CIVIL 722 : Slope Engineering
Engineering
2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
To have a general understanding of the mechanisms of slope processes, the main causative factors and some analysis skills.
- Slope failure mechanisms, geological controls and classification, shear strength of rock and soil materials. Groundwater estimation of water pressure, perched and confined aquifers. Laboratory testing of earth materials for slope stability.
- Limit equilibrium techniques - planar, circular, non-linear, toppling and wedge. Analytical, numerical and graphical methods - use of software. Limitations of analytical methods.
- Effects of water and earthquake on slope stability.
- General methods of SI, geophysical, drilling and slope monitoring. Slope stabilisation and remediation.
- Landslide risk management - probability of failure, hazard evaluation and risk management. Use of observational approach, rating systems and back analysis.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of of the basic mechanisms of slope failures (Capability 1.1, 3.1 and 4.1)
- Develop and demonstrate skills in defining the underlying mechanisms involved by building on the structural/geological interpretation learned from Introductory Engineering Geology. (Capability 1.1, 3.2 and 6.1)
- Use the concepts of shear strength and groundwater from CIVIL200 (Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering) and CIVIL300 (Geotechnical Engineering) and expand these to deal with more competent materials with structural discontinuities. (Capability 3.2 and 5.1)
- Develop analysis skills, including both manual computation and computer-based methods (GeoSuite software) (Capability 4.1 and 5.1)
- Understand and appreciate various remedial, monitoring and risk management techniques in relation to slopes. (Capability 4.2, 5.1 and 6.1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Case study | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Design Projects | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Laboratory Report | 5% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 50% | Individual Examination |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
| Case study | ||||||||||
| Design Projects | ||||||||||
| Laboratory Report | ||||||||||
| 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 30 hours of lectures, 6 hours of tutorials (including the use of software), 2 hours of laboratory exercise, 30 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 82 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation (total of 150 hrs).
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials MAY be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events, including group discussions/tutorials.
Attendance on campus is required for the case presentation (dependent on Covid Restrictions and University Policy).
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.
Health & Safety
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.
Based on students' feedback, more in-person tutorials will be conducted so make sure you attend lectures on campus.
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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, 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.