Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

This unit is the final unit in the Design strand of the BE (Civil) program. Through preparation of various civil engineering design elements of a major project, this unit builds upon the earlier Design and theory units to polish your professional capabilities as expected of a graduate civil engineer. Further, you will be expected to apply to your project the knowledge and experience gained in the civil engineering sub-disciplinary core units including: Geotechnical Engineering, Water Engineering, Structural Engineering and Transport Engineering.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with an understanding of the role of the civil engineer within a major project, including the various technical activities undertaken, overall project management, and an understanding of the community's expectations. It will also develop your team working skills.

Objectives

By completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Exemplify how to properly address a substantial engineering problem as an individual, by constructing a suitable project strategic plan.
2. Implement appropriate project design, integration and management concepts.
3. Generate technically robust designs in the sub-disciplines of environmental, geotechnical, structural, transport, and water.
4. Appreciate and be responsive to client and community requirements in a project environment.
5. Identify and be considerate of realms of the physical environment which, may be affected by the decisions you make.
6. Function effectively as a team member to work towards set objectives in order to achieve your activity goals; resolve somewhat defined tasks and manage time and a limited range of resources to achieve your activity goals.
7. Apply a professional dialogue with specialists and non-specialists by way of written documents and drawings.

Content

The major topics to be covered include:

• Unit and project introduction.


• Individual project strategic plan expectations.


• Transport infrastructure considerations.


• Planning and environmental considerations.


• Stormwater considerations.


• Services and construction considerations.


• Geotechnical considerations.


• Structural considerations.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching Mode: 4 hours per week
Lectures: 2 hrs/wk
Tutorial / design office: 2 hrs/wk

This unit offers you an undertaking of a substantial feasibility civil design project. The emphasis is on problem based learning. You will undertake their project in groups of four, relying upon your interpersonal skills and ability to communicate professionally.

Special lectures on certain new material will be provided by a team, including sessional lecturers from industry, with expertise in their respective fields. You will be expected to use information and methodologies discussed, in the development of your project. The remaining contact time will consist of design office sessions where unit staff will be available to guide you and your team on your project. The unit coordinator will be available throughout the semester to provide guidance on general aspects of the project and unit.

It is stressed that you must attend the contact sessions in order to gain full advantage of staff presence. You will be encouraged to use the unit BlackBoard site, which will be provided as a central resource.

Assessment

Both the formative and summative assessment for this unit are centred upon the completion of an engineering project, which will be portrayed by way of three written submissions; an individually prepared online project strategic plan (open for 24 hours to complete), and two written team submissions being an existing conditions assessment and a feasibility design.You will receive online feedback and grading of your online project strategic plan.

You will receive feedback through group dialogue with teaching staff, written comments upon, and grading of your team submission documentation, both of which will enable you to understand how your team is progressing and how your work may be improved.

There will be an individual grading component for each of your team's project submissions, which will be reflective of your individual contribution to completion of the tasks.

Grading will be made through the use of Criterion Referenced Assessment pro-forma, which will be discussed in class and published on Blackboard prior to the due dates.

Assessment name: Professional Plans
Description: Individual Online Submission: Project Strategic Plan (24 hours to complete while open)
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 4

Assessment name: Case Study
Description: Team/Individual Submission 1: Existing Conditions Assessment
25 percent (team component), 10 percent (individual component)
Relates to objectives: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Weight: 35%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Week 8

Assessment name: Design
Description: Team/Individual Submission 2: Feasibility Design
25 percent (team component), 10 percent (individual component)
Relates to objectives: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Weight: 35%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Week 14

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Type: Reference text
Author: Dandy G., Walker D., Daniell T., and Warner R.
Title: Planning and Design of Engineering Systems
Year: 2008.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group, London and New York
Edition: 2nd Edition

Texts from previous disciplinary units will be useful. A package of basic background information that is relevant to the project (including Project Brief) will be issued to each group. Certain resources will be provided including mapping, existing plans, technical data, and access to codes/policies.

You are expected to identify, locate and acquire other resource material through libraries and the internet (particularly government department sites), and reference material gained in prior units. Notwithstanding, you shall not approach members of the public nor public officers in relation to your project without authorisation of the unit coordinator.

A unit Blackboard site will provide a clearinghouse for electronic resources as well as documentation on unit housekeeping. You are expected to both review the unit Blackboard site and check your QUT student email account at least one day prior to each class.

You may incur incidental costs in printing lecture notes and web based manuals, using electronic media for information storage, and attending site visits to local project sites.

Risk assessment statement

You will be informed of any requirements pertaining to a safe workplace. In lectures, tutorials and such, the information will include location of fire exits and meeting points in case of fire; in any laboratory practicals, you will be advised of requirements of safe and responsible behaviour and you will be required to wear appropriate protective items (e.g. steel capped shoes); on any field trips or site visits, you will progress through a safety induction session and where necessary obtain a safety induction card. If you do not follow legitimate instructions or endanger the safety of others or do not act in accordance with the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety Act, you will be required to leave the session/site. You will be responsible for your own health and safety, and that of other members of the community as a responsible citizen, should you elect in your own time to conduct any site visits related to the project.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 03-May-2012