Structural Engineering: Composite & Reinforced Concrete

Week 1: Composite Structures

• Composite construction combines steel and concrete strengths.
• A steel beam with shear connectors and a concrete slab is a composite beam.
• Shear connectors transfer forces between materials, enabling composite action.
• Applications include high-rise buildings and bridges.

Week 2: Post-Tensioned Concrete

• Post-tensioning reduces cracks and enhances load-bearing capacity.
• Tendons are placed in ducts and stressed after concrete cures.
• A parabolic tendon profile counteracts slab weight in a load-balanced slab.
• Applications include long-span floors in malls and parking structures.

Week 3: Reinforced Concrete Detailing

• Proper detailing prevents structural failures in reinforced concrete.
• Lap splices and hooked bar details show stress transfer in rebars.
• Beam-column joint reinforcement strengthens connections.
• Applications include foundations, beams, and slabs.

Week 4: Foundations and Retaining Walls

• Retaining walls prevent soil collapse, and foundations transfer loads to soil.
• Pad and raft foundations distribute loads to the soil.
• Retaining walls include backfill, drainage pipes, and reinforcement.
• Applications include basements, highways, and multi-story buildings.

Week 5: Tunnel Engineering

• Tunnels require support systems to resist ground forces.
• Rock bolts and mesh provide stability in tunnels.
• Shotcrete stabilizes tunnel surfaces immediately.
• Applications include mining and metro systems.

Week 6: Bridge Engineering (Part 1)

• Precast elements speed up bridge construction.
• A super T beam features a precast beam with an integrated slab.
• Balanced cantilever bridges involve sequential segment erection.
• Applications include highway and long-span bridges.

Week 7: Bridge Engineering (Part 2)

• Bridges must withstand wind, traffic, and seismic loads.
• Cable-stayed bridges use pylons and cables to support the deck.
• Seismic isolation bearings absorb seismic forces.
• Applications include urban and seismic-prone bridges.

Week 8: Wind Loading on High-Rise Buildings

• Wind tunnel tests assess building response to high winds.
• Natural frequency modes (sway and torsional) affect building behavior.
• Streamlined building shapes reduce wind forces.
• Applications include skyscrapers and coastal buildings.

Week 9: Bamboo in Construction

• Bamboo is sustainable, flexible, and suitable for temporary/lightweight structures.
• Bamboo grid shell frameworks use intersecting members.
• Bolted connections secure curved bamboo members.
• Applications include shelters and eco-friendly buildings.

Week 10: Building Technology

• Energy-efficient designs minimize environmental impact.
• Passive solar design uses windows and shading for natural ventilation.
• Net-zero energy buildings incorporate renewable energy sources.
• Applications include green buildings and net-zero housing.

Week 11: Earthquake Loading

• Earthquake resistance relies on shear walls and bracing systems.
• Shear walls are reinforced concrete walls strategically placed in a building.
• Base shear calculations determine horizontal forces on a structure.
• Applications include high-rises in earthquake-prone areas.

Week 12: Fire Engineering

• Fire protection systems combine active (sprinklers) and passive (fireproofing) strategies.
• Fire-resistant beams and slabs incorporate insulation and fireproofing materials.
• Sprinkler systems involve coverage by sprinkler heads.
• Applications include hospitals and office buildings.