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Structural Engineering
Structural Engineering is concerned with the research, planning, design, construction, inspection, monitoring, maintenance, rehabilitation and demolition of permanent andtemporary structures, as well as structural systems and their components. It also considers the technical, economic, environmental, aesthetic and social aspects of structures.
Structures can includebuildings, bridges, in-ground structures, footings, frameworks and space frames, including those for motor vehicles, space vehicles, ships, aeroplanes and cranes. They can be composed of any structuralmaterial including composites and novel materials.
Structural engineering is a creative profession that makes a significant contribution to infrastructure, industry, as well as residential andrecreational developments.

History of Structural Engineering
Structural engineering dates back to 2700 BC when the step pyramid for Pharaoh Djoser was built by Imhotep, the first engineer in history knownby name. Pyramids were the most common major structures built by ancient civilizations because the structural form of a pyramid is inherently stable and can be almost infinitely scaled (as opposed tomost other structural forms, which cannot be linearly increased in size in proportion to increased loads).
Throughout ancient and medieval history most architectural design and construction wascarried out by artisans, such as stone masons and carpenters, rising to the role of master builder. No theory of structures existed, and understanding of how structures stood up was extremely limited, andbased almost entirely on empirical evidence of 'what had worked before'. Knowledge was retained by guilds and seldom supplanted by advances. Structures were repetitive, and increases in scale wereincremental.
No record exists of the first calculations of the strength of structural members or the behavior of structural material, but the profession of structural engineer only really took shape...