Editing Structural engineering (section)

==Specializations==

===Building structures===
{{See also|Building engineering}}
[[File:Sydney Opera House Sails edit02.jpg|thumb|[[Sydney Opera House]], designed by Architect [[Jørn Utzon]] and structural design by [[Arup Group Limited|Ove Arup & Partners]]]]

[[File:Millennium Dome (zakgollop) version.jpg|thumb|[[Millennium Dome]] in London, UK, by [[Richard Rogers]] and [[Buro Happold]]]]

[[File:Burjdubaiaug92007.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Burj Khalifa]], in [[Dubai]], the [[world's tallest building]], shown under construction in 2007 (since completed)]]

Structural building engineering is primarily driven by the creative manipulation of materials and forms and the underlying mathematical and scientific ideas to achieve an end that fulfills its functional requirements and is structurally safe when subjected to all the loads it could reasonably be expected to experience. This is subtly different from architectural design, which is driven by the creative manipulation of materials and forms, mass, space, volume, texture, and light to achieve an end which is aesthetic, functional, and often artistic.

The structural design for a building must ensure that the building can stand up safely, able to function without excessive deflections or movements which may cause fatigue of structural elements, cracking or failure of fixtures, fittings or partitions, or discomfort for occupants. It must account for movements and forces due to temperature, [[Creep (deformation)|creep]], cracking, and imposed loads. It must also ensure that the design is practically buildable within acceptable manufacturing tolerances of the materials. It must allow the architecture to work, and the building services to fit within the building and function (air conditioning, ventilation, smoke extract, electrics, lighting, etc.). The structural design of a modern building can be extremely complex and often requires a large team to complete.

Structural engineering specialties for buildings include:
* [[Earthquake engineering]]
* [[Facade engineering|Façade engineering]]
* [[Fire engineering]]
* [[Roof|Roof engineering]]
* [[Tower|Tower engineering]]
* [[Wind engineering]]

===Earthquake engineering structures===
{{Main|Earthquake engineering structures}}

'''Earthquake engineering structures''' are those engineered to withstand [[earthquake]]s.[[File:Chichen Itza 3.jpg|thumb|left|Earthquake-proof pyramid [[El Castillo, Chichen Itza]]]]

The main objectives of earthquake engineering are to understand the interaction of [[structure]]s with the shaking ground, foresee the consequences of possible earthquakes, and design and construct the structures to [[seismic performance|perform]] during an earthquake.

Earthquake-proof structures are not necessarily extremely strong like the El Castillo pyramid at Chichen Itza shown above.

One important tool of [[earthquake engineering]] is [[base isolation]], which allows the base of a structure to move freely with the ground.

===Civil engineering structures===
[[Civil engineering|Civil structural engineering]] includes all structural engineering related to the built environment. It includes:

{{div col|content=
* [[Bridge]]s
* [[Dam]]s
* [[Earthworks (engineering)|Earthworks]]
* [[Foundation (engineering)|Foundations]]
* [[Offshore construction|Offshore structures]]
* [[Pipeline transport|Pipelines]]
* [[Power station]]s
* [[Railways]]
* [[Retaining wall|Retaining structures and walls]]
* [[Roads]]
* [[Tunnels]]
* [[Waterways]]
* [[Reservoirs]]
* [[Water supply network|Water]] and [[Sewerage|wastewater]] infrastructure
}}

The structural engineer is the lead designer on these structures, and often the sole designer. In the design of structures such as these, structural safety is of paramount importance (in the UK, designs for dams, nuclear power stations and bridges must be signed off by a [[Chartered Engineer (UK)|chartered engineer]]).

Civil engineering structures are often subjected to very extreme forces, such as large variations in temperature, dynamic loads such as waves or traffic, or high pressures from water or compressed gases. They are also often constructed in corrosive environments, such as at sea, in industrial facilities, or below ground.

 resisted and significant deflections of structures.

The forces which parts of a machine are subjected to can vary significantly and can do so at a great rate. The forces which a boat or aircraft are subjected to vary enormously and will do so thousands of times over the structure's lifetime. The structural design must ensure that such structures can endure such loading for their entire design life without failing.

These works can require mechanical structural engineering:
* [[Pressure vessel|Boilers and pressure vessels]]
* [[Coachwork|Coachworks and carriages]]
* [[Crane (machine)|Cranes]]
* [[Elevator]]s
* [[Escalator]]s
* [[Boat building|Marine vessels and hulls]]

===Aerospace structures===
[[File:Airbus A380 blue sky.jpg|thumb|left|An [[Airbus A380]], the world's largest passenger airliner]]
[[File:Patriot missile launch b.jpg|thumb|left| Design of missile needs in depth understanding of [[Structural Analysis]]]]

Aerospace structure types include launch vehicles, ([[Atlas (rocket family)|Atlas]], [[Delta (rocket family)|Delta]], Titan), [[missiles]] (ALCM, Harpoon), [[Hypersonic]] vehicles (Space Shuttle), [[military aircraft]] (F-16, F-18) and commercial aircraft ([[Boeing]] 777, MD-11). Aerospace structures typically consist of thin plates with stiffeners for the external surfaces, bulkheads, and frames to support the shape and fasteners such as welds, rivets, screws, and bolts to hold the components together.

===Nanoscale structures===
A [[nanostructure]] is an object of intermediate size between molecular and microscopic (micrometer-sized) structures. In describing nanostructures it is necessary to differentiate between the number of dimensions on the nanoscale. Nanotextured surfaces have one dimension on the nanoscale, i.e., only the thickness of the surface of an object is between 0.1 and 100&nbsp;nm. [[Nanotube]]s have two dimensions on the nanoscale, i.e., the diameter of the tube is between 0.1 and 100&nbsp;nm; its length could be much greater. Finally, spherical [[nanoparticles]] have three dimensions on the nanoscale, i.e., the particle is between 0.1 and 100&nbsp;nm in each spatial dimension. The terms nanoparticles and ultrafine particles (UFP) often are used synonymously although UFP can reach into the micrometer range. The term 'nanostructure' is often used when referring to magnetic technology.

===Structural engineering for medical science===
[[File:Marcelletti SO2.jpg|thumb| Designing medical equipment needs in-depth understanding of structural engineering]]

Medical equipment (also known as armamentarium) is designed to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of medical conditions. There are several basic types: [[diagnostic]] equipment includes medical imaging machines, used to aid in diagnosis; equipment includes infusion pumps, medical lasers, and [[LASIK surgical machines]]; medical monitors allow medical staff to measure a patient's medical state. Monitors may measure patient vital signs and other parameters including [[ECG]], [[EEG]], blood pressure, and dissolved gases in the blood; diagnostic medical equipment may also be used in the home for certain purposes, e.g. for the control of diabetes mellitus. A [[biomedical equipment technician]] (BMET) is a vital component of the healthcare delivery system. Employed primarily by hospitals, BMETs are the people responsible for maintaining a facility's medical equipment.

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