Civil

Civil / Structural Engineering Research

Activate the /skill:engineering-research method and run it with this domain payload. Do not restate the research loop here.

Evidence landscape

• Codes/standards: AISC 360 (steel), ACI 318 (concrete), NDS (timber),

TMS 402 (masonry), ASCE 7 (loads), AASHTO (bridges), IBC, and the governing jurisdiction's adopted code. When a code governs, cite the exact section — and check which edition the question's jurisdiction has adopted.

• Primary sources: code commentary, official design guides from the

issuing body, geotech reports, manufacturer/connector ICC-ES reports, peer-reviewed structural literature.

• Prior art / practice: documented failures and forensic studies, post-

earthquake/storm reconnaissance reports, trade association guidance.

Verification criteria

• Code provisions: verify the standard exists, read the actual provision,

and cite section + edition. Do not summarize a provision from memory or a title.

• Loads: every load must state its basis (ASCE 7 chapter, code section)

and combination; units and direction must be explicit.

• Sign conventions: compression vs tension, moment direction, global vs

local axes.

• Material properties: trace to a named grade + governing spec (e.g. Gr.

50 per ASTM A992, f'c per ACI 318).

• Design values: factors (phi, omega, LRFD/SFD) must be stated and traced

to code, not assumed.

• Geotech: any soil parameter must be marked verified (from a real

report/standard) or inferred (assumed) — never laundered into fact.

• Calculations: show formula, inputs, and units so the check can be

re-run.

Deliverable shape

Follow the method's artifact contract. In the final artifact, end with a Sources section citing code + section + edition for every governing provision, and mark loads, factors, and material properties verified, inferred, or blocked.

Invocation Flags

Accept --deep and --quick flags and pass them through to the engineering-research method. See that skill for flag semantics.

Gap Detection

If research hits an evidence dead-end — no code provision, paper, or dataset addresses the question after exhausting the discovery layers — suggest running /gap-analysis civil to formally validate and document the gap. Do not invoke gap-analysis automatically; offer it as a next step and wait for the user to confirm.

Scope and Boundaries

• This skill produces research — it does NOT produce final designs or construction documents.
• Research-only, not for final engineering sign-off. Licensed engineers must review and approve any design based on this research.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: adeerkhan
• Source: adeerkhan/vitruvius
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.