2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate, through on-line polls, questionnaires, and face-to-face interviews, how the civil engineering and architectural students feel the improvement of their comprehension of structural analysis topics by the construction site visits experience. There ia a large number of structural systems that can be seen in construction sites, so, the more visits are made, more structural systems we can study directly from the source, not only by watching and feeling the structure but also by talking and even interviewing the site actors such as construction workers, architects and engineeros who can explain directly the application of many theoretical concepts.
In the study of different topics in structural analysis and design, the students’ approach to the contents is based on theoretical contents and mathematical equation demonstrations that describe the structural behavior of different structural elements that integrate a building for different purposes, housing, commercial, industrial or infrastructure.
To develop mathematical models that adequately represent the structural behavior of the elements (slabs, beams and girders, columns, and footings among others), is mandatory that the students understand how each structural element behaves to handle the loads and mechanical elements acting over it. Also, the connecting forms that allow the mechanical elements transmission between these elements. Beam-beam connection, beam-column connection and column-footing connection.
It begins with the solution of structural models from simply supported beams with single loads trough complex structural models and variable loads. In this journey from simple mathematical models to complex models to analyze and design the structural behavior, the student doesn’t get the complete concept and idea until they get in touch with real structural elements, not only in pictures or videos but in construction site visits where they can watch and feel from every possible angle and touch and feel the structure and its components. Not only in fully functional structures but in structures under construction to see and feel the insights of the element, rebars, reinforcements distribution and requirements, etc., so they can observe in a better and more complete way the function and behavior of every element. With this, they start to develop their own structural concept.
The best way to interact with the structure and its components is at the construction site, although the labs are helpful, the real action field is where they live and understand the structural behavior. The construction site visits are a fundamental tool in the competencies development for the students.