Course Title: Apply concrete technology to engineering
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2008
Course Code: CIVE5582
Course Title: Apply concrete technology to engineering
School: 130T Infra, Electrotec & Build Serv
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6066 - Advanced Diploma of Civil Engineering (Structural Design)
Course Contact : Tony Skinner Program Coordinator
Course Contact Phone: (03) 9925 4444
Course Contact Email:tony.skinner@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Program Coordinator:
Mr Tony Skinner
Tel. 9925 4444
Fax. 99254377
Email: tony.skinner@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
EDX010 – Communicate and apply standard industry procedures and policies in an engineering design office.
Course Description
This unit covers the technology of concrete materials for effective use in design and construction at paraprofessional level.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
EDC110 Apply concrete technology to engineering |
Element: |
Conduct appropriate tests on a range of concrete design mixes using Portland cement and local aggregates |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Perform trial mix designs for various concrete target strengths. Include the creation of a grading curve for the aggregates. |
Element: |
Evaluate the methods of transporting, placing and compacting concrete |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Suitable methods of transporting, placing and compacting concrete, to achieve durable structures are evaluated. |
Element: |
Identify principle properties of the constituents of normal Portland cement concrete and two other special concretes |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 The properties of commonly used ingredients for concrete batching using Portland cement are identified. |
Element: |
Identify properties of concrete in the plastic and hardened states |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Identify methods by which concrete properties in the plastic and in the hardened state can be changed and the resulting effect on durability. |
Element: |
Identify the effects of admixtures in concrete and the basic reason for placing steel reinforcement |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1 The strength of un-reinforced concrete and how various admixtures can be used to influence this and other properties are identified and explained. |
Element: |
Methods of finishing and the effect of curing concrete are evaluated |
Performance Criteria: |
6.1 Finishing techniques and the effect of curing concrete for certain specified minimum periods of time are identified. |
Learning Outcomes
Conduct appropriate tests on a range of concrete design mixes using Portland cement and local aggregates
Evaluate the methods of transporting, placing and compacting concrete
Identify principle properties of the constituents of normal Portland cement concrete and two other special concretes
Identify properties of concrete in the plastic and hardened states
Identify the effects of admixtures in concrete and the basic reason for placing steel reinforcement
Methods of finishing and the effect of curing concrete are evaluated
Details of Learning Activities
Teacher Directed:
• Teacher–led face to face lectures for each element in designated areas of underpinning knowledge, including workplace scenarios and the use of overheads, videos and notes from local web page and covering:
• Cement & Concrete technology
• Properties and Durability of Concrete
• Concrete mix design to AS 3600
• Concrete testing to AS 3600
• Special Concretes.
• Handling, Placing, Compacting and Finishing of Concrete.
Student-based problem-solving:
• Participate in individual and team problem solving activities completed to industry standard related to typical engineering workplace problems and covering:
• Cement & Concrete technology
• Properties and Durability of Concrete
• Concrete mix design to AS 3600
• Concrete testing to AS 3600
• Special Concretes.
• Handling, Placing, Compacting and Finishing of Concrete.
Group-based:
• Participate in individual or small group research using Self Help Questions/Answers for each element in designated areas of underpinning knowledge, accessed via local web site for this unit.
Student-based research:
• Participate in an individual major written research project undertaken on a construction site addressing the designated areas of underpinning knowledge for each element.
Teaching Schedule
See Online Learning Hub for details.
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
HB 2.2 Australian Standards for Civil Engineering Students, Part 2: Structural Engineering. |
References
CACA & Standards Australia, 2002, Guide to concrete construction, 2nd edn., Cement and concrete association of Australia and Standards Australia |
Other Resources
Overview of Assessment
This unit will be assessed in the classroom environment using holistic assessment based on typical workplace activities.
Assessment will comprise :
• Three minor projects covering concrete testing, reinforcement and reinforced v. unreinforced concrete
• Small unit tests covering all elements
Assessment Tasks
Test 1 is based on learning outcome 1
Test 2 is based on learning outcome 2
Test 3 is based on learning outcome 3
Project 1 is based on learning outcome 4
Project 2.1 is based on learning outcome 5
Project 2.2 is based on learning outcome 6
Test 4 is based on learning outcome 7
Test 5 is based on learning outcome 8
Project 3 is based on learning outcome 9
Test 6 is based on learning outcome 10
Assessment Matrix
| Element |
Covered Assessment Task | Proportion of Final Assessment | Submission Time |
| 1 & 2 | Test 1:Concrete and its constituents Test 2:Special cements |
5% 5% |
Week 1 |
| 3 | Test 3: Admixtures | 10% | Week 2 |
| 4 | Project 1:Testing | 10% | Week 5 |
| 5 | Project 2.1: Reinforced concrete | 15% | Week 7 |
| 6 | Project 2.2: Reinforcement | 15% | Week 7 |
| 7 | Test 4: Chemical reactions | 10% | Week 6 |
| 8 | Test 5: Transport and placement | 10% | Week 7 |
| 9 | Project 3: Finished concrete | 10% | Week 9 |
| 10 | Test 6: Curing | 10% | Week 9 |
Other Information
Underpinning Skills and Knowledge
Concrete Materials
Briefly describe concrete-ingredients, hydration, setting, strength.
Reinforced concrete-steel bars, wires, tendons.
Cement
• briefly, ingredients, production
• mineral content and properties
• heat of hydration, setting time, strength development
• shrinkage
• resistance to aggressive agents-porosity, acid, sulphates,
seawater, frost, heat
• types of cement
Aggregates
• briefly, importance of
• properties-rock type, artificial aggregates, grading, shape and
texture, bond, strength, resistance to wear, SG, porosity
• deleterious substances-organic matter, surface coatings, salt,
unsound particles, alkali/ aggregate reaction
• aggregate crushing test
Water
• quality-portable, pH range, salt content, silt
• effect of quality on-setting, strength, corrosion alkali/agg
Steel
• types of bars, fabric
• tempcore bars-bending, joining
• galvanized bars, prestressing tendons and wire
• bond
Admixtures
• behaviour, application, effect, air-entraining, set-occel., setretarding,
water-reducing, superplasticisers, expanding,
permeability-reducing
Pozzolans
• effects on-porosity, workability, strength
• types: fly-ash, others
Tests
• make cylinders for crushing
• moisture content of sand
• silt test
• organic content of sand
• aggregate crushing
• slump test
Properties and Durability of Concrete
Properties of Plastic Concrete:
• workability, define
• factors affecting workability: w/c ratio, water content, % airentrainment,
aggregate grading, agg./cement ratio,
superplasticisers
• measuring workability: slump test and its usefulness on site
• effects of time and temperature on workability
• segregation: define, types, effects of aggregate grading
• bleeding: define, causes, remedies
Properties of Hardened Concrete:
• strength: tensile, compressive, w/c ratio, age, bonding of reinf.,
curing time and temperature, cement type, water quality,
aggregate type, density, porosity, admixtures
• elasticity, shrinkage: stress/strain, drying shrinkage, effects of
aggregate, admixtures, curing and storage, shrinkage induced
cracks, external moisture effects, carbonation shrinkage
• creep: define, relaxation of stress, creep recovery: factors
influencing creep-vol. of cement paste, aggregates, strength of
concrete, type of cement, admixtures, humidity, relation
between creep and time: effects of creep – deflection of
beams/slabs, stress redistribution, loss of prestress
Durability of Concrete:
• define: requirements of AS3600 – corrosion of reinforcement,
abrasion, freeze/thaw
• corrosion: mechanics of corrosion: corrosion of concrete and
prevention-quality of concrete, cement type, cover cracks:
corrosion of steel and prevention-special steels, coating steel ex.
epoxy and galvan., corrosion inhibitors in concrete, cathodic
protection
• abrasion: define: factors affecting – strength, aggregates,
surface finish, curing, AS3600
• freeze/thaw: frost action: factors affecting frost action –
moisture content, w/c ration, entrained air, AS3600
• other factors: alkali/aggregate reaction, seawater and AS3600,
acids, sulphates
Concrete Mix Design
• define
• methods: ex. American Concrete Institute method, British Road
Note 4 method
• factors affecting mix proportions: characteristic compressive
strength, target strength, durability, workability and cohesion,
max. size of aggregate, grading and size of aggregates,
agg./cement ratio, w/c ration, admixtures
• design a trial mix of given strength and workability in
accordance with AS3600 exposure classifications
• produce the trial mix in the lab. and adjust ingredients if
necessary. Test cylinders at 28 days
• prepare concrete cylinder (for Brazil test) and beam for tensile
strength tests
Transporting, Placing and Compacting Concrete
Transporting: delay, drying out, segregation, methods of transporting,
pumping
• delay: factors affecting stiffening, effect on slump
• drying out: humidity, mix, cover
• segregation: cohesive mix, methods of avoiding
• methods of transporting: ready-mix trucks, concrete pumps,
other
• pumping concrete: types of pumps and performance, props. of
concrete for easy pumping, pumping procedures
Placing: form work and reinforcement, avoiding segregation, methods
of handling for good practice, deep lift placing, cold weather placing,
hot weather placing, placing concrete under water, shotcrete, placement
of mass concrete
Compacting
• objectives and importance, methods
• immersion vibrators, external vibrators, surface vibrators,
vibrating tables
• effects of vibrators on mix design
• effects of prolonged vibration and revibration
• surface defects and causes
• good practice
• segregation and bleeding
Curing, Finishing and Special Concretes
Curing concrete
• importance of curing
• methods and effects of curing: water or damp cover: *ponding,
sprinkling, damp covers – impermeable mediums: *waterproof
material, shuttering, curing compounds – accelerated curing:
*low pressure steam curing, high pressure steam curing
(autoclaving), infra-red curing, electrical curing
• problems: plastic shrinkage cracks, effects on hydration, loss of
strength, abrasion resistance, effects of delayed curing
Surface finishing:
• summary
• untreated concrete surfaces
• shuttering types
• tooled surface finishes
• exposed aggregate finishes, miscellaneous methods
• abrasion resisting finishes
Special concretes:
• concrete for water-retaining structures, AS3735 requirements
• light weight concrete
• high density concrete
• fibre and glass reinforced concrete
• roller compacter concrete (RCC)
Course Overview: Access Course Overview