Structural Design
Synonyms: Structural Engineering Design، Structural Calculations، Load-Bearing Design
Last updated: 2026-09-25
Short Definition
Structural design is the engineering process that defines a building's load-bearing system — foundations, columns, beams, slabs and bearing walls — and the size, reinforcement and materials of each element, so it safely resists dead, live, wind and seismic loads throughout its design life.
Overview
Legal Basis
The Saudi Building Code Implementation Law (M/43 dated 26/4/1438H) applies the code to all construction (Art. 2), makes compliance a condition for building, renovation and alteration permits (Art. 6), punishes violations with a fine of up to SAR 1 million per violation (Art. 12), and requires work to be stopped or the building evacuated where a violation is dangerous (Art. 11). The code is updated every five years (Art. 5), and the 2024 edition became mandatory on 30 June 2025. Art. 9 of the Law of Ownership, Partition and Management of Real Estate Units (M/85 dated 2/7/1441H) provides that no owner may do anything that harms the structural frame or affects the façades.
Practical Example
The owner of a second-floor flat in a partitioned building in Riyadh wants to merge the living room with an adjacent room by removing a wall. He asks an engineering office to check the structural drawings, which show the wall is non-bearing but hides a column in its middle. The engineer keeps the column and designs a 2.4 m opening with a beam above, at a study cost of SAR 3,500 and execution of SAR 12,000, and, as a precaution, the owners' association is informed and approves because the work is close to a structural element in a jointly owned building. Had the column been removed without a study, the whole building would have been endangered and the owner would have breached Art. 9 of the Real Estate Units Law.
Common Mistakes
- ✗Removing a wall or column or cutting a slab without a structural study on the grounds that the work is "internal".
- ✗Adding a floor or annex on an existing building without checking whether columns and foundations can carry the extra load.
- ✗Copying a structural design from another project without accounting for differences in soil, loads and location.
- ✗Substituting bar sizes or concrete grade during construction to save cost without the designer's approval.
- ✗Continuing to apply the 2018 code edition to new projects after the 2024 edition became mandatory on 30 June 2025.
International Differences
Many countries use national or regional structural codes, such as the Eurocodes in Europe and ACI and ASCE standards in the United States, and Turkey has its own seismic design code (TBDY 2018) given its high seismic activity. Many parts of the Saudi Building Code are based on international codes adapted to local conditions. What sets Saudi Arabia apart is that code compliance is a permit condition and structural design is reviewed by a technical inspection company linked to inherent defects insurance.
