SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING

Semester 2, 2008


CVEN 4303 Bridge Analysis and Design




COURSE DETAILS

Units of credits 6
Contact hours 4 hours per week
Class Lecture/Tutorial: Mon 1-4, Tue 10-11 (check Time Table for locations)
Lecturer Professor F. Tin-Loi
email: f.tinloi@unsw.edu.au
Room: 615

HANDBOOK DESCRIPTION

Fundamentals of bridge engineering (site selection; bridge type selection; standard superstructures
and substructures; bridge hydraulics; bridge form); bridge codes; load distribution in bridges;
preliminary design considerations for simply supported beam-and-slab and box girder bridges,
continuous beam-and-slab bridges, cable-stayed bridges.

Virtual handbook: www.student.unsw.edu.au/handbook

OBJECTIVES

To provide the fundamentals of bridge engineering, including the design of standard composite slab-
on-beam superstructures.

TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ASSESSMENTS

Private Study
Review lecture material
Do suggested tutorial problems
List difficulties
Lectures
Listen carefully and ask questions
Try to understand principles as well as details
Tutorials
Practice solving set problems
Resolve difficulties
Assessments (homework, exam)
Demonstrate your knowledge and skills
Demonstrate application of concepts learnt

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

To be familiar with bridge site and type selections.
To be able to carry out the hydraulic design of constricted, high level bridges in accordance with
simple design criteria.
To be able to carry out the preliminary structural design of simply supported concrete slab on
beam (either of steel or pretensioned prestressed concrete sections) bridges.
To appreciate why continuous bridges are used and to be aware of associated key design
principles.

For each hour of contact it is expected that a student will put in at least 1.5 hours of private study.

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ASSESSMENT

Assignments HW %
(includes 4 homework assignments and handin tutes)
Final 3 hr exam (open book) EX %

Final mark for the course (10 * HW * EX) / (7 * HW +3 * EX) %

The effect of using this harmonic mean is to ensure that a minimum performance (at least about 41%)
is achieved in the exam component.

TEXTS

Nil (Lecture summary notes will be distributed prior to lectures)

COURSE PROGRAM

The following topics will be covered:

1. Fundamentals of bridge engineering (bridge form; site selection; standard components for
superstructures and substructures; bridge type selection; bridge hydraulics).
2. Bridge codes; load distribution in bridges.
3. Preliminary design of simply supported beam-and-slab bridges.
4. Continuous beam-and-slab bridges.
5. Introduction to cable-stayed bridges.

Approximate schedule as follows:
Week Topic
Homework
~ Due Date
01
Introduction: motivation, course contents.
Fundamentals of bridge engineering: site selection.

02 Fundamentals of bridge engineering: standardization, type selection. #1
03 Fundamentals of bridge engineering: bridge hydraulics.
04 Bridge codes.
05 Load distribution in bridges, grillage model. #2
06 Preliminary design of simply supported steel beam and slab bridges.
07 Engineering Week (no lectures)
08 Preliminary design of simply supported steel beam and slab bridges (ctd). #3
09 Preliminary design of simply supported PSC beam and slab bridges.
Semester break
10 Public Holiday (Monday)
11 Preliminary design of simply supported PSC beam and slab bridges (ctd). #4
12 Introduction to design of continuous PSC beam and slab bridges.
* A set of notes on Introduction to design of cable-stayed bridges will be distributed to students

COURSE EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering evaluates each course each time it is run through
(i) the UNSW Course and Teaching Evaluation and Improvement (CATEI) process, and (ii) Focus
Group Meetings.

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As part of the CATEI process, your student evaluations on various aspects of the course are graded
and the Course Coordinator has to prepare a summary report for the Head of School. Any problem
areas are identified for remedial action, and ideas for making improvements to the course are noted
for action the next time that the course is run.

Focus Group Meetings are conducted by the four Year Managers (academic staff) for any students
who wish to attend, in each year of the civil and/or environmental engineering programs. Student
comments on each course are collected and disseminated to the Lecturers concerned, noting any
points which can help improve the course.


COMMON INFORMATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Refer to: http://www.civeng.unsw.edu.au/currentstudents/ug/common_ug.htm

To navigate to this website from the Civil and Environmental Engineering School Home page:

Current Students General Information Common School Info for Undergraduate Students


The Common School Information site has information on the following:

1. Dates to Note - important dates relating to enrolling and disenrolling, and a University website
(via MyUNSW) with a calendar of other important UNSW dates (semester dates, recess
weeks, stuvac dates and exam periods).

2. School Contacts
a. For enrolment or timetable difficulties
b. Referral chain of contacts for course difficulties
c. Advanced Standing
d. Mentoring

3. Course Requirements
a. Attendance at lectures, tutorials and laboratory classes
b. Participation in tutorials
c. Completion of assessment work

4. Notes on Assessment
a. Plagiarism (with link to UNSW Learning Centre web site on plagiarism)
b. Keeping a copy of written submissions
c. Submitting assignments
d. Late submissions (obtaining extensions and special consideration)

5. Supplementary Exams -includes link to School policy on Supplementary Exams
a. Special Consideration (includes link to UNSW website (New South Q) for downloading
forms, requirements for lodging special consideration forms

6. Solutions to Problems Troubleshooters
a. Learning Centre
b. Student counsellors
c. Student support services

7. CEVSOC - student committee membership and link to (unofficial) student CEVSOC website






F. Tin-Loi : 22 J uly 2008

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