AI650 - STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

courses

ID:

AI650

Duration (hours):

120

CFU:

SSD:

TECNICA DELLE COSTRUZIONI

Url:

Course Details:

ARCHITECTURE/CORSO GENERICO Year: 4

Year:

2025

Course Catalogue:

https://unich.coursecatalogue.cineca.it/af/2025?co...

Date/time interval

Annuale (29/09/2025 - 22/05/2026)

Course Objectives

The Architecture student, in the Structural Engineering course, must complete a training course started with Statics and continued Theory of Elasticity, aimed at achieving knowledge with the "structural behavior of a building".
This allows him to know how to control Geometrical Organization and Structural Element Pre-sizing, in order to be able to reach both the "Definition of the safety conditions for the operating load in ordinary conditions" and the "Definition of the safety conditions for external loads (linked to the action of atmospheric agents, such as snow and wind, and seismic)”, as defined in the relevant Dublin descriptors.
Going into detail, to achieve the basic objective just described, it is necessary to acquire a series of "knowledge" of statistics, mechanics, structural materials behaviour, the definition of the loads acting on a structure, the methods of analysis of the different structural types (also in relation to the different types of structural materials, such as reinforced concrete, steel and wood), on the actual Codes in terms of Structural Safety requirements.
Based on this knowledge, it is therefore possible to develop the "ability" to know how to set up a correct organization of the structure of a building and to know how to verify the safety conditions.
For this aim, it is therefore essential to develop a complete workshop in order to design simple building structures, according to structural Codes.
This application part is also fundamental to refine the awareness (in the sense of "knowledge") that an architecture project is a multidisciplinary project where the different components: formal, functional, technical and technological, must contribute to an unitary and organic project, according to minimal safety characteristics .

This awareness therefore leads to the development of an "Overview of the Project".
This "ability" allows to develop the decision-making ability underlying the "autonomy of judgment" necessary in a professional activity.
The development of work-shops projects also allows the student to develop graphic "communication skills", essential for making his project understood by both the builders and the potential clients.
The alternation of traditional training moments (frontal lessons) with moments dedicated to the application part of the course (aimed at stimulating the ability to self-organize) helps to promote a methodological approach to study which (by improving the "ability to learn") will put the future professionals able to practice the subsequent self-learning processes, necessary for the critical updating of their knowledge.

Course Prerequisites

To successfully follow this teaching, it is necessary to have followed and passed the courses of Statics and Theory of Elasticity, both propaedeutic to the course of Structural Engineering.

Teaching Methods

The teaching activity includes a theoretical part, with lectures, and an applicative part, with the assignment of simple design themes that will be developed by the student under the supervision of the teacher, according to weekly review cycles.
These project themes can be developed individually

Assessment Methods

The exam consists in the discussion of the individual projects relating to the assigned exercises and in a final test with theory questions, to be answered orally or in writing.
The results of any eventual intermediate checks will also be taken into consideration in the evaluation.
The grade is out of thirty and will be obtained with an average of the grade obtained on the basis of the year's projects and the grade obtained on the basis of the theory questions.

Texts

The teacher will provide lecture notes that will form the basic original reference the topics covered.
Furthermore, the following texts can be considered as general reference texts for the course:
Italian Structural Codes 2018-19, (downloadable by internet).
Aurelio GHERSI IL CEMENTO ARMATO. LE BASI DELLA PROGETTAZIONE STRUTTURALE ESPOSTE IN MANIERA SEMPLICE MA RIGOROSA, Seconda Edizione, Dario Flaccovio Editore 2010
Aurelio GHERSI IL CEMENTO ARMATO. DALLE TENSIONI AMMISSIBILI AGLI STATI LIMITE: UN APPROCCIO UNITARIO, Dario Flaccovio Editore 2008.
C. BELLUZZI, F. M. MAZZOLANI EDIFICI IN ACCIAIO, Ulrico Hoepli Editore 2007
G. BALLIO, C. BERNUZZI PROGETTARE COSTRUZIONI IN ACCIAIO. Normativa europea, stati limite, sagomario, software per il calcolo, Ed. Hoepli 2004,
A book that could be considered as exhaustive for any kind of structural system is:
Mauro Mezzina (a cura di), Fondamenti di tecnica delle costruzioni, Seconda edizione, Città Studi Edizioni, 2021, ISBN: 9788825174373
Third Edition of this book is in preparation now; it wil probably be edited for January 2026
The same themes can be found, with also insights, in other more or less recent Structural Engineering texts such as:
Paolo FORABOSCHI ELEMENTI DI TECNICA DELLE COSTRUZIONI - PROGETTO DI MASSIMA DELLE STRUTTURE CIVILI, Mc Graw Hill Italia 2004
Elio GIANGRECO TEORIA E TECNICA DELLE COSTRUZIONI, Vol. 1, Ed. 6, Liguori Editore Napoli 2003
Emanuele F. RADOGNA TECNICA DELLE COSTRUZIONI 1. FONDAMENTI DELLE COSTRUZIONI DI ACCIAIO. TECNICA DELLE COSTRUZIONI 2. COSTRUZIONI COMPOSTE "ACCIAIO-CALCESTRUZZO", CEMENTO ARMATO, CEMENTO ARMATO PRECOMPRESSO, 3. SICUREZZA STRUTTURALE, AZIONI SULLE COSTRUZIONI, ANALISI DELLA RISPOSTA, Zanichelli 1999
G. TONIOLO, M. DI PRISCO CEMENTO ARMATO, CALCOLO AGLI STATI LIMITE, VOLL. 2A&B, Terza Edizioni, Zanichelli 2010
G. BALLIO, F. M. MAZZOLANI STRUTTURE IN ACCIAIO, Sistemi strutturali, Sicurezza e carichi, Materiale, Unioni e collegamenti, Resistenza e stabilità, Ulrico Hoepli Editore 1987,
Useful reference texts, with discussion of the technical codes are the following:
AUTORI VARI GUIDA ALL’USO DELL’EUROCODICE 2
VOLUME I: PROGETTAZIONE DI STRUTTURE IN CALCESTRUZZO ARMATO VOLUME II: PROGETTO STRUTTURALE DI EDIFICI CIVILI ED INDUSTRIALI IN CALCESTRUZZO ARMATO Promosso da Aitec, Assobeton, Atecap; Aicap Edizione Pubblicemento 2006
AUTORI VARI GUIDA ALL’USO DELL’EUROCODICE 2 CON RIFERIMENTO ALLE NORME TECNICHE D.M. 14.1.2008. RISTAMPA
VOLUME I: PROGETTAZIONE DI STRUTTURE IN CALCESTRUZZO ARMATO VOLUME II: PROGETTO SISMICA DI EDIFICI IN CALCESTRUZZO ARMATO Promosso da Aitec, Assobeton, Atecap; Aicap Edizione Pubblicemento 2008
Other useful reference texts, particularly devoted to an approach consistent with a Structural Course in a Architecture Curriculum, are the following:
S. LENCI, L. CONSOLINI PERCORSI PER UN METODO PROGETTUALE TRA FORMA E STRUTTURA, Aracne Editrice 2007
Antonio MIGLIACCI L'ARCHITETTURA DELL'EQUILIBRIO E DELLA DEFORMAZIONE, Seconda Edizione, Volume I & II, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana 2006
Mario SALVATORI PERCHÉ GLI EDIFICI STANNO IN PIEDI, Bompiani 2000 Daniel L. SCHODEK STRUTTURE, traduzione a cura di D. Coronelli e L. Martinelli, Patron Editore 2005
E. SIVIERO, A. BENEDETTI LA CONCEZIONE STRUTTURALE NEL PROGETTO DI ARCHITETTURA, Editrice Compositori 2002.
The handouts and teaching materials (including those necessary for the development of the design exercises) will be available either on the e-learning platform and / or on web pages specially prepared for the course.

• Introduction to Structural Engineering
• Statistics Elements
• Structural Safety Elements
• Structural Analysis Elements
• Structural Mechanics Elements
• Introduction to Construction Technical Codes
• Structural Loads:permanent loadsaccidental loadswind actionsnow actionearthquake action
• Structural Materials:Reinforced Concrete StructuresSteel StructuresIntroduction to Wood Structures