1. Objectives
1) To promote independent, creative and strategic thinking.
2) To provide deeper insights into the conceptual and strategic nature of the design process, relevant to highway design and construction and professional practice.
3) To be able to appraise a highway engineering brief in a professional manner and offer technical solutions to the problems identified within the brief.
4) Demonstrate analytical, experimental and interpretative skills with respect to highway design and maintenance.
5) Write a formal report including the use of simple annotated sketches and scale drawings.
6) Tackle and solve calculations related to drainage design, alignments (horizontal and vertical) and pavement design.
7) To gain knowledge knowledge of the:
• Types of pavements and their structural behaviour.
• Principles and practices of pavement construction techniques.
• Materials and specification.
• Empirical methods of pavement design
8) Principles and practice of bridge construction, maintenance and design.
Choose one of the following topics and prepare a 2000 words essay. A 20 min presentation followed by a 5min question/answer session is also required.
List of Topics:
1. Engineering Surveying works before and during the construction process.
2. Environmental impact report during construction and during service stages. Methods for minimisation of these impacts.
3. Cutting and Embankment Slopes, Earth retaining works – Types, Construction methods and methods for Improving Stability.
4. Pavement design – Types of pavements, Subbase, Base Asphalt concretes and bituminous materials; methods of Construction – Advantages and Disadvantages.
5. Tunnels for highways, types and methods of construction
6. Health and safety aspects, methods for temporary signals, road signs and traffic control during construction.
7. Methods for maintenance during service time.