Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 1.2
We are getting older (data taken from UK Office of National Statistics)
ideally existing in a happily dynamic equilibrium with its
environment, or to be explicit, in equilibrium with the needs
of society within
its
environment. To be a successful engin-
eer with a satisfied life it is important to be able to distinguish
between useful long-term skills and knowledge, and yet be
able to pay attention to the changing short-term 'noise' in the
system. Recent examples of 'noise' that spring to mind are
Progressive Collapse (after the Ronan Point disaster in 1967);
Ultimate Limit State Design in the 1970s; Quality Control in
the 1980s; Concurrent Working (after Sir John Egan) in the
1990s; Sustainability and Climate Change in the 2000s. This
is not to say that these are unimportant, quite the opposite,
but more to acknowledge the need to be tuned to continuing
change in the dominant uncertainty of the moment, dominant
uncertainty being the Thing that makes you wake in a cold
sweat at night.
Of course once a dominant uncertainty is tamed, a new one
rears up in its place. A forward-thinking engineer needs anten-
nae to spot it, and an entrepreneurial spirit to respond to it.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Robert Stephenson were great
entrepreneurs, and it was this rather than their technical skill
that gave them the possibility to design and build the engineer-
ing projects for which they are celebrated. Their example is a
further answer to those who lament 'no one ever asks us to do
interesting stuff'.
There are contemporary examples of entrepreneurial engin-
eering such as Arup's championing the re-routing and even-
tual design of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, but not so many
in the purely structural world where design codes are very
prescriptive.
1.5 The balance between theory and practice
A theoretical knowledge of engineering science is important,
and is well covered elsewhere in this topic. But it is revealing
to know how much a part theory plays in the characteristics
required of a structural engineer by its professional institu-
tion. The Institution of Structural Engineers, in its 'Notes to
Candidates (for Chartered Membership)' (http://www.istructe.
org), says that Chartered Members of the Institution will be
able to demonstrate:
a sound understanding of core structural engineering principles;
■
■
the ability to use relevant existing technology coupled with the
ability to locate and use new research and development to benefit
their work and structural engineering generally;
the ability to solve complex structural engineering problems and
■
produce viable structural design solutions using appropriate meth-
ods of analysis;
the ability to exercise independent judgment in the application of
■
structural engineering science and knowledge;
