UAE - Sharjah Municipality conducts in these days an advanced exam to certify the "Unlimited

Design Structural Engineer" to whom want to be capable to carry out the design of high rise buildings.
To pass the exam, the designer shall have an advanced knowledge in the following topics:
[1.] Earthquake Engineering and Dynamics of Structures:
[a.] Dynamic Response of Linear Elastic Systems:
Single and Multiple Degree of Freedom Systems Response under Free or Forced Vibration, for both
cases of Damped and Undamped Systems.
[b.] Dynamic Response of Nonlinear Inelastic Systems:
Understanding the concept of Hysteresis Models which present the historical relationship
between the structure's deformation and its restoring force. Also understanding the inelastic behavior
or Reinforced Concrete members under reversal cyclic seismic loading.
Philosophy of Strength Reduction Factor.
Philosophy of Ductility, and distinguish between Local and Global Ductility and the relationship
between them.
Identify the relationship between Ductility and Force Reduction factor based on period of
structure. (Equal Displacement Systems, Equal Energy Systems, ... etc.).
Effect of structural configuration on Ductility.
Philosophy of Energy Dissipation Capacity and its relationship with Ductility capacity.
Phenomenon of Self Centering Capacity and Frequency Shifting.
Second Order Effect (P-Delta Phenomenon) on Ductility and global stability of structures.
Philosophy of Capacity Design Methods.
Concept of Response Spectrum Function, and distinguish between Acceleration, Velocity and
Displacement Controlled Structures .
Dynamic Elastic Modal Response Spectrum Analysis.
Dynamic Elastic and Inelastic Time History Analysis.
[c.] Seismic Design Loading applied on Structures according to UBC97 or IBC2009(optional).
[2.] Wind Engineering:
[a.] Wind phenomenon:
Nature of Wind, and distinguish between mean wind and turbulence -(gustiness)- wind.
Behavior of Wind within Atmospheric Boundary Surface Layer and the relationship between
wind velocity and gradient height.
Cross-Wind phenomenon. (dynamic response due to vortex shedding).
Dynamic nature of wind, and the interaction between wind gustiness and fundamental period of
structure.
Distinguish between overall design wind load and cladding pressure.
Zoned distribution of pressure and suction on building facades.
Effect of building shape on the aerodynamic response under wind flow.
Dynamic response of flexible tall building structures.
Along-Wind augmentation gust factor and directionality factor.
Accelerated wind flow phenomenon induced by channeling or topographic features.
Wind induced peak acceleration at top of building, and control the resident comfort criterion.
Structural dynamic characteristic required to perform wind tunnel analysis.
[b.] Wind Design Loading on structures according to ASCE7-05.
[3.] Lateral Load Resisting Structural System:
Identify the common types used as lateral load resisting structural system. Also identify the structural
behavior and characteristic of dynamic response of each of them under both seismic excitation and
wind flow.

Flat slab frame system: flat slab with columns, flat slab with shear walls, or flat slab with both
columns & shear walls.
Coupled shear walls and beams system.
Rigid frame system.
Cantilever core supported structure.
Shear wall frame interaction system.
Framed tube system.
Tube in tube system: perimeter frame tube and internal core wall.
Exterior diagonal truss tube system.
Modular/Bundle tubes, and spine wall systems with outrigger and belt walls.
Eccentric or concentric braced steel frame system.
Staggered truss steel system.
... etc.
[4.] Art of seismic design and detailing of reinforced concrete elements according to ACI318-08,
Chapter 21.
Seismic details for Ordinary Moment Frames (OMF) -knowledge is required-.
Seismic details for Intermediate Moment Frames (IMF) - knowledge is required -.
Seismic details for Special Moment Frames (SMF) - knowledge is optional -.
Seismic details for Special structural Walls and Coupling Beams - knowledge is optional -.
Seismic details for Foundation - knowledge is optional -.
Seismic details for Diaphragm and Flat Slab in moderated seismic zones - knowledge is required -.
Minimum seismic details required for members not considered as a part of lateral load resisting
system.
[5.] Professional utilization and advanced knowledge in 2D & 3D analysis software: ETABS, SAP and
SAFE.
Sample of required knowledge -but not limit to- :
Meaning of mode shapes, and how to deal with and control them.
Meaning of modal mass participation ratio.
Distinguish between Ritz and Eigen vectors.
Distinguish between SRSS and CQC modal combination.
Concept of P-Delta analysis, and how to identify the input parameters for both Non-Iterative and
Iterative analysis.
Concept of Sequential Construction analysis, and how to identify the input parameters.
How to identify the In-Plane and Out-of-Plane Stiffness Modifiers.
How to deal with Linear and Non-Linear Link/Support elements.
Distinguish between Rigid and Semi-Rigid diaphragms.
How to identify and perform Response Spectrum and Time History analysis.
Meaning of Eigen value parameters: frequency shift and cutoff.
How to perform the design of concrete frame and shear wall elements.
How to perform static nonlinear pushover analysis -knowledge is optional-.
How to perform Nonlinear Tension Release (Allow Uplift) analysis in SAFE.
How to perform Nonlinear Cracked analysis in SAFE.
How to perform Nonlinear Long Term Cracked analysis in SAFE.
[6.] Deep Foundation and Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering:
How to determine the pile bearing and friction capacity based on soil profile.
How to predict the single pile's short term and long term settlements.
Hot to predict the overall piles-grouped settlements.
The methodology of distributing piles beneath high rise buildings.
How to control the differential settlement of piles between two adjacent blocks have significant
difference in total gravity load (case of low rise podium connected to high rise tower).
Design aspects of tall building thickened Raft founded on piles, and the expected modes of failure.

The effect of Soil-Structure Interaction on the Dynamic response of buildings under seismic
excitation.
The effect of soil profile beneath structure in increasing or reducing the seismic ground acceleration.
[7.] Advanced Topics - knowledge gives advance points in the exam-:
Prediction of short term and long term column shortening in high rise buildings due to elastic
shortening as well as creep and shrinkage. Also shortening/lengthening of columns under thermal
effect.
Damping devices for reducing motion perception: Passive Visco-Elastic Dampers, Tuned Mass
Dampers, Sloshing Water Dampers, ... etc.
Seismic Base Isolation.
Passive Energy Dissipation Systems.
Buckling Restrained Braced Frame systems (BRBFs).
... etc.
The exam consists of two sessions:
[a.] Written session:
The engineer shall prepare himself well to solve any type of structural dynamic problems such as:
Single Degree of Freedom System under Free or Forced Vibration, and in both cases of damped
& un-damped systems. (i.e. Elevated water tanks, Beams carrying vibrating machine, ... etc.).
Multiple Degree of Freedom System in 2D-Plane or 3D-Space and subjected to seismic ground
excitation. (i.e. two or three story 2D-shear plane frame, one or two story 3D-shear plane frame).
[b.] Oral session:
The engineer shall prepare himself well to reply the majority of questions asked by Municipality
tester engineer and covering the above mentioned topics. The minimum required percentage of wellanswered questions to be determined based on the tester's satisfaction.
Finally, hope passing and success for all engineers whom want to apply for this advanced exam.
Hussein Rida