Structural Design

Code:

M.EC023

Acronym:

PE

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Structures

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Civil and Georesources Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Civil Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M.EC	33	Syllabus	2	-	6	45,5

Teaching language

Portuguese and english

Objectives

The course of Structural Design has as objective:

- integrate the knowledge acquired in other courses, aiming the realization of projects of building structures;

- know and discuss the design methodologies and their phasing;

- acquire a capacity for reflection on the project, with a view to specifying the objectives, setting the course and defining its requirements and constraints with regard to the properties of the materials and their characterization, the criteria for design, sustainability, durability, etc.

- develop critical capacity on the use of appropriate means of calculation in view of the circumstances and constraints of each project;

- design viable constructive solutions and to specify them appropriately through the rules of the specifications. Students should gain an in-depth understanding of the particular topic they have chosen to develop.

Learning outcomes and competences

The program content is a structured response to the objectives of the corse, since it includes the adequate information and training in order to provide students with the ability to reflect and make decisions, both technically and scientifically supported, but taking into account the surrounding conditions (costs, sustainability, etc.), on the best structural solution to solve a certain need.

The integrative character of the course is also of great importance for the student to acquire, through a potentially achievable experience - the development of a project to solve a "real" problem, experience on the complexity involved in solving a problem and on what methodologies are available.

Working method

Presencial

Program

The course of Structural Design aims to:

1) design and discuss design solutions for different types of building structures;

2) develop these solutions at the level of prior study, which implies comparing alternative solutions and justifiably selecting the one that is considered best; this selection implies consideration of implementation processes, environmental impacts, durability and costs, in a word, about sustainability.

3) perform the detail design of certain properly selected structural elements; specify the materials, construction processes and the implementation of control measures. Projects to develop can be of different types: building structures (housing, business, car, industrial, etc.). Structural materials can also be different.

Mandatory literature

Taranath, B. S.; Structural Analysis and Design of Tall Buildings: Steel and Composite Construction., CRC Press., 2016

Complementary Bibliography

Taranath, B. S.; Wind and Earthquake Resistant Buildings: Structural Analysis, Marcel Dekker, 2005
Zalka, K. A.; Structural Analysis of Regular Multi-Storey Buildings

Teaching methods and learning activities

The projects to be developed within the scope of the course will be carried out by groups of 2 to 3 students.

The mandatory sessions include:

- practical theoretical sessions focused on relevant aspects of the projects to be developed;

- collective sessions coordinated by the teachers, centered on the discussion of the structural design of the projects;

- sessions of support of the teachers to each group for the development of its project.

- special sessions with invited designers to present and discuss their own relevant projects.

Students will have to develop work outside the classroom.

Each group presents their project by providing their discussion with teachers and other students.

EVIDENCE OF THE COHERENCE BETWEEN THE TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND THE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

The learning objectives integrate knowledge acquired in other courses, to perceive and apply project methodologies, taking into account their evolutionary process, reflect on the project, with a view to specify their objectives, setting the course to follow and defining their requirements and constraints, to develop critical capacity on the use of the appropriate means of calculation in view of the circumstances and constraints of each project and to design viable constructive solutions and to specify them appropriately through the rules of the specifications, it is understood that the teaching methodologies referred to provide a framework framework for these objectives to be achieved.

The challenge for students to develop "real" problem-solving projects, that is, the fact that students are submitted to a potentially achievable experience, confronts them with the need to integrate knowledge and select the most appropriate materials and methodologies, providing the acquisition of deep knowledge, particularly on the aspects involved in the project that they have to develop.

Methods of evaluation:

The individual classifications are based on the developed practical project work, considering the following components: content - 65%; form - 15%; presentation and discussion - 20%.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de projeto	85,00
Estudo autónomo	32,00
Frequência das aulas	45,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Achieving final classification requires compliance with attendance at the course unit, according to the M.EC assessment rules. It is considered that students meet the attendance requirements if, having been regularly enrolled, the number of absences of 25% for each of the presencial classes’ types is not exceeded.

Calculation formula of final grade

Methods of evaluation:

The individual classifications (0 a 20 val.) are based on the developed practical project work, considering the following components: content - 65%; form - 15%; presentation and discussion - 20%.