Curriculum

Master’s in Structural Engineering Design

Course Curriculum and course structure:

Semester 1:

Semester 2:

Semester 3:

Semester 4:

List of Electives and summer winter schools

Plates and Shells: Theory and Computer Aided Analysis

Prestressed concrete

Designing with Timber

Statistics

C++/ Python for the beginners

Design of Ultra Highrise structures

Design of Marine structures

 *The courses/titles may change as a part of regular updating and course related discussions with industry experts.

The two-year program leading to award of Master of Technology in Structural Engineering Design is designed to enhance skills & knowledge of structural design for the students and working professionals in the construction and civil engineering sector.

The program aims to train a student in practical art and philosophy of structural design. It also gives the insight into investigation, assessment and strengthening of the damaged structures. The program also engages the students into the design of ongoing important industrial structures such as power plant structures, chimneys, silos, water tanks, bridges and ports.

The MSED program focuses on building professional capacities and therefore, they are concentrated on ‘studios’. The studio-based courses wherein all students work on live projects and come up with their own transformed structural systems, analysis and design. The eminent professionals from design offices are invited to teach the students and share their experiences.

A brief course outline of core courses for each semester is given below.

Semester: 1

Design studio 1 on Structural forms and materials (12 credits)

The studio intends to develop professional competencies in students to design a given project with a unique blend of experimental and computational modelling applications through critical thinking led by hands on experience in workshop and laboratory. Students will be doing testing of materials in the laboratory and will check the relevant structural properties as per Indian standards. The students will then be given a site and a project, and they will have to develop the form and do the preliminary structural analysis for the chosen material and design submitted.

Key learning outcome:
Students will gain hands-on lab experience understanding material properties through testing, applying this knowledge to explore the relationship between structural forms and materials by developing innovative designs based on preliminary structural analysis for a holistic learning experience

Mandatory Course: Advanced structural analysis (2 credits)

The course aims to develop behavioural understanding of different types of framed structures through advanced matrix methods of analysis, used in widespread computer software. Initial focus would be on principal concepts to analyse structures having lesser degree of freedom manually; and thereafter its application to structures having large degree of freedom with aid of computers. The main emphasis shall be on the behaviour, analysis methodology and interpretation of analysis results.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to manually analyse simple structures with lesser degree of freedom through advanced analysis methods. They will also be able to differentiate between system approach and member approach, extending their understanding to analyse structures with higher degree of freedom. 

Mandatory Course: Advanced geotechnical engineering (2 credits)

The course aims to develop knowledge about various field and laboratory investigation techniques, to interpret the observations of geotechnical investigations. The elementary principles of shallow and deep foundation design with reference to site investigation, soil classification and review of index properties along with experimental tests required to understand the various parameters of soil will be covered. Methods of determining the bearing capacity and settlement calculations, ground improvement and reclamation techniques, and applications for the same in the given condition of site shall be discussed.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to interpret the geotechnical investigation observations to determine bearing capacities essential for foundation sizing, relying on their understanding of soil parameters. They will also be able to assess liquification potential and recommend suitable ground improvement techniques.

Mandatory Course: Effective communication (2 credits)

The Writing and Communication course sets out to familiarize first year of Master’s students with writing and research. The course engages the students in an intensive writing practice in which they learn different forms of writing and practice techniques along with a formal presentation. The larger aim of the course is to turn writing into a powerful tool for students to use in their professional and/or academic endeavours and hence they also uses data from the field. Upon completion, the students will be able to use writing as a way to ideate and convey their logic, the processes they follow, and analysis they do as field experts to a varied audience.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to utilize writing as a powerful tool, employing forms and techniques learned during intensive practice, to ideate and effectively convey their logic, processes, analysis, and field expertise to diverse audiences in both professional and academic settings.

Semester: 2

Design studio 2: Design of reinforced concrete structures (12 credits)

The studio focuses on design of structures with reinforced concrete. Students will be assigned individual projects along with the problem statement to develop the structural system considering the gravity loads at initial stage. Students will prepare physical models to test on the shake table observing patterns of structural failure when subjected to lateral forces. The required rectifications in the structural system to incorporate lateral forces will be discussed. Students will finally design the projects for gravity loads and lateral loads with optimized system and document it along with detailed structural drawings. Students will cast RC beams and cubes and test in laboratory to observe failure patterns and need for reinforcement. The final output will be in form of a report, files in software and a detailed drawing for a floor, a frame with shear wall and a foundation.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to design and optimize reinforced concrete structures, manually and with the help of design software, considering gravity and lateral loads while mitigating failure patterns. They will also be able to prepare detailed structural drawings for slabs, beams, columns, shear walls, and foundations.

Mandatory Course: Earthquake engineering (2 credits)

The course aims to provide the connection between seismology, seismic forces and building reaction to seismic forces. Initial part will focus on basics of seismology with further quantification of seismic effects into mathematical dynamics. Co-relation of force, mass and acceleration with stiffness and natural period of structures including damping will be established. Detailed discussions on important clauses of IS1893 (part 1) 2016 will be covered.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to establish connection between seismology, seismic forces and structural responses by applying mathematical dynamics to quantify seismic effects. They will also be able to interpret codal provisions of IS1893 (part 1) 2016 for static and dynamic analysis methods of earthquake engineering.

Mandatory Course: Wind engineering (2 credits)

The course aims to develop knowledge about static and dynamic wind analysis of structures and its terminologies as per IS875 (part-3)-2015. Wind pressure calculation for RC and steel structures with examples along with its practical application in structural analysis using STAAD software will be covered. 

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to interpret codal provisions of IS-875 (Part-3) 2015 to calculate static and dynamic wind forces. They will also be able to apply wind forces on cladded and open structures, along with an understanding of wind-resisting structural systems. 

Mandatory Course: Evaluation of failures, repair, and rehabilitation of structures (2 credits)

The course aims to appraise students about various causes of distress in structures at an early stage of service life and sometimes collapse too. The course discusses the investigation desired to propose the techniques of repairs, rehabilitation and strengthening of the distressed structures to improve its performance and restore its desired functions thereby increasing its functional life.

Key learning outcome:
Students will develop the expertise to assess the nature and causes of structural failures. They will also be able to recommend appropriate methods for repairs, rehabilitation, and strengthening to enhance the overall performance of a structure. 

Semester: 3

Design studio 3: Design of steel structures (12 credits)

The studio focuses to develop professional competencies of students to analyse and design heavy duty industrial and commercial steel structures independently as per “Limit State Design Method” including limit state of strength and serviceability.  The students will be designing live projects and understand the technical specifications, process requirements and structural planning for fulfilling the desired functional requirements of power plant, sugar, cement, oil refinery, paper and paint industries. The outputs will be presented in form of design reports and detail drawings.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to conceptualize structural system and design complex steel structures based on its functional requirement and loading conditions. They will also be adept at designing and detailing connections, ensuring overall structural stability and construction feasibility.

Mandatory Course: Design of chimneys (2 credits)

The course aims to appraise students regarding the analysis, design and detailing of chimneys as per latest Indian standard. The course will also cover the requirement and dimensioning of chimney, design factors, stress in chimney shaft due to self-weight and wind and stresses due to temperature difference.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to analyse, design and detail chimneys in compliance with Indian Standards, incorporating practical aspects from the field.

Mandatory Course: Design of silos (2 credits)

The course aims to appraise students regarding the analysis, design and detailing of Silos as per latest Indian standard. The course will also cover the requirement, shape, dimensioning and layout of silo and design philosophies.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to analyse, design and detail silos with different configurations in compliance with Indian Standards, drawing insights from American and European standards. 

Mandatory Course: Design of liquid retaining structures (2 credits)

The course aims to appraise students regarding the analysis and design of different types of liquid retaining structures as per latest Indian standard IS: 3370-2009 including seismic forces and special detailing requirements. History of Liquid retaining structures and behaviour of the same with different parameters and conditions will also be discussed.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to analyse, design and detail liquid retaining structures such as circular, square and Intze tanks in compliance with Indian standard IS: 3370-2009

Semester: 4

Design studio 4: Design of bridges (14 credits)

The main objective of this studio is to prepare structural engineers having strong fundamental knowledge related to theory-applications of various engineering aspects of bridge design. Various types of bridges across the world will be discussed along with the factors affecting the selection of bridge site, material, span and system. Students will be given individual problem statement, for which they will have to adapt a suitable bridge configuration. Students will analyse and design various components of assigned bridge along with substructure using Indian standards of bridges. The students will attain a desired level of proficiency to become a good bridge designer.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to analyse and design bridge components including girders, deck slab, crash barriers, parapet, footpath, pier cap, pier and foundations adhering to specialized Indian Standards for bridge design. Additionally, they will gain the ability to create construction drawings and design reports.

Design studio 4: Design of long span complex structures (14 credits)

This studio aims to develop a collaborative design approach with computational and parametric tools for large/long span structures, which are typically designed considering the global stiffness of the structure over individual member stiffness. Students will be working on the assigned problem, develop complex forms in a suitable software and will be doing the structural analysis through complementing tool such as Karamba or through regular structural design software like STAAD / ETABS. This is an emerging concept in structural design of the complex geometries. Large span structures such as pedestrian bridges, stadiums, airports etc will be given and students will engage right from the form development to the final structural design using different construction materials and detailing of the whole structure.

Key learning outcome:
Students will be able to design efficient structural systems for large-span structures like pedestrian bridges, stadiums, airport terminals, and exhibition centres, addressing complexities in analysis and comprehending material behaviour under external forces and its influence on form and design.

Design studio 4:  Structural strengthening and rehabilitation (14 credits)

The studio aims to offer a comprehensive training program that focuses on structural strengthening and rehabilitation. This studio is designed to educate students on both the theoretical and practical aspects of sustainable building techniques towards strengthening structures built with different materials. Students will learn how to strengthen existing structures to meet current standards and gain knowledge on damage diagnosis, nonlinear structural analysis, and fitness-for-safety analysis through real-life case studies. Moreover, the program offers a unique opportunity for students to conduct parametric failure analysis, optimisation, and feasibility studies of structures at micro and meso levels. This will help students gain a deeper understanding of strengthening techniques and provide them with unique perspectives on how to approach various structural issues.

Key learning outcome:
Students will learn to address structural performance deficiencies through parametric failure analysis of numerical models. This proficiency will enable them to propose effective strengthening techniques for structures constructed with diverse materials, complemented by optimization and feasibility studies.