Overview
Geotechnical Engineering Design will enable you to develop and apply your knowledge of Australian Standards and/or relevant guidance to analyse and design advanced geotechnical engineering structures involving a broad range of investigations. You will also learn to use computer software to analyse and design the geotechnical components; conduct site investigations; test and characterise geotechnical materials, design foundations, and earth retaining structures; and make assessments of geotechnical stability. You will also formulate, plan, manage, and complete projects individually and in teams in an ethical and professional manner by considering stakeholders and sustainability requirements. You will also document and communicate engineering information using appropriate language for a professional engineer. If you are enrolled in distance mode, you will be required to attend a compulsory residential school during the term.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Antirequisite: ENEC14014 Structural and Geotechnical Design
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 - 2022
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).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 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 Moodle Website
This is a very well run unit that covers complex engineering topics delivered very clearly and lucidly.
This practice will be continued and new innovations will be continued to further enhance the delivery.
Feedback from Moodle Website
The use of GeoStudio provides students with a working knowledge of a standard industry software package. The variety of engineering topics was interesting.
This practice will be continued into the future. New and more industry-relevant problems will be included in the next offering.
Feedback from Moodle Website
It would be good to have assignment feedback by way of comments mark-up on the submissions.
This issue will be investigated and ways to provide more comprehensive feedback will be explored.
- Design group piles, pad foundations and earth retaining structures and assess stability of slopes
- Formulate, plan, manage and complete projects individually or in teams in an ethical and professional manner considering stakeholder requirements and principals of sustainable development
- Apply site investigation and geotechnical testing techniques to characterise sites and geotechnical materials based on Australian Standards
- Use appropriate software to analyse geotechnical components
- Demonstrate a professional level of communication and leadership.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||
3 - Practical Assessment - 20% | |||||
4 - In-class Test(s) - 30% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
1 - Knowledge | |||||
2 - Communication | |||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
4 - Research | |||||
5 - Self-management | |||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
7 - Leadership | |||||
8 - 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 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
2 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||
3 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||||
4 - In-class Test(s) - 30% |
Textbooks
FUNDAMENTALS OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Edition: 5th (2017)
Authors: Braja M. Das, Nagaratnam Sivakugan
Cengage Learning
Florence Florence , KY , United States
ISBN: 9781305635180
Binding: Hardcover
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom (with microphone and webcam facilities)
- Geostudio software package (available to access online via AnyDesk or physically in engineering computer labs at local campuses)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
f.tahmoorian@cqu.edu.au
k.nepal@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Shallow Foundations and Bearing Capacity
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapters 16 & 17 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: Shallow Foundations and Bearing Capacity
Workshop: Numerical Modelling (1)
Module/Topic
Shallow Foundations and Bearing Capacity
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapters 16 & 17 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: Shallow Foundations and Bearing Capacity
Workshop: Numerical Modelling (2)
Module/Topic
Deep Foundations and Piles
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapter 18 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: Deep Foundations and Piles
Workshop: Numerical Modelling (3): Module I
Module/Topic
Deep Foundations and Piles
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapter 18 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: Deep Foundations and Piles
Workshop: Numerical Modelling (3): Module II
Module/Topic
Earth Pressure and Retaining Walls
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapters 14 & 15 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: Earth Pressure and Retaining Walls
Workshop: Numerical Modelling (3): Module III and IV
Team Research Project Due: Week 5 Friday (11:55 pm AEST)
Team Research Project Due: Week 5 Friday (12 Aug 2022) 11:55 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Earth Pressure and Retaining Walls
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapters 14 & 15 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: Earth Pressure and Retaining Walls
Workshop: Numerical Modelling (3): Modules V and VI
Module/Topic
Soil Reinforcement
Chapter
Das (2011): Chapter 8 (Supplementary)
Murthy (2002): Chapter 19 (Supplementary)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: Soil Reinforcement
Workshop: Team Research Project Presentations
Module/Topic
Slope Stability
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapters 13 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial: Slope Stability
Workshop: Numerical Modelling for Assessment Task 2 (DIY)
Analyse/design a geotechnical structure using GeoStudio Software (individual project) Due: Week 8 Friday (11:59 pm AEST)
Analyse/design a geotechnical structure using GeoStudio Software (individual project) Due: Week 8 Friday (9 Sept 2022) 11:55 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Difficult Soils and Ground Improvement Techniques
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapter 11 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Site Investigation
Chapter
Das and Sivakugan (2017): Chapter 12 (Textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Advanced Topics in Geotechnical Engineering
Chapter
Lecture notes
Events and Submissions/Topic
Laboratory report and Assessment (Individual report) Due: Week 10 Friday (11:59 pm AEST)
Module/Topic
Review all contents
Chapter
All chapters and lecture notes
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
All contents
Chapter
All chapters and learning resources
Events and Submissions/Topic
Class test. Due exam week
Class test Due: Exam Week Monday (17 Oct 2022) 11:55 pm AEST
1 Written Assessment
For this assessment task, students will form teams and will conduct research on the available topics provided in the unit website. These topics are related, but not limited to, the advanced methods for estimating the bearing capacity of the soil for foundation design, stability analyses, retaining structures design and exploration of the related Australian Standards. In some cases, students may also require using related geotechnical software packages for their report (GeoStudio software is available to access online from AnyDesk or on lab computers at campuses). Students are required to submit their report and also present it orally. Additional details of the task will be provided on unit Moodle site.
Week 5 Friday (12 Aug 2022) 11:55 pm AEST
Report should be formally submitted in a single PDF document by ONLY one of the team members
Week 7 Monday (29 Aug 2022)
1. The following criteria will be used for assessment of the submissions:
- Format of the report and including cover page, table of contents, abstract, literature, conclusion and examples (if any);
- Work breakdown among team members;
- The coherence of the research;
- Completeness of the research and its details;
- Complete Referencing; and
- Quality of the presentation.
2. Professional presentation:
- The research is clearly identified;
- A clear statement of each topic and its details and requirements;
- Appropriate use of diagrams and clear diagrams;
- Correct use of terminologies; and
- Clear English in the explanation of the procedure and interpretation of the results.
3. Grades for the assessment will be determined based on the evidence and substantiation of attainment of the LOs (learning outcomes).
4. After submission of the team report, students will present their report orally to the class as a team and all are required to contribute to delivering the presentations. Students must be well prepared to answer any questions raised by the lecturer during the presentation about the topic of their research.
5. Calculation of an individual student's grade:
Initially, team submission will be assessed and a grade will be given to each team. Then individual grade will be determined based on the contribution and performance of each student during the presentation (i.e., quality of the presentation and answers to the raised questions). Each student's contribution will be determined by peer assessment. It may be possible that the individual grade is higher than the team mark component. 50% of the total grade is attributed to the team report and 25% for the team presentation and the other 25% is attributed to the individual students' performance during the presentation.
For Example: Team A (4 students) has gained 80% on its team report. During the presentation, team received 70% for their presentation and the performance values of the students were 50%, 100%, 90% and 70%, respectively. The final grade of each student for the team project (out of 30%) will be:
Student 1: (80*50%+70*25%+50*25%)*30%=21 out of 30
Student 2: (80*50%+70*25%+100*25%)*30%=24.8 out of 30
Student 3: (80*50%+70*25%+90*25%)*30%=24 out of 30
Student 4: (80*50%+70*25%+70*25%)*30%=22.5 out of 30
6. A similarity check will be always done before assessing the submitted assignments for all students. Upon detection of any plagiarism including:
- Similarity between submitted reports within the same cohort or with the previous cohorts or submitted works to other institutes or using the material provided by cheating websites will result in failing that assignment without marking and the student will be reported to the CQU Academic Misconduct team for further actions.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Design group piles, pad foundations and earth retaining structures and assess stability of slopes
- Formulate, plan, manage and complete projects individually or in teams in an ethical and professional manner considering stakeholder requirements and principals of sustainable development
- Demonstrate a professional level of communication and leadership.
2 Written Assessment
The aim of this assessment is to allow the students to demonstrate their understanding of various concepts, theories and processes developed in the course. This may include but is not limited to foundation design, foundation settlement, soil reinforcement, slope stability, site investigation, earth retaining wall and soil improvement techniques and use of GeoStudio Software. Formal assessment is by submission of a report which contains evidence of all the individual works done. Additional details of the task will be provided on Moodle.
Week 8 Friday (9 Sept 2022) 11:55 pm AEST
Report should be formally submitted in a single PDF document
Week 10 Friday (23 Sept 2022)
1. Each question in this assessment will be assessed separately for the:
- Criterion accuracy and correct results;
- Correct application of mathematics and arithmetic;
- Answers clearly identified; and
- Correct results.
2. In addition, the assessment as a whole will be assessed against the following criteria:
- Evidence of correct procedures;
- All necessary steps in the analysis are present in the correct order;
- Clear presentation of the mathematical and arithmetical working linking is given;
- Details of the problem with the results are obtained; and
- Evidence of checking results (mathematical, graphical, logic common sense) are presented.
3. Evidence of an understanding of the topic:
- Explanation of choices made in the analysis (why is the procedure required, why this particular procedure); and
- Interpretation of results.
4. A similarity check will be always done before marking the submitted assignments for all students. Upon detection of any plagiarism including:
- Similarity between submitted reports within the same cohort or with the previous cohorts or submitted works to other institutes or using the material provided by cheating websites will result in failing that assignment without marking and the student will be reported to the CQU Academic Misconduct team for further actions.
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Formulate, plan, manage and complete projects individually or in teams in an ethical and professional manner considering stakeholder requirements and principals of sustainable development
- Use appropriate software to analyse geotechnical components
3 Practical Assessment
In this assessment task, students are required to write a professional laboratory report on practical activities completed/demonstrated and complete an online quiz. Total marks for this assessment task will be average of report and quiz. Additional details of the task will be provided on unit Moodle site.
Week 10 Friday (23 Sept 2022) 11:55 pm AEST
Laboratory report should be formally submitted in a single PDF document
Week 12 Friday (7 Oct 2022)
- Each student must prepare a technical description of the test and associated procedures and should prepare a data sheet to be used to record the results during the test.
- Each student must prepare a short test report for each experiment. This includes calculations and discussion on the results and the test procedure description.
- 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 a maximum of 3-5 pages.
- Submit in a single PDF file.
Please also note that the practical report is an individual submission and each student should do their own analysis and explanations.
A similarity check will be always done before marking the submitted assignments for all students. Upon detection of any plagiarism including:
- Similarity between submitted reports within the same cohort or with the previous cohorts or submitted works to other institutes or using the material provided by cheating websites will result in failing that assignment without marking and the student will be reported to the CQU Academic Misconduct team for further actions.
2. Online quiz will be assessed based on the correctness of the answers.
- Knowledge
- Research
- Self-management
- Apply site investigation and geotechnical testing techniques to characterise sites and geotechnical materials based on Australian Standards
- Demonstrate a professional level of communication and leadership.
4 In-class Test(s)
The time-restricted class test will be conducted. Class test covers all learning outcomes and all learning resources of the entire trimester. The format of the test will be announced/advised/published towards the end of trimester.
Exam Week Monday (17 Oct 2022) 11:55 pm AEST
Day and time of the class-test will be announced/advised/published towards the end of trimester
1. The following assessment criteria will be used for assessing the test:
- The correctness of the answers;
- The correct process followed; and
- Accuracy of the calculations.
2. A similarity check will be always done before marking the submitted test papers for all students. Upon detection of any plagiarism including:
- Similarity between submitted document within the same cohort or with the previous cohorts or submitted works to other institutions or using the material provided by cheating websites will result in failing that assignment without marking and the student will be reported to the CQU Academic Misconduct team for further actions.
- Knowledge
- Design group piles, pad foundations and earth retaining structures and assess stability of slopes
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.