Structural Engineering and Home Design

What is structural engineering?

A structural engineer is an individual who has completed their engineering degree in civil engineering. Through their education they have learned how to analyze the forces and constraints on the structures that surround us in order to design and build safe structures, whether it is a building, a bridge, elaborate artwork, or specialized structures like silos and dams. Their concern for public safety is at the forefront of their work since they focus on ensuring that the structures around us will remain as safe as possible.

Who can call themselves a structural engineer?

A professional engineer uses engineering principles and is concerned with safeguarding the health and safety of the public as well as the environment. A person can call themselves a structural engineer if they are a professional engineer and are competent in the knowledge of structural engineering. From an educational standpoint, structural engineers have typically studied civil engineering. In order to become a professional engineer (and use the title engineer), the engineering graduate must apply for a license which requires working under the supervision of a professional engineer for a set period of time and passing ethics and law exams. There are also annual continuing education requirements in order to ensure that all engineers are up to date on their knowledge in the area of practice.

The role of the structural engineer in home design

A home, like any other structures, will be subjected to external forces, including the weight of the materials to build the house, wind, rain, and snow. The structural engineer will look at the proposed design, where the internal walls will be, as well as the soil and grading of the property in order to design the structural elements of the home. They will calculate the required size and material for the beams and the columns that will be used to build the house.

For renovation projects, the structural engineer will look at the existing structure and structural elements (like the beams, columns, and load bearing walls) and the desired work in order to determine which modifications need to be made to maintain the integrity of the home. A project involving a load bearing wall removal for instance will require some analysis and planning for a new beam and columns in order to adequately support the floors and roof above. It is very important that an engineer be involved in such projects in order to ensure that the existing home will not be damaged during the construction.

The role of the structural engineer during construction

During construction the structural engineer will conduct various site visits and engineering reviews. These visits are to ensure that the structure is being built as designed by the engineer. After a site visit the client will typically get a report from the engineer summarizing the observations made by the engineer. It is also common for challenges to occur during larger construction projects. When this happens, the engineer will go to site to observe the current conditions and redo their analysis and calculations in order to create a new design plan that will be structurally sound. While this may take a little time, it is essential in ensuring the quality and stability of the structure that is being built.

Requirements by the municipality for revision by an engineer

During construction, the Ontario Building Code requires that engineers conduct a general review of the work for which they are taking responsibility in order to ensure the construction is being completed as intended and in accordance with the approved plans and specifications. The results of these general reviews are reported directly to the Chief Building Official with a copy provided to the client so that everyone is aware of the findings.

The engineer can also conduct additional reviews in order to review the site work to provide quality assurance during construction. This is done to ensure that the work is being completed in a high quality manner. The findings of these reviews are reported directly to the client as they go above and beyond the needs of the building code.