| The boom of computers in the several past
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| | Understanding of internal software
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| decades has made a major impact on almost
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| | working and its assumptions is therefore
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| every field of human endeavor. It has
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| | essential. "Blind use" of computers may
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| introduced new possibilities also for
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| | result in a loss of the "feeling for the
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| structural engineers, whose primary task
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| | structure", which is one of the most
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| is to design buildings, bridges and other
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| | important aspect of good structural
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| structures. Structural design can be
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| | design.User's confidence in the software
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| considered to be a combination of art and
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| | can be enhanced by the availability of
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| science, because it must be aesthetically
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| | verification examples used to check the
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| pleasing, yet follow the laws of material
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| | software, by reputation of the software
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| behavior at the same time (there also
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| | author, by good-quality documentation, or
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| other factors, such as economical and
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| | by simply knowing that the software
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| political, having measurable impact on
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| | enjoys widespread use. However, as the
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| the final design).Prior to approximately
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| | quality assurance and quality control
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| 1960s, the structural design was
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| | during software development vary from
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| accomplished primarily by hand
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| | vendor to vendor (and software vendors
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| calculations, graphical and
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| | specifically disclaim any responsibility
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| semi-graphical methods. With the advent
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| | for damages resulting from using their
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| of computers, many repetitive design
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| | software), the ultimate responsibility
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| tasks could be automated and other
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| | lies with the software user. Therefore,
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| problems with known theoretical solutions
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| | it is highly recommended to check the
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| were implemented for practical use. Today
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| | software results "the old way", against
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| there are hundreds of structural analysis
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| | simplified hand calculations and
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| and design programs: commercial,
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| | engineering judgement or intuition. Too
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| academic, and open source; specialized
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| | much faith in the software could have a
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| and general; well-established and
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| | fatal impact.Structural software is a
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| emerging. While the computer software
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| | very good servant when used wisely. It
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| enables to analyze and design advanced
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| | should be however remembered that
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| structures out of reach in the previous
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| | structural design is like a mosaic
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| era (such as cable-stayed bridge or
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| | composed of many pieces and computerized
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| segmental bridges), it also places higher
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| | calculations represent only one of them.
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| demands on structural engineers. Ideally,
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| | To achieve a good design, all pieces must
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| they should become thoroughly familiar
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| | be of high quality and must fit nicely
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| with the underlying theory, clearly
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| | together.The author is webmaster of
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| understand the modeling assumptions, and
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| | BridgeArt.net ( a profesional-oriented
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| independently verify the computer
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| | website for structural and bridge
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| results. Otherwise they might be
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| | engineers that features a database of
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| compromising the safety of their design.
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| | structural engineering software.
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