Abstract:

Structural engineering courses at schools of Civil Engineering typically focus on numerical methods and structural calculations detached from a tangible context. These courses generally pay little attention to the conceptual design of the structure as well as to the analysis of its full life cycle. However, the structural design process is more than mere calculations, since it also involves the study of the context, the choice of appropriate structural shapes, materials and construction details that will have an important effect on the structure durability, maintenance, and lifespan. Therefore, introducing basic concepts involving the above mentioned ideas in Civil Engineering courses is an essential task. This need guided the development of the course “Philosophy of Structures” taught at the School of Civil Engineering of the Universitat Politècnica de València in Spain where the development of structural forms is studied using a holistic perspective.

Within this context, this paper presents a course activity where the relations among form, forces, construction details and maintenance are critically analysed using a singular tied-arch bridge as case study. More specifically, the internal forces in the bridge are first evaluated by the students by hand using graphic statics. Graphic statics results are then compared to results from a finite element model built by the students in a subsequent computer lab. Finally, a group discussion is carried out about the current state of the bridge, its maintenance and inspection needs, and the influence of construction details and conceptual design on the current state of the bridge.
By doing so, the students:
1) learn how to use a basic design tool used by many bridge master builders of the past like Edudardo Torroja, Pier Luigi Nervi and Robert Maillart,
2) become familiar with structural engineering software,
3) reflect about the role of construction details,
4) learn about some of the works required to inspect a bridge, assess its current state and establish its maintenance needs.

In short, the proposed teaching methodology aims to develop students’ structural intuition, engineering judgement and critical thinking as well as to provide them with useful and simple tools to design efficient, durable and consistent structures in their professional careers.

Keywords:

Engineering structures, engineering education, active learning, bridge maintenance.