Structures - QSB 2523

In this module, the topics which we covered were firstly the Introduction to Engineering Principles and Structures followed by the Forces and Equilibrium, Shear Force Diagram and Bending Moment Diagram, Analysis of Frames, Simple Stresses and Strains, Load Path Diagrams, Columns, Axial Forces and Buckling.

To me, this subject related a lot to engineering and at the beginning of the semester, I thought it was going to be the toughest subject compared to all the other subjects of the semester. True enough, even as we went through the semester, I felt like it was the hardest of all subjects to be understood. However through the lectures and tutorials, accompanied by the guidance of our lecturer, I managed to make it through the semester. Although still with the thought that Structures is a complicating and difficult subject, I have the idea of why we have to take up this module somewhere in our QS course because it definitely does affect our career path somewhere along the way.

It is difficult to learn this subject and master it as all the topics in this module relates to forces which we cannot actually see. Hence, all we can do is understand the particular principles in the module and keep doing and practising with exercises given by the lecturer so that we could be more familiar with the principles and the forces.

The lecturer played us some documentaries regarding how the forces caused by different loadings in buildings actually caused some main buildings to fail. We watched how different forces acted on a building and due to the failing strength of the building structures, the building collapsed. It became so real to us and it showed me why this subject is important and crucial for members of the construction industry such as us to learn and pick up from.

We had a midterm test which tested our theory concepts such as definitions and calculations as well. We then had a group assignment which took up 25% of our final marks. In this group assignment, we were allocated into groups based on the lecturer's name list. My group consisted of 4 members and this assignment required all of us to build straw bridges which would be able to withstand loading. This assignment was not easy. We had to build the straw bridge and find out which part of the bridge should be able to take and withstand heavy load. These parts of the bridge had to be strengthen with stronger joints and it was quite difficult dealing with straws.

Our final bridge before testing.

The way we did the joints

Upon completion of this group assignment, we prepared a report as well. The report included comparison between different types of trusses and our choice at the beginning of our group assignment. We did researches regarding the common types of trusses and explained in the report why we ended up choosing our truss which is the Warren truss for our assignment. 

All in all, this subject was definitely worth learning and I fully understand why this module was placed in our course syllabus. Although I struggled during some lectures and tutorials, trying to understand the principles and calculations, I believe all the effort by the lecturer in teaching us, would be worthwhile when we have to apply these knowledge in the future.