This book aims to brige the gap between engineers' and architects' understanding of structural form. Its intention is to inspire the development of innovative and viable structures. It presents case studies where imaginative structural forms are in harmony with the architectural concept and at the same time present very efficient solutions to technical and structural problems.

Conceptual structural design is a process through which structural forms are created. The forms are shaped by a set of design requirements representing the expected function, and by constraints that reflect physical laws and practical limitations. There is no direct mathematical transformation from requirements to a form; the conceptual design process is nonlinear and iterative. Like all creative processes, it is most effective when ideas can be rapidly synthesized, dissolved, combined and evolved. In structural design, these ideas need to be evaluated in the context of performance, functionality, and cost. Conceptual design, compared to later design stages, is characterized by a high degree of uncertainty and a general lack of knowledge. A key objective in conceptual structural design is therefore to rapidly create, modify and evaluate vague or abstract structural forms. This work describes a computational framework to support conceptual structural design, emphasizing the importance of form. Techniques from image processing, pattern recognition and linguistics are used to describe, classify, and reason with forms at high levels of abstraction. Most other computer applications in conceptual structural design describe design concepts in terms of words or through simplified spatial relationships. This work highlights the central role that visual information plays in formulating ideas in conceptual design. The major contributions of this work are an efficient method for synthesizing conceptual designs of discrete structures, and the application of pattern recognition and visual case-based reasoning techniques to conceptual structural design. The framework is directed towards large-scale discrete structures characterized by interconnected linear elements. During synthesis, forms are initially created using topology optimization methods; these forms are processed to extract high level information that supports further structural optimization, including the assessment of.

Although first published nearly thirty years ago, this book remains up-to-date, intellectually stimulating and realistic. Unlike most texts in the field, it relates design closely to the science and mathematics that are students' chief concern, and shows their relevance. It shows how to make simple but illuminating calculations, and how to achieve the insight and the invention that often result from them. Covering design principles in depth, this is, and remains, an original book: although some of the ideas which were novel in 1971 are now widely accepted, others remain new.

*Winner of the 2021 TAA Textbook Excellence Award* Honorable Mention of the 2021 BTES Book Award Structures by Design: Thinking, Making, Breaking is a new type of structures textbook for architects who prefer to learn using the hands-on, creative problem-solving techniques typically found in a design studio. Instead of presenting structures as abstract concepts defined by formulas and diagrams, this book uses a project-based approach to demonstrate how a range of efficient, effective, and expressive architectural solutions can be generated, tested, and revised. Each section of the book is focused on a particular manner by which structural resistance is provided: Form (Arches and Cables), Sections (Beams, Slabs, and Columns), Vectors (Trusses and Space Frames), Surfaces (Shells and Plates), and Frames (Connections and High-Rises). The design exercises featured in each chapter use the Think, Make, Break method of reiterative design to develop and evaluate different structural options. A variety of structural design tools will be used, including the human body, physical models, historical precedents, static diagrams, traditional formulae, and advanced digital analysis. The book can be incorporated into various course curricula and studio exercises because of the flexibility of the format and range of expertise required for these explorations. More than 500 original illustrations and photos provide example solutions and inspiration for further design exploration.

Most of the embodied energy can be saved in the load-bearing structure! Conceptual Design of Structures is working at the interface between structural engineering, architecture, and art. The book seeks to answer the complex question of what needs to be considered when conceiving a building structure. What influences the process of conceptual thinking? How do space and structure interact? In what ways do architects and engineers work together? The book thus sheds light on the topic of multidisciplinary interrelationships in design, showing numerous different perspectives. Renowned practitioners and researchers from architecture and engineering share their insights, as do artists and historians who cross the disciplinary boundaries. Furthermore, this book also provides an outlook on possible future developments and aspects of sustainable design and construction. Bridging practice, academic, and research Holistic perspectives through contributors from different disciplines Numerous essays, interviews and project reviews provide direct insights Selected works from engineering, architecture, and art

This English translation of the successful French edition presents the conception and design of steel and steel-concrete composite bridges, from simple beam bridges to cable supported structures. The book focuses primarily on road bridges, emphasizing the basis of their conception and the fundamentals that must be considered to assure structural safety and serviceability, as well as highlighting the necessary design checks. The principles are extended in later chapters to railway bridges as well as bridges for pedestrians and cyclists. Particular attention is paid to consideration of the dynamic performance.

This thesis focuses on visualizing high-dimensional design spaces for early-stage design problems in structural engineering and related disciplines. The design space, which is defined as the n + 1-dimensional surface that relates n design variables to a performance metric, contains all possible solutions to a formulated design problem. Graphical views of the design space are highly useful for designers because they organize a wide range of design possibilities in a compact, intuitive, and logical manner, illuminating global patterns, variable behaviors and relationships, and the nature of paths taken during iterative design processes. Design problems with two or fewer variables can easily be visualized in Euclidian space, through a curve or surface, but high-dimensional problems are difficult to display graphically. This is the key challenge addressed in this thesis. The thesis includes a critical review of existing methods for high-dimensional design space visualization, highlighting the unmet needs across a range of approaches. In response to these needs, the thesis makes a key contribution in the form of a new design space visualization method, called isoperforming parallel coordinate clusters (IPC clusters), that overcomes the issues of previous techniques. The IPC cluster approach is demonstrated on several conceptual structural design problems, and its application in optimization, directed exploration, and related design strategies is illustrated. Finally, the thesis concludes with a discussion of applications, impact, and future research directions. Key words: design space visualization, conceptual design, structural design, structural optimization

Provides a Comprehensive Introduction to Aircraft Design with an Industrial Approach This book introduces readers to aircraft design, placing great emphasis on industrial practice. It includes worked out design examples for several different classes of aircraft, including Learjet 45, Tucano Turboprop Trainer, BAe Hawk and Airbus A320. It considers performance substantiation and compliance to certification requirements and market specifications of take-off/landing field lengths, initial climb/high speed cruise, turning capability and payload/range. Military requirements are discussed, covering some aspects of combat, as is operating cost estimation methodology, safety considerations, environmental issues, flight deck layout, avionics and more general aircraft systems. The book also includes a chapter on electric aircraft design along with a full range of industry standard aircraft sizing analyses. Split into two parts, Conceptual Aircraft Design: An Industrial Approach spends the first part dealing with the pre-requisite information for configuring aircraft so that readers can make informed decisions when designing vessels. The second part devotes itself to new aircraft concept definition. It also offers additional analyses and design information (e.g., on cost, manufacture, systems, role of CFD, etc.) integral to conceptual design study. The book finishes with an introduction to electric aircraft and futuristic design concepts currently under study. Presents an informative, industrial approach to aircraft design Features design examples for aircraft such as the Learjet 45, Tucano Turboprop Trainer, BAe Hawk, Airbus A320 Includes a full range of industry standard aircraft sizing analyses Looks at several performance substantiation and compliance to certification requirements Discusses the military requirements covering some combat aspects Accompanied by a website hosting supporting material Conceptual Aircraft Design: An Industrial Approach is an excellent resource for those designing and building modern aircraft for commercial, military, and private use.