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[prav_77]

dear sefians,

       Its been a year since i started working as structure design industry..   i have been thinking to get a membership of some recognized association which is recommended internationally ..  
please i want to ask all the experts of this community to guide me through this..  

thnks,

praveen

[N. Prabhakar]

Dear Er Praveen,

You may consider becoming a member of the Institution of Structural Engineers, London, UK (MIStructE), which is an internationally recognised qualification.  There are more than 20,000 members of the Institution all over the world.  They bring out monthly journal 'The Structural Engineer' and several other publications periodically on structural engineering topics which keeps you abreast of the developments in structural engineering field.

To qualify for this membership, you will have to pass their examinations, unlike several other associations and institutions in India and abroad where you get membership almost free by filling up a form and paying yearly fee. The examinations of IStructE are on theory of structures, design of structural elements, and a 7-hour unique paper on design of a structure, drawing preparation, taking of quantities, writing specification, etc., as you would do in a design office.  The examinations are tough, and highly recognised by the profession.  Hence, it is worth trying.

With best wishes,

N. Prabhakar, BE CEng(I) MIStructE (UK) MIE (Ind)
Chartered Structural Engineer
Vasai (E)

[StrARS]

Dear Prabhakar sir,

me too very interested on such exam's, we looking more guidance from experts like you sir, is there any qualification for that exam like this much of years experience want, have to be master degree and anyothers?


Arun S

[N. Prabhakar]

Dear Er Praveen and Er Arun,

Regarding IStructE details, BE graduates from India are normally allowed to become Graduate Member (one level lower than MIStructE) prior to appearing for the Associate Membership examinations which are in two sections.  MTech graduates may get exemption from Section 1 examination of the Associate Membership examination.   One has to apply to the Institution for exemptions. After passing the Associate Membership examinations, one can appear for the Chartered Membership (MIStructE) examination which is a 7-hour paper as I mentioned earlier.  Chartered Membership examination is compulsory to everyone, including a PhD.  For more details about the Institution, requisite qualifications to become their member, about different grades of membership, their examinations, etc. please visit their website: www.istructe.org.  

It must be said, since the Institution is based in UK, most of the technical references in their journals and publications are made to the British standards and codes, now a days Euro codes are also referred.  This aspect should not deter Indian engineers as most of the Indian codes are similar to the British codes and are in the same SI units.  

In order to know about the developments taking place in our country, I suggest young Indian Engineers to become members of the Institution of Engineers, India, The Indian Concrete Institute which has its HQ in Chennai, and for structural steel designers membership of INSDAG, Kolkata.

I trust you will find the above information useful.

With best wishes,

N. Prabhakar
Chartered Structural Engineer
Vasai (E)

[prav_77]

dear prabhakar sir,


        A warm thanks for your guidance.. i have googled it and i was confused with many associations.. it really helped..

[StrARS]

Dear prabhakar sir,


Thank you for your valuable information sir. i had checked INSDAG, i think there is no exam for INSDAG. for membership have to pay and get membership. will join INSDAG soon and also MIStructE exam.
Thankyou sir


Arun S

[Dr. N. Subramanian]

Dear Er Praveen and Er Arun

Yes. MI Strut E is prestigious and very few members, like Er Prabhakar , are there in India. It is because their exams are tough to pass. The journal The Structural Engineer is also valuable. I am thankful to Er Prabhakar for sending a few papers from that journal.

I feel that engineers from India should join indian concrete Institute first, which will give them the opportunity to attend the meetings also, as ICI has got various centers.

If it is affordable they can join ACI as well as ASCE. ACI journals as well as Concrete International are quite good. ACI also has a national chapter. Though ASCE also has an Indian chapter, it's activities are picking up only Recently.


Best wishes,
NS

[jakatisuprabhat]

Respected Prabhakar Sir,

I am a Graduate member of Institution of Structural Engineers (UK) and working towards my Initial Professional Development.  

As a design engineer I get a hands on experience on detailed analysis and design of structures, however the objectives like concept design, commercial awareness are a concern for me.  

Could you please tell me how to work towards the concept designs and the commercials of the project?

Kind Regards,

Suprabhat

[N. Prabhakar]

Dear Er Suprabhat,

I believe, before you start any final design of a structure, you must have some concept about the structural framing, shapes and forms, materials to be used, method of structural analysis, the type of software to be used for analysis and design. the list of detail drawings to be prepared, dates for submission of design and drawings, etc.  Some of these conceptual designs are a routine procedure in a design office in most cases, but there are instances where a detail conceptual design is a must, like one designing a type of structure for the first time or structures with odd shapes and forms and materials to be used requiring special attention.  It involves preparation of sketches for framing plans, preliminary hand calculations with alternative materials, making references to special literature, etc.  before starting the final design.

Any structure that is built should be economically viable to suit the functional requirements of the user.  Means to find out an alternative economical solutions of framing and materials used are to be worked out for this purpose.  For example, the flooring system for a multi-storey building can be a conventional reinforced concrete slab and beam arrangement or a reinforced concrete flat slab or precast-prestressed floor planks or a ribbed floor or a composite floor of concrete and steel beams, etc.   Working out these alternatives is time consuming, but experience in this field would shorten this exercise.

The above matters come out of experience only in a design office, and there are no fixed theory or methods to do it.

I hope the above thoughts would help you in these matters.

With best wishes,

N. Prabhakar
Chartered Structural Engineer
Vasai (E)

[Dr. N. Subramanian]

Dear Er Prabhakarji,

I appreciate your thoughts which will surely help the young engineer!
I fell we should also have "like" button as in Face Book for such good replies!

Regards,
NS