IStructE Core Objective 03: Concept Creation and Design

This objective was previously the 2.1 Concept Design. Together with Objective 04 Analysis and Sizing, this is one of the most important parts to focus your efforts on.

We would suggest to organise each subitem in this report form according to some specific projects you have worked on and been involved in directly. Showcase the projects which you think best highlight your concept design and analysis skills, and include plenty of variation if possible.

Don't let you portfolio speak for itself - stress what concept designs and analyses you personally performed, and the outcomes of those studies.

What to Include in Your Report Form

Here's a range of items to potentially cover in your report form below. We would suggest including between 6 to 12 different projects if possible, to cover a variety of concept designs or analyses.

You can describe how and why you decided to develop a certain design scheme or take a certain approach, maybe based on the desires or requirements of clients or architects. Highlight any key challenges (tall building, slender, long cantilevers, poor soil conditions) and how you overcame them.

• Various Concept Scheme designs for a project
  (e.g. steel vs. concrete options, various grid spacing and framing arrangements)
  
  
• Refurbishment feasibility studies
  (building vertical or horizontal extensions, load takedowns, strengthening)
  
  
• Optioneering of columns/beams/slabs
  (beam/column/slab optioneering to explore different solutions)
  
  
• Lateral Stability Optioneering
  (moment frames, braced frames, RC shear walls or shear cores)
  
  
• Transfer solutions optioneering
  (transfer beams vs inclined columns vs walking columns)
  
  
• Foundation solutions / design
  
  
• Design Competitions you have been involved in
  
  
• Design criteria
  (live loads, wind, seismic)

What to Incude in Your Portfolio

I would suggest that your portfolio items correspond (in order or by numbering) to the items you list in your report form. A few ideas include:

• Scheme sketches you have produced (markups, Bluebeam sketches, 3d models, presentations)
• Design brainstorming and optioneering sketches
• Drawings or images which show the progression of the scheme
• Extracts from concept design reports
• Comparison matrix of floor framing typologies
• Comparison matrix or sketch of several different structural typologies

Show consideration of various issues

You want to demonstrate a good breadth and depth of understanding of structural issues for this objective and for Objective 04 Analysis and Sizing. The interviewers will try to draw out your weaknesses. Some overlooked items to include or mention in your PRI report form or cover in your portfolio might include:

• Structural robustness / disproportionate collapse considerations
• Design considering fire resistance
• Thermal effects, movement joints and shrinkage
• Consideration of lateral torsional buckling
• Consideration of diaphragm behaviour
• Slender columns
• Lateral Stability
• Load paths