Structural Engineering for Non-Structural Engineers
This course can be customized and delivered to your team where and when it's convenient for you.
Online / On-site
OVERVIEW
Description
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Interpret and apply fundamental structural analysis concepts to common building systems
Evaluate the behaviour and basic design intent of concrete, steel, wood, and masonry structural elements
Identify load paths and assess how loads are transferred through slabs, beams, columns, walls, and foundations
Recognize common structural risks and limitations to support safer, more informed design and construction decisions
Communicate more effectively with structural engineers using shared concepts, terminology, and expectations
Description
Many projects are affected by structural behaviour long before detailed structural design is complete. Early design decisions, layout choices, material selections, and coordination assumptions can significantly influence safety, performance, constructability, and cost. When the underlying structural implications of these decisions are not well understood, risks are often discovered late, leading to redesign, delays, or unanticipated compromises.
This course is designed to strengthen applied understanding of how building structures behave and how structural systems are intended to work in practice. It focuses on load behaviour, material performance, and the intent behind common structural solutions, without relying on advanced mathematics or full design calculations.
Through applied explanations, real‑world examples, and hands‑on problem‑solving exercises, this course provides a structured foundation in structural engineering concepts that can be applied immediately in project design, coordination, review, and field discussions.
Who Should Attend
This course is designed for:
Non‑structural engineers (civil, mechanical, electrical, mining, chemical, agricultural)
Architects and architectural technologists
Plant and facilities engineers
Project engineers and construction professionals
Fabricators and manufacturers of structural systems
Building officials, inspectors, and field review personnel
Technical professionals who work alongside structural engineers and want to strengthen their applied understanding
Special Features & Requirements
Course participants are expected to have some elementary knowledge of structural design and the analysis of simple structures.
In order to gain the maximum benefit from this seminar, participants are encouraged to read the following texts in advance:
Part 4 of the National Building Code of Canada
Participants should have a hand-held, battery-operated calculator for the exercises at the end of each day.
Course Outline
Day I
Welcome, Introduction, Workshop Preview, Learning Outcomes, and Assessment Methods
Structural Loads and Procedures
NBC section 4.0
Specified loads
Limit states design
Structural Analysis
Applied loads
Equilibrium and free body diagrams
Determinant and in-determinant structures
Axial load, shear, and bending
Structural Behaviour
Slabs, beams, and trusses
Walls and columns
Frames
Footings
Retaining walls
Load tracing
Day II
Reinforced Concrete Design
Products, properties, and failure modes
Design standards
Slabs
Beams
Columns
Shear walls
Footings
Retaining walls
Concrete piles (caissons)
Prestressed concrete
Precast concrete
Corrosion protection
Fire resistance
Concrete repairs
Day III
Structural Steel Design
Products, properties and failure modes
Design standards
Beams
Columns
Tension members
Connections
Corrosion protection
Fire protection
Steel Repairs
Day IV
Wood Design
Products, properties, and failure modes
CSA 086.1 design standard
Beams and joists
Columns and studs
Trusses
Connections
Wood frame construction
Decay protection
Fire protection
Wood repair
Masonry Design
Products, properties, and failure modes