On Conceptual Design, Assessment of Existing Structures, Research and Standards

The author has had the good fortune to be active for the past four decades almost uninterruptedly as a designer, researcher, teacher, and standards-writer. Over this time, he has been observing a tendency for an increased degradation of the profession, with the segregation between education, research, and practice. It is the opinion of the author that each of these fields has been experiencing individual advances isolated from a holistic view of the profession, compromising the evolution and, consequently, the impact of civil engineers in society. Consequently, the profession is becoming less and less attractive for bright and motivated young people. It is the opinion of the author that such trend can only be inverted by placing more emphasis on the creative and intellectual components in each of the fields of education, research, and practice, as well as by bridging the gaps between them. These considerations are supported by personal experience which is shared in this article by presenting some instances of conceptual designs.