Course Title: Research Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Research Project

Credit Points: 24.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

CIVE1230

City Campus

Postgraduate

120H Civil, Environmental & Chemical Engineering

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2015,
Sem 2 2016

CIVE1230

City Campus

Postgraduate

172H School of Engineering

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2017,
Sem 2 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 1 2019

Course Coordinator: Dr. Srikanth Venkatesan

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 1963

Course Coordinator Email: srikanth.venkatesan@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 10.12.28C

Course Coordinator Availability: as displayed on the office door.


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Completion of CIVE1129 - Research Methods.


Course Description

This course is intended to represent a significant research project that you as a structural forensics engineer might be expected to undertake. This must be sourced from the industry addressing a major structural forensics related research question in a work place setting. During this course you will apply the methodologies developed in research methods course to test your hypothesis and answer the research questions developed. You will be conducting an experimental, numerical or a theoretical investigation or a combination of these to test your hypothesis and answer research questions. You will compile a report based on the findings and prepare a scholarly paper suitable for publication in a technical conference.
You will either identify the research project from a workplace scenario you have encountered or will be selecting a topic that academic supervisors or guest speakers from industry have sourced through their industry contacts. The projects will have an industry consultant as a co-supervisor.

 

CIVE1230, ‘Research Project is based in the City campus. However, if the research project includes a laboratory component, Civil Engineering laboratories in the Bundoora East campus may be used from semester 2, 2015 onwards. Please consult with your course coordinator for more information.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the development of the following Program Learning Outcomes.

  • Conduct professional practice with personal autonomy and accountability
  • Preparing for ongoing professional development in becoming a leader in the field of structural forensics engineering
  • Design, implement and disseminate research outcomes for the benefit of peers and wider community

On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

  1. Apply advanced analytical, experimental skills in simulating a system behaviour in an industrial application or in industry engaged applied research
  2. Understand the controlled and dependent variables affecting the research scenario and controlling these to obtain required results.
  3. Plan and execute an investigation following a pre-developed plan to obtain a desired outcome in terms of addressing specific research questions facing the industry.
  4. Interpret the results of analysis/experimental study and understand the limitations and constraints of your work.
  5. Present the description, planning, execution and outcomes of your research project as a research report with direct
  6. Compile a technical paper in a form suitable for publication in a refereed conference, disseminating research outcomes.



Overview of Learning Activities

You will undertake work of several types – typically selected from: analytical, experimental, design or computational (or a combination of these). Learning will take place primarily through your independent investigation, guided by your supervisor.
A significant element of originality is essential in your research project. It is essential that you demonstrate the ability to plan an investigation which demonstrates technical engineering research skills as well as presenting the outcomes in a technical report.


Overview of Learning Resources

You will typically need to use laboratory facilities, specialised software or a combination of these. These resources will be provided as needed. You will also benchmark your work against similar published work through an extensive review of literature.
A research project learning guide (RMIT University) will be provided online.
 


Overview of Assessment

The assessment of this course will be based on a detailed report and presentation at the end of the semester. This would cover specifically how you have - addressed the research questions, developed research rationale, defended your work technically and the novelty of the work and development of knowledge. This would be jointly assessed by the co-supervisor from the industry and the academic supervisor.