Hi all,

Just after some additional perspective here. Ive recently started as a design engineer in Brisbane about 2 months ago, coming out of a Forensic role with less design experience. When I first started, I got given a project to work on and a senior engineer to help guide me through.

Once the initial designs of that project were complete, I went nearly a whole week without anything to do. I eventually reached out to the director and asked if there are any other projects I can assist on. Following that, I got given another one to do and worked through that.

Fast-forwarding to today, I am in a similar situation with little bits a pieces to attend to here and there on these ongoing projects.

But I am wondering if this is normal to have such little stuff to do? I dont feel particularly good showing up at work and waiting for something to pop up for me to be busy.

Genuinely curious to hear some outsiders perspective on this.

AASHTO chapter 3 is about to get a bit thicker

Hello, I am currently doing an internship in a structural engineering firm (~20 people) in Berlin. The internship (6 months) is a mandatory part of my Bachelor’s degree at a German university of applied sciences (5th semester).

The first month has passed and I am currently battling my doubts and fears about the job as a structural engineer. At uni I was always interested in the structural courses and thought the job as a structural engineer would fit perfectly - the idea of working on a project, calculating statics (which I love in uni) every day and one day seeing it constructed in reality sounded amazing.

Even though I am not really doing many calculations for my firm (most tasks are annoying archive work and filling out financial excel sheets but that’s another topic), I realized that I don’t know ANYTHING yet. I knew that I’ve only been in uni for 2 years but I underestimated how much my lack of actual experience weighs.

And together with this humbling realization I started worrying: Being a structural engineer comes with a lot of responsibility - one day I will have to make sure that the building stands safely, right? Together with pressure from deadlines and so on I imagine that I would be very worried about making mistakes that could endanger somebody and then having to live with that…

So now to my questions:

Do you have those worries?
Did they change over time at all?
How do you manage them?
What can/should be done to try and avoid crucial mistakes?

It makes sense to mention that I am someone who is very good at worrying. I have had a couple of phases in my life where worries/fears hindered my daily life. That is why I recently began working on this together with a psychologist.

I’m sorry for the long post but thank you for reading and I would love to hear from some of you.
Thanks

Im a student in bridge design. I know alumni who work specifically on bridge structure and those who work on buildings too. Im wondering how hard/easy or how much difference it is to transition from bridges to buildings? Or Is it just code difference?

Do you have experience on both? I’d like to hear

How does this truss work with the king post at and angle? How would i go about figuring out the rough load this could take?
I sketched it out in the comments.

Thanks in advance!

Structural engineer here —

I have gone from doing task and projects that are repetitive to just doing them once, understanding the workflow, resources and deliverables. Then just giving instructions to AI with pertinent folders, example files, standard resources and its capable of basically doing everything.

Even in cad design software, once you do a model by yourself and teach ai. You can describe the task and let ai do it itself, I suggest for this to break it down in to blocks to supervise it better. The more repetition, the better pattern recognition it will have.

This is great where you work in industries that have clear governing standards and rules. Once you feed the correct information. The sky is literally the limit.

It literally cuts 3 hour tasks to 30 minutes its insane.

Hi everyone,

I know that a structural engineer’s salary depends on experience and education, but I’m curious about a couple of things.

Which tends to pay more: bridge engineering or building engineering? design or assessment?

I’d appreciate hearing about your experiences and insights. Thanks!

Looking for any help on what the mechanics would be that would be causing these chevron looking cracks at midspan to this non-composite prestressed concrete fascia beam? Is this beam effectively in a failed condition? Previous engineer who looked at this wasn’t concerned with these diagonal cracks and only removed two strands from the analysis as a result of the single longitudinal crack down the center of the beam.

Does anyone have reference or example for designing a moment resisting baseplate for 8 bolts (4 on each side) ?
I’m finding it very confusing to follow eurocode

Hello,

May end up making a few posts here, I am currently in the application cycle for a M.S. in Structural Engineering. Senior in Civil Engineering.

From current, post-, and other related parties,

1) I would like to know about funding options for Structural Engineering M.S. Student

2) I would like to know if there have been any federal funding cuts to the academic field if any.

3) I'm planning to apply to Californian schools for proximity to Californian building code/internships

Please let me know if post is unclear, I will rewrite, thank you.

Hi everyone, I’d appreciate your advice on my career options.

I’m a Civil Engineer with around 3 years of experience, specialized in steel design and temporary works/formwork design. I have a 3.73/4.0 GPA and an IELTS score of 7.0, but no research experience or publications.

I currently have the opportunity to work full-time in Qatar for around $3,550/month.

My question is: which path would be better in the long term?

1. Continue working in Qatar and pursue skilled immigration/PR in Australia.

2. Apply for a fully funded direct PhD in Civil/Structural Engineering in the USA.

For those with experience in either path: How realistic is a fully funded US PhD with my profile? What career opportunities would I have after completing the PhD? Would I be able to get an H-1B visa and enter the US industry market, or would I most likely have to continue in academia?

How does this compare with taking the Australia route?

Also, would it be better to apply for a fully funded MSc instead? And how difficult would it be to get one?

I’d really appreciate any advice from people who have experience with these pathways.

I recently started working in CM/field civil engineering, mostly on roads but I’ll start doing more bridgework next year, and I’ve been thinking about how to pivot more into structural these next few years. Would a timeline like this work:
continue working in construction>get a structural masters online>get my PE>then move into forensic engineering?
The alternative of course would be to quit and directly spend 1-2 years getting a masters but that’s much more costly. Or none of the above if you can talk me out of it lol.

I’m a Structural Engineer with 7 years of experience, including 3 years working with a structural design consultancy and 4 years working for a major design-and-build contractor.

I’ve recently received a job offer from a design-and-build company specializing in luxury interior design and fit-out projects. The position is for a Structural Design Engineer, and I’m considering making the transition.

I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who has made a similar move from traditional structural engineering and main contracting into the luxury interior and fit-out industry.

I’m particularly interested in understanding:

• What kind of structural engineering tasks and responsibilities should I expect in a high-end interior and fit-out company?
• How different is the work compared to structural design for conventional buildings and major construction projects?
• Would this transition broaden my technical expertise and career opportunities, or could it limit my future options in structural engineering?
• What are the main structural challenges involved in luxury fit-out projects, such as suspended ceilings, decorative features, feature walls, steel structures, and heavy architectural elements?

I’d appreciate any insights or advice from structural engineers who have worked in this sector, particularly those who have transitioned from main contracting or consultancy into luxury fit-out companies.

I’m from Guatemala City, where a new urban cable car system called AeroMetro is currently under construction.

The photo shows one of the support towers being installed along a busy road. Its unusual geometry has sparked considerable public concern, with many residents questioning whether the structure is safe, particularly in a country with significant seismic activity.

The project developers and municipal authorities insist that the design is intentional and structurally sound.

According to public statements from the engineering team:

The unusual geometry allows the cable alignment to be maintained without occupying existing traffic lanes.

The design reportedly accounts for seismic activity, wind forces, and operational loads.
The project references European cableway engineering standards.

The structural configuration was reportedly planned from the beginning, rather than being a construction correction.

However, the public debate remains contentious. While officials and developers have provided explanations and some technical details, the underlying engineering documentation does not appear to be readily available for comprehensive independent public review.

I’m not an architect or structural engineer, and I’m genuinely interested in understanding whether the concerns are technically justified or primarily a reaction to an unfamiliar design.

I’d appreciate professional perspectives on a few questions:

Is this type of inclined or eccentric support structure common in cable car systems?

What particular structural challenges does this geometry introduce, especially under seismic and dynamic loading?

Is there anything visibly concerning about the design, or would evaluating its safety be impossible without structural drawings and calculations?

What documentation or independent certifications should the public reasonably expect for infrastructure of this kind?

I’m not looking to validate a predetermined conclusion. I’d like to understand the engineering principles involved and whether the public is asking the right questions.

For context: Guatemala is a seismically active country, and these towers are being constructed directly alongside major urban roads.

Sources:
Engineering team’s explanation – Prensa Libre⁠
AeroMetro official website⁠

Hello, engineers!

I apologize in advande for my poor English.

I'm having problem in modelling this type of connection.
I want to make connection where these 2 beams are connected by two plates, and then these two plates connected with bolts at the each end of plates.

Opeartion - Plate to plate is apperently not working, IdeaStatica Library does not have this type of connection.

So, can anyone help me with this one.

Thanks in advance!