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ENGI3301: Structures, Civil Materials and Geomatics 3

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Type Tied
Level 3
Credits 20
Availability Available in 2024/2025
Module Cap
Location Durham
Department Engineering

Prerequisites

  • ENGI 2201, ENGI 2211, ENGI 2221

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • As specified in the Programme Regulations

Aims

  • This module is designed solely for students studying Department of Engineering degree programmes.
  • This module covers two important areas of knowledge and skills for civil engineers: analysis and design of structures and geomatics (land surveying and GIS).
  • To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of core civil engineering materials including their production, sustainability, properties and use in construction.
  • To align with requirements for the delivery of JBM group a subject of Materials.

Content

  • Concretes and Mortars (lectures 1&2): Cements and cement replacement materials; Production and sustainability; Aggregates for concretes and mortars; Concrete mix design (linked with compulsory 2.5 hour laboratory practical); Testing of wet and hardened concrete (linked with compulsory 2.5 hour laboratory practical); Health and safety considerations for mixing and pouring concrete.
  • Timber (lectures 3&4): Environmental Impact and sustainability of timber; Production of engineered wood for construction; Strength of timber units; Jointing and construction; Durability and preservation; Health and safety considerations when building with timber.
  • Masonry (lectures 5&6): Block types, production methods and sustainability; Natural stone in masonry construction; Detailing bondwork and pointing; Durability and protection from damp; Health and safety consideration when building masonry.
  • Analysis of structures using paper and computational methods.
  • Land surveying for civil engineering.
  • GIS relevant for civil engineering.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • Understanding of the key materials used in civil engineering construction, their production, use and sustainability.
  • Understanding of the qualitative behaviour of various structural forms leading to conceptual structural design.
  • Understanding of methods of computational structural analysis and appreciation of their approximate nature.
  • Appreciation of the role of plasticity in structural analysis.
  • Understanding of the principles of land surveying, errors and adjustments.
  • Understanding of the principles behind and use of GISs.
  • Understanding of the key materials used in civil engineering construction, their production, use and sustainability.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • Ability to undertake conceptual design of simple civil engineering structures.
  • Ability to undertake analyses of civil engineering structures.
  • Ability to carry out civil engineering surveying including booking, checking and preparation of plans.
  • Ability to use GIS for civil engineering purposes.
  • Ability to design concrete and mortar mixes.
  • Ability to determine the properties of wet and hardened concrete through laboratory testing.
  • Ability to determine appropriate types of timber and timber jointing for construction projects.
  • Ability to determine appropriate types of masonry for construction projects.

Key Skills:

  • General ability to model, as required by a civil engineer.
  • Ability to assess quality of data from surveying and to recognise possible flaws in data.
  • Teamwork in undertaking the surveying practical course.
  • Ability to select and specify appropriate materials types for civil engineering projects.
  • Ability to make sound assessments of the relative sustainability of civil engineering materials in construction projects.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Lectures will be delivered on the topics of concrete, timber and masonry (2 hours per topic, 6 in total). For each hour of lectures there will be a problem sheet based on lecture content which the students will be expected to complete (e.g. concrete mix design exercise, timber jointing exercise).
  • Students will complete two compulsory laboratory exercises, S31 Aggregate grading and concrete mix design and S32 Test to failure of a reinforced concrete beam. Between these two laboratories students will complete an aggregate grading exercise, design a concrete mix, test the workability of the mix, test the hardened strength of their mix and the strength of a reinforced beam made with their mix. Students will be formatively assessed on the exercise through a laboratory interview.
  • Civil materials content will be assessed through a compulsory question within the ENGI3301 Structures, Civil Materials and Geomatics 3 exam.
  • Lecture courses in structures, surveying and GIS reinforced by problem sheets. Structures is assessed through an open note written examination which enables each student to demonstrate an ability to analyse and solve new problems.
  • Students are able to make use of staff Office Hours to discuss any aspect of the module with teaching staff on a one-to-one basis. These are sign-up sessions available for up to one hour per week.
  • Surveying and GIS are supported by an intensive practical course which is summatively assessed by means of a report.
  • The surveying and structures parts of the course are also supported by formative lab sessions.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures422 per week1 hour42 
Laboratories23 hours6Yes
Geomatics practical course12 weeks full time60Yes
Office HoursAs required; weekly sign-up sessionsup to 1 hour8 
Preparation, reading and self study84 
Total200 

Summative Assessment

Component: Written ExaminationComponent Weighting: 70%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Online Examination2 hours100none
Component: CourseworkComponent Weighting: 30%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Assignment100none

Formative Assessment

Problem sheets for lecture courses. Laboratories.

More information

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