Author Archives: enelson
25: Don’t Not Do It
“Just do it” from Nike is fine but it seems to be about finishing something you need to finish, not necessarily because you want to finish (say avoiding procrastination). So that isn’t enough. “Don’t not do it” is about doing … Continue reading
The Truth of Structural Design
There seems to be a progression of understanding as one designs structures. At first, as college students, we have well defined analytical techniques that appear objective and clear (there is truth). Later we learn this idea of structural design is … Continue reading
Manifesto for Growth Part 2
05/2012 Published “Manifesto for Growth Part 2” in May 2012 STRUCTURE Magazine. See this blog to comment on specific numbers. Structure Mag-May 2012 Note: Part 8 should be “Kick Ass” (or “Kick Butt”), but the editors of STRUCTURE changed it to “Be … Continue reading
A Recent Day, Smelly Braced Frames
Engineers have to straddle many worlds. We may find ourselves one day designing steel connections, then meeting on a new job to discuss appropriate structural systems, then doing some BIM modeling. As we grow into project managers we may find … Continue reading
Dreams, Mistakes and Uncomfortable Decisions
I woke up at 3am today again. It was the same dream, or similar dream to what I have been having over the last decade. I forgot to check something. I missed something in the code or I missed something … Continue reading
Manifesto for Growth Part 1
04/2012 Published “Manifesto for Growth Part 1” in April 2012 STRUCTURE Magazine. See this blog to comment on specific numbers. Manifesto Part 1
What makes an Engineer, an Engineer?
03/2012 ASCE-SEI Structures Congress Procedings “What makes an Engineer, an Engineer” Click here for What Makes An Engineer An Engineer ENelson.
Erik Nelson to present at Structures Congress in Chicago
Erik will be presenting “What makes an Engineer, an Engineer?” at the Structures Congress in Chicago, IL on Friday March 30, 2012. PPT to come.
Structures Workshop invests in New Software
We bought 4 licences of Tedds to help us supplement our in-house calculation packages. In addition, we bought 3 licenses of Bluebeam which help us easily mark-up PDF drawings and coordinate drawings in real time online with multiple users (it is Adobe … Continue reading
Engineering predates Science
We were designing and building things long before we had a “scientific” methods and mathematical solution techniques – and we still do today. We can actually do engineering without science (Pantheon is an example), but science does indeed help and is … Continue reading
