Structural Engineering, Mechanics, and Materials
Researchers test the stability of a full-sized bridge in the event of the complete fracture of a steel girder. Students are able to participate in large-scale testing at Ferguson Structural Engineering Laboratory on the Pickle Research Campus.
Structural engineering encompasses the design and analysis of structural systems, including bridges and buildings. The program at UT provides opportunity for study in the analysis and design of reinforced and prestressed concrete, timber, steel, masonry, and composite structural systems.
From deep sea anchoring systems, to the impact of blast on structures, to hurricane loads on wind turbines, to earth tomography, the program in Mechanics, Uncertainty, and Simulation in Engineering (MUSE) at UT provides opportunities to engage in studies that deal with a wide range of problems (often multi-disciplinary) whose solution requires the synergy of applied mechanics, applied mathematics, reliability and stochastic analysis, computational simulation, and/or physical experiments.
A thorough understanding of key construction materials—such as asphalt, concrete, steel, masonry, and composites—is essential to ensuring a long-lasting infrastructure. Materials engineers are integral parts of design, construction, and forensics and work closely with other engineers to integrate the use of innovative materials in construction. The Materials Engineering program at UT is particularly strong in the area of concrete materials, with emphasis on both mechanistic property development and field performance.
Undergraduates interested in a career in Structural or Materials Engineering major in Civil Engineering. The University of Texas at Austin also offers graduate degree programs in Structural Engineering, Mechanics, Uncertainty, and Simulation in Engineering, and Materials Engineering. The links on this page provide more information about these career paths, programs of study, and research in these areas.
Resources
- Career Guide: Structural Engineering and Materials
- Faculty in Structural Engineering, Mechanics, and Materials
- Area Coordinator for Structural Engineering, Mechanics, and Materials: Eric B. Williamson
- Administrative contact person: Kathy Rose
- SEMM graduate program website