Key Issues, Challenges, and Current Trends in structural analysis and design, explained by an industry expert in this interview.
Interview: The Challenges Facing Geotechnical Engineering and Foundations
The structural analysis and design It is a fundamental pillar of modern engineering, essential for ensuring the safety, functionality, and sustainability of infrastructure projects. With advances in technology and the growing complexity of buildings, This field faces significant challenges, such as adapting to innovative regulations, integrating advanced digital tools, and designing structures capable of meeting the demands of today's environment.
In this interview, Lourdes Fernández Cacho, Director of the Master's Degree in Structural Analysis and Design, shares his insights on the industry’s most significant trends, the challenges shaping the profession, and the essential skills needed to tackle high-level structural projects in a constantly changing world.
Lourdes, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Could you briefly tell us about your professional background and what your current job entails?
«Throughout my professional career, I have worked in various branches of civil engineering, but primarily in the hydraulic works and structural engineering.
I started out working on hydraulic projects at a nationwide engineering firm, where I not only performed hydraulic calculations but also structural calculations for the various components.
Later, following the 2009 crisis, it was my turn to reinvent myself. The lack of work led me to become self-employed and work on my own, collaborating with public and private entities, as well as large and small engineering firms and construction companies, on projects—primarily in structural analysis.«
Throughout your career, you have worked on complex projects such as the Riyadh Metro and the Sevilla Tower. What do you consider to have been the biggest challenges in managing structural calculations for projects of this scale?
«Although I haven't been involved in such unique projects, I have worked on smaller-scale projects—though no less challenging. In the case of the works cited, The generous budget allows for an endless array of solutions, regardless of cost. In the case of the projects I have completed: multi-level underground parking garages, bridges, open-plan structures with long spans,….the solutions to be proposed are derived by applying the same theories, calculations, and software. In both situations, it is necessary to assess and study the terrain, existing services, current infrastructure, intended uses, etc. It is always necessary to review the regulations of the location where construction will take place, paying special attention to non-Spanish regulations.
An additional issue to consider in smaller projects is generally the limited space available for construction, which requires a detailed analysis of the proposed solutions for carrying out the work and resolving the problem. The other issue is the limited budget.«
In recent years, we have seen a surge in the use of advanced technologies such as BIM (Building Information Modeling) and automated structural analysis software. How do you think these tools are transforming the work of structural engineers? Is there a risk that technical rigor will be lost by relying so heavily on automation?
«The application of The BIM methodology is a tool to aid in the design and subsequent construction of a project, But it doesn’t make a difference in terms of the work to be done. Until now, the dimensions of the various pipes were calculated manually, and each one was drawn in AutoCAD to analyze its route, intersections, profiles, and so on. This was done in both civil engineering and piping projects. With the advent of BIM, this is now done using software, which helps speed up the process, but the process itself remains the same.
We can lose some technical precision when we use templates that we insert to configure the different materials that make up the walls, the paving, … the floors, … the plumbing. We work with “blocks” without thinking, without analyzing the section we're introducing.«
Climate change is forcing engineers to rethink how they design structures to withstand increasingly extreme weather events. How are structural analysis methodologies adapting to address these new challenges?
«It's a difficult time. The climate change This makes it clear that all the considerations made so far regarding climate action are insufficient, which compels us to rethink how we calculate those actions and, therefore, It is necessary to update the regulations.
We are living in a time when there are hurricanes, cyclones, in areas where there weren't even any before, and the regulations for those areas do not account for wind forces of that magnitude. However, it is necessary to take this into account, and therefore the wind regulations in many places need to be reevaluated.
The same goes for the rainfall intensities for sizing sewer lines and flood flows.
Climate change affects the study of the sea-level change and the location of the flood line for rivers. These are very important factors, not only because of the property damage that can result from flooding, but also because of the potential loss of human life.«
Throughout your career, you have worked with multidisciplinary teams on various international projects. From your perspective,. What are the keys to effective collaboration among the various design, engineering, and construction teams to ensure a project's success?
«When you're working on a a multidisciplinary project, whether national or international, The cornerstone is communication among each and every person working on the project. Everyone must communicate and constantly keep each other updated on all information, changes, designs, results, etc., so that each person can incorporate them into their part of the project, acknowledging and positively evaluating the information and/or changes—results—and contributing new ideas. This will help improve the project and ensure there are no inconsistencies.«
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are beginning to play a role in structural analysis. Do you think these technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way structures are designed and calculated? Are there any ethical or technical limitations we should consider when implementing these technologies?
«The use of the AI in Structural Analysis It is, after all, simply the automated application of various calculation programs. We incorporate the critical and analytical assessment of the results, which is vital and is what makes those calculations civil engineering.«
Based on your experience as Director of the Master’s Program in Structural Analysis and Design, what are the most important skills you believe future structural engineers need to master in order to be prepared for today’s job market?
«At a time when the AI is present in many aspects of our lives, I believe that the foundation for achieving professional success and safety on the job is a clear understanding of the basic concepts of strength of materials, which will enable us to understand structures and how they function. In this way, we will be able to analyze the results obtained from the programs, evaluate them, and improve them, adapting them to the specific application to improve sections, dimensions, and materials.
With these programs, we will be able to reduce the computation times and, to study large structures in a short amount of time. But only if we have a clear understanding of the subject matter will we be able to analyze the results.«
Finally, a question about the future of the profession. Given the rapid pace of technological advances and new social demands, how do you envision the role of the structural engineer evolving over the next 10 to 20 years? What changes would you like to see in the industry?
«Structural analysis will follow the same methodology as is currently used, with the exception that the emergence and improvement of software, It allows us to draw and model very complex structures (curves, paraboloids) that we cannot analyze in full detail using current technology (for example, with finite elements), and are studied by making numerous simplifications.«
Structural analysis and design continues to be a field that is constantly evolving, driven by technological advances, environmental challenges, and the need for more efficient and sustainable structures. As he pointed out, Lourdes Fernández Cacho, proficiency with digital tools, the ability to adapt to Changing regulations and solid training are key elements for professionals who want to excel in this field.
The combination of technical expertise, innovation, and a comprehensive approach to structural projects is essential to successfully addressing current and future challenges. Thus, initiatives such as the Master's Degree in Structural Analysis and Design are considered essential for training leaders capable of transforming the sector and meeting the needs of an increasingly demanding world.
