About the course:
This course teaches you how to perform the conceptual design for highway girder bridges. Your fundamentals in analysis and design are strengthened using first principle formulations while observing relevant code requirements (CHBDC S6-19 and AASHTO LRFD). You are taught analysis techniques to obtain demands on major structural components through simplified methods for both vertical and lateral load effects including seismic. You learn simple rules of thumb and methodologies for design of the main structural members including relevant code checks where necessary. After sizing of the major components is performed, you will learn about approaches to estimate the construction cost of these bridges including appropriate allocation of risk and contingencies. You would learn how to develop a multi-account evaluation criterion that is a useful tool to rate and compare alternatives. The course is concluded with acquainting you with the minimum quality management guidelines expectations from your professional practice as per the standards set by the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. This course would be particularly useful for engineers seeking professional licensure.
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Course Duration: 5 weeks (at 5 hours/week effort)
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Suitability: 0-6 years of Bridge Engineering Experience
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38 Lessons (10.5 hours of instruction)
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Multiple Quizzes to Reinforce Learning (200+ questions bank)
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FREE Access to Course Community Discussion Forum
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Certificate for Successful Completion (10 PDH/CPD Hours)
Course curriculum
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1
Conceptual Stage Design Development
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Orientation
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PRESENTATION: Design Criteria and Critical Loads
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Design Criteria
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Load Paths and Bridge Configurations
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QUIZ: Load Paths and Bridge Configurations
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Load Combinations: Service and Fatigue
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Load Combinations: Ultimate and Extreme
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QUIZ: Load Combinations
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PRESENTATION: Bridge Structural Analysis
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Analysis: General (Part A)
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Analysis: General (Part B)
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Analysis: Influence Lines
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TUTORIAL: Simple Span Live Load (Hand Calcs)
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Analysis: Simplified Distribution
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Analysis: Seismic
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Analysis: Non-Seismic Lateral Loads
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QUIZ: Bridge Structural Analysis
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PRESENTATION: Component Sizing
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Component Sizing: Girders (Concrete and Steel)
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Component Sizing: Bents and Footings
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Component Sizing: Piles and Walls
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QUIZ: Component Sizing
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2
Cost Estimation, Options Evaluation & Deliverables
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PRESENTATION: Module D
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Cost Estimating Methods
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QUIZ: Cost Estimating Methods
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Approach to Conceptual Costing
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QUIZ: Approach to Conceptual Costing
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Options Evaluation and Deliverables
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QUIZ: Options Evaluation and Deliverables
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3
Professional Practice and Quality Management (EGBC)
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PRESENTATION: Professional Practice
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Professional Practice
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QUIZ: Professional Practice
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PRESENTATION: Quality Management Guidelines
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Quality Management Guidelines
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QUIZ: Quality Management Guidelines
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4
CERTIFICATION TESTS
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TEST C
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TEST D
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TEST E
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5
Test Explanations
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Test Answers & Explanations
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Instructor(s)
Principal Instructor
Saqib Khan
Principal Instructor
Raj Singh
Practice Advisor (EGBC)
Allison DenToom
FAQ
If you cant find your answer here, feel free to email [email protected]
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What subject matter does Context Sensitive Conceptual Bridge Design cover?
Context-Sensitive Conceptual Bridge Design (CSCBD) is a 3-part course series designed to present a holistic approach to developing bridge concepts for highway girder bridges that best fit the intended context. It teaches the student the art of finessing influences from technical, multi-discipline, construction, and site challenges in crafting solutions that achieve the owner’s objectives. Feasible solutions are quantified and evaluated in relative terms to home in on the preferred concept. Constructability is an integral consideration in the development of practical and cost-effective conceptual designs. This course not only describes common construction methodologies for typical highway bridges but also walks you through rigorous step-by-step examples (but note that this is not a construction engineering course). Since the focus of this course is at the conceptual stage, it stays relatively high-level concerning analysis and deep mathematical formulations. Instead, it encourages first principle, rules-of-thumb and hand-calculation based approach in sizing components. There is a module presented by Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (EGBC) on professional practice and quality management guidelines in CSCBD-2.
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Whom is Context Sensitive Conceptual Bridge Design suited for?
From fresh entrants to candidates in the first phase of their bridge engineering career (0-9 years) will find this course extremely beneficial. Specifically, our recommended suitability in terms of bridge engineering experience is 0-3 years for CSCBD-1, 0-6 years for CSCBD-2, and 0-9 years for CSCBD-3. This course series will give you the mindset and skills to accelerate your development as a top-performing bridge engineer! For the engineers who are currently looking to enter the bridge engineering field, this course starts by providing an introduction to the design philosophy that bridge codes follow, the various bridge elements and their functions, and the primary design considerations. In essence, we do not assume that the participants taking this course have much prior knowledge about bridges and bridge engineering. We do, however, expect a basic understanding of principles taught within a typical 4-year Bachelors’ degree in Civil Engineering. At the same time, engineers in the first phase of their careers (0-9 years) will find this beneficial as this holistic approach to conceptual designs is rarely inculcated in their professional training at design offices (due to production pressures).
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How will Context Sensitive Conceptual Bridge Design help my career growth?
If you assess the bridge engineering landscape, you will find only a handful of few that take the lead in developing concepts. The majority is engaged in production engineering or putting together calculations and drawings. Our flagship course has been developed to address the statement – “ Most engineers can design but only a few can create meaningful concepts”. How do some engineers develop skills to synthesize concepts from scratch while others don’t? First, we believe that experience and creativity aside, it’s a MIND-SET! And second, even with the right mindset, it takes years of good mentorship to pick up these skills. It takes so long because it is not possible to concisely impart this training in a typical consulting environment due to productivity pressures. In many ways, it’s also better for a business to have a few queen bees and many workers. In the end, many of us feel the frustration of not being able to realize our full potential but just can't pinpoint the cause. Therefore, we have poured our years of experience in bridge concept development, analysis, design, mentoring of teams, and erection engineering into this course with one goal in mind – to have you tuned to the right mind-set and acquire this specialized training under one concise umbrella!
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Is it advisable to first learn about bridge construction techniques prior to bridge design?
We don’t think there is a sequence you need to follow for your learning in the field of bridge engineering. If you would like to become a bridge design engineer, the core of the subject would be bridge design with knowledge of construction techniques as an important supplement. Constructability including construction methodologies is a critical aspect of becoming a good bridge design engineer. However, note that there are bridge construction engineers who specialize in developing construction methodologies. Raj has been engaged in both design as well as construction engineering, which is rare as one generally tends to get an initial opportunity in one or the other (mostly design as there are many more such jobs) and one tends to stick with it. Therefore, we have injected a balanced dose of constructability knowledge required by a design engineer during conceptual design as a part of this course (Pease see free preview lesson in Module B).
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Will you issue completion certificates for the courses along with CPD/PDH hours?
Completing the full course series will provide 3.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and 32 Professional Development Hours (PDHs). CSCBD-1 has an allocation of 10 PDHs. These will be noted on the completion certificate issued to all registrants who have achieved the required passing grade in the Module Tests, Final Test, and paid the full dues for the course.
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What is the Course Community Fourm?
The course community forum is an open platform to promote discussion for students enrolled in Context-Sensitive Conceptual Bridge Design. You can share your learning experience, create posts, ask questions, and interact with colleagues. Posts can include an image, video, or a file link. You will be able to view and comment on existing posts. This feature will enhance your learning experience.
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Will we be able to keep the course material for future reference?
The course presentations and design spreadsheets will be available for download as you work through the course material. The course material is for you to retain for your future reference.