Level:
Graduate
Instructors:
Rouzat Viaduct by Gustave Eiffel, 1869. (Image by John Ochsendorf.)
Course Features
Course Highlights
This is the first of two semesters of graduate structures courses for architects. This class covers the same material as 4.440, but in greater depth and with more examples related to professional practice. This course shares a wide-ranging sample of
lecture notes with 4.440, as well as its own complete set of
assignments.
Course Description
This course serves as an introduction to the history, theory, and construction of basic structural systems with an introduction to energy issues in buildings. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of basic systematic and elemental behavior; principles of structural behavior and analysis of individual structural elements and strategies for load carrying. The subject introduces fundamental energy topics including thermodynamics, psychrometrics, and comfort, as they relate to building design and construction. This course is the first of two graduate structures courses, the second of which is 4.463. They offer an expanded version of the content presented in the undergraduate course, 4.440.
*Some translations represent previous versions of courses.