Course Catalogue

LJMU Partner Taught

This unit provides learners with an understanding of civil engineering structural design, beginning with simple structural elements found in buildings and moving on to stable earthwork retaining walls.

Outline Syllabus:Design concepts: permissible stress, load factor, limit state concept, probabilistic approach, characteristic loads, characteristic strength (partial factors of safety), limit states, durability, fire resistance, other prime considerations Produce valid designs for simply supported beams in steel: concept of limit state design (applied to steel), classification of sections, and suitability of UB/UC sections regarding moment capacity, shear resistance and deflection Produce valid designs for simply supported beams in reinforced concrete: concept of limit state design as applied to reinforced concrete, reinforcing requirements and the deflection performance of singly reinforced rectangular beams, Produce valid designs for simply supported beams in timber: natural characteristics of timber (how these affect the design methods), suitability of rectangular beams (regarding moment capacity), shear capacity, bearing capacity and deflection Produce valid designs for columns in steel: buckling characteristics of UC, UB and SHS sections, axial load capacity of slender axially loaded sections (with bending moments about the major axis) Produce valid designs for short columns in reinforced concrete: design status of column, reinforcing requirements of a short reinforced column under axial load (with bending moments about one axis) Produce valid designs for columns in timber: axial load capacity of slender rectangular timber sections Produce valid designs for columns in masonry: vertical load capacity of square and rectangular masonry columns Further theories to analyse structures: energy theorems, force method, matrix force method of analysis, matrix displacement method of analysis, finite element formulation, energy method, yield criteria In-situ reinforced concrete structural elements: one-way spanning slab, two-way spanning slab Doubly reinforced concrete beams: column foundations, continuous beams, continuous one-way spanning floor slabs, cut-off points for reinforcement, distribution reinforcement, cover distances, main bars, distribution bars and links, shear reinforcement, column shutters (starter bars and kickers) Site investigation: geophysical exploration, sampling in soils, in-situ tests, site investigation report General engineering geology: site selection for dams and reservoir projects, highway and tunnel projects, ground improvement, temporary support Detail structural elements: manual and computer-aided design (CAD) techniques Retaining wall design: factors of safety, force calculation (different types of retaining walls), effects of groundwater in retaining wall design, stability against sliding and overturning Stability of slopes: failure surfaces, total and effective stress analysis Lateral pressure and retaining walls: active and passive earth pressure, Rankine theory, Coulomb theory, retaining structures and stability Shallow foundations: foundation types, bearing capacity (allowable bearing capacity), settlement calculation, foundations in difficult soils Deep foundations: pile types, single pile, pile groups, settlement calculation Transportation: Trends in the demand for travel: growth in the demand for personal and freight travel and the composition of travel, factors relating to travel demand, growth forecasts for travel Methods of transport modelling, data collection and processing, types of transportation models Design of pavement sections for standard code of practice