Engineering Site Characterisation (CVEN90044)

AIMS

Characterisation of sites is an important step in civil engineering study or design. In order to devise a design for an engineering project a range of contextual factors need to be determined. These include intrinsic aspects of natural and anthropogenic history, such as geological context and former industrial use as well as its environmental considerations. The engineering properties of ground needs to be assessed and understood for the purpose of development. Extrinsic impacts on the site such as the risk of fire, extreme wind loads and earthquake also need to be well understood.

This subject will examine typical technical tools for characterising a site for infrastructure development, covering a range of the above aspects that are relevant to the site and development. In doing so students will learn the skills and an approach to conduct site assessments, including the ability to select the appropriate geo-environmental tools for site investigations.

This subject is part of a trio of subjects that consider different aspects of infrastructure projects; Engineering Site Characterisation studies how to determine the character of a site for a infrastructure project, Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering examines how the project relates to the broader social, political, economic and environmental context, while Engineering Project Implementation concentrates on the operational aspects of implementing a project. Together they form the basis of further professional infrastructure engineering subjects. Students who have completed this subject will have valuable skills to gain engineering work experience.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Basic principles of engineering geology, Site Investigation Techniques, Ground Models (different types of models from conceptual to observational and analytical), The Engineering Geology of Melbourne (and Victoria), GeoHazards (different types, typical geohazards, case studies, risk assessment and risk register), Rock Engineering, Geotechnical site investigations, natural disaster characterisation (fire, wind, earthquakes), introduction to surveying and levelling, in situ testing (soil), geophysical testing and fieldwork, groundwater investigation and exposure to laboratory testing (compaction, permeability and strength).