Course Title: Carry out geotechnical site investigation

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2014

Course Code: CIVE5670

Course Title: Carry out geotechnical site investigation

School: 130T Vocational Engineering

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6093 - Advanced Diploma of Engineering Design

Course Contact: Program Manager

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4468

Course Contact Email: engineering-tafe@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Dr. A R M Muniruzzaman 
Tel. 9925 4415 Fax. 99254377
Email: arm.muniruzzaman@rmit.edu.au 

 

Nominal Hours: 40

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

CIVE5654 (EDX010B) Communicate and apply standard industry procedures and policies in an engineering design office.

Course Description

This unit of competency deals with the skills and knowledge required to carry out site investigation in accordance with the industry standard (AS 1726).


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

EDC010B Carry out geotechnical site investigation

Element:

1. Carry out site Investigations using geological and geophysical methods.

Performance Criteria:

1.1 The sequence of tasks in the performance of a site investigation
for a particular project is developed.
1.2 The nature and extent of a site investigation is determined
according to risk assessment and the project brief.
1.3 Geological and geophysical tests performed for a particular
project are analysed and the results explained.

Element:

2. Collect samples from a site using sampling and drilling.

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Equipment used for drilling and sampling and their functions is
understood and used to inform site investigations.
2.2 The relevance and application of various drilling and sampling
techniques is understood and used in site investigations where
applicable.
2.3 Samples collected through drilling and field sampling are logged
in accordance with AS 1726

Element:

3. Carry out field and laboratory tests and classify the soil in accordance with the Unified Soil Classification System.

Performance Criteria:

3.1 The stages of various civil projects and the role of the site
investigation is understood and used to inform site investigation
activities.
3.2 Field testing techniques and their correlation to established data
is understood and used to inform site investigations.
3.3 Laboratory tests are performed to AS 1726 and, from the tests,
the soils are classified in accordance with the Unified
Classification System.
3.4 Test results are presented in a written report.

Element:

4. Demonstrate the application of field and laboratory testing, sampling, geophysical and geological methods to an approved large scale civil engineering project.

Performance Criteria:

4.1 A large-scale civil engineering project is researched and relevant
site investigation techniques explained in a technical report.
4.2 The relevance and application of site investigation plant and
equipment can be clearly identified.
4.3 The critical stages of a project and the place of site investigation
can be clearly identified.


Learning Outcomes


 


Details of Learning Activities

You will be involved in the following learning activities to meet requirements for this course.

• Lectures/Tutorials
• Practicals/Discussions
• Journals/Research Work/Team Work
• Presentations
• Self-Directed Learning
• Site Visit/Excursion/Guest Speaker (TBA)

Teacher-led :
* Explain the term ‘Site Investigation’ together with an overview of site investigation methods and their role at every stage of a Civil Engineering project.
* Explain the site investigation tasks carried out during an engineering project.
* Describe geological and geophysical testing methods.
* Explain and demonstrate field sampling methods and procedures.
* Demonstrate reporting soil classification reports.
* Illustrate the requirements for writing a technical report.
Student-based problem-solving :
Participate in individual problem solving activities completed to industry standard related to typical engineering workplace problems requiring:
Calculation of moisture content in soil.
Completing Atterberg Limits work sheet
Completing Particle Size Distribution work sheet
Writing report regarding soil test results.
 


Teaching Schedule

The proposed teaching schedule for this competency is detailed below:

Week Topics Delivered  Element / Performance Criteria
1 Supervisor and Site Supervision 1.1, 1.2
2 Supervisor and Site Supervision 1.1, 1.2 
3 Site Observation 1.1, 1.2, 3.1
4 Site Observation 1.1, 1.2, 3.1
5 Site Investigation Methods 2.1, 3.1
6 Site Investigation Methods 2.1, 2.2, 3.1
7 Soil Sampling 2.2, 2.3
8 Soil Sampling 2.2, 2.3
9 Course feedback, Term end written test 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1
10 Standard Penetration Test 3.1, 3.2
11 Standard Penetration Test 3.1, 3.2
12 Soil Description 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
13 Soil Description 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
14 Rock Description 3.3, 3.4
15 Rock Description 3.3, 3.4
16 Geophysical Investigation Methods 1.3, 4.1, 4.2
17 Geophysical Investigation Methods 1.3, 4.2, 4.3
18 Course feedback, Term end written test 1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

From online notes posted on blackboard.


References

- Manual of Soil Laboratory Testing Volume 1, K. H. Head, Pentech Press,
- Australian Standard 1726 – Geotechnical Site Investigations,
- Australian Standard 1289 - Methods of testing soils for engineering purposes,
- Australian Standard 1141 - Methods for sampling and testing of aggregates.


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Assessment are conducted in both theoretical and practical aspects of the course according to the performance criteria set out in the National Training Package. Students are required to undertake summative assessments that bring together knowledge and skills. To successfully complete this course you will be required to demonstrate competency in each assessment tasks detailed under the Assessment Task Section.

Your assessment for this course will be marked using the following table:

NYC (<50%) Not Yet Competent

CAG (50-59%) Competent - Pass

CC (60-69%) Competent - Credit

CDI (70-79%) Competent - Distinction

CHD (80-100%) Competent - High Distinction


Assessment Tasks

  • Oral Presentations  2 X 16%
  • Journals                    2 X 4%
  • Written tests             2 X 30%

Assessment Tasks 
There are six assessments for learning elements with two oral presentation, two journal reports and two written tests in the last session of each term covering roughly one hour. The six assessments all contribute to the final result for this course. There are no extensions to assessment tasks. See attached Assessment Task schedule. 

Assessment1 – Oral Presentation 1
As a group of (maximum) 2 students, you are required to research about the chosen topic, prepare Power Point presentation, and orally present it in the classroom.
This assessment task will have a weighting of 16 % of the final overall assessment mark.
Assessment 2 – Journal
All students are required to research about the scheduled topic and keep their hard copy research results and the information obtained in the classroom will be kept in a folder, and of the term folder will be checked and marked according to its content.
This assessment task will have a weighting of 4 % of the final overall assessment mark.
Assessment 3 – Written Test 1
All topics covered during this term will be the content of this assessment task which is roughly one hour closed book written exam.
This assessment task will have a weighting of 30 % of the final overall assessment mark.
Assessment 4 – Oral Presentation 3
As a group of (maximum) 2 students, you are required to research about the chosen topic, prepare Power Point presentation, and orally present it in the classroom.
This assessment task will have a weighting of 16 % of the final overall assessment mark.
Assessment 5 – Journal
All students are required to research about the scheduled topic and keep their hard copy research results and the information obtained in the classroom will be kept in a folder, and of the term folder will be checked and marked according to its content.
This assessment task will have a weighting of 4 % of the final overall assessment mark.
Assessment 6 – Written Test 2
All topics covered during this term will be the content of this assessment task which is roughly one hour closed book written exam.
This assessment task will have a weighting of 30 % of the final overall assessment mark.

 


Assessment Matrix

 Assessment vs EDC010B Elements & Performance Criteria.

TERM Competency / Module Oral Presentation
16 %
Journal
     4 %
Written Test
       30 %
1 Supervisor and Site Supervision
Site Observation
Site Investigation Methods
Soil Sampling
1 out of 4 All four topics  
1 Written test 1     All four first term topics
2 Standard Penetration Test
Soil Description
Rock Description
Geophysical Investigation Methods
1 out of 4 All four topics  
2 Written test 2     All four second term topics

  

        EDC010B Elements & Performance Criterias

 Assessments

1.1 1.2 1.3 2.1 2.2 2.3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 4.1 4.2 4.3
Oral presentation 1   X   X   X   X   X   X              
Journal 1   X   X   X   X   X   X   X            
Written test 1   X   X     X   X   X   X            
Oral presentation 2               X   X   X   X   X   X   X
Journal 2   X             X   X   X   X   X   X   X
Written test 2   X             X   X       X   X   X

Other Information

You need to obtain minimum PASS from all assessment tasks, failing one or more assessment task will result in failing the course.

Study and Learning Support:
The Study and Learning Centre (SLC) provides free learning and academic development advice to all RMIT students.
Services offered by SLC to support numeracy and literacy skills are:

* Assignment writing, thesis writing and study skills advice
* Maths and science developmental support and advice
* English language development

Please refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/studyandlearningcentre to find more information

Disability Liaison Unit:
If you have a disability or long-term medical condition you should contact the DLU to seek advice and support.

Please Refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/disability to find more information about their services

Late submission:
If you require an extension for 7 calendar days or less (from the original due date) you must complete and lodge an Application for Extension of Submittable Work (7 Calendar Days or less) form and lodge it with the Senior Educator/ Program Manager.
The application must be lodged no later than one working day before the official due date. The student will be notified within no more than 2 working days of the date of lodgment as to whether the extension has been granted.

If you require an extension of more than 7 calendar days (from the original due date) you must lodge an Application for Special Consideration form under the provisions of the Special Consideration Policy, preferably prior to, but no later than 2 working days after the official due date.

Assignments submitted late without approval of an extension will not be accepted nor marked.

Special consideration:

Please Refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration to find more information

Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is a form of cheating and it is a very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University.

Please Refer: www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity to find more information.

Other Information:
All email communications will be sent to your RMIT email address and it is recommended that you check it regularly.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview