CIVIL 744 : Special Study in Earthquake Engineering

Engineering

2021 Semester Two (1215) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An advanced course on topics in earthquake engineering to be determined each year by the Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Course Overview

This course provides an understanding of the forensic engineering process that applies to the investigation and assessment of failures (collapse and serviceability) and existing structures. It aims to provide participants with the necessary practical knowledge and skills to organize, undertake, or participate in a systematic forensic investigation. It is also appropriate for professionals with design experience and has international applicability.
Familiarity with basic structural engineering design and detailing regarding concrete, structural steel, timber, and masonry is expected. It will be assumed that all students enrolled will have these skills as they will be needed but not be taught within Civil 774.
Business practices including the application of the standard of care, performing a self-assessment of capabilities, assembling a team, and identifying situations regarding professional ethics will also be discussed.
As this is a Level 9 course, over 30% of the grade being assessed will be via independent work (e.g. individual projects, reports, investigations, etc.). This work must demonstrate an application of highly-specialised knowledge. 

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Describe the ethical and professional issues for the standard of care. (Capability 5)
  2. Self-Assess your capabilities to implement an investigation alone or as part of a multi-disciplinary team (Capability 1 and 5)
  3. Develop a failure investigation plan (Capability 3 and 4)
  4. Identify the structural failure through site investigation (Capability 1 and 2)
  5. Implement the investigation plan (Capability 1, 2 and 4)
  6. Utilise engineering principles to assess the cause of the failure (Capability 1, 3 and 4)
  7. Prepare an un-biased, professional report of the investigation findings (Capability 4 and 5)
  8. Plan for media interaction and expert testimony in litigation

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Reports 60% Individual Coursework
Discussions 15% Individual Coursework
Project 25% Group Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Reports
Discussions
Project

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and students are expected to spend on average 10 hours per week. For this course, you can expect 36 hours of lectures and tutorials, 40 hours of reading and lecture study, and 74 hours of work on assignments.

Assessments include analyses and reports. These will require individual and team effort.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including tutorials/clinics to receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including seminars/tutorials will be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Forensic Engineering, 2nd ed.
Author: Kenneth L Carper
Boca Raton, Fla. : CRC Press/Taylor & Francis c2001.
ISBN: 9781420037029 (e-book : PDF)

Forensic Structural Engineering Handbook, 2nd ed.
Author: Robert T Ratay
New York; London : McGraw-Hill c2010.

Beyond Failure: Forensic Case Studies for Civil Engineers
Author: Norbert J. Delatte
American Society of Civil Engineers, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/auckland/detail.action?docID=3115318 (Links to an external site.).

To Engineer is Human (video)
Author: Henry Petroski
BBC Worldwide, 1987. Alexander Street,
https://video-alexanderstreet-com.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/watch/to-engineer-is-human.

Health & Safety

As students will be required to visit public spaces as a portion of this course, it is expected that an appropriate assessment of risks (e.g. traffic) are completed prior to undertaking the activity.

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.

Other Information

Students will be required to travel to various sites in Auckland.
Assessments will be based upon both individual and group performance. Team leaders for assessments may receive added credit.
There will be in-class weekly polls based upon the reading assignments and the previous week's notes. They will not be graded individually, but grades for class participation will be affected.

Digital 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 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.

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.

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.
For this course, it is encouraged that you form a study group to discuss course readings, videos, and issues and gain a deeper understanding of the topics. If you are required to submit an individual assignment it must be your own work. Group assignments must be reflective of the work of all team members. Submitted work may be required to be submitted electronically and uploaded to Turnitin. You can upload as many times as you like using the same title and personal id.

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 your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, 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 you may be asked to submit your 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. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 20/07/2021 09:25 p.m.