TAUGHT COURSES

There are two taught courses which support the unique and radical approach to the teaching of structural analysis; USB: Understanding Structural Behaviour and USD: Understanding Structural Design.

The first course was commissioned by the Arup Partnership in the early 1970’s, based on the testing of the intake of graduates into the practice over three years. This was the first use, of what is now The Brohn Test, the results from which showed a far less than expected or satisfactory performance.

The course was run in the Arup graduate training scheme for many years and is now run in-house.

The course has been run continuously since that time for many of the UK’s leading consultants; Buro Happold, Atkins, Ramboll, Robert Bird and many others. The repeat invitations confirm that the graduates who attended the course, found the approach both innovative and an asset in the design office. Courses have been run outside the UK in India, Dubai and in particular in Denmark where both courses are run each year, starting 30 years ago.

A review of the Brohn Test results published in The Structural Engineer show a continuing  decline in  the performance of the graduates and the subsequent responses in the Verulam column suggests that this is unlikely to improve.

The second course, Understanding Structural Design, explores the application of an understanding of structural behaviour to real structural design problems and failures.

The curriculum for both courses may be viewed on the courses page

Running the Courses

Each course runs over two days. We have found it preferable to run them face to face as the personal contact is the best approach to helping the delegates with the radical approach to understanding, but we have run Zoom courses where this is our client’s preference.

From September 2022, we are pleased to have appointed Mark Moppett, former MD of Booth King Partnership Limited to run the courses, giving David Brohn time to focus on the new website and the international delivery of the online courses and his textbook ‘Understanding Structural Analysis’.

Mark is a Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers with approaching 40 years of experience including 15 years as an Associate with Ove Arup in London, Hong Kong and latterly Manchester delivering projects both nationally and internationally. From 2001 to 2021 he was initially the Senior Partner and then Managing Director of Booth King.

Mark attended David Brohn’s Understanding Structural Behaviour Course in 1987 and immediately saw that the skills that David taught were critically essential to any structural engineer.

Throughout his career, Mark has taught David’s techniques in training and developing many engineers. He is now stepping back from his practice to concentrate on teaching David’s methods which are now more relevant than ever as computer analysis and 3D modelling becomes increasingly sophisticated and prevalent.

For details of the courses, please contact Mark.

Intuitive Structure

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