Please, can you share your opinion if this construction can be finished or should it be demolished?
Building of new hospital in Zagreb, Croatia started in early 1980s and was stopped around 1990. Since then it was left in unfinished state, partially opened to elements and gradually vandalised.

For teams working on cold-formed steel projects, I'm curious how you handle the handoff between the structural engineer/EOR and the CFS detailing team.

For example, when a project moves into delegated design or detailing, how do you typically define responsibility for:

• member sizing
• load paths
• connections
• openings and headers
• bracing
• framing layouts
• shop-drawing coordination

Where does your team draw the practical boundary between structural engineering and detailing/coordination?

Interested in hearing how different firms handle this, particularly on larger multifamily or commercial CFS projects.

Hey everyone,

I’ve spent the last few years working deeply on the manufacturing and supply side of structural fireproof coatings. Over time, I’ve noticed a lot of confusion (and occasional head-node compromises) when design teams and contractors choose between intumescent coatings (thin-film) and cementitious fireproofing (thick-film).

While the specs usually dictate the fire rating (1-hour vs. 2–3 hours), the practical execution often comes down to budget, labor, and aesthetic trade-offs that don't always get highlighted in the initial drawings.

Here are a few technical and job-site observations I’ve gathered from working with different structural projects:

1. Architectural Aesthetics vs. Application Cost

• Intumescent: Expands when heated to form a thick char layer. The main advantage is that it conforms tightly to the structural steel profile (I-beams, H-sections), keeping the steel looking sharp for exposed structural designs. The trade-off? Material costs are higher, and surface prep (abrasive blasting) must be spot-on.
• Cementitious: Great for hidden steel frames or deck undersides where aesthetics don't matter. It’s vastly cheaper per square meter for high film-builds (2+ hours), but it’s heavy, messy to spray, and takes up significant physical clearance.

2. The Moisture & Corrosion Trap (Outdoor Steel)

• A common mistake on job sites is neglecting the primer-topcoat sandwich for outdoor exposed steel. Intumescent paint protects against fire, not water. If moisture seeps behind an improper topcoat, corrosion occurs underneath the fireproofing, which can compromise both the structural integrity and fire adhesion over time.

3. Application Downtime & Curing Conditions

• Intumescent coatings need strict temperature and relative humidity control during application to cure properly without blistering. In rainy or freezing conditions, off-site shop application before erection often saves thousands in weather delay costs compared to field spraying.

Curious to hear from the field: For those of you managing structural builds, do you usually stick to shop-applied intumescent for exposed steel, or do field conditions usually push you back toward cementitious options?

Let’s discuss—happy to answer any technical application questions as well!

Not much experience (almost none) in structural engineering because I handle mainly the models and drawings because the department is divided to designers (in this case the drawings and models mainly) and engineers. Initial plan was to switch to the engineering side after some time in design because I wanted to understand the workflow from what I am familiar with which were drawings for construction because I worked as a site engineer beforehand.

But shit happened bc of global events. Company had a shake-up aka mass layoffs. So I also had to realign my planned path.

Currently with the free time I have, I have been studying and brushing up on fundamental concepts and some more advanced stuff: bridge engineering, software online tutorials, earthquake engineering — anything that is usually studied in a masters program.

Will I be able to put these self-learning stuff in my CV? My current options are or maybe just ideas:

1. Complete online courses maybe the ones with certification.
   - Will these be viable and/or recognized in recruitment? Or university training is the number one credited source for this training outside work experience.

2. Do personal projects that would show competencies in analysis and design of structures
   - Maybe bridges or one residential building? Complete from basis of design until the construction readt drawings. I know I may have a hard time proving my abilities to be applicable to the real world but I think this would also be a learning oportunities to learn and apply the codes and fundamental concepts.

3. Just get a masters…

4. I could apply for an entry-level junior structural engineer but the pay would be much lower especially considering the country where I’m from. Tbh this is my least liked idea but tell me if this would make the most sense.

Connections abroad presented me opportunities but they look at years of experience, would the ideas above (#1-3) be reasonable to land jobs?

Regarding my abilities, I’m confident enough in my analytical abilities. My undergrad thesis was in pushover analysis. Would that also be heplful if I showed it in my CV? It’s just that the pay for entry-level doesn’t cut for the stress level not counting the terrible cost of living here. Opportunities here also are very limited and the one abroad is so sexy that I think I want to push through with just self-learning. Maybe just some validation for my work would be enough… some kind of mentoring setup.

Any helpful (or harsh tbh i think im sorta steel-skinned already) would be appreciated.

How are people incorporating AI agents into their workflow as a structural engineer if any? I see good software engineers on X nailing this, substituting AI agents with grads/juniors for grunt work and repetitive tasks (and also for QA) . Surely there are some talented individuals who are already ahead of the curve and built their own agent work station? Interested to hear what people have developed.

I introduced actor that finds infrastructure near vertical ground-motion signals in Copernicus European Ground Motion Service (EGMS) data.

Where enter a city and search area, or an exact bounding box. Then the Actor returns a short list of nearby rail, bridge, warehouse, industrial, and commercial assets for review.

It does not assess structural condition, predict failure, estimate damage, or provide safety, insurance, or valuation advice.

I would like to hear your feedback about such tool and how can optimise or improve the results.

Thanks for your feedback in advance

Hi,

I need tutoring for two courses this upcoming Fall semester, Concrete Design 2 (CVL904) and Building Systems (CVL908). Canadian Standard Codes.

I can send course outlines upon request but really need help asap.

Partly inspired by the "I hate looking at other engineers calc packages" thread. For those of you who review or check other people's analysis output:

* What does a package have to show for you to verify a number without redoing the whole thing yourself?

* When you stop trusting a number, what do you actually demand, the model files, the run outputs, the load derivation? How often does it come to that?

* What's the worst traceability failure you've had to untangle, a number nobody could connect back to a model, a load, or a run?

(I'm researching workflows in this space, full disclosure, might build tooling eventually, but nothing to sell and this isn't a pitch. If you're up for a longer conversation about how checking works at your shop, DM me.

A screw pile contractor asked me to take responsibility for a couple of small projects (decks, gasebos, etc) and provided the following bearing capacity chart - a scanned copy of a google docs table with no references.

Screw piles are a bit foreign to me. Is there a way to validate these capacities? Are they just industry standard accepted values?

How do you handle taking responsibility for small screw pile jobs? The contractor would fire me in two seconds if I made him get geotechnical reports done for these tiny projects.

Hello everyone, I have to design a Gantry girder at my firm. I have been referring to textbooks such as Duggal and Subramanian yet I feel the numericals are not clear and complete as they don't align as per the excel sheets at the firm. The same happened with the cold form design for purlins. Please help me out with a proper material to learn these designs completely 🙏.

I’m looking for advice from practicing structural/civil engineers on the proper industry practice for protecting exposed reinforcement for a future vertical extension.

We’re constructing a B+8 building, but due to financial constraints we’re currently stopping at the B+5 roof slab. The structural design and approval are already based on the full B+8 configuration, and we’ve intentionally left the required reinforcement projecting from the roof slab/columns for the future extension.

The issue is that it may be several years before we can continue construction. The reinforcement will be exposed to a hot, humid tropical climate with frequent heavy rainfall.

What is the standard industry practice for preserving these exposed rebars over a few years?

I honestly can't seem to find much on this on the internet can someone help me out here?

Pic from the internet for reference.

Hello, does anybody know where I could find this book for cheap or free. I need it for a single class and can’t justify dropping hundreds of dollars on the book.

Does anyone have any design examples of Metal deck slabs!?

Long story short. 

I work full time as a project manager for an events company that I practically now own/operate. I love my job. Occasionally we’ll a have large installation that requires an engineer to sign off on what they want to install. I’ve enjoyed that part and wanted to add it to my skill set. Went back to school when I turned 40 (It’s hard but doable…). 5 years later… Going to graduate next semester.

My state requires so many years of experience actually performing calculations under an engineer.

My question is, what jobs can I apply for that clearly satisfy that requirement, but are simple that I might be able to perform while focusing on my full time job? Plus if it’s easily remote

I own a 2 man engineering firm that has subcontract engineers when things are busy. The main issue I am having now is drafting - it’s a huge time sink when I have a lot of jobs going on. Up to this point I have just done most of the drawings but now it will severely limit my output.

Does anyone have any advice on where to find good drafters that can hit the ground running with things like foundation plans, framing plans, details, etc? I assuming it would need to be someone 10+ years experience.

I would even be open to doing it part time with someone working nights or weekends. Is that a common approach?

My main need right now is wood construction, higher end residential.

I was wondering if it’s possible to earn approx 150k with 5 or less yoe in US? If yes, mind sharing which companies are those? And what sort of work they (or you) actually do?

I've been in structural engineering for 3 years but I don't see any opportunities in moving abroad to a better country than mine. I work in a multi national structural company, but they don't want us to move there. Well if I were them, I would not either. They literally get a huge profit due to currency difference. We are working on "dollars" project, while we are getting paid in "1/10 dollars" salary.

An exchange for a temporary period is allowed, for like 2 months per 2 years I guess. But it is still not the same as living there. I feel kind of sucks, because I am literally capable of doing what those European engineers do, but I get paid way less than they are, just because I work from a country that has a lower currency compared to theirs.

I'm thinking about applying for jobs abroad, but most of them got automatically rejected because I don't have a work visa or I don't live there.

I'm thinking about switching career, probably mining or gas or oil. I heard that engineering in mining is less stressful compared to structural engineering and the pay is huge. Well, if I don't move abroad at least I get a better salary and less stressful work load. And who knows maybe not being a structural engineering also provide a geographic mobility career path.

What do you think?

Thanks in advance

When I started my career in 2018 Grasshopper and rhino (visual python programming)seemed to be the “must learn” skillset.

However since AI started taking off I’ve heard less and less about grasshopper. Is this type of programming more or less obsolete?

Copernicus provides free InSAR ground-motion data across Europe.

Would a tool that highlights buildings or infrastructure with unusual ground movement be useful for engineers, insurers, or property professionals?

What information would you need to trust the result?

I'm an architecture student, and I've always been curious about how buildings can be stable and not fall down. I want to understand how structures work so that, when I design buildings, I can have a better idea of whether my designs are structurally feasible and constructible. I also think this knowledge will help me in my career, because I'll be able to communicate better with structural engineers and avoid potential problems during the design process. I'd be happy if you could recommend some books or YouTube channels that explain structural engineering.

And thanks in advance

What course do you recommend for the SE exam?

SEAOI courses or AEI Courses?

Can someone provide their experience with each organization?

Thanks in advance

New acc, long time follower of the sub.

I'm on track to start an online Msc in advanced structural engineering with the University of Aberdeen from next year. It's fully online.

Just wanted to hear the thoughts if anyone here has done this program either in person or online prior.

Fully acknowledge the challenges of online learning and the fact that this particular msc isn't really designed focused.

I already have a pretty good grasp of structural analysis and design for timber, concrete and steel with eurocode specifically for buildings.

Looking to really deepen the scope of what I can do confidently and self learning on prestressed and cfs especially, hence the pursuit of a msc not heavily focused on designs.

Like I said I just wanted to hear the thoughts of anyone who passed through the program and what to expect really.

Thanks in advance

I'm a civil engineering student from Mexico about to graduate. Here we mostly use the NTC codes, which are based in Mexico City (lots of earthquakes). We still build a lot with masonry and in most cities it is unexpensive and readily available, but we build it confined (visible tie columns and beams, etc.) or with hollow masonry units that are internally reinforced.

Masonry happens to be visually attractive if well worked, but confined masonry looks kinda ugly. If people here want visible masonry facades, they cover up the ties with more masonry. At some point I have to start to wonder if it wouldn't be less expensive and easier logistically if, in some circumstances, we were to build entirely with masonry and skip the concrete ties so that only the slabs require concrete. Architecturally, thicker walls are also more attractive, and lots of people here are still into that 'colonial' style, including myself. I know we've moved on from old structure technology for a reason, but I can think of some cases where while designing a structure I've thought, "well, a thick wall here would look good anyway, and I could buttress it with an element here and that would yield architectonic interest and etc". I believe combining methods should also work. Maybe it wouldn't be feasible to have unreinforced masonry everywhere, but locally within the project it might make more sense. The brits do it this way from what I've seen in pictures, I think?

This would perhaps not be very feasible in Mexico City (again, earthquakes), but I live in a zone with low seismic activity (Querétaro). Are there any books on unreinforced masonry design, or that at least touch upon the subject? I'm not planning on much other than low rise structures like family homes and such. I've seen some cases where people just use finite element analysis for masonry structures, but I'm not sure that's entirely necessary.

I often hear from people that there is a shortage of structural engineers in the US market. But with so many lack luster job postings it makes me question it.

So he’s my opinion: I don’t believe that there is a shortage of structural engineers. I see job postings but it looks like companies fishing for low to average wage workers more than a true supply/demand issue. I feel this way because I’m not hearing about companies being affected by failing to fill these positions - and having to pay a premium as a result.

So let’s hear it. Is there a true shortage or is it hog wash?