Module Leader: Dr Q. Ni

Co-lecturer: Dr S. Zivanovic

Module Information

Scope

This 15 CATS module is one of the third year modules for:

Aims

To introduce the rationale behind appraisal and design of structures, the main activity of many professional civil engineers.

To lay the foundations for more advanced and specific structure design modules.

To review and more deeply explain fundamental structural analysis concepts such as stress and strain, statical determinacy and bending moment/shear forces.

To introduce concrete as an engineering material; to describe its constituent materials, their properties and those of fresh and hardened concrete; to identify the variables that affect these properties in the short and long term. To introduce timber as a structural material.

Study of engineering materials, structural behaviour, analysis and design is therefore a principal part of civil engineering courses and is essential for professional accreditation.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module the student should be able to...

• Demonstrate detailed understanding of stress and strain states in structural elements.
• Perform qualitative and quantitative structural analysis.
• With the help of mix design software, analyse the effects of material and process variables on the properties and durability of concrete.
• Cast, de-mould, cure and test concrete samples to assess the property and quality of concrete.
• Appreciate the sustainability issues and latest EU regulatory framework surrounding the manufacture and use of cement and concrete.

Syllabus

Structures:

• Stress and Strain: combination and failure criteria
• Elastic theory of bending and torsion
• Linear elastic analysis of statically determinate and indeterminate structures
• Qualitative structural analysis

Materials:

• Introduction
• Portland Cement: Manufacture, Composition and Hydration
• Other Cements: Classification, Modified PC, CRMs, non-Portland cements
• Aggregates and admixtures
• Fresh Concrete and Curing
• Hardened concrete: Strength, testing and variation
• Durability of Concrete
• Sustainability and Concrete
• A Brief look at Timber

Teaching Methods

This module includes 25 hours of lectures, 6 hours of examples classes and 9 hours of laboratory sessions.

Required self-study: 107 hours

Assessment

A 15 CATS module: 55% examined via a 2 hour paper

Exam rubric information:

• 4 Compulsory Questions

and 45% assessed consisting of a 1.5 hr test in Structural Analysis (35%) and a 6 page laboratory report in Construction Materials (10%).

Links to:

Student Resources

Staff Pages

Reading List

Recommended Textbook:

J.M. Illston & P.L.J. Domone (Eds. ). Construction Materials: their nature and behaviour, 4th Ed., Spon Press, London.

T.H.G. Megson, Structural & Stress Analysis, 2nd ed., Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005