PS范例——Structural Engineering

蝴蝶结UID：195566

PS范例——Structural Engineering
http://cn.oversea.yahoo.com/030102/255/1egid.html

A simple　bridge　truss　was　the　first　structure　I　ever　analyzed.　The　simple combination　of　beams　that　could　hold　cars,　trains,　and　trucks　over　a　long　span　of　water　fascinated　me.　Having　the　tools　to　analyze　the　loads　on　the　truss　further　increased　my　interest　in　structures.　I　encountered　the　bridge　in　a　textbook　for　my　first　engineering　class.　Knowing　that　the professor,　Mr.　John　Doe,　was　a　tough　teacher,　I　asked　him　for　the　textbook　so　I　could　study　and　get　ready　for　the　class　over　the　summer.　Just　arrived　from　Belize,　I　was　determined　to　succeed.　In　class　we　learned　about　forces　on　simple　members　and　then　we　put　the　members together　to　form　a　simple　truss.　At　this　point　I　had　almost　decided　that　structural　engineering　was　the　career　for　me.　From　there　the　class　just　took　off:　We　went　on　to　frames,　distributed　loads,　considered　friction;　basically　we　were　incorporating　real　world　considerations　into　structural　members.　I　loved　the　practical　problem　solving　aspects　of　the　field.　 At　UC　my　classes　were　even　more　advanced.　In　my　analysis　and　design　classes,　I　especially　enjoyed　studying　steel　design　because　we　not　only　learned　the　use　of　the　load　resistance　factor　design　but　also　applied　that　knowledge.　I　designed　a　four-story　building.　The　professor　was　a　practicing　engineer,　and　he　always　related　the　subject　to　real　life　steel　structures　he　had engineered,　for　example,　the　SB　Medical　Center,　an　all　steel　building　with　a　base　isolated　campus.　This　is　the　kind　of　project　on　which　I　would　like　to　work,　designing　the　structure　and　considering　how　the　building　will　respond　to　ground　motion.　After　two　quarters　of　structural　analysis,　I　had　come　as　close　as　possible　to　analyzing　real　world　structures.　Looking　back　I　realize,　I　had　learned　great　tools　for　structural　analysis,　but　my　"tool　box"　was　still　inadequate.　I　lacked　a　very　important　tool:　finite　element　analysis.　According　to　my　professor,　finite　element　analysis　has　revolutionized　structural　analysis.　

Although　I　liked　my　classes,　my　internship　experiences　really　confirmed　my interest　in　structural　engineering.　While　working　at　Caltrans　as　a　student　volunteer,　I　reviewed　computer　grading　output　for　streets　under　construction.　The　computer　suggested　numbers　for　the　road　grading,　and　I　had　to　plot　the　numbers　and　make　sure　there　were　no　abrupt　grade　changes　so　the　water　can　drain　off　easily　to　the　sides　of　the　road.　It　was exciting　to　know　that　I　was　the　last　checkpoint　before　the　whole　project　went　for　approval.　It　was　enjoyable　working　on　something　real,　but I　was　somewhat　disappointed　I　did　not　have　the　chance　to　work　on　any　structures. At　UC　I　volunteered　through　the　Student　Research　Program to　work　in　the　geotechnical　library.　I　worke d　directly　with　a　doctoral　student　and　helped　him　to　develop　a　geotechnical　data　base　for　the　local area.　I　interpreted　the　data　Caltrans　had　collected　and　recorded　it　in　a form　accessible　to　the　computer　and　easy　to　read.　It　took　hours　to　finish　the　job,　but　I　enjoyed　the　precision　involved　so　I　did　not　mind　putting　in　the　time.　My　supervisor　like　my　work　so　much,　he　hired　me to　continue　the　project　during　the　summer.　Working　on　this　project　also showed　me　the　importance　of　soils　in　determining　buildings’　responses　to　earthquakes　and　awakened　my　interest　in　the　response　of　skyscrapers　to　seismic　stress　and　movement.　

At　First　Choice　U,　I　plan　to　enroll　in　the　structural　engineering　and　geomechanics　program.　In　this　program　I　hope　to　draw　on　my　structural　analysis　and　geotechnical　research　background　as　a　foundation　for　studying　more　advanced　concepts.　I　am　particularly　interested　in　researching　the　ties　between　the　structural　engineering,　aeromechanics,　and　applied　mechanics.　I　believe　research　is　necessary　to　acquire　data　and　formulate　theories, but　it　is　just　as　important　to　know　how　to　apply　those　theories　and　use　that　data　in　the　real　world.　I　hope　to　be　involved　in　some　structurally　related　research　at　First　Choice　U.　

I　am　particularly　interested　in　two　research　facilities:　The　Structures　and　Composites　Laboratory　and　the　Earthquake　Engineering　Center.　After　completing　my　degree　in　engineering　and　working　on　engineering　projects,　I　know　I　want　to　design　structures.　That　is　what　has　fascinated　me　since　I　took　Mr.　Doe's　class.　I　also　know,　however,　that　designing　structures　of　a　complexity　that　appeals　to　me　requires　"more　tools　in　my　toolbox."　those　I　can　acquire　only　by　continuing　my　education.　To　be　competent　and　competitive　I　will　need　a　master's　degree.　After　completing　my degree,　I　would　like　to　work　for　an　American　engineering　consulting　firm and　engineer　complex　structures　and　tall　buildings,　perhaps　focusing　on　the　problems　surrounding　designing　for　earthquakes.　My　long-term　goals　is　to　return　to　Belize　and　found　my　own　engineering　consulting　firm　there.　

Structural　engineering　will　allow　me　to　pursue　a　career　where　I　can　be creatively　involved　in　problem-solving　and　design　functional　structures,　like　the　simple　truss　bridge　that　initially　captivated　me　in　Mr.　Doe's　class.　My classes,　work　at　Caltrans,　and　internship　in　geotechnical　engineering　have　increased　my　knowledge　of　and　interest　in　structural　engineering　since　I　first　looked　at　the　textbook　shortly　after　my　arrival　in　the　U.S..　A　master's　degree　will　give　me　the　up-to-date　tools　and　knowledge　to　be　competitive　and　competent.

[ 本帖最后由 蝴蝶结 于 2006-5-4 15:14 编辑 ]

蝴蝶结UID：195566

helenlhhUID：2127690

这个正是我要的！谢谢

hanpeidongUID：2195486

多谢蝴蝶结！！