Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering, Unit Catalogue 2008/09 |
AR30303 Bridge engineering 2 |
| Credits: 3 |
| Level: Honours |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: CW 100% |
| Requisites: |
| While taking this unit you must take AR30207 |
|
Aims: To develop a deep understanding of the design and construction of a specific bridge structure.
Learning Outcomes: The successful student should be able to demonstrate an ability to gather relevant information pertaining to the construction of an existing bridge, prioritise this information, critically analyse the aesthetics, assess the bridge structurally by considering the full range of loading possibilities including dead, superimposed dead, live, creep, temperature and oscillation effects, consider how the bridge was constructed and whether this could have been improved on, and report this information in the form of a conference paper with an associated oral presentation. Skills: Intellectual skills * Ability to apply the concepts and principles of structural engineering to the design and solution of bridge engineering problems. * To understand taught material - taught Professional/Practical skills * To deal with bridge engineering issues in a systematic yet creative way, and to communicate the conclusions clearly. Transferable/key skills * Ability to collect, analyse, synthesise and present technical information. * To demonstrate communication and team working skills. Content: An initial 2-hour lecture to provide an overview of various possible bridges which can be used as case studies. The students will each choose a separate bridge at this stage. This lecture will also include details on the reporting requirements for the conference presentation arrangements. There will be a series of programmed weekly surgery sessions laid on for the students, which will follow simultaneously with the lectures pertaining to AR30207 Bridge Engineering 1. The sessions will sequentially involve initial fact gathering, prioritisation of facts, aesthetic considerations, loading regimes, structural assessment of the bridge, construction considerations, other issues (contracts, land expropriation, susceptibility to terrorism, etc.), conference-paper preparation, proceedings publishing and oral presentation (to peers, lecturers and invited guests). |