IStructE Core Objective 2.2 – Analysis and Design

This objective is for you to prove that you can carry out and solve detailed, complex engineering problems using mathematical engineering principles, in accordance with the relevant design codes.

During the exam your ability to carry out engineering calculations will be tested, but because the time is limited, there's a limit to how complicated those calculations can be. This is your chance to demonstrate your ability to carry out a full and detailed analysis of a project.

Structural Calculations

You want to demonstrate as broad a range of different structural strategies and calculation approaches as possible. Some of the different sorts of calculations that you might have undertaken include:

Hand calculations; designing an element with pen, paper and calculator
Spreadsheet calculations you have written
Computer analysis package where loads are applied to determine stresses, deflections etc.
Computer calculation package where the element is designed according to standards. (this is of less relevance, although it does demonstrate your ability to use the software).

There are many different types of calculation that structural engineers carry out, and you want to show a selection of these that you consider to be your best which show the best use of engineering judgement, application of the design codes, etc.

You may have one or two projects that you have worked on where you did a huge amount of design work, and you can talk through the project in some detail, describing the different types of calculations you carried out. Other projects you may refer to just to reference a specific calculation.

Some calculations you have carried out may include:

Determining applied loads
- Load takedowns
- Application of design codes to determine imposed loads
- Determining load combinations for different load cases, e.g. ultimate limit state, serviceability limit state
Design of a structural element such as beam, column, wall, etc.
Continuous beam design

Reading List

BIM in principle and in practice – Barnes, P. and Davies, N.
Understanding structural analysis – Brohn, D.
ICE Manual of Structural Design: Buildings – Bull, J.W. ed.
Structural Analysis: A Unified Classical and Matrix Approach – Ghali, A., Neville, A.M. and Brown, T.G.
Structural Analysis by Example – Hambly, E C.
Steel Detailers’ Manual – Hayward, A., Weare, F. and Oakhill, A.
Steel Designers' Manual – Buick, D., Owens, G.W.
Stability of buildings. – IStructE
Standard method of detailing structural concrete: a manual for best practice. – IStructE
Modern structural analysis: modelling process and guidance – MacLeod, I.
Structural and stress analysis – Megson, T.H.G.
The Behaviour and design of steel structures to EC3 – Trahair, N.S. et al.

Back to 2.1 – Conceptual Design

Forward to 2.3 – Materials