CE1CSE-Construction Site Engineering

Module Provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:4
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Timothy Lees
Email: t.j.lees@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Designers are placing ever increasing demands upon the Engineering community, with larger, taller and more complex built structures. These now include mega towers stretching almost 1 km into the sky. Understanding the key principles behind engineering is vital for any construction professional today if they are to manage and cost such projects. From previous years of running surveying, it is clear that student fail to understand how design and construction drawing become real buildings or structures and the fundamentals for achieving this.

Aims:

The module aims to provide students with an understanding of the principles of Construction Engineering Methods.

Assessable learning outcomes:

• Conduct a levelling practical, including checks and associated survey drawings.


• Conduct an angular measurement practical, including checks and associated survey drawings.


• Set out a building from a construction drawing to acceptable tolerances.


• Understanding of Engineering errors.


• Engineering case study.

Additional outcomes:
£ Key to the construction sector is communication and teamwork. Thus, a key element of the module will be working in teams in order to solve practical problems.
£ Preparing joint written reports.
£ Linking site work with construction drawings.
£ Understanding of digital Engineering tools, e.g. digital scanners and BIM.

Outline content:

Autumn Term: 

(Based on 90 students with 8-10 sets of working, calibrated equipment and support for practicals) Based on 3 hour sessions each week.

• Introduction lecture: Terminology, uses, accuracy required, units of measurement, different methods, booking, checks, surveys and drawing. Demonstration of equipment, including initial student familiarization session.


• Levelling – lecture (whole class) and 2 peg tests (4 x 30 mins sessions in groups).


• Levelling (flying levels 2 x 1 ½ hours sessions).


• Levelling (flying levels 2 x 1 ½ hours sessions).


• Angular measurement – lecture and familiarization (4 x 30 mins sessions).


• Angular measurement (control peg and setting out 2 x 1 ½ hours sessions), case study development.


• Angular measurement (control peg and setting out 2 x 1 ½ hours sessions), case study development.


• Angular measurement (control peg and setting out 2 x 1 ½ hours sessions), case study development.


• Directed study, catch up practicals as required and assignment workshops.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

• Class room lectures, using real life examples to illustrate issues.


• Demonstrations of equipment use.


• Real life site engineering challenges to solve through case studies, e.g. how was this ‘sample’ building Engineered?


• Peer learning in teams to solve problems, whilst closely supervised.


• Team Engineering reports.
  
  

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	6
Seminars	3
Practicals classes and workshops	12
Fieldwork	12
Guided independent study:	67
Total hours by term	100
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	45
Portfolio	45
Practical skills assessment	10

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

The coursework is team based.   The coursework is based upon two separate real world construction site engineering tasks. These tasks are undertaken in teams outside on campus, using levels, theodolites and other surveying equipment. Thus, two team reports are to be submitted (one for each task) and weighted 50% for each.  The reports are designed to assess the risk assessments and method statements produced in order to undertake the work, the accuracy of the surveying undertaken, the field notes and checks required, to reflect upon the teamwork achieved and the ability of students to graphically present their site work and critical discussion surrounding errors.

Formative assessment methods:

Feedback will be offered through the practical exercises, highlighting areas of error and how to improve accuracy. 

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40%

Reassessment arrangements:

Re-assessment arrangements (August):

The re-sit will be individually submitted, thus not teamwork.  It will include a substitute piece of coursework for re-assessment within the August resit period.  This coursework will be based upon similar, yet hypothetical, surveying examples and will seek to assess the risk assessments and method statements produced in order to undertake the work, understanding of accuracy of the surveying, the relevance of field notes and checks required, to reflect upon themes surrounding teamwork and the ability of students to graphically present their site work and critical discussion surrounding errors.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 22 September 2022