Welcome to my blog about structural engineering. I don’t know how you came across it, but I hope you decide to stay.
My intension is to share my views about how structures work and why sometimes they don’t. I will try to do so on a fairly regular basis.
There is no particular sequence or plan to the subjects I choose. I shall be travelling in whatever direction my interests and observations take me.
I chose the pen name Vitruvius, after reading his treatise ‘De Architecture’. It is one of the earliest surviving books on the subject of engineering and it sets out three important design principles, which seem about right to me: firmitas, utilitas and venustats.
Firmitas speaks of structural strength and integrity, whereas utilitas conveys the practical arrangement of space and systems. Venustas is concerned with style, proportion and beauty.
That said, I find myself drawn to the old English translation, firmness, commodity and delight, which retains the Latin’s elegance.
If you find something you enjoy while reading my blog posts, perhaps you could do me the kindness of telling someone else.
Thank you for taking a look.
