Abstract: Big data is no doubt the most popular topic currently in science and technology field. Application of big data has already reached the level as high as a national strategy. It brings new historical development opportunities to various interdisciplinary fields including structural engineering. This paper discusses, from the point of view of research paradigm shift, the impacts, problems and challenges along with the introduction of big data concepts and technologies to structural engineering. Potential applications of big data in structural engineering are then discussed according to the development trend of the third generation of structural design theory. Finally, an example is given which shows the application of big data idea for investigating live loads in a building.