Abstract: Haptics is associated with sensory feedback and the modality of touch. A haptic virtual environment allows users to feel and manipulate virtual three-dimensional objects in the computer as if they existed in the real world, or to feel objects that exist physically at a remote location, or a combination of the two. A prototype haptic environment for analysis of civil engineering structures is investigated in this dissertation. First, the haptic model for structural analysis is defined by specifying the representation of the haptic interface device in the structural analysis model and by considering different scales of the structure and user environments using similitude laws. The integration of the haptic rendering and structural analyses processes is conceptualized considering different update frequencies and time delay in communication. Second, a haptic environment for structural analysis is implemented using a powerful general-purpose finite-element software framework OpenSees and a PHANToM haptic interface device manufactured by Sensable Technologies. The integration of software modules and synchronization of different response time scales is accomplished using the multi-time-scale and multithreaded features of the Teja software development platform. The implementation is kept general using software-development factory methods which allow components to be replaced easily such that a different haptic device, finite-element modeling module, or visualization software can be used as long as the header files for the interfaces remains the same. CMake is used throughout to make the implementation platform independent. Third, possible applications of the prototype haptic environment in civil engineering are considered. To demonstrate the benefits of haptic environments, a haptic framework for interactive structural health monitoring based on the Damage Locating Vectors approach is proposed. Using the experience gained during the implementation of the prototype haptic environment for structural analysis, a haptic device suitable for structural analysis is developed and implemented. This string-based haptic device is assembled easily using inexpensive DC motors and encoders, and runs on LabVIEW software on a real-time operating system platform. The low cost of components and ubiquity of software platforms makes it possible to distribute this device in a form of a kit in large quantities, sufficient to equip computer laboratories with enough haptic devices to enable haptic enabled instruction in structural analysis. Avenues for future research and ideas for development of haptic environments in structural engineering are outlined in the conclusion.