CIVIL 720 : Earthquake Engineering

Engineering

2022 Semester One (1223) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Earthquakes and the effects on civil infrastructure. The passage of seismic waves from inception, propagation, arrival at site bedrock, site specific response, infrastructure response. Including engineering seismology, seismo-tectonic setting of NZ, probabilistic seismic hazard analyses, NZS 1170.5, infrastructure dynamics, base isolation, effects of site geology, geophysical and geotechnical site characterisation, concepts of soil-structure interaction, the Canterbury series of earthquakes.

Course Overview

This is a post-graduate course in earthquake engineering designed to prepare students for entry into the relevant professions of structural engineering, geotechnical engineering and other associated professional activities. The content draws on a knowledge base of mathematics, physics, structural mechanics, geomechanics and design established in a 4 year civil engineering  degree of good standard, e.g. the equivalent of the BE(Hons) of the University of Auckland.

Because of the high level of seismic activity in New Zealand there is a heavy presence of earthquake engineering in all infrastructure engineering in New Zealand. This course will structured around three key areas: (1) Engineering Seismology; (2) Structural Dynamics; (3) Geotechnical Site Characterisation and Site Response. The first section will present the building blocks that inform probabilistic seismic hazard analysis, and how this approach can be undertaken and linked to code-based seismic design procedures. The second section will explore the key aspects of dynamic response of structures and some of the design aspects used to deal with seismic loading effects. The last section will present the different approaches to investigate and classify a site in relation to its amplification potential, and present simplified approaches to quantify these effects.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: CIVIL 313 and ENGSCI 311 or equivalent

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop a knowledge of the fundamentals of both mathematics and physics necessary to understand the theoretical foundations of earthquake engineering. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  2. Develop the skills to form mathematical models of sufficient accuracy for the design of civil infrastructure. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  3. Develop a knowledge of the seismo-tectonic background of New Zealand, including the strengths and weaknesses of NZS1170.5. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6)
  4. Develop the ability to carry out analyses to evaluate the seismic response of civil infrastructure. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 5)
  5. Develop the ability to carry out analyses to develop an understanding of the effect of site geology on seismic site response. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 50% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Assignments
Final Exam

Students must sit the exam to pass the course. Otherwise, a DNS (did not sit) result will be returned

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 36 hours of lectures, 57 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 57 hours of work on assignments, giving a total of 150 hours.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Lectures will be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Course notes will be provided in electronic form. Reference will be made, when required, to additional material.

Health & Safety

Students are required to be fully knowledgeable about, and practice, the health and safety guidelines, that may vary from time to time, of the New Zealand Government.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 23/12/2021 01:49 p.m.