Course Title: Carry out geotechnical site investigation

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2015

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
School of Vocational Engineering (SoVE)
Civil Engineering
Tel: (03) 9925 4415
Fax: (03) 9925 4189
E-mail: 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 - 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.


Credit Transfer and/or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):

You may be eligible for credit towards courses in your program if you have already met the learning/competency outcomes through previous learning and/or industry experience. To be eligible for credit towards a course, you must demonstrate that you have already completed learning and/or gained industry experience that is:

• Relevant
• Current
• Satisfies the learning/competency outcomes of the course

Please refer to http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/enrolment/credit to find more information about credit transfer and RPL.

Study and Learning Support:

Study and Learning Centre (SLC) provides free learning and academic development advice to you. Services offered by SLC to support your 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 to http://www.rmit.edu.au/studyandlearningcentre to find more information about Study and Learning Support.

Disability Liaison Unit:

If you are suffering from long-term medical condition or disability, you should contact Disability Liaison Unit to seek advice and support to complete your studies.

Please refer to http://www.rmit.edu.au/disability to find more information about services offered by Disability Liaison Unit.

Late Submission:

If you require an Extension of Submittable Work (assignments, reports or project work etc.) for seven calendar days or less (from the original due date) and have valid reasons, you must complete 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. You will be notified within no more than two working days of the date of lodgement as to whether the extension has been granted.

If you seek an Extension of Submittable Work for more than seven 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 two working days after the official due date.

Submittable Work (assignments, reports or project work etc.) submitted late without approval of an extension will not be accepted or marked.

Special Consideration:

Please refer to http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration to find more information about special consideration.

Plagiarism:

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

Please refer to http://www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity to find more information about plagiarism.

Email Communication:

All email communications will be sent to your RMIT email address and you must regularly check your RMIT emails.
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview