Coursework

In one of my MSc courses, Inditerminate structures, I had to undertake a coursework where I had to
Select a European steel beam section to satisfy the ultimate strength requirement for a 3-span
uniformly loaded continuous beam(The beam supports a design permanent load of 24 kN/m and a
design variable load of 18 kN/m. The ULS combination according to Eurocode 0 a (BS EN 1990: 2002)
utilizing two methods: linear elastic analysis and plastic analysis. In this coursework I had to write a
small report of the advantages and disadvantages of each method of analysis with respect to this
specific problem. After carrying out the calculations with both methods the section that I chose
using the linear approach was an IPE 450 while when using the plastic analysis approach was an IPE
400. From the results obtained using the plastic approach the conclusion that I reached is that the
plastic analysis results in a more economic solution (lighter section),because it takes into account the
reserve of strength of the structure but on the other hand it doesn’t provide info on the deflections.
From the results obtained using the elastic approach I concluded that the elastic analysis is simpler
nowadays(due to the use of computers) but it does not provide information on whats the real
capacity of the structure.

Coursework
In one of my MSc courses, FEA A, I had to undertake a coursework where I had to calculate the
bending stresses and displacements of a simply supported beam carrying a UDL. The
software that I used for this purpose was LUSAS.In this coursework The results of the
software, where different mesh combinations were implemented(linear interpolation and
quadratic interpolation) had to be compared to the theoretical calculations. the theoretical
results and the results obtained from LUSAS had a very small deviation which means that the
program(lusas)

Dissertation
The subject of my dissertation is the Prediction of the Chloride Ingress into Concrete which is
a very interesting subject as the chloride ions that are coming usually from the rain,sea water
or the de-icing salt used in roads, penetrate the concrete cover until they reach the rebar
level. When there is adequate chloride concentration at the level of the reinforcement, the
depassivation of the steel rebar triggers and that initiates the corrosion of the reinforcement,
which can have catastrophic consequences for the structure. In this project a sensitivity
assessment of the input parameters such as temperature, time ,chloride concentration in the
sea water, concrete properties etc of an empirical and a physical chloride ingress prediction
model was carried out and also a validation of the prediction accuracy of each model by
exposure field data comparison from three consecutive time periods of 2, 5 and 8 years
(which were provided by my supervisor professor john macarter). The empirical model that
was used is fib which is a full-probabilistic design method that was implemented into excel
spread sheets, which utilizes Fick’s 2nd Law of diffusion to compare the chloride ion
concentration in the concrete at the depth of the rebar at a certain time, to the critical
chloride content for the reinforcement. The physical model that was used is ClinConc , which
lutilizes a genuine flux equation that follows the principle of Fick’s first law and also includes
the electrochemical properties of the concrete in order to calculate the chloride at a certain
depth and time.
Intership

I had done my intership in a small office which was comprised by a quantity surveyor. The main
occupation during that time period was legal registration of unregistered structures. People that had
built structures that weren’t registered in the town planning office would call us in order to measure
and register the illegal building. Our role was to measure the structure and calculate a temporary
fine for the infringement which wasn’t registered in the town planning office(The fine depended on
the size of the structure square meters and stores), and then we had had to prepare an application
and a report which I had to submit online to the town planning office in order to legalise it and also
define the instalments of the fine for the infringement.

Picking up phones, tranfering data into excel, etc.

What are your strengths

Many people would say things im good in mathematics, statics or physics. In my opinion my best
strength is my critical thinking which was developed initially during my school years and after
enhanced during my university years. By critical thinking I mean the ability to get the problem
understand it, adjust it to familiar patterns, if that’s not enough innovate, think of new ways to
approach it, simplify it divide it and eventually reach in to its solution in the most fast and sufficient
way. To me that’s engineering. Of course mathematics and physics are essential to do all this things
that I ve just mentioned and my marks on these specific subjects are a good proof that I have a good
solid base on them. Moreover, during my masters I was working at the same time in a large hospitality
business where I was able to work within a team under pressure and I manage to improve my
communicational and teamworking skills.

Tell me about your self and your motivation.

In 2013 I had completed my bachelors degree in Civil Engineering and Surveying and Geoinformatics
in Athens which equipped me with a solid theoretical base and the only thing left was to implement
this knowledge into practice , which as it turned out was quite hard since the market and economy in
Greece were and still are in quite a bad condition. Therefore I had to do something in order to pursuit
my dream and become a structural engineer, which led to my decision to leave abroad and search for
a job opportunity. With just my bachelors degree I wasn’t gone be quite a competitive candidate
therefore I had decided to take up my next challenge which was my masters degree. This procedure
wasn’t quite easy as I was working part time in a large hospitality buisness at the same time in order
to cope with my expenses. Finally after a lot of effort, dedication and determination I managed to
fulfilled my goal and achieved a master’s degree with an upper second grade and further broaden and
improve my knowledge in structural engineering. As the time passes I think I m getting closer to my
goal to become a civil/structural engineer and get my self involved with interesting people, complex
projects and challenging problems and lead my way up to chartership.

I am motivated by challenges, people and creativity and innovation. Structural engineering is a

mixture of all these things and that’s what makes it appealing to me.

Road design project

During my second year in Uni there was a team project that we were assigned in one of our courses
(road design). This project would take up to 30% of our final mark therefore we needed to do well at
it. We were divided in teams of three and the deadline was 2 weeks. We were provided with a contour
line topographic map and our task was to carve a road with a right curve a straight bit and left curve.
We had to design the plan view the, vertical and horizontal cross-sections of the road as well. The
project was divided into e pieces and I had to design the right curve and my other two colleagues had
to do the straight bit and the left curve respectively. Midways of the second week myself and one of
my colleagues had finished our part of the project while the third colleague was really struggling and
wasn’t even midway. I was a bit frustrated that he hadn’t told us anything about his struggle and also
he was putting at risk the whole team by not talking and ask for help. He realised that and he
apologised for this behaviour. In return my other colleague and I sat with him and we helped him finish
it on time and we eventually got the mark.

Football match

Difficult situation and how you manage to overcome it

The most recent example I can imagine is when I had to submit my dissertation. I was a part time
masters student therefore my dissertation’s submission deadline was the first of December, but I
wanted to submit it with the full time masters during August which was their deadline in order to be
ready and join the industry as soon as possible without being committed with something else. This
task wasn’t easy at all and I had to manage my time in the most efficient way. What I did was to reduse
the hours I was working, regulate my sleeping Hours in order for me to wake up ealier and for the
same time of period I wasn’t going out almost at all in order to fulfil my goal. My efforts eventually
paid off and I managed to submit it on time.

How you think your skills are relevant.

During my university years and also my masters years(both achieving a upper second grade)I have
solidified my theoretical structural engineering base which comprises good knowledge of
mathematics, physics , statics and dynamics in conjunction with a good critical thinking and also the
implementation of those in order to solve a problem. I also have a good spirit of team work and
cooperation which is a skill that was obtained through certain university projects and also my part
time job in a large hospitality buisness where I had the chance to be a part of a big team and manage
to work efficiently in order to fulfil certain goals like satisfaction of customers and a happy manager
for example. The only thing I need is the opportunity to put this knowledge and skills into practise and
I think Your firm would be a great platform for me to start building my career.

Why Babcock?

You are one of the uks leading engineering support services companies with more of 100 years of
history which employes more than 34000s people. Your projects involve civil contracts but your main
business is with public bodies, particularly the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and Network Rail.
Also it is very inspiring that your driving force for success and growth is based on investing in and
supporting your talent, through technical apprenticeships, graduate schemes, training and career
development and I would be really privileged if I could be part of such a company as it will give the
opportunity to develop my self in an exponential rate and also contribute to your firm to my maximum
potential.
What challenges do you think you might face on our graduate scheme
I am well aware that being a part of a company such as Babcock wont be an easy task
considering your clients and the scale of the projects that you undertake. High workload,
tight deadlines, coping efficiently with difficult and complex projects, and working
effectively within a team will be the basic challenges that I will have to face in the initial
stages of the program. All these things might be daunting for some people, but to my it
works in an opposite manner as I live up for challenges and I thing I have the theoretical
background and necessary skills which were acquired during my academic years and
also my work experience as a team leader in a large hospitality buisnes. All I need is the
opportunity to prove all these traits.

For a successful candidate when is the starting period exactly, because it wasn’t quite clear stated in
the advert.

What kind of tasks should a fresher expect during the first month of employment?

If selected is there anything I can do to assist in any of your current projects before I start. If there is
such an option I would be very glad to assist.