Abstract
Structural engineering requires not only the ability to design systems that are safe and
efficient, but also the ability to understand the interactions between technical decisions and
societal factors. My capstone project involves designing a steel bridge for the American Institute
of Steel Construction Student Steel Bridge Competition, where teams are given a problem
statement meant to resemble real-world structural engineering problems. This project was
undertaken to apply structural engineering principles in a scaled, practical setting with realistic
constraints such as loading, fabrication, and design limitations. My STS research paper uses
actor-network theory and ethical analysis to examine the Citicorp Building case to understand
how sociotechnical actors contributed to the destabilization and restabilization of the structural
system. This research was undertaken to better understand how engineering decisions must take
into account both technical and social conditions in situations that involve uncertainty and risk.
These two projects are connected through their focus on how structural design is shaped by
constraints, decision-making, and the interaction between technical and social systems. The
capstone project emphasizes the application of engineering principles, while the STS research
shows how those principles behave in real-world systems.
The capstone project contributes to solving a realistic structural engineering problem by
requiring the design and construction of a 24-foot steel bridge that meets rigorous guidelines
based on a scaled real-world scenario. This year's scenario is a pedestrian bridge crossing the Rio
Grande River with constraints including loading requirements and height and width limitations.
To address this problem, the team designed a bridge and used modeling software such as
SAP2000 and SolidWorks in order to predict key criteria such as deflection, sway, and weight.
Revit was used for visualization, material estimates, and aesthetic design. The project also
required material procurement, bridge fabrication, and preparation for timed construction during
the competition.
The results of the capstone project show the team’s ability to construct a functional bridge
within strict constraints. Through iterative design, the team developed a bridge that was able to
meet loading, deflection, and sway requirements while controlling the structure’s weight. In
addition to the physical bridge, the team managed a student organization to introduce
underclassmen to the project in order to improve the long-term performance of the team. Overall,
the project highlights the importance of integrating design, analysis, and collaboration in
structural engineering.
The STS research paper analyzes the Citicorp Building case to understand how
responsibility, risk governance, and public protection were managed within the sociotechnical
system. This case is significant as it was a near-failure event in structural engineering where a
constructed building was found to be vulnerable to specific wind loading conditions.
Actor-network theory is used to analyze how human and non-human actors contributed to the
risk, and ethical analysis is used to evaluate the decisions that were made after the vulnerability
was discovered.
The findings show that the Citicorp crisis was not caused by a single error, but rather by
interactions amongst multiple actors within the network. The responsibility for the vulnerability
was distributed, resulting in both technical fixes and organizational decisions. The choice to
complete the retrofit without informing the public highlights the challenges of balancing safety
and public perception. Overall, the case demonstrates that structural safety depends not only on
technical decisions but also on how engineers manage uncertainty, coordination, and
communication within complex systems.
