Prologue

The use of metal structures has undergone extraordinarydevelopment in recent years, due
both to the greattechnological advances,and its wide range of applications. The new conce
pts ofsafety and a better understanding of the properties ofmaterials,
they have served as a basis for the establishment of newmethods of calculation that compl
ement the traditional methods of permissible tensions.

Introduction

The field of the structural engineer.

The structural engineer is concerned in the conception, construction, economy and mainte
nance of many types ofstructures for a wide range of objectives.

Typical among the structures that require the knowledge and

the experience of the engineers of structures are the bridges of railroads and roads,
buildings of any kind, industrial equipment, hydraulic anddrainage structures, dams,
structures for the avenues, airplanes, tanks and ships. The agencies
representing the owners and responsible for
the design and construction of structures include railways
and other public use agencies, the federal government, the state authorities,
cities and municipalities, government authorities, manufacturers and individuals.

Structure engineers, having direct responsibility for structures engineering,

They are part of either the organization of the owner or the
organization of a consulting office to which it is paid for the particular work.
The engineer's responsibility is to provide an adequate structure in terms of the economy,
designed and built according to accepted principles of
engineering and performance and that results in an
appearance that is a credit for the profession.