Learning Structural Design from Wuxia Novels (NetEase Best Post)

This post was last edited by huaers on 2009-11-18 at 09:36. It is taken from http://alex0007.blogbus.com/logs/37550403.html. 1. Learning structural design from wuxia novels – Part 1: Shaolin boxing. This is an introductory post; it doesn’t cover any practical aspects of work, but rather presents some basic conceptual ideas. It also includes recommendations for introductory books, which are very suitable for beginners (i.e., those who have just graduated and have no experience in design). As for me, I didn’t gain much from it. If I have to summarize something, it would be this: “Those seemingly unimportant elements such as wall reinforcement bars and structural columns play a crucial role during earthquakes.” " Since the houses I designed myself have not withstood earthquakes, nor have I been to Sichuan to see them in person (although I have seen some pictures posted by netizens), sometimes I can be a bit careless regarding these structural aspects, influenced by what the site supervisors say. It seems that a greater sense of responsibility for one’s own work is needed. 2. Learning Structural Design from Wuxia Novels – Part 2: The 72 Unique Skills of Shaolin. “As a service industry, the design sector should strive to meet customers’ requirements,” which reminds me of my own projects; I need to be cautious. In the field of structural design, specialists in specific areas have more prospects than those who are generalists. People who know a little about everything but are not expert in anything are better suited for working in marketing, where they can trick clients. ”Hehe, is this referring to me? It’s a bit like my current state – I feel like I know nothing, yet I understand a little about everything, but nothing in depth! 3. Learning Structural Design from Wuxia Novels – Part 3: Night Talks in the Martial World. “He also used dashed lines in this diagram to show the outlines of each wall element in the upper shear walls as well as the outline of the foundation; I think that’s a bit unnecessary.” "Regarding this approach, I hold my own opinion: although it does make verification easier, if the pile location diagram does not show the wall elements and foundations, it is still possible to ensure that each component is represented uniquely on the drawings. (In my view, for the same component, its dimensions and reinforcement details should be indicated only once in a set of drawings; any other references should avoid repeating those details, with at most a note indicating where to find more information on that component’s specifications.) The advantages of this approach are as follows: 1) Uniqueness of representation helps avoid inconsistencies that can arise when the same component is described differently in various places; 2) Thanks to this uniqueness, changes only need to be made in one place, preventing omissions that could lead to discrepancies. “Also, regarding the way the rebar in the floor slabs is represented, it doesn’t follow the drawing standards’ method of marking rebar numbers with circles – instead, the size and length of each rebar bar are indicated. Do you know why?” ”We have been using this approach for a long time; I didn’t realize that the drawing standard involves using numbers to identify the rebar and enclosing them in circles (oops, I’m not familiar with these standards). However, I have seen this notation style used in the drawings of some netizens from the north. “It is stated in the notes accompanying the drawing that all rebar that isn’t specified has the same specification; this reduces the amount of text on the drawing as well, making it easier to draw.” ” This explanation of the approach is approved! Similarly, I applied this approach to the beam reinforcement drawings as well. Since most of the stirrups, vertical reinforcement bars, and waist bars used in beam reinforcement are of a constructive nature, I simply mentioned it in the notes; this way, the amount of information required for the detailed annotation of the beam reinforcements is greatly reduced, making the drawings much cleaner. “He used legends very effectively; regarding the representation of openings, in addition to the standard drawing methods, he created many custom legends, and then explained in the notes the dimensions of various openings. ”I agree as well; in the structural diagrams, legends should also be used to indicate different slabs or beams. For example, for the caisson slabs in bathrooms, in the past, after they were constructed, red paint would be applied on the back side of the wax paper, so that when the diagram was printed, a shadow would appear in that area. This helped construction workers more clearly identify which slab needed to be lowered, thereby avoiding mistakes. The same approach should be used for slabs at different elevations, as well as for beams that are located in the same plane but at different heights. 4. Learning structural design from wuxia novels – 4: On the eve of the final battle. “The designs showed drill-poured piles with a diameter of 600, but it was only during the bidding process that it became clear that none of the local construction companies had piles with such a diameter; instead, they had piles with diameters of 425 and 525.” I really didn’t expect there to be such variations in pile heads. “The first three issues must be approved in writing by the client before the start of the design work; even if changes are needed later, there is a reason to ask the client for compensation for those changes.” The fourth question is also best communicated in writing. ”Written notice! This point is very important; back when I was a construction supervisor, I managed to secure an additional nearly 100,000 yuan for the company by obtaining various on-site approvals from the client right at the construction site (of course, I didn’t keep a single penny of that money for myself). My supervisor was unhappy with my punctuality, which resulted in me not getting an annual bonus – it was really frustrating. He didn’t see that I was helping the company make money; all he saw was my lack of punctuality. Well, in the end, he didn’t get to keep those 100,000 yuan either. Enough about that; let’s move on. To summarize this chapter, the following four items need to be signed off on by the client: a. Wall materials, b. The type of rebar used (grade 2 or grade 3), c. Pile types, d. The type of elevator to be used. 5. Learning structural design from martial arts novels: The Five Schools of Swordsmanship and Qi Mastery. This chapter contains the author’s insights gained from years of work experience. I agree with many of these points. The author’s description of the “Schools of Swordsmanship” and “Qi Mastery” is excellent. Indeed, most of my colleagues in this field come from the “School of Swordsmanship.” As for the “School of Qi Mastery,” I only know of one person: a classmate of mine from college whose father was an expert reviewer for structural engineering projects. Perhaps due to family influences and his own interests, his answers to assignments were always the standard answers given by the teachers! An amazing person; he now works in design as well, with two responsibilities on his shoulders (that was n years ago!) He must have been between 26 and 28 years old at that time; he was a typical expert in the sword arts, though he was also skilled in the blade arts. Back then, in an effort to improve his swords, he searched everywhere for swords that had already been sharpened by others. As a result, he ended up with so many swords that he didn’t know which one to use – it was truly a time of obsession (he became obsessed on forums like Tiger and Hayman, constantly looking for software and programs, acting as a test subject, without ever managing to turn other people’s swords into his own. It was a regrettable period). It’s not that you can’t use other people’s swords; but you need to first sharpen those swords before they can become your own. So it’s not about having many swords, but rather whether those swords are truly yours! “We don’t have to be designers for the rest of our lives; we can’t keep drawing diagrams forever, but we can be friends for a lifetime! ”Well said. It’s precisely because we are in the same field and work across different parts of the country that direct conflicts of interest are avoided, which makes it easier to understand the feelings associated with this profession. I too hope to have the chance to become one of its members! 6. Learning Structural Design from Wuxia Novels – Part 6: The Art of Passing On Knowledge. This section discusses the author’s experiences in mentoring others, and I find it resonant with my own situation; I am currently looking for one or two people to assist me. I’m thinking of taking two individuals with different personalities – one like Guo Jing (male) and the other like Huang Rong (female). Those who are like Guo Jing may not have great natural talent, but they are close to me, allowing me to let them observe the entire process of designing a project. Moreover, they are diligent and do not try to change what I assign them to on their own, which is a good thing. As for those who are like Huang Rong, although they are intelligent and quick to understand things, they lack the opportunity to observe the whole process of project design up close. As a result, it’s easy for them to get started, but difficult for them to progress further. A great teacher is only an external factor; diligence and virtue on the part of the student are the internal factors. Without these internal qualities, even a great teacher may not be able to produce outstanding students. ”I agree with this sentence; I also think one should first work as an apprentice before becoming a master teacher. 7. Learning Structural Design from Wuxia Novels – 7: Baihua Cuoquan. “Rather than waiting until one day the work environment forces us to improve our skills, it’s better to take the initiative to do so as soon as possible.” I’ve had this idea for a long time, but in my youth I indulged my hobbies too much; during my most energetic years I devoted myself to computers (I was a hacker for over a year, registering on Hacker Base in May 2005. It wasn’t until later that I realized I could never become the kind of hacker I imagined, so I wrote a long essay titled ‘Reflections on My Hacker Career’ and posted it on Hacker Base – unfortunately, I can no longer find it. I really want to know when I stopped being involved in hacking). Instead of focusing on my professional development, I regret it deeply. On November 27, 2004, I registered on Taohu; before that, I also registered on another professional website that was popular at that time, “Haiman”, where I even applied to be an moderator. Unfortunately, Haiman ceased to exist later on. From then on, I occasionally visited forums, and when I was really interested, I would write my thoughts on the posts I read – but I didn’t keep doing it. Still, I feel that I learned quite a lot from those forums (and of course, I downloaded a lot of stuff as well, hehe). When I first heard of Baihua Cuoquan, I didn’t know what it meant. It actually refers to frequently visiting forums and interacting with peers. By this standard, I’ve been practicing martial arts for some time now, but it’s not systematic practice – just occasional sessions. That’s why my martial arts skills aren’t very advanced yet. Whether we truly ‘live and learn’ throughout our lives, and keep moving forward on the right path through diligence, is a choice we must make as early as possible. ”One must keep learning throughout life – I heard this saying when I was young, but didn’t take it seriously at the time; only now have I come to understand its truth. Indeed, I really feel that there is still so much worth learning right now. It is no longer limited to professional fields. Financial management, being a person, being a parent,... every aspect is worth learning* and doing well. 8. Learning Structural Design from Wuxia Novels – The Nine Swords of Dugu. You are truly brilliant; you’ve understood the professional equivalent of the Nine Swords of Dugu. Before reading this post, I had reached at most the E level, just like Yang Guo – capable only of using a wooden sword. Yet you have already grasped the concept of a swordless state; truly impressive! ! Now I too understand what the state of being without a sword entails. In time, I will also know the direction and methods for my own cultivation. Truly, listening to your words is worth ten years of study. May the forum owner and his wife enjoy eternal happiness and a lifespan as long as the heavens. Keep these two sentences in mind at all times: repeat them when you get up in the morning, when you wash your face, when you have breakfast… You have never missed repeating them once. Sometimes, when thinking of the kindness shown by the Patriarch and his wife, I would add more ingredients and recite it several times. ”Hahaha. 9. Learning structural design from wuxia novels – 9: No drawings in hand, but an image in mind. What a great summary of the idea of \"no drawings in hand, but an image in mind\"! ! I must say that you are truly outstanding. In the past, if someone had told me that \"one can have a vision in mind even without any diagrams,\" I would have just laughed and dismissed it; it’s only now that I truly understand the meaning of these words. I’ve also been trying to summarize my own professional experience and work processes, so as to make it easier for myself and others to get started or understand things better. By reading your summaries, I realize that this is exactly what I wanted to compile. At the first level, it’s easy to understand: read through the drawings carefully. At the second level (first create a table of contents before starting the design), I hadn’t realized before that it’s necessary to list the table of contents first before proceeding with the design, but the approach is the same. Due to the extended duration of the work, the relevant details of the drawings and the workflow existed only in my mind; they weren’t put down in writing. Going a step further, my colleague also took the time factor into account, while I, because I wanted freedom, never faced the reality of the time required for completing the drawings. I will correct this in the future. At the third level, there is pre-layout and arrangement of the elements – I can achieve this on my own. However, the \"draw first, then model\" approach involves using architectural drawings as a basis; after drawing the structural layout and having a clear idea of the vertical relationships as well as the dimensions of columns, beams, and slabs, one then converts it into a PM model. This method can **reduce issues arising from discrepancies between the architectural and structural aspects**. In my experience, since most of the projects I’ve worked on have been relatively regular in structure, and I prefer to use GSCAD for calculations, along with my familiarity with GSCAD, I’ve hardly ever encountered problems with incorrect modeling or discrepancies between architecture and structure. Still, I follow this process anyway; during modeling in GSCAD, I go through the entire project in 3D form. Yet this method isn’t as efficient and practical as the approach suggested by my colleague (after all, working directly from the architectural CAD drawings to arrange beams, slabs, and columns is more direct, efficient, and less prone to errors). \"The plan comes first, and the plan precedes the model\" – what a precise statement! ! At the fourth level, one should be familiar with all the commands and add-ons that can be used in CAD. I don’t think I have reached this stage yet; the reason is that although some of the cutting tools were sharpened in the past, they weren’t categorized or their advantages and disadvantages were not considered, so I could only use whatever tool came to mind at the time. The same is true when it comes to the detailed plans I’ve handled in the past – I’m currently working on organizing the process of sharpening these tools. At the sixth to eighth levels, although I had a vague sense of it, I didn’t realize what it was; but with some guidance, it suddenly became clear to me. 10. Learning structural design from wuxia novels: In the world of martial arts, \"it might mean doing many things; one has to be ahead of peers like CADKING.\" "In this regard, I’m the opposite of the original poster; I want to do it a little later! “My main task was to find them among countless programs, to identify those that were suitable for my use and could be helpful for my work. This debugging process was very exhausting; often, only one useful program could be found among dozens of them. At work, I would test each LSP program one by one to see if it could be useful to me, and if so, I would save it in a specific directory. It was around 1995-1996, I think. I had to learn how to write and debug LSP programs around 2005-2006; there’s a huge difference between those times and the author’s experience level. Although I registered on Xiaodongli early on, I didn’t pay much attention to it at that time. As for games, I wasn’t interested in them at all; instead, I was good at other computer-related things. Well, the original poster must have experienced the era of using modems for internet access; they were wealthy back then. I didn’t know much about computers at that time, but I started using the internet as early as 1998 – I’m indeed an old internet user. I guess I started using CAD before XDCAD did. No wonder I find CADKing so familiar; it turns out it’s a CAD plugin manager similar to AutoOLS that I used in the past. Honestly, the two are quite similar; I wonder who copied whom. “As the saying goes, mastering one skill can make up for deficiencies in others – I completely agree! ! In 2001, I explored ways to combine CAD and PKPM in order to save effort; it was a good idea. Years ago, I also believed that using CAD for the pre-processing of structural models was unmatched by any other software. Back then, I studied Jycad in our region in great detail, but unfortunately, since it was developed by just a few people at a local company, it had many bugs, which led to its withdrawal from the market. “It’s the first time working with another company; don’t worry too much about costs. Focus on doing a good job first and building friendships, as the most important thing is to get in touch with the people who hold decision-making power at that company. Well, the original poster also has high emotional intelligence. So I put in all my effort and, within two days, completed a set of complete structural drawings for the upper floors. ”If the model has already been prepared beforehand, it should be possible as well. If two days are included for the modeling and computational work, I guess night shifts will be necessary. \"Based on the cost of 3,000 yuan per building for structural design work at that time,\" which was around 2002, a fee of 3K wasn’t considered low at all. \"When you can’t change others’ minds, the only thing you can do is change your own mind. There are two ways to do that: either become like the others or leave them behind.\" ”Was this statement summarized by the original poster? Very insightful. In April 2006, I ended my tenure at what could be called a cooperative company – I was the manager there for 2 years; heh, I only worked as a manager for 1 year, and of course it wasn’t in a design company. The four stages of knowing, becoming familiar with, understanding, and mastering are completely different from each other. “What’s more important than programming is the order in which tasks are carried out; if the order is correct, there will be much less need for rework.” That’s absolutely true! What I lack is the ability to summarize it, and it’s exactly this aspect of the original poster’s experience that I really want to know! “What a person does is to determine the structural layout, and this is the most crucial aspect of structural design. All other details related to reinforcement stem from this structural layout. The ultimate goal in designing concrete structures is to get it right from the start – so that all component dimensions and positions meet the specification requirements from the very first attempt. Achieving this requires skill and experience. "Generally, the career path of a designer, if they don’t change fields, usually goes from draftsman, designer, team leader, project manager, department head, chief engineer, director, or general manager. Relatively speaking, this kind of career progression is more acceptable to me than the path I followed when I was working in construction. This post, being an experience-sharing thread by the original poster, inspired many thoughts in me. It was so fascinating that I repeated the same experience I had back when I spent an entire night reading “I Am a Hacker”; I spent another whole night going through the poster’s post, and while reading about their experiences, I also reflected on my own journey. Perhaps it’s too late at night, and there’s still much to say, but for now I’m at a loss for words – I’ll write more about it some other day.

My views on CADKING’s concept of martial arts design: The economic crisis is indeed severe; I’ve been quite idle lately, so I decided to read through the CADKING series on martial arts design that’s currently very popular in the industry. As an aside: Damn it, there hasn’t been any bonus for half a year now; it’s really hard to get by on the meager monthly salary. Real estate prices may have dropped a bit, but many people’s incomes have fallen even more drastically. Take me for example – compared to that, housing prices have actually gone up rather than down; that’s the truth. Furthermore, the prices of building materials and similar items have dropped significantly, and labor costs have also decreased considerably. Real estate companies have carried out large-scale layoffs, yet the profit margins of these unscrupulous companies have actually increased rather than decreased. In short, China **does not treat the working class as human beings; it simply sees those poor workers as mere means to generate GDP through exploitation. Getting to the point: As a structural engineer, CADKING’s series of design-related articles captures some of the thoughts of structural engineers, while also providing insights for those who are just starting out in this field. As the saying goes, it’s better not to rely too much on written texts; moreover, these writings fall far short of the standards required for a book publication, and they contain many personal lies, so they certainly cannot be taken at face value or believed entirely. I’m sharing some of my thoughts here just to pass the time – the wording may be messy, but those interested may take a look. From the text, it’s easy to see that CADKING is an expert at drawing; his speed is truly astonishing. Rapid drawing and producing drawings is also the key aspect that CADKING emphasizes throughout his series on design techniques. In fact, any structural engineer with even a basic understanding of design knows that drawing is merely the most fundamental skill in structural engineering. Advanced engineers often don’t do any drawing at all, leaving that task to their assistants, while focusing instead on more complex preliminary tasks such as structural design and simulation of calculation models. With CADKING, however, rapid drawing becomes his strength – but it also indicates a lack of depth in his approach, as he clearly emphasizes the wrong key aspects that a competent structural engineer should focus on. Around me, many skilled professionals draw diagrams very slowly or even poorly; this includes many experienced professionals as well. Yet this does not prevent them from becoming excellent structural engineers, because drawing diagrams is the simplest and least technical aspect of work for a structural engineer – it’s not something that requires in-depth study. As long as one’s drawing speed is above average, it is sufficient; there’s no need to focus so much effort on it at the expense of more important tasks. Of course, it would be ideal to have a high level of skill in structural design, excellent overall capabilities in various aspects, and fast drawing speed as well, but these are merely additional advantages; it’s not a problem if they’re not present. From the words and phrases used by CADKING, it’s not possible to determine how high his design skills are; we can only sense that this guy draws diagrams quite quickly – as can be seen from his username (CAD King) – and he is also fast at modeling. However, as for the quality of the drawings, their depth, precision, and accuracy, whether the models represent a proper simplification of reality, whether they fully reflect the characteristics of the building, and whether the final design products meet important criteria such as rationality, cost-effectiveness, safety, and practicality, we have no way of knowing. In fact, we even get the impression that the quality of the finished products he creates isn’t very high, because what he pursues is efficiency rather than quality. Furthermore, based on his professional experience, he has never worked on actual structural design in large, established design firms. As we know, there are significant differences between large and small firms in terms of the quality of drawings, work processes, and management styles; structural engineers who have worked in large firms are very different from those who have come from smaller firms. He initially spent two years at a state-owned design firm rated at level C, and obviously, level C is not comparable to level A. After that, he moved to a small private design firm, but after working there for a few years, he started his own business, which failed after two years. He then worked as a freelance structural designer for some time; it’s likely that he returned to his friend’s design firm to take on a position similar to that of a supervisor in the structural engineering department. Strangely enough, even in such a position he still had to draw many drawings, whereas a supervisor in this field is supposed to focus on management tasks, ensuring the overall direction and quality of structural work rather than dealing with trivial design details. Based on this, it’s easy to assume that he ended up working at another small design firm, where there was a shortage of staff and therefore he was needed to do the drawing work. In fact, the series of articles on martial arts design are nothing more than trivial writings written by CADKING in his free time to entertain himself or indulge in fantasies. Upon reading the entire content, one finds no valuable insights into structural design; empty talk makes up the vast majority of it. The longest article is a exaggerated description of his rather mediocre professional experience. The writing style is poor, the content is hollow and untrustworthy. I think the designer of the Bird’s Nest would never engage in such pointless activities. Real structural engineers are calm and reserved, as such traits are required by the nature of this profession. Exaggerated claims are not characteristic of structural engineers, whose daily work is closely related to the safety of buildings and, by extension, to human lives. The more experienced a structural engineer is, the more cautious he is in his work, and the more meticulous his drawings become. Greater precision, however, means slower work. The goal for structural engineers is to maintain the highest quality while working at a reasonable pace, rather than aiming for speed at the expense of quality, just like in the mass production of pirated discs. What we would rather see is structural engineers from outstanding buildings such as the Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, **The Grand Theatre, Jin Mao Tower, and the World Financial Center sharing their experiences of success, their work processes, and the challenges they faced in their careers. Instead of empty discussions on design techniques, which can have a negative impact on beginners, as they often struggle to distinguish between what’s good and what’s bad and may be misled by flashy appearances.

——————In the eyes of a beginner, CADKING’s Lao Zhuang structure user ‘Hui Wan Diao Gong’ — and NetEase’s three top experts in structural design, such as ‘Ru Meng Wu Hen’ — are all renowned figures in this field. CADKING’s Lao Zhuang structure user (NetEase ID: jiegourensheng) and ‘Hui Wan Diao Gong’ (NetEase ID: gcc3000), as part of these three prominent experts in NetEase’s structural design community, have all provided guidance and training to beginners; each of them possesses unique insights into structural design, offering valuable experience to those who are just starting out. CADKING was the first among the three top experts on NetEase to introduce the concept of structured training; its martial arts framework forms its own systematic system. CADKING is known as the king of CAD software, having attracted a large number of fans thanks to its unique drawing approach. CADKING’s training approach involves in-person lectures, and I have also signed up for it. However, the drawback of in-person lectures is that the population in each city is too scattered; it’s not easy to gather a large number of people together to attend the lectures. As for the lectures held by CADKING in its own group, since the members of the group have varying levels of expertise, and since it is free training, the instructors lack motivation, and there is also no incentive for the participants (they can attend if they want to, or skip it if they don’t have time). This ultimately led to the cancellation of CADKING’s training session. Given my limited experience, I am not in a position to assess CADKING’s professional standards; however, those who have been working in this field for over a decade are surely experts. One can tell from his posts on some CAD techniques that his drawing skills are quite high. However, some experts have raised objections, arguing that CADKING places too much emphasis on CAD drawing skills and not enough on structural concepts (search Baidu for the post \"My Views on CADKING\"). Because after reading all of CADKING’s posts, his many fans were simply impressed by his fast drawing speed and were obsessed with learning his drawing techniques; they did not consider the ultimate goal that CADKING emphasizes – namely, the ability to draw quickly, which allows more time in the early stages to refine design concepts, arrange the structure, and search for relevant information. In the post about “The School of Swords and the School of Qi”, CADKING emphasized particularly the importance of proper structural design; it is necessary to control the sword with qi, practicing both sword skills and qi control. However, few people noticed this sentence. His kung fu structure actually incorporates the concept of structure; it’s just that people don’t think about it at a deeper level. After posting over a dozen posts on NetEase, CADKING fell silent and has not been heard from since. His kung fu techniques, such as the Dragon Image Prajna Skill of the Vajra King, were not passed on, which is a pity for many beginners in this field. If CADKING had considered the training methods from the start, if CADKING could create video tutorials, if... But in reality, there aren’t many such \"ifs\". In a post on \"People in the World,\" CADKING talked about returning to the scene after a decade of silence. It’s unclear whether this current period of silence on CADKING’s part is a preparation for his next comeback, or if his series on martial arts techniques will be his final work. Laozhuang Structure Forum is one of the most popular sections on NetEase’s structure forum at present. The post for the fourth free lecture has already received almost 20,000 clicks; it’s unclear whether this has broken NetEase’s record for the highest number of clicks. The Laozi-Zhuangzi philosophy focuses on the concept of structure: “The Tao gives rise to one; one gives rise to two; two give rise to three; and three give rise to all things.” The structural concepts are explained based on the Laozi and Zhuangzi philosophy of \"all things embrace yin while holding onto yang, and harmonious balance is achieved through the flow of vital energy.\" Starting from the stress analysis of a cantilever beam, moving on to simply supported beams, then to rigid frames, and finally to the structural analysis of high-rise buildings, what seems like complex structural analysis is explained by Lao Zhuang starting from the analysis of cantilever beams and progressing all the way to high-rise structures. The clarity of this explanation makes it seem as though structural analysis is actually a very simple task, which in turn boosts the confidence of those who are new to structural analysis. As the most successful structural training program to date, Laozhuang Structure has held 4 free lectures, and the downloads of their recordings have also been high. CADKING is a one-person training program, whereas the Laozhuang Model operates as a team with multiple instructors. Each instructor has their strengths: some are good at high-rise structures, some at steel structures, and some at finite element analysis – each with their own specialties. However, the Lao-Zhuang approach also has some limitations: it provides detailed instructions on how to carry out structural design, but covers relatively little on basic operations such as how to use CAD for drawing or how to use PKPM for modeling. This is actually due to the constraints imposed by audio lectures. Currently, there is too little internet bandwidth in China, making it unsuitable for video streaming. However, the current situation is that most recent graduates carry out their graduation projects by hand at school; PKPM is hardly taught in schools, while CAD is an elective course taken in the first year of university, and it’s likely that graduates have forgotten it by the time they graduate. Newcomers who have just joined a design firm not only need to have concepts, but they are also eager to know how to draw; yet they dare not ask experienced people about these basic aspects. That’s why a novice in structural engineering like me, who has only been working for a short time, is able to create video tutorials on flat method construction drawings that still find a market. I heard, however, that the team from Laozhuang Structural Engineering Institute is working on the basic operations for videos of structural construction drawings. By then, the training offered by the Laozhuang Structural Institute, which covers both structural concepts and the drawing of construction plans, will surely be even more successful. Hu Wan Diao Gong (NetEase ID: gcc3000) was a former moderator of NetEase’s structure forum; for some reason, he later deleted all his posts and left the community. Recently, I also held my own lecture at NetEase’s structural design forum. Among the three top experts, he has the shortest working experience, but his skills cannot be underestimated. He does not possess the theoretical framework of CADKING’s structural concepts, nor does he have the philosophical ideas related to the structures described by Laozi and Zhuangzi. It simply uses the simplest language to explain the practical aspects of working with structural construction drawings. Since his lectures are currently only at the introductory stage, it is not possible to provide more feedback on them. However, by looking at his lecture at the forum, one can make some guesses about his future development; it’s likely that he will approach the topic of structural construction drawing design from a practical perspective. There is no news yet regarding his next lecture. For a beginner who has not yet been able to work independently, whatever kind of training it may be, as long as they can learn something and gain the ability to carry out design work on their own, that is our greatest wish. At the same time, I hope that more experienced individuals will share their own experiences of struggle through words and actions, or create video tutorials with a structured format that can help beginners, thus guiding us all who are just starting out. As for training on structure, I’d like to add an interesting anecdote. Those who have learned the Tianzheng architecture software are probably familiar with a person named Teacher Wei; he has a background in environmental art and has created numerous videos on software such as Tianzheng Architecture and SKETCH UP. On his forum, he currently states that he will also release videos on structural PKPM next year. I won’t give too much comment on whether someone with a background in environmental art can do well creating PKPM tutorials……

Nice post, you’re an expert; I’ve learned something