ENCN213-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Structural Design Studio

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

Loads and load paths in buildings and bridges. Design calculations for timber and steel structures. Engineering drawing. Construction and testing of simple structures.

The objective of the course is to introduce students to the principles of the structural design
process. The course is designed-focused and uses most of the technical knowledge learnt in
previous courses. At the end of the course, you will be able to design timber structures in a
simplified manner. The course consists of two design projects: a low-rise timber building to
be designed in weekly steps and a simplified bridge design which includes concept, detailed
design, construction, and testing.

Learning Outcomes

After this course, you should be able to:

For term 3 (building design)
· LO1: Describe the structural design process, explaining the limit-state design approach and recognising that a range of design considerations, such as cost, sustainability and health and safety, will influence final design recommendations. (UC graduate attributes: EII2, EII3) (WA graduate attributes: WA1, WA3)

· LO2: Quantify typical vertical and horizontal loads acting on building structures, including identification of reliable load paths through structural systems and critical design actions. (UC graduate attributes: EII2, EII3, EII4) (WA graduate attributes: WA1, WA2).

· LO3: Describe the basis of the load resistance factored design (LRFD) approach for structures and apply this for the design of structures subject to simple load cases (UC graduate attributes: EII2, EII3, GA3, CE3) (Washington Accord graduate attribute: WA1)

· LO4: Be able to apply the principles of mechanics to calculate the resistance of typical timber sections, members and systems subject to simple load cases (UC graduate attributes: EII2, EII3, EII4) (WA graduate attributes: WA1, WA2).

For term 4 (bridge design)
· LO5 Generate design concepts for bridges with consideration for multiple aspects such as aesthetics, historical and social context, structural performance, material usage and sustainability (UC Graduate attributes: EII, BCC, GA, CE; Washington Accord graduate attributes: WA2, WA3, WA8).

· LO6: Analyse the structural behaviour of bridges when subjected to loading, including by use of the influence lines method (UC Graduate attributes: EII, Washington Accord graduate attributes: WA1).

· LO7: Build and test physical bridge models to evaluate the structural performance and validate design assumptions (UC Graduate attributes: EEI, Washington Accord graduate attributes: WA4).

· LO8: Analyse, compare and select materials and connections to be used in the bridge (UC Graduate attributes: EEI, Washington Accord graduate attributes: WA2, WA3, WA8).

· LO9: Develop a full detailed design, reporting on the structural analysis, calculations and drawings, as well as a description of how the health and safety, sustainability and social considerations have been addressed. (UC Graduate attributes: EII, Washington Accord graduate attributes: WA1, WA2, WA3, WA10).

· LO10: Plan, explain and perform the bridge construction and project management (UC Graduate attributes: EII, Washington Accord graduate attributes: WA11).

The bridge design project will be carried out in groups of 6 or 7 students, while the building design
project is split in several weekly individual assignments. Both the bridge and the building are to be
designed using timber or wood-based products as the main structural material and comprise of
laboratory sessions.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Dean of Engineering and Forestry

Restrictions

ENCI211

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 11:00 - 12:00 A3 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
02 Tuesday 15:00 - 16:00 Meremere 108 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 11:00 - 12:00 E9 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
02 Wednesday 16:00 - 17:00 E9 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 11:00 - 12:00 A2 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
02 Thursday 15:00 - 16:00 E9 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture D
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 08:00 - 09:00 C2 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
02 Monday 12:00 - 13:00 A3 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 08:00 - 10:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
02 Tuesday 10:00 - 12:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
03 Tuesday 13:00 - 15:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
04 Tuesday 15:00 - 17:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
05 Wednesday 08:00 - 10:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
06 Wednesday 10:00 - 12:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
07 Wednesday 13:00 - 15:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
08 Wednesday 15:00 - 17:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
09 Monday 08:00 - 10:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
10 Monday 10:00 - 12:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
11 Thursday 13:00 - 15:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
12 Thursday 15:00 - 17:00 Civil - Mech E117 Model Structures Lab
22 Sep - 28 Sep
Lab B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 08:00 - 12:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
02 Monday 13:00 - 17:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
03 Tuesday 08:00 - 12:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
04 Tuesday 13:00 - 17:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
05 Wednesday 08:00 - 12:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
06 Wednesday 13:00 - 17:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
Lab C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 08:00 - 12:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
02 Thursday 13:00 - 17:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
03 Friday 08:00 - 12:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
04 Friday 13:00 - 17:00 - 6 Oct - 12 Oct
05 Monday 08:00 - 12:00 - 13 Oct - 19 Oct
06 Monday 13:00 - 17:00 - 13 Oct - 19 Oct
Lab D
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 13:00 - 17:00 - 13 Oct - 19 Oct
02 Tuesday 08:00 - 12:00 - 13 Oct - 19 Oct
03 Wednesday 13:00 - 17:00 - 13 Oct - 19 Oct
04 Wednesday 08:00 - 12:00 - 13 Oct - 19 Oct
05 Thursday 13:00 - 17:00 - 13 Oct - 19 Oct
06 Thursday 08:00 - 12:00 - 13 Oct - 19 Oct
Lab E
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 11:00 - 13:00 C Block Front Lawn (Central)
13 Oct - 19 Oct
02 Friday 13:00 - 15:00 C Block Front Lawn (Central)
13 Oct - 19 Oct
Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 08:00 - 10:00 Rata 222 & 223 Drawing Office
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 5 Oct
02 Friday 15:00 - 17:00 Rata 222 & 223 Drawing Office
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 5 Oct

Examinations, Quizzes and Formal Tests

Test A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 19:00 - 21:00 C2 Lecture Theatre
18 Aug - 24 Aug
02 Wednesday 19:00 - 21:00 C1 Lecture Theatre
18 Aug - 24 Aug

Course Coordinator

Giuseppe Loporcaro

Lecturers

Tim Sullivan and Giuseppe Loporcaro

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Group assignments 17% (G1-G5)
Individual assignments 18%
final exam 30%
Mid term test 35%


The assessment for this paper will comprise four components – individual assignments, group
assignments, mid-term test the final exam.

Notes:
a) Every item of assessment must be competed satisfactorily to pass the course.
b) The average of the Exam & Test marks must be above 40% to pass this course, regardless of
assignments marks.
c) Attendance to tutorials in term 4 is MANDATORY and will be recorded.

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Allen, Zalewski, et al. Hoboken,; Form and forces : designing efficient, expressive structures ; John Wiley & Sons, 2010.

Boughton, G. N; Timber Design Handbook ; Standards Australia, 2013.

Boughton, G. N; Understanding Structures ; Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

Building Research Association of New Zealand; BRANZ House-Building Guide ; 1993.

Ian Buckle; The Elements of Structure - An Introduction to the Principles of Building and Structural Engineering ; Longman Scientific and Technical, 1978.

J E Gordon; Structures or Why Things don't fall down ; Pelican Books, 1978.

J E Gordon; The Science of Structures and Materials ; Scientific American Library, 1988.

Mario Salvadori; Why Buildings Stand Up - The Strength of Architecture ; McGraw Hill, 1980.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,383.00

International fee $6,499.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Civil and Environmental Engineering .

All ENCN213 Occurrences

  • ENCN213-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025