The course was originally designed around four projects, each consisting of 3–4 design problems and one academic reading assignment. Due to time constraints, we completed three of the four projects. For every project, the professor was extremely accommodating, and his office hours were essentially open‑door. If you’ve taken a class with Gomez before, you already know this course is a great experience simply because he’s the one teaching it.

In terms of content, I took this course before completing CE 3330 – Structural Design. While I recommend taking CE 3330 first, it’s still very manageable without it. Some topics can be challenging, but Gomez provides detailed notes and often walks you through problems step‑by‑step. Lectures can feel dry at times, but he balances that with stories from his work as a designer and his time at the VTRC, which keeps things engaging.

Prestressed concrete is a niche but important area of structural design, and I think every structural engineer should at least be introduced to it. Overall, I would definitely recommend this course as a second structural design class, especially with Gomez!

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