engineering viewpoint, resisting different loads such as wind loads.

I hope these student-type questions are not viewed negatively here.

Thank you

RE: Structural Engineering Basic Questions

Quote (Shunmas)

I hope these student-type questions are not viewed negatively here.

Student questions are generally forbidden here. You should be okay, however, as you appear to be asking a general interest question here rather than soliciting homework assistance. So, welcome!

Quote (Shunmas)

Sorry for my ignorance and being naive, but my question is whether such a Meccano-like or Lego-like building system is as strong as reinforced concrete structure from structural engineering viewpoint, resisting different loads such as wind loads.

Your instincts are pretty good here. Due to their meccano-like nature, these kinds of modularly assembled buildings are generally not as robust as, say, a monolithically cast concrete building. You wind up with a lot of force being transferred through a few, critical connections. That said, with careful engineering, these buildings can be made strong enough. Much of the pecast concrete industry is predicated upon this concept.

As a practicing engineer, you'll likely find it beneficial to start thinking not in terms of what solutions are the best purely in terms of structural performance but, rather, what solutions are good enough while minimizing cost. In my opinion, the latter is the sweet spot where we best serve our clients and society in general.

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.

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