Good day guys I am going to be dropping tips on how to become a successful structural engineer here in Nigeria. The first and foremost requirement is to get a degree be it BSc Engineering, B.Eng. or a B.tech. then proceed for postgraduate studies. While you are still in your undergraduate level there are some subjects you should focus on

1. Engineering Mathematics: As we all know mathematics is the general language of the universe. Most things in the universe can be expressed in mathematical terms. So, you should have basic understanding of Eigen value and vectors, matrices, calculus and algebra.

2. Engineering Drawing: Another subject you need to focus on as an Engineer is Engineering drawing. This subject will teach you how to communicate your mathematical designs so as other professionals or men on site can understand what you designed. You should know how to detail different structural members, how to cut sections of various members, and how to draw building elevation.


3. Strength of Materials: This subject is also very important because as an engineer you would be using different materials to build. While building there are three basic things we consider; SAFETY, Economics and Aesthetics. So, you need to pick the material which will be safe when subjected to different load and the least expensive. This subject in general will teach about concrete, steel and many more building materials. This subject will teach you how different material will behave when exposed to different kind of loading conditions.

4. Structural mechanics: in this subject, you will be introduced to stress, strain, modulus of elasticity, plastic analysis, bending moment and shear force, finite element method for structural engineering

5. Soil mechanics: you should know more about soil since the foundation is going to be placed on the soil. Physical characteristics of soil, permeability and seepage

6. Design of structures: as a structural engineer to be you should take courses on how to design deferent structures, e.g. beam, columns and slab. You should also be able to design different members made with different materials

Now we are in the era of computers, people do not analyze, design and detail structures manually again we now use some advance software to do this job for us. You can not just pick any of these software’s without having basic understanding of these subjects I mentioned above.
software’s
• AutoCAD: this is a computer-aided design (CAD) software that architects, engineers, and construction professionals rely on to create precise 2D and 3D drawings. It is created by Autodesk.

• Staad pro: Staad Pro stands for Structural Analysis And Designing Program. This Software is most used Software for civil Engineering designing. It designs steel, concrete timber and aluminum. It is a Bentley product. you can get free staad pro tutorial


• Etabs: ETABS is an engineering software product that caters to multi-story building analysis and design. Modeling tools and templates, code-based load prescriptions, analysis methods and solution techniques, all coordinate with the grid-like geometry unique to this class of structure. it is a CSI product.

• CSI Safe: Mostly used for sub structure analysis and design of Mat Foundation (raft foundation) design, it is a CSI product.


• Staad foundation advanced: STAAD Foundation Advanced is a comprehensive foundation design program that offers the ability to model complex or simple footings and other types of foundation like pile, raft, strip and combined. It is a Bentley product

• Tekla structural designer.

• Sap2000

finally the last way to improve yourself as a structural engineer is to go out and meet the experienced structural engineers, ask questions and make copies of as many structural designs as you can find so it will help you .


lalasticlala

Thanks Op...
This is a very important post for recent graduate and students of Civil Engineering..

hakeem4:
Good day guys I am going to be dropping tips on how to become a successful structural engineer here in Nigeria. The first and foremost requirement is to get a degree be it BSc Engineering, B.Eng. or a B.tech. then proceed for postgraduate studies. While you are still in your undergraduate level there are some subjects you should focus on

1. Engineering Mathematics: As we all know mathematics is the general language of the universe. Most things in the universe can be expressed in mathematical terms. So, you should have basic understanding of Eigen value and vectors, matrices, calculus and algebra.

2. Engineering Drawing: Another subject you need to focus on as an Engineer is Engineering drawing. This subject will teach you how to communicate your mathematical designs so as other professionals or men on site can understand what you designed. You should know how to detail different structural members, how to cut sections of various members, and how to draw building elevation.


3. Strength of Materials: This subject is also very important because as an engineer you would be using different materials to build. While building there are three basic things we consider; SAFETY, Economics and Aesthetics. So, you need to pick the material which will be safe when subjected to different load and the least expensive. This subject in general will teach about concrete, steel and many more building materials. This subject will teach you how different material will behave when exposed to different kind of loading conditions.

4. Structural mechanics: in this subject, you will be introduced to stress, strain, modulus of elasticity, plastic analysis, bending moment and shear force, finite element method for structural engineering

5. Soil mechanics: you should know more about soil since the foundation is going to be placed on the soil. Physical characteristics of soil, permeability and seepage

6. Design of structures: as a structural engineer to be you should take courses on how to design deferent structures, e.g. beam, columns and slab. You should also be able to design different members made with different materials

Now we are in the era of computers, people do not analyze, design and detail structures manually again we now use some advance software to do this job for us. You can not just pick any of these software’s without having basic understanding of these subjects I mentioned above.
software’s
• AutoCAD: this is a computer-aided design (CAD) software that architects, engineers, and construction professionals rely on to create precise 2D and 3D drawings. It is created by Autodesk.

• Staad pro: Staad Pro stands for Structural Analysis And Designing Program. This Software is most used Software for civil Engineering designing. It designs steel, concrete timber and aluminum. It is a Bentley product. you can get free staad pro tutorial


• Etabs: ETABS is an engineering software product that caters to multi-story building analysis and design. Modeling tools and templates, code-based load prescriptions, analysis methods and solution techniques, all coordinate with the grid-like geometry unique to this class of structure. it is a CSI product.

• CSI Safe: Mostly used for sub structure analysis and design of Mat Foundation (raft foundation) design, it is a CSI product.


• Staad foundation advanced: STAAD Foundation Advanced is a comprehensive foundation design program that offers the ability to model complex or simple footings and other types of foundation like pile, raft, strip and combined. It is a Bentley product

• Tekla structural designer.

• Sap2000

finally the last way to improve yourself as a structural engineer is to go out and meet the experienced structural engineers, ask questions and make copies of as many structural designs as you can find so it will help you .

Well Said and to add to the list another powerful software From Autodesk which I use to finalize my design.

1. ROBOT S.A
2. STRUCTURAL DETAILING SUITE"