• Offered for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Professor David Werner
• Lecturer: Professor Philip James, Professor Phil Blythe, Dr Stephen Blenkinsop, Professor Adam Jarvis, Dr Jean Hall, Professor Sean Wilkinson, Dr David Golightly

• Owning School: Engineering
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

To develop more specific analysis and design skills in a larger case study than the primarily conceptual study carried out in Stage 1, with an emphasis on engineering studies which support planning, options analysis, selection, and design.

To introduce and develop further the sustainability agenda (SDG11 sustainable cities and communities), within the context of global change, covering all aspects of design, material selection, construction, and operation.

To introduce and develop further an integrated understanding of engineering solutions incorporating economics, risk management, resilience and awareness of environmental impacts.

The module integrates the knowledge gained in other programme themes and is part of the DSES series running through all stages. A main activity is systems analysis and design, but in the context of (a) the identification of a range of Sustainable Engineering Systems solution options (b) the integrated assessment of the range of options, and (c) the design and delivery of a sustainable solution. The module will cover the major aspects of an engineering project including master planning, site investigation, geotechnical, hydraulic and structural design, transport, materials, environmental and sustainability assessments. These activities will enable the learning, development, and practice of transferable skills (analysis, design, advocacy, presentation, drawing).

Outline Of Syllabus

Design case study component:

Based on the design of a major infrastructure facility, aspects covered will include travel demand, option assessment, resilience in a changing world, environmental and societal impacts, sustainability, funding and other economic issues, and the design and (re)construction of a major facility.

Lectures to cover:
-       Introductory talks on relevant infrastructure projects and feasibility considerations; teamworking
-       Specialist design inputs for the case study covering transport and travel demand, geotechnical issues (including slope stability), bridge and road structures, urban drainage, environmental impacts, choice of materials and design and construction.
-       Climate change to include future projections, impact assessments and specialist scenarios for design.
-       Sustainability to include the economics of projects, funding options, cost-benefit analysis
-       Health and Safety (for example construction practice and examples).
-       Geospatial analysis, mapping, and visualization

There is a ‘Visualisation and BIM’ thread through the Civil Engineering programmes and Design of Sustainable Engineering Systems (DSES) project modules in particular. As part of this, the manual sketching skills will be reinforced in this module with students encouraged to record and convey design ideas on site visits and in team meetings with manual sketches in their e-portfolios. Building on the AutoCAD training form Stage 1, students will also be expected to transform manual sketches into maps and professional technical drawings.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module allows students to expand their knowledge through a combination of taught material from specialists (both internal and through visiting lecturers from industry) and through their own research. This enables students to understand the synergy of the different civil engineering subjects and material in this and Stage 1. Students work in teams to take knowledge from the lectures and apply it to the design problem by developing a range of feasible solutions. These solutions are assessed through meetings with academic staff and formal team presentations.

Supplementary knowledge is gained regarding actual construction issues through site visits to civil engineering projects and exhibitions where possible. Design solutions also need to be communicated through a written portfolio of work. A tailored programme of topics across the sustainability agenda is provided to complement the disciplinary programme provided by other modules in the stage. Students are expected to work in teams for a significant proportion of the module to generate ideas, produce analysis, select options and design solutions for a major regional case-study. Students are required to expose their ideas to critical evaluation from the Client Team (made up of academic staff) on several occasions throughout the year. Where possible, this module also includes a field trip to enable students to visit examples of sustainable engineering systems and develop their skills in the design of such systems. This module includes several activities such as site visits and lectures from relevant industrial professionals and government stakeholders.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students work in groups to take knowledge from the lectures and apply it to the design problem by considering a range of feasible solutions to develop a sustainable engineering systems design proposal. These solutions are assessed through group submissions of a phase 1 report, and in an final phase 2 design exhibition that consists of a poster and digital slide presentation. Staff will assess the phase 1 report and will review the design exhibition materials in advance and question students about their design at the exhibition to assess the team work, incl. drawing and sketches, design calculations, safety-related, economic and environmental design considerations, and consideration of the social acceptability of the proposed design solutions to local communities. Each student will also prepare detailed notes and an essay as their professional portfolio reflecting on their experiences and skills development across the stage with references to the required competencies of civil engineers. This portfolio will be assessed in an interview with staff..

Reading Lists

• CEG2004's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• CEG2004's Timetable