What is Structural Engineering

Somewhere around the 27th century B.C.E., Imhotep constructed the first step pyramid of Egypt, which is considered to be the earliest large-scale cut stone construction ever built. It was back then that structural engineering started becoming an indispensable presence in society.

Structural engineering is perhaps one of the oldest engineering disciplines. It became a more defined and formalized profession with the emergence of the architecture as a distinct profession from the engineering during the industrial revolution in the late 19th century. Until then, the architect and the structural engineer were usually the same — the master builder. Only with the development of specialized knowledge of structural theories that emerged during the 19th and early 20th centuries, did the professional structural engineer come into existence.

The discipline focuses on designing structures to withstand the stresses and pressures of their environment. In other words, structural engineers make sure that buildings and bridges don’t collapse. They are also responsible for some of the most innovative projects and designs that are quite literally changing the world around us. With every new important project, the industry is revolutionized.

The role of a structural engineer today involves a significant understanding of both static and dynamic loading. The complexity of modern structures often requires a great deal of creativity from the engineer in order to ensure the structures support and resist the loads they are subjected to.

An in-depth understanding of physics and mathematics, technical skills, communication skills, creativity, project management and critical thinking are the most important skills for a structural engineer. Increasingly challenging projects require the use of computer-aided design systems, so proficiency with computers is also essential.

Structural engineering is also a very high-tech and cutting-edge discipline. The design of Dubai’s 160-story building, Burj Khalifa, is an example. The design of such a structure was possible thanks to the use of computer simulation and modeling tools, and also thanks to the advanced skills of the engineers that used those tools.