Overview
This unit explains why geological processes that produce landforms, geological structures, rocks and soils, affect the location, design, construction and maintenance of civil engineering projects. In the unit, you will conduct geotechnical tests, analyse test data, prepare geotechnical reports, discuss the engineering characteristics and properties of soil. You will select appropriate approaches for analysing the behaviour of soils in civil engineering applications. You will need to use appropriate "civil engineering language" in context and document the process of modelling and analysis of geotechnical problems. You will present information in a professional manner and communicate, work and learn, both individually and in teams. You will be required to have access to a computer and to make frequent use of the internet, particularly if you are a distance (FLEX) student. Distance students will complete the practical work at a residential school.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisites: [ENEG11006 Engineering Statics OR PHYS11184 Engineering Physics A OR ENAG11005 Mechanics] AND [MATH11218 Applied Mathematics OR MATH11160 Technology Mathematics]
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Students' feedback through Moodle site
The best aspects of the unit were assessment that inspired learning yet confidence in personal abilities to do the exam at the end of the term as knowledge was truly understood and valuable even in work environments
Although the feedback is encouraging and positive, the unit will be improved with new updates on a regular basis.
Feedback from Students' feedback through Moodle site.
Lecturer is very helpful and approachable throughout the term. The assignments and textbook helped my learning. Unit is well organised and structured so that students can follow it easily..
The positive feedback shows the student satisfaction with the lectures and textbook.
Feedback from Students' feedback through Moodle site.
Lab experiments probably needed more explanation as to what was required. Also due dates for the lab report is very close to the residential school time, which give the FLEX student only a short time to complete the report.
The lab instructions will be reviewed and necessary changes will be done in next offer. The lab report deadlines will be changed to give more time to the students for completing the reports especially for the Distance students.
Feedback from
Feedback from
- Identify and discuss the implications of geological factors affecting the location, design, construction and maintenance of civil engineering projects.
- Conduct geotechnical tests, analyse test data and prepare geotechnical reports.
- Calculate basic engineering properties of soils and explain the relationship to soil behaviour.
- Analyse the behaviour of soil in response to engineering applications using appropriate theories and national standards.
- Communicate, work and learn both individually and in teams, document the process of modelling, testing and analysis and present the information in a professional manner.
The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers, Stage 1 Competency Standards for Engineering Technologists and Stage 1 Competency Standards for Engineering Associates.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment - 20% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Examination - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Soil Mechanics AND Foundations
3rd Edition (2010)
Authors: Muni Budhu
John Wiley
United States of America
ISBN: 978-0-470-55684-9
Binding: Hardcover
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.mirzababaei@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Soil Description and Investigation
Chapter
Budhu Chapters 2 and 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Soil Classification and Phase Relationships
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Soil Compaction
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Soil Permeability
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Stresses and Strains in the soil
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No Lecture
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Stress Path in Soil
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assignment 1 Due: Week 6 Monday (21 Aug 2017) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Compressibility and Settlement of Soils (Part 1)
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Compressibility and Settlement of Soils (Part 2)
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Shear Strength of Soils (Part 1)
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Shear Strength of Soils (Part 2)
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Two-Dimensional Flow of Water Through Soils
Chapter
Budhu Chapter 14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please refer to the unit website of ENEC12008 for the updated information. Lab sessions will be scheduled from Week 3 for on-campus students and in week 9 for Flex students. Details of the lab sessions for on-campus students will be published in week 2 and for flex students in week 6.
1 Written Assessment
The aim of this assignment is to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of various concepts, theories and processes studied/developed in the topics covered from week 1 to week 6 from the Study Schedule. Assignment 1 will be available by the end of week 1 through unit Website.
The purpose of assignment questions is to give students an opportunity to show the depth of their understanding of the unit learning outcomes. This should be done by presenting answers clearly, showing the procedure used, explaining the approach to the problem, choices made, checking and interpretation of results.
Some questions may require students to carry out research. All resources used (including the text) should be referenced appropriately. Students are cautioned that copying another student's answer will be dealt with under the Plagiarism Procedures.
Week 6 Monday (21 Aug 2017) 5:00 pm AEST
Week 8 Friday (8 Sept 2017)
- Correct application of mathematics and arithmetic
- Answers clearly identified
- Correct results
- All necessary steps in analysis are present in correct order
- Clear presentation of mathematical and arithmetical working linking given
- details of the problem to the results obtained.
- Evidence of checking results (mathematical, graphical, logic common sense)
- Explanation of choices made in the analysis (why is procedure required, why this particular procedure)
- Interpretation of results, eg limitations, direction of vectors
- The work (job) is clearly identified (problem, date, analyst)
- Clear statement of each problem and its details and requirements
- Logical layout of analysis
- Appropriate use of diagrams, clear diagrams
- Correct use of terminology, conventions
- Clear English in the explanation of procedure and interpretation of results.
- Identify and discuss the implications of geological factors affecting the location, design, construction and maintenance of civil engineering projects.
- Conduct geotechnical tests, analyse test data and prepare geotechnical reports.
- Calculate basic engineering properties of soils and explain the relationship to soil behaviour.
- Analyse the behaviour of soil in response to engineering applications using appropriate theories and national standards.
- Communicate, work and learn both individually and in teams, document the process of modelling, testing and analysis and present the information in a professional manner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
The purpose of assignment questions is to give students an opportunity to show the depth of their understanding of the unit learning outcomes. This should be done by presenting answers clearly, showing the procedure used, explaining the approach to the problem, choices made, checking and interpretation of results.
Some questions may require students to carry out research. All resources used (including the text) should be referenced appropriately. Students are cautioned that copying another student's answer will be dealt with under the Plagiarism Procedures.
Week 11 Monday (25 Sept 2017) 5:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2017)
Returned electronically via Moodle
- Correct application of mathematics and arithmetic
- Answers clearly identified
- Correct results
- All necessary steps in analysis are present in correct order
- Clear presentation of mathematical and arithmetical working linking given details of the problem to the results obtained.
- Evidence of checking results (mathematical, graphical, logic common sense)
- Explanation of choices made in the analysis (why is procedure required, why this particular procedure)
- Interpretation of results, eg limitations, direction of vectors
- The work (job) is clearly identified (problem, date, analyst)
- Clear statement of each problem and its details and requirements
- Logical layout of analysis
- Appropriate use of diagrams, clear diagrams
- Correct use of terminology, conventions
- Clear English in the explanation of procedure and interpretation of results
- Identify and discuss the implications of geological factors affecting the location, design, construction and maintenance of civil engineering projects.
- Conduct geotechnical tests, analyse test data and prepare geotechnical reports.
- Calculate basic engineering properties of soils and explain the relationship to soil behaviour.
- Analyse the behaviour of soil in response to engineering applications using appropriate theories and national standards.
- Communicate, work and learn both individually and in teams, document the process of modelling, testing and analysis and present the information in a professional manner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
3 Practical Assessment
,Practical exercises assist the students in achieving the Learning Outcomes for this unit. Students are required to complete the laboratory activities as per instructions given in the Practical Instruction Sheets. The Practical Instruction Sheets and report requirements will be given on the unit Website.
Students will handle soil and rock samples so it is possible that clothes become dusty and wet. Students must wear appropriate clothing for laboratory work, including closed shoes. Laboratory Coats are not required. Students who behave unprofessionally or risk the safety of other people or damage equipment may be excluded from the laboratory class, and consequently they may fail to complete compulsory assessment tasks and fail the unit. Students must attend the lab session before start of the session and those who are late more than 15 minutes will be excluded and cannot attend other groups.
For Activities 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6:
- Each student must prepare a technical description of the test and associated procedures, and should prepare a data sheet to be used to record results during the test.
- Each student must prepare a short test report for each experiment using the team data sheet for each test.This includes calculations and discussion on the results only, not test procedure description. Personal test reports must be short and precise to point out calculations/results/graphs and discussion. The limit for explaining the procedure, results and conclusions is maximum of 3 pages (Word/PDF file). A complete submission for practical assessment includes 2 files (in a zipped folder):
- File 1) Excel File with all analysis and graphs. All cells must be formula based to track the calculations
- File 2) Word/PDF file to explain the procedure, results and conclusions (maximum 3 pages).
List of Activities:
Activity 1: Sieve Analysis
[AS 1289.3.6.1-2009]
Activity 2: Atterberg Limits (Liquid limit, Plastic limit, linear shrinkage) tests.
[AS 1289.3.1.1-2009; AS 1289.3.9.1-2002; AS 1289.3.2.1-2009; AS 1289.3.3.1-2009; AS 1289.3.3.2-2009; AS 1289.3.4.1-2008]
Activity 3: Compaction test
[AS 1289.5.1.1-2003]
Activity 4: Consolidation test
[AS 1289.6.6.1-1998]
Activity 5: Permeability Tests (Falling head and Constant head)
[AS 1289.6.7.2, AS 1289.6.7.1]
Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2017) 5:00 pm AEST
2 weeks from the submission date (Return and Feedback must be requested by email on submission date. Otherwise student will not receive any feedback)
- Correct application of mathematics and arithmetic
- Results clearly identified and explained
- Correct results/explanation
- All necessary steps in experiment and reporting are followed in correct order
- Clear presentation of results obtained.
- Evidence of checking results (mathematical, graphical, logic common sense)
- Explanation of possible error in the experiment
- Interpretation of results
- appropriate use of diagrams, clear diagrams
- Correct use of terminology, conventions
- Equation, images, data and tables, and the quality of presentation and layout.
- Proper referencing of sources of information (if required, Harvard style should be used)
- Clear English in the explanation of procedure and interpretation of results
Please also note that practical report is of individual submission and each student should do their own analysis and explanations based on the carried out test.
- Identify and discuss the implications of geological factors affecting the location, design, construction and maintenance of civil engineering projects.
- Conduct geotechnical tests, analyse test data and prepare geotechnical reports.
- Calculate basic engineering properties of soils and explain the relationship to soil behaviour.
- Analyse the behaviour of soil in response to engineering applications using appropriate theories and national standards.
- Communicate, work and learn both individually and in teams, document the process of modelling, testing and analysis and present the information in a professional manner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
Examination
Dictionary - non-electronic, concise, direct translation only (dictionary must not contain any notes or comments).
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
