Integrated Buildings & Structures

​When I started practicing engineering out of school almost 40 years ago, it seems there was a need to know a little bit about several of the adjacent civil engineering subdisciplines even though my focus was on structural.  As I progressed through several jobs and companies, there seemed to be a narrowing of focus on structural engineering with very little, if not any, practice overlapping into the adjacent disciplines such as Geotech, transportation or water resources.  Today, especially in larger firms, there appears to be a strong narrow focus on structural engineering with no need to practice incidentally in adjacent areas - you depend on folks that specialize in those areas for everything.  I believe it is important to know a little bit about those areas as I collaborate with them on projects, but it is just as important to know a little bit about architecture, mechanical engineering or process engineering when we collaborate with them on projects.

The question is, has structural engineering narrowed in focus, so that the breadth portion of the Civil/Structural PE exam no longer reflects the practice of most structural engineers?  If you have to spend a lot of time studying for the breadth portion because your practice never included a need to learn about these other areas, is it a good exam to test for competency in your area of practice?  Would a better test include only questions on structural engineering?

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Randall Bernhardt P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE
Senior Consultant
St. Peters MO
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Based on my career (retired now), I believe the breadth of the exam is very important.

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Stacey Morris P.E., M.ASCE
ETI Corporation
West Memphis AR
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The breadth portion of the exam is still an important part in the licensing of all of our engineers.
1. Our profession, regardless of which discipline track you take, benefits from a well rounded education and a demonstration of overall competency.
2. In California, most junior engineers take their P.E. exam after only 2 years or experience (a topic for another time). This is still early enough in their career where they may decide to pursue a different discipline​ within Civil Engineering. Having a non-specific license better allows them to seek that path. The idea that someone will focus in just one area or practice for their entire career tends to go out the window during every recession.
3. In your statement you referred to "larger firms". Smaller, multi-disciplinary firms, such as mine (40 person company), occasionally ask our structural engineers to assist in other departments as the need arises. I am of similar vintage and have practiced 70% Structural and 30% Civil Engineering on a fairly regular basis. I generally ask my junior structural engineers to assist in site infrastructure design (grading, drainage and utilities) on a limited basis during their first 2 to 4 years. This gives them a better understanding of overall project concepts and enables them to manage multi-disciplinary projects as their careers advance.

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Tony Lopes, P. E., S.E., M.ASCE
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I agree that practicing engineers need to develop and maintain broad generalist knowledge, in addition to deeper knowledge in their areas of specialty.  It's not either/or, we need both.

For example, every bridge engineer needs to have specialized knowledge in structural engineering.  But since bridges usually carry roadways, often cross streams and rivers, and impose heavy loads on their foundations, it's important for bridge engineers to also have a basic understanding of roadway, water resources, and geotechnical engineering, so that they can connect the dots on their projects and develop good solutions.

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Irfan A. Alvi P.E., M.ASCE
President & Chief Engineer
Alvi Associates, Inc.
Towson, MD 21204
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-13-2019 11:44
From: Anthony Lopes
Subject: Is the breadth portion of the Civil/Structural PE Exam valid today?

The breadth portion of the exam is still an important part in the licensing of all of our engineers.
1. Our profession, regardless of which discipline track you take, benefits from a well rounded education and a demonstration of overall competency.
2. In California, most junior engineers take their P.E. exam after only 2 years or experience (a topic for another time). This is still early enough in their career where they may decide to pursue a different discipline​ within Civil Engineering. Having a non-specific license better allows them to seek that path. The idea that someone will focus in just one area or practice for their entire career tends to go out the window during every recession.
3. In your statement you referred to "larger firms". Smaller, multi-disciplinary firms, such as mine (40 person company), occasionally ask our structural engineers to assist in other departments as the need arises. I am of similar vintage and have practiced 70% Structural and 30% Civil Engineering on a fairly regular basis. I generally ask my junior structural engineers to assist in site infrastructure design (grading, drainage and utilities) on a limited basis during their first 2 to 4 years. This gives them a better understanding of overall project concepts and enables them to manage multi-disciplinary projects as their careers advance.

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Tony Lopes, P. E., S.E., M.ASCE
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In California the structural engineers know very little about materials like concrete, masonry, steel welding or soil. The California building permit requires a structural engineer, a Geotech engineer report and someone to provide the special inspection and testing services certified by a qualified PE normally a civil like me. I served on many communities about these issue during the 70s, 80s, 90s retiring in 2016.  There is room for all of us but should be well founded in civil engineering principles and then decide a specialty.  Engineers are one the last profession who are duty bond by a list of practices and to be truthful.  

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Clifford Craig P.E.,M.ASCE
VP Technical Operations
Walnut Creek CA
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