Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur conducted two week ISTE STTP workshop on “Introduction to Structural Engineering” under National Mission on Education through ICT (MHRD) organized at Dronacharya College of Engineering, Gurgaon (Remote Centre ID - 1299) from 4th - 9th January 2016. Before the physical participation at the remote center IIT Kharagpur organized online activities from 30th November 2015 to 3rd January 2016. The objective of the workshop was to make the learners acquainted with the concept of designing structural elements using concrete and steel.

The workshop on “Structural Engineering” is based upon applied physical laws and empirical knowledge of the structural performance of different materials and geometries. Structural engineering design utilizes a number of relatively simple structural elements to build complex structural systems. In Structural Engineering, Structural Analysis and Design are the fundamentals for establishing safe and stable structural systems.

The keynote speakers in the workshop were Prof S. K Bhattacharyya, Prof. Baidurya Bhattacharya and Prof. Sushanta Chakraborty of Civil Department from IIT Kharagpur. Workshop Coordinator Mr. Malasani Gopichand, Asst. Prof, DCE, Gurgaon along with five faculty member participated in the program enthusiastically.

In the Inaugural Session Prof. S.K Bhattacharyya welcomed all distinguished speakers and thanked the participants and remote center coordinator for making the NMEICT mission a grand success.

The workshop was divided into three parts:

1. (Module – A (Fundamentals of Structural Analysis)

Basic concept of stress, strain and their relationships (Recapitulations from SoM) – Bending of beams - Determinate and Indeterminate systems – Force and Displacement based methods – Analysis of Trusses and Frames with appropriate examples – Moment distribution and Slope deflection methods with appropriate examples – Introduction to the Matrix method of structural analysis – Concepts in the analysis methodologies – Energy and Variational approaches – Introduction to Finite element method – concepts on Influence lines for moving loads.

2. Module – B (Fundamentals of Reinforced concrete design)

Prescriptive versus Performance based design - concepts of limit state and probability of failure – Limit state design – comparison with working stress method – design of structural elements (Beams, Slabs, Columns, footings) – design of staircase, design of retaining walls, water tanks.

3. Module – C (Fundamentals of steel design)

Introduction to Steel Systems –Connections – Element design – Concept of Buckling – Concept of Lateral Buckling – Built up sections – Detailing.

During the workshop the speakers discussed in details about fundamentals of Structural Analysis For Structural Systems, methodologies such as Matrix Method of Structural Analysis and Basic Concept in Finite Element Analysis. The design approaches along with the usage of specification of Indian standards were introduced in the program. The speakers covered several fields of structural engineering like design of RCC and steel structure and talked about the safety factor used in IS code.

The event was concluded with the worthwhile suggestions. In the workshop all participants understood the fundamental approaches in analyzing a structural system, obtain concepts on the methodologies of structural analysis that are adopted normally.

Some Glimpses: