Steel Member Design: Theory to Practice

Design of Steel Beams for Flexure is a practical engineering course focused on how structural steel elements resist bending, shear, and complex combined stresses. It bridges structural theory with code-compliant design for members carrying transverse loads—vital for frameworks in high-rises, industrial platforms, and crane runways. Learners will progress from beam classification and lateral-torsional buckling to the design of laterally supported and unsupported sections. The curriculum covers specialized heavy-duty components like plate girders and gantry girders (handling web crippling and buckling), and culminates in the analysis of beam-columns under combined axial force and bending. Learning Objectives By the end of this course, learners will be able to: Evaluate Flexural Stability: Classify cross-sections and analyze critical stability limits, including plastic hinge formation, torsion, warping, and lateral-torsional buckling. Prevent Local Web Failures: Assess and design against localized structural failures, specifically web buckling, web crippling, and shear failure modes. Size Heavy-Duty Girders: Proportion and engineer large-scale plate girders and industrial gantry girders according to standard code provisions and wheel-load criteria. Design Beam-Columns: Apply interaction equations ($P\text{--}M$ relationships) to safely design structural members subjected to simultaneous axial loads and bending moments. Deliver Complete Designs: Use systematic engineering procedures to select, analyze, and detail standard steel beams, purlins, and complex flexural systems. Target Learners & Background: Civil & Structural Engineering Students Early-Career Structural Engineers Industrial Plant Designers & Fabricators

Design of Steel Connections is a highly practical engineering course focused on the critical joints that link individual structural elements into a safe, cohesive system. Because structural failures most frequently originate at the joints, mastering connection design is paramount for ensuring global structural integrity. This course bridges the gap between connection mechanics and code-compliant detailing. Learners will progress from the fundamentals of mechanical fastening in bolted connections (including prying action and shear/bearing limits) to the metallurgy and geometric sizing of welded connections (fillet and groove welds). The curriculum then covers complex force distributions in beam-to-beam, beam-to-column, and eccentric connections where twisting and bending moments complicate the load paths. Finally, the course addresses the vital transition point between steel frames and concrete foundations by exploring the design of axially loaded, moment-resisting, and gusseted column base plates along with their anchoring systems. Learning Objectives By the end of this course, learners will be able to: Design Fastener Systems: Select, size, and arrange bolts or welds to resist shear, tension, and bearing stresses based on industry design specifications. Analyze Joint Failure Modes: Evaluate critical limit states in connections, including block shear, bolt hole deformation, weld defects, and joint prying action. Resolve Eccentric Loading: Calculate complex force distributions in joints where loads do not pass through the center of gravity, causing combined shear and torsion/bending. Detail Column Base Plates: Size and proportion slab bases, gusseted bases, and anchor bolts to safely transfer axial forces and overturning moments into concrete foundations. Implement Design Procedures: Apply systematic engineering workflows and standard design code regulations to solve real-world structural connection problems. Target Learners & Background: Structural Design Engineers Civil Engineering Students Steel Detailers & Fabricators