If you are thinking to extend your home, or even to build a new one, you will need professional advice from a structural engineer, who will prepare drawings and designs considering the planning consent and building regulations.
Structural designing or building surveys is an art of understanding the flow of forces. The distribution of forces is initially understood diagrammatically and mathematically and then based on scientific understanding, sketches of buildings and connections are developed. Structures are divided into two major categories, reinforced concrete design, and steel frame structures.
Before the construction of any building, initial contaminated land investigation and building surveys of the construction sites is done. Expert civil engineers then ensure that your ideas are translated into an economic design which fulfils your requirements and complies with building legislation. Moreover sewers drains and highways are of the core importance in any structural design, thus only a professional site investigation consultant can complete and approve set of plans before starting any construction project.
Every structure should be designed to resist the overturning effects caused by the lateral forces. The value for snow load, wind load and seismic load importance factors should be determined in accordance with International Building Code. For dynamic analysis for earthquakes, usually core shear walls are used to take the earthquake load. All these analysis are not in hands of any common man or builder. Only a professional structural design services company can create a safe, stable and economic design for any proposed structure.
