Structural Design Process: Take A Glance At Primary Steps

Structural design process is undoubtedly one of the most important steps in building
construction, which is carried out for developing robust or powerful structural framework for
the building in question. The key for developing a long lasting building remains in
constructing robust structure for it, which can effectively hold or handle both live and dead
load.
Structural design is an extremely intricate process, which demands the involvement of a
variety of expert technicians, drafters, detailers, fabricators and modelers etc., apart from
structural engineers. All of these building professionals have work in close cooperation with
general contractors, who are accountable for managing the communication between all the
crucial building professionals involved in the structural design process.
Primary stages in structural design process
1. Structural design process begins after general contractors hire a reliable structural
engineer for the project in question.
2. After that the structural engineers look at the survey conducted by the surveyors
and check out all the technicalities related to the site.
3. The next thing which is done by a structural engineer is to understand the buildings
architectural design.
4. For this general contractors provide the structural engineer with architectural plans
and drawings.
5. Based on architects design, a structural engineer prepares his structural design,
which can easily fulfil all the architectural needs or requirements.
6. But for developing a strong structure, it is crucial for structural engineers to execute
load calculations.
7. After that structural drafting process is carried out, which requires the involvement
of trained drafters.
8. Drafters are accountable for developing detailed structural drawings.
9. Apart from drafting, structural detailing is another important part of constructing a
structural framework.
10. For the execution of structural detailing, steel detailers are very crucial.
11. They are the technicians, who have to develop detailed drawings which can be used
in the fabrication and erection process.
12. For carrying out both structural drafting and steel detailing, drafters and detailers
have to utilise advanced software such as Tekla structures and Revit Structure.
13. Once the process of detailing is fully accomplished, the structural Modeling process is
then started by the BIM modelers.
14. The 3D Modeling process is carried out for obtaining a more comprehensive view of
structural design.
15. After that structural analysis is performed, which gives a detailed idea about design
validity?
16. If everything goes well with the design, then the fabrication process starts.
17. After which the erection of the structure takes place.

If the above mentioned steps are followed effectively by the structural design team, they
can really create powerful structures.