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CVEN20120

Academic Year 2024/2025

Construction Practice (CVEN20120)

Subject:
Civil Engineering
College:
Engineering & Architecture
School:
Civil Engineering
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Patrick Purcell
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This course will cover the fundamentals of: (i) construction practice and (ii) surveying. The module is delivered by lectures and practical sessions. The practical fieldwork will include instruction in the use of surveying instrumentation and require reduction and analysis of field data. A mid-term test is provided.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Describe and sketch the proper sequencing of construction and good practice for each of the
above topics

2. Conduct rudimentary calculations for each of the above topics

3. Demonstrate a grounding in the basic land surveying techniques required by Engineers

4. Complete a series of field projects and demonstrate a practical knowledge of basic surveying
equipment

5. Illustrate errors which arise in the course of surveys and describe how to avoid these were
possible, correct them where not and supervise the work of others

6. Exhibit a basic knowledge of structural and geotechnical techniques

7. Explain the functions of a construction contract and related documents

8. Exhibit knowledge of construction sequencing, site safety, ethics, and professional engineering
responsibilities

9. Demonstrate knowledge of common civil engineering materials

10. Students should have an elementary understanding of sustainability concepts such as: net zero carbon, resource efficiency, circular economy, whole-life cost and UN Sustainable Development goals.


Indicative Module Content:

1 Civil Engineering contract
2 Civil Engineering Planning, Design & Construction
3 Stages in Civil Engineering Construction
4 Contract documents
5 Site investigation
6 Environmental Imapct Assessment
7 Site preparation
8 Foundations: shallow and deep foundations
9 Excavations and trench support
10 Construction equipment
11 Civil Engineering Materials: concrete, steel, timber, soil, bituminous mixes
12 Structural forms: beam, column, arch, truss
13 Domestic house: foundations, walls, insulation, roof systems, water & wastewater provision
14 Road construction
15 Pipelines
16 Bridges
17 Legislative safety requirements
18 Introduction to surveying
19 Basic principles of mapping
20 Errors in measurement
21 Units and scale
22 Setting out: offsetting & triangulation
23 Levels: instruments and principles of levelling
24 Levelling circuits and the distribution of errors
25 Contouring
26 Longitudinal and cross sections
27 Earthworks: cut and fill
28 Calculation of areas and volumes
29 Theodolites and Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM )
30 Traverse and theodolite misclosure
31 Sustainability in construction






Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

77
Lectures

36
Practical

12
Total

125

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures
Practical sessions
Group work
Tutorials

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

none

Learning Exclusions:

none

Learning Recommendations:

Interest in building construction


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): End-of-trimester exam End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
75
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Coursework/mid-term exam Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 10 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
25
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Coursework (e.g. fieldwork using surveying instruments) worth 20%. Practical reports/assignments will be graded and returned to students in a timely manner. Class test worth 5% in week 8 of semester. Test will be marked and returned to students in a timely manner.

Surveying for Construction

Author: Irvine & Maclennan

Publisher: McGrawHill

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Field Trip Offering 1 Week(s) - 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32 Mon 14:00 - 16:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 10:00 - 11:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 10:00 - 10:50
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