Course Title: Structures

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Structures

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BUIL1111

City Campus

Undergraduate

325H Property, Constr & Proj Mgt

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 2 2009,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011

Course Coordinator: Koorosh Gharehbaghi

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5019

Course Coordinator Email:koorosh.gharehbaghi@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 8.8.61


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

The basic aim of this course is to introduce students to design principles with respect to properties of structural sections – strength and stiffness – rigidity and deformation, in order that students understand the fundamentals of structural design and construction for low rise structures.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Capabilities

This course will enable students to practically apply concepts, skills and knowledge in industry practice. The student will be able to undertake a simple design project that demonstrates understanding and knowledge of the structural design of materials used in construction. Capabilities built in this course, will be further developed during the program, and are critical to the overall desired capabilities for the second year of the program.

The specific graduate capabilities that will be addressed, further developed and refined in this course are:

1. Reflective practice
An ability to seek further knowledge and understanding as part of life-long learning.

2. Evidence based practice
An ability to:- 
-  identify a problem. 
- defend actions and outcomes logically, coherently and with reference to the techniques and methods used in practice. 
-  put professional practice into a global context, adopting appropriate international best practices and standards at all times.

3. Problem diagnosis and solving
An ability to: 
-  resolve problems using sound problem-solving methodologies. 
-  synthesise knowledge with professional experience to produce the best outcomes when faced with problems. 
-  utilise technology to assist professional practice and enhance decision-making capacity.

4. Communication
An ability to:- 
-  communicate with a wide range of clients, authorities, professionals and other stakeholders. 
-  ask appropriate questions in a manner that is understood by the other person, listen to, and use, the answer to properly and professionally inform the outcome or path of action chosen.

5. Strategic thinking and action
An ability to adopt a professional attitude to thinking through problems, evaluating alternative actions and adopting the most defensible strategy.


At the conclusion of the course students will be conversant with simple statically determinate structures. Students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an awareness of the professional skill of the structural engineer and related professions;
• Determine the loadings for which a simple structure should be designed;
• Check the overall stability of a simple structure under various load conditions;
• Analyse those structures to determine stress under given load conditions;
• Analyse a simple structure to determine permissible loads.


Overview of Learning Activities

The course will be delivered as workshops. The students are expected to read the recommended text prior to the relevant sessions. These workshops include theories, tutorials and group exercises which will focus on practical applications via worked examples.


Overview of Learning Resources

As per list below


Overview of Assessment

The assessment will be based on the students knowledge and understanding of the topics as per the learning program outlined. Students will need to have acquired enough in-depth knowledge about each topic for use in real applications. For any designated module in a course you must achieve:
• 50% overall,
• at least 40% in the assessment allocated to assignment work or class tests.
• at least 40% in assessment allocated to examinations.
If you fail a module, designated by the course guide, you will be deemed to have failed the whole course and will have to repeat it.

Assessment consists of: Practicals, Assignments and end of semester examination.