Structural designs that required thinking

Abstract

Abstract. We discussed the peculiarities of three structural projects. The El Ferdan swing bridge over the Suez Canal, the longest in the world, required the optimization of structural weight and deflection, pursed with genetic algorithms. The Museum of the Future in Dubai, is supported by a single-layer steel gridshell following a pseudo-toroidal double-curvature surface, which required the optimization of a great number of diagrid nodes, parametrically designed with a custom tool. The competition-winner project for the new Stadio Milano follows the vision of a Gothic Cathedral with slender buttresses, tall multi-storey arched frames, all covered by a first-class cable-supported glazed facade, which fulfils the clean “glass-box” architectural intent. Although very sophisticated calculation tools are available, these experiences suggest that the human contribution of the structural engineer is still, at least for now, of paramount importance.