A Web-Based Training Approach for the Structural Steel Design

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1 A Web-Based Training Approach for the Structural Steel Design MIGUEL SERRANO-LOPEZ, CARLOS LOPEZ-COLINA, FERNANDO LOPEZ-GAYARRE, SUE ARMSTRONG Campus de Gijon, University of Oviedo, Asturias 33203, Spain Received 5 February 2010; accepted 1 August 2010 ABSTRACT: Fortunately the design processes of steel buildings across Europe is eventually covered by a unified code: The Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures. Nevertheless, although Eurocodes will soon become mandatory documents, designs will not be standardized because each country has a set of National Annexes which must be taken into account when designing in that particular country. Furthermore, every country also has its own body of non-conflicting complementary information. A problem then arises when engineers need to produce designs in other European countries, either for a company based in one state or as individuals. Also, allowing engineers time out of the office for attendance at the intensive training courses which are required for earning experience on the new codes of design, frequently represents an obstacle for their employers. In an attempt to solve these problems, a strong trans-national partnership has been working to develop an ICT-supported, flexible training approach to allow designers to apply Eurocodes in accordance with the national regulations and practices of different member states. The resulting material in seven languages shows how to design a typical building according to the different national contexts. The developed portal incorporates facilities for course presentation, forums, blogs and on-line translation. The students thought that the portal was an effective tool that helped them to improve the quality and efficiency of their studies. In their opinion the web-course is well structured and they found the forum for discussion and the web-based tutoring system very helpful Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21: , 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI /cae Keywords: computer-mediated communication; distance education and telelearning; interactive learning environment; lifelong learning INTRODUCTION The opportunities afforded by the World Wide Web as a medium for course provision are almost limitless. E-learning has presented during the last few years significant growth and is attracting an increasing number of participants. There are many experiences on interned-based courses for distance learning in engineering education. Just as two recent examples: Shyr [1] describes the development and use of a novel Website to improve the learning of mechatronics concepts. As he concluded, preliminary assessment of the laboratory platform was encouraging and demonstrated its effectiveness for helping students understand concepts and master basic technologies. Kasapbasi and Varol [2] developed a web based tutoring system that uses knowledge management techniques to convert the tacit knowledge of experienced lecturers and experts into explicit knowledge. Contemporary web-based courses take advantage of internet capabilities to support and improve the effective approaches Correspondence to M. Serrano-Lopez (serrano@uniovi.es) Wiley Periodicals, Inc. of traditional education, while at the same time they offer great innovative possibilities. However, it is important to realize that e-learning still has some limitations and surveys have found that certain content is more effective if delivered by more traditional classroom techniques. Cable [3] warned that without a sound pedagogical approach to instructional design, an on-line course is little more than linked text. It is important that the material provided is well structured, of good quality with the ability to motivate the user. When asked, the students usually say that these methodologies are an effective tool that helps them to improve the quality and efficiency of their studies. But they normally point out that a combination of lectures and e-learning to be the most suitable solution for them because it gives a freedom of choice in methods and time devoted to studying. On the other hand, sometimes as Krajnc [4] admitted, the opinion of lecturers about using e-learning methodologies is a bit discouraging because they thought that the incorporation of e-learning into the educational process means a heavier workload and is time-consuming. Nevertheless in Krajnc s [4] opinion perhaps the experiences of the lecturer for a course, who has been using e-learning for several years, will demonstrate that the incorporation of e-learning into the educational process 448

2 A TRAINING APPROACH FOR STRUCTURAL DESIGN 449 leads to a heavier workload at the start, but this reduces over time. Also it is documented that students attending e-learning courses dropout at substantially higher rate than their counterparts in on-campus courses Levy [5], Lykourentzou et al. [6]. Some studies estimate e-learning dropout rates to be 25 40% compared to the 10 20% rates of on-campus courses (Doherty [7], Parker [8]). In Levy s opinion [5], students satisfaction with e-learning is a key indicator in students decision to dropout from e-learning courses. And also the academic locus of control appears to have no impact on students decision to drop from e-learning courses. To increase the efficiency and success of the courses it is important to reduce these dropout rates and several Departments of Education are placing increasing significance on higher education retention issues as part of its quality assessment. In the field of the Engineering Education the competencies that engineers have been expected to gain have been associated with countries. While in the United States the organizations are attempting to expand directly from the country to the globe, in Europe, the redefinition of engineering competencies is taking longer to develop as participating organizations have worked first to define a new regional identity in terms of continental mobility and economic competitiveness [9]. Another very important issue is the innovation cycles. Particularly in the Engineering fields, the innovation cycles are usually very short and educational systems are often insufficiently nimble. As educators, we may end up training students in specifics that are no longer useful once they reach the workplace. Some suggest that preparing people for change highlights the need to emphasize the adaptive features of expertise [10]. This paper is related with the specific issue of the education strategies for the structural steel design of buildings that in Europe traditionally had been covered by National Codes, with approaches many times really different from one to other country until a unified European Code has been eventually adopted. The European Codes of design for structural steel and composite buildings, designated as Eurocodes 3 and 4 [11,12] will soon become mandatory documents in all European countries. Nevertheless, designs of buildings will not be standardized. Each country has a set of national annexes which provide specific mandatory factors which must be used when designing a building in that particular country. Every country will also have non-conflicting complementary information (NCCI), including normal practice and other legislation such as Health and Safety which will again take into account national variations in design approaches. In order for engineers to produce designs in their own country, they will need to be aware of both the national annexes and the NCCIs, and read these alongside the Eurocodes. The problem then arises when engineers are required to produce designs in other European countries, either for their own national company or as individuals working in the free market. Designers in this position will have to familiarize themselves quickly with the country-specific national annexes and NCCI. In order for the vision inspired by the Eurocodes, of real mobility across Europe, to be realized, designers must have access to thorough information about the design processes in the county they are working in. At national level issues have also been identified concerning the training of engineers to design according to the new Eurocodes. Engineers are demanding training strategies that allow them to adapt as quickly and efficiently as possible to the described situation. The time out of the office to allow engineers attend the intensive training courses frequently represents also a problem for their employers. This need encouraged the formation of an experienced trans- European partnership from seven European countries which has been producing appropriate and flexible training material on these subjects for more than 10 years. The team has worked on four projects supported by the European Commission producing training material in a variety of formats for the new Codes relating to structural steelwork. This paper covers the work of the most recent project which sought to determine the needs of engineers in the construction industry, their attitude to training and that has produced web-based, self-learning training courses that include a web-based tutoring system. MATERIALS AND METHODS Learning a new code is a long process and employers have real financial considerations when sending their employees on a course. In this age of e-learning, a logical solution to the considerations of time and cost of training could be a self-learning, web-based package which would lead the designer through the procedures and provide worked examples. However, the process of learning new design codes is not satisfactory when working in isolation. To reach true knowledge, interpretation and innovative use of the standards only takes place with practical application and by sharing experiences with other users. According to studies concerning the appropriateness of e-learning for different types of content a logical conclusion would be that such teaching of vocational subjects is best achieved by face-to-face delivery. However, this does not address the real concerns regarding time and cost. Therefore, it was decided to combine an element of self-learning but providing an opportunity to interact with a tutor and delegates, either on-line or face-to-faces. Survey of Engineers in Construction Knowing the time pressures on engineers in the construction industry and the consequent general poor record for training, it was decided to gauge first the opinions of engineers in Europe to training and in particular their attitude to web-based, distance learning education. About 300 designers from the partner countries: UK, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary took part in the survey and answered a questionnaire that included 15 questions on their preferred learning methods, time spent on training, training budgets, knowledge of the Eurocodes, need for information regarding the use of steel in construction, experience with web-based learning and the importance of interaction with a tutor during a training program. In the results and discussion section a SWOT analysis and the main conclusions of this survey are presented (Figs. 1 6). The aims of this survey were to determine the needs through the questionnaire, to determine how to approach the needs of practitioners, to review work groups and to develop the appropriate format and content of future modules. Some key features taken into account in the methodology of the survey were to use closed questions to make the analysis easier afterwards. The questionnaires were mostly distributed at seminars/meeting and people were asked to fill it in while they were there. In case of mailings, a follow up with telephone calls was necessary. In order to get reliable results we needed a minimum of 30 responses in each country.

3 450 SERRANO-LOPEZ ET AL. Figure 1 Additional learning methods followed after graduation. Figure 2 Time annually spent on training. Figure 3 Knowledge regarding Eurocodes. The Eur-Ing Proposal The Eur-Ing was a 2-year pilot project part-funded by the European Commission. Its full title was Development of ICT supported, flexible training to enable designers to apply Eurocodes in accordance with the national regulations of different member states. The team constituted by 10 partners from seven countries included university departments, information and research centers, professional bodies and companies. The main project aim was to provide the necessary information for designers from

4 A TRAINING APPROACH FOR STRUCTURAL DESIGN 451 Figure 4 Need of information regarding the use of steel in construction. Figure 5 Rate of web-based learning experiences. Figure 6 Necessity of personal interface with a tutor. any European country to produce easily a steel building design in other European countries. The building chosen as the basis for the case study was a real steel-framed multi-storey building originally designed to UK national codes. The project partners re-designed the building according to the national annex clauses and NCCIs of their own country. The example building was the Bio-Incubator (Fig. 7), a scientific research center with fully furnished laboratories, offices, and a café. The building was intended to enable research scientists to build research-led businesses in a community of other like-minded professionals. The building

5 452 SERRANO-LOPEZ ET AL. a particular country. This includes links to useful documents including legislative. These documents will also be translated into all the partner languages. A comparative list of the major differences between the national annex clauses for EC3 and EC4 in each country. In order to ensure that the material produced was appropriate and in a suitable format for designers and companies, each country had an advisory (Steering) committee which provided valuable feedback at key stages of the project. The steering committees comprise large and small design companies, steel fabricators, contracting organizations and trainers. Figure 7 The Bio-Incubator steel structure during execution. has five storeys each measuring 20 m 29 m on plan, resulting in a total floor area of 2,800 m 2. It has been selected as a standard multi-storey building with many typical structural elements. Importantly they were also considered the national regulations and standard practice of each of the partner countries regarding procurement, construction and health and safety legislation. The design brief and basic building form was standard, but each partner country made detailed modifications to ensure compliance with normal practice in their country. In one of the invited lecturers at the Eurosteel 08 Conference, Bijlaard [13] Chairman of the European Committee for Standardization concluded: The introduction of the Eurocodes in the design practice needs great care. Design examples, guidelines, design tools (special software) should be developed in the various countries. Explanations of differences and the justification for these changes should be supplied to support the acceptation of the Eurocodes. This was one of the aims of the Eur-Ing proposal and reflects why this project was very valuable. The project produced the following resources: A complete building design for each country involved in the project incorporating national annexes and NCCI criteria. A Technical Description explaining the particular design approach in each country. These were translated into all the partner country languages. An explanation of the non-technical issues which need to be taken into account when procuring and designing a building in The Website The portal developed for Eur-Ing uses the public domain Drupal [14], open source software. Drupal was chosen for its wealth of features that include: Content management system, blogs, forums, project resources, multi-lingual support, and translation workflow. Based on past experience of the problems associated with multilingual content, Serrano et al. [15], the ability for partners to translate and correct their own content on-line in a controlled workflow was probably the single most important feature of the Drupal domain. It is hoped that the extensibility of Drupal could allow more languages to be added as required and that the Forums will provide a self-sustaining community of practice that will support engineers throughout Europe. n-aktive Structural Steel Design e-learning web page [16] (Fig. 8) is the Drupal-based portal that has been designed for the Eur-Ing project. This portal Serrano [17] was designed to provide access to knowledge about the design of steel and composite multi-storey buildings, particularly with regard to the new European Union Eurocode standards. n-aktive provides access to e-learning materials developed by leading industrial and academic experts within the EU. It also provides a forum for discussion and collaboration with regard to multiple EU-sponsored initiatives. The website covers: (a) The comparison of National Annexes. A comprehensive comparison of the national annexes in each country related to the respective Eurocode clauses was produced. It allows the user to compare directly the clauses with the seven national annexes considered by means of a grid that highlight the main differences. Figure 9 shows a sample of the mentioned grid. (b) The National context documents. Developed by national steering committees, presents the non-technical issues affecting building design such as planning, procurement, local regulatory conditions, health and safety, fire safety, environmental issues and current practice and allows the user to see the differences which influence design decisions. (c) The Bio-Incubator example designs. Complete National designs of the Bio-Incubator, a real building in Sheffield which had already been constructed, albeit designed to a national code. These designs were produced by all partner countries, including full design calculations, drawings and sketches, in accordance with their version of the Eurocodes, national annexes, the traditional design uses for this type of building in each country and NCCI s permitting a reasonable comparison between the national designs. The examples include detailed design of main elements. Figure 10 shows the front page for the Bio-Incubator example design in Hungary. After this, the user can find many detailed calculations of different structural members like beams or columns in various locations. Figure 11 provides an example of the page in which

6 A TRAINING APPROACH FOR STRUCTURAL DESIGN 453 Figure 8 The n-aktive portal. Figure 9 The n-aktive portal. Comparisons of National Annexes.

7 454 SERRANO-LOPEZ ET AL. Figure 10 Bio-incubator example design in Hungary. Figure 11 Links to detailed calculations of primary structural members from a typical floor.

8 A TRAINING APPROACH FOR STRUCTURAL DESIGN 455 Figure 12 Example of PDF documents of detailed calculations for beams and columns. the detailed design of each member can be found, with the help of a drawing of the typical floor of the building. All the detailed calculations of structural members are in.pdf format to allow their easy download and printing. Figure 12 shows examples of pages of some of these documents for beams and columns. (d) The Journey Through Design tool. This provides a structured description of a route through the design decision process and links to specific guidance within a major information source Access-Steel [18]. The Journey Through Design (now referred to as JTD) is a resource designed to provide links to information on relevant aspects of the design of a steel structure to Eurocode 3 and 4. Its structured format is intended to help the selection of the appropriate information through a sequential method. The initial idea behind producing this resource follows this scenario: A graduate or student in civil engineering is presented with a design brief outlining a problem that he is unsure how to solve. The graduate would ask a more senior member of his team for initial ideas on how to work out the problem and the response would be to look in a text book or at a website. This resource is to be designed to eliminate or reduce the need to consult another colleague by providing a central hub containing a collection of links to selected information in a user friendly layout. Figure 13 shows The Journey Trough Design tool included in the n-aktive portal. The resources provided are PDF documents. Clicking a link will take the user to the relevant page in the document. Due to the nature of different operating systems or configurations, the page number has been provided as well. Each resource has a primary link that refers to the first page of the document. Where pages have been specially selected (and highlighted within the JTD) the link refers the user to the respective page within the resource. It should be noted that each link opens up a new document. Depending on the user preferences, the resources in the JTD tool and the documents linked are also available in several partner languages. Access Steel [18] web page recognizes which country the user is accessing it from and displays the appropriate language version of the page. Design exercises were produced to allow the user to learn by carrying out a simple task. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Extracted from the survey carried out among the European engineers in construction, Figures 1 6 show some of the most interesting results. According to their answers, the most adopted method for training is self-study with books, followed by self-study with CD and courses outside the company (Fig. 1). Just some had followed a web-based course. There was a big difference in the time spent on training in each country and also in the training budgets (Fig. 2). One of the main conclusions from the survey was that, while the general knowledge regarding the use of steel in construction seemed to be high, the admitted knowledge regarding the Eurocode approaches was medium to low (Fig. 3). Also the survey revealed a general worry about the implications to adopt the new Codes instead their more familiar National Codes. The need of information demanded by engineers regarding the use of steel in the building construction was high to very high (Fig. 4). Finally and maybe predictably, only about 14% of those questioned had some experience on web-based training though 70% would consider undertaking a web-based course. The satisfaction level of those that had a previous web-based learning experience was positive to very positive for the 65% and most of them think that interactivity with a tutor is sometimes necessary (Figs. 5 and 6). The SWOT analysis of the survey revealed that the main strength was that the web-based learning allows each student to

9 456 SERRANO-LOPEZ ET AL. Figure 13 The journey through design tool. progress at his own speed. The weaknesses were that most countries had no or little experience with web-based learning methods and that a tutorship is necessary. The main opportunities in the SWOT analysis were that the need for information regarding the use of steel in construction was high and that people were keen to learn more about the Eurocodes. Finally the threats were that in most countries there were no obligation to follow training courses and that most countries would not accept courses in English only, they also would expect the course to be given in their native language. So the quality of the translations was very important. The overall feeling regarding the survey was that the questionnaire was well balanced and gave us a pretty good idea about the situation in each country regarding a web-based learning program. As the situation differed quite largely from country to country the strategy had to be adapted. As previously mentioned, a web-based process has been developed by which a designer is guided through a building design in each country. A three-dimensional picture of an interactive building is used to lead a designer through the technical design process to relevant tools, information, and the case study example design by hovering a cursor over key locations. To test the material, a series of pilot courses and seminars, both face-to-face and online web-based, were delivered in the several partner countries, as well a few of trans-european multi-lingual web-based pilot courses across all partner countries providing interaction with tutors were run. All the above-mentioned initiatives were very valuables for the attendants as they responded in an evaluation form as a part of the course quality system. The JTD tool was checked in some pilot seminaries and feedback from attendants was very positive. There has been a discussion forum to ask questions and exchange opinions and experiences between attendants and with the course tutors. The discussion forum has demonstrated to be a useful resource working very well. Although it was an initiative within the European scope, at least initially, and the content of the web is mainly aimed to people that need to work with the European codes, to date the authenticated users come from beyond the European borders. There were registrants from 38 countries all around the world. Obviously, the main effort in dissemination was done among the partner s countries and most of registrations are from these states. But it is worth noting that an important rate near to 20% has its origin in other European countries (Portugal, Italy, France, and Netherlands just to mention the highest rates). Also there were an important number of registrants from Asia 5% (India, Singapore, and South Korea are the more representative), from America 4% (Brazil, Canada, and Mexico mainly), and even from Oceania 2% and some people from South Africa. Figure 14 shows the percentage of registrations in the web site depending on the origin. Figure 14 Origin of registrations in n-aktive website.

10 A TRAINING APPROACH FOR STRUCTURAL DESIGN 457 CONCLUSIONS An innovative multi-national approach to the design of real steel buildings has been produced. Typical worked examples available in this field are country-specific and do not describe how national annexes and local applications and regulations affect the design process in different countries, resulting usually in different solutions. By means of a trans-national methodology of working, it has been discovered that, not only differences in codes and annexes but also variations in design and construction practice, planning procedures, procurement routes and other factors contribute to very diverse national design approaches. The produced web site has showed to be really useful for practitioners in industry and other target groups that were identified, who have been demanding more efficient ways to learn and familiarize themselves to the European codes of practice. The availability of such innovative reference and learning material in seven European languages will facilitate the mobility of designers and the ability of organizations to operate under the regulations and traditions of other countries by increasing confidence. In course attendants opinion, it is well structured and it was easy to surf through the web and to find the contents looked for. They found really helpful all the information regarding the NCCI and very useful the approaches about the Bio-incubator and the JTD guidance. The forum for discussion and the web-based tutoring system was also appreciated by delegates. The partners involved in the pilot courses felt that the webcourse was able to motivate the users and were satisfied with the evaluation that followed every course. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the European Commission. They would also like to thank all the partners participating in the projects for their work and their contribution to the projects success. REFERENCES [1] W.-J. Shyr, Internet-based laboratory platform for distance learning in engineering education, Int J Eng Educ 25 (2009), [2] M. C. Kasapbasi and H. S. Varol, Knowledge management integrated web-based information security course tutoring system, Int J Eng Educ 25 (2009), [3] T. G. Cable, The on-line pedagogy connected education portal, The Ohio State University, Ohio Learning Network, Columbus, Ohio, Retrieved: December [4] M. Krajnc, E-learning environment integration in the chemical engineering educational process, Int J Eng Educ 25 (2009), [5] Y. Levy, Comparing dropouts and persistence in e-learning courses, Comput Educ 48 (2007), [6] I. Lykourentzou, I. Giannoukos, V. Nikolopoulos, G. Mpardis, and V. Loumos, Dropout prediction in e-learning courses through the combination of machine learning techniques, Comput Educ 53 (2009), [7] W. Doherty, An analysis of multiple factor affecting retention in Webbased community college courses, Internet Higher Educ 9 (2006), [8] A. Parker, Identifying predictors of academic persistence in distance education, US Distance Learn Assoc J 17 (2003), [9] J. Lucena, S. Elber, G. Downey, and B. Jesiek, Competencies beyond countries: The re-organization of engineering education in the United States, Europe and Latin America, J Eng Educ 97 (2008), 4. [10] J. Bransford, Preparing people for rapidly changing environments, J Eng Educ 96 (2007). [11] EN 1993: Eurocode 3, Design of steel structures, Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings, Part 1-2: Structural fire design, Part 1 8: Design of joints, [12] EN 1994: Eurocode 4, Design of composite structures, Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings, Part 1-2: Structural fire design, [13] F. S. K. Bijlaard, Eurocode 3. Present status and further developments, In: Proceedings Eurosteel 08, 2008 Vol. A, Graz, Austria, pp [14] Drupal official website, Retrieved: December [15] M. A. Serrano, M. A. Castrillo, and S. E. Armstrong, Development and evaluation of appropriate web-based training for structural engineers, Adv Technol Based Educ Toward Knowl Based Soc 1 (2003), [16] n-aktive Structural Steel Design e-learning portal (2008), Retrieved: December [17] M. A. Serrano, C. López-Colina, S. E. Armstrong, J. Lange, and F. González, Structural steel design e-learning portal, In: Proceedings of the 7th European Conference on e-learning, vol. 2 (2008), pp [18] Access steel website. Eurocodes make easy, Retrieved: December BIOGRAPHIES Miguel A. Serrano obtained his 6 year engineering degree at the Polytechnic University of Madrid and a PhD from the University of Oviedo. He is a structural engineer senior lecturer and is now Head of the Department of Construction at the University of Oviedo (Spain). He has a vast teaching and research experience being co-author of numerous papers mainly in the fields of steel structures, reinforced concrete structures and educational innovative techniques. Since 1996 he has been involved in a partnership specialized in e-learning activities that has been working in several European funded projects mainly devoted to promote the use of Eurocodes among engineers involved in the design of steel structures. Carlos López-Colina has a PhD in structural engineering. He is currently a staff member at the Department of Construction and Manufacturing Engineering of the University of Oviedo, Spain. He has previous professional experience as industrial engineer in the steelmaking industry and as structural engineer. He is involved in research projects relating to steel joints, steel hollow sections and fire conditions. He is currently giving lectures in the School of Industrial Engineering in Gijón.

11 458 SERRANO-LOPEZ ET AL. Fernando López Gayarre is an industrial engineer, senior lecturer at the Department of Construction and Manufacturing Engineering of the University of Oviedo, Spain. He has a PhD in materials engineering. He has a vast teaching and research experience being co-author of numerous papers mainly in the fields of concrete technology and steel structures. He has been involved in several European funded projects related to codes of practice for concrete, steel and composite structures. Sue Armstrong holds BEng and MEng degrees from the Dept. of Civil and Structural Engineering at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. She is a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in UK. Now she is a recruitment officer at the Faculty of Engineering in the University of Sheffield. She has coordinated and has been involved in several European funded projects under the Leonardo da Vinci programs. These projects were aimed at the vocational training related with the development of the Eurocodes and the promotion of the use of steel in construction.