| Unit name | Soil-Structure Interaction |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CENGM0076 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Mylonakis |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Geotechnical Design (CENG30016) or equivalent |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Why is this unit important?
Often geotechnical works in urban areas are related to designing and building earth-retaining systems to support excavations. These structures experience strong soil-structure interaction effects and should be designed accordingly. The Unit has been designed according to these lines with the aim of training 4-th year undergraduates and MSc students to analyse the response of different geo-structures analytically and using the commercial finite element software PLAXIS (which is a commonly used FEM solver in the industry).
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
Geotechnical engineering, or geotechnics, is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behaviour of earth materials. In our Civil Engineering programme, geotechnics is taught across all years of study, including Engineering Geology (delivered as part of Field Methods in Year 1), Geomechanics (in Year 2), Geotechnical Design (in Year 3), as well as optional specialised M/level units, including this one. Practical applications of Geotechnics are also included in the Design units of the programme.
An overview of content
The unit will introduce students to the main principles of soil-structure interaction and their use in analysis and design of a range of Geotechnical Engineering applications, including footings, flexible retaining structures to support excavations and offshore structures
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
The students will learn using PLAXIS, offshore geotechnics, and the basic analytical solutions including non-linear energy methods making them capable of checking results from computer-based analysis.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, successful students will be able to:
1. Evaluate the response of structures to ground deformation and apply the main principle of soil-structure interaction
2. Develop capabilities in modelling a range of geotechnical problems using appropriate methodologies and/or software which consider soil-structure interaction phenomena
3. Use the main concepts of some advanced geotechnical models and their implication for design
4. Apply advanced soil characterisation techniques as part of the geotechnical design process
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions, which may include lectures, practical activities supported by drop-in sessions, problem sheets and self-directed exercises.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Students will obtain feedback on their workings during timetabled computer laboratory sessions
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Individual coursework submission of a technical report (100%): ILOs 1-4
When assessment does not go to plan:
Resubmission of the coursework assessment
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CENGM0076).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
