Geotechnical Engineering Major
Overview
As a student in the Geotechnical Engineering Major you will undertake advanced units of study in geotechnical hazards, computer modelling, and environmental geotechnics. Graduate geotechnical engineers may be involved in examining the soil and rock layers that make up the earth in order to determine their physical and chemical properties so that they can design foundations and earthworks structures for buildings, roads, and many other types of projects.
This major best aligns with the Civil stream.
| Unit of study | Credit points | A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites C: Corequisites N: Prohibition | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
Geotechnical Engineering Major |
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| Achievement of a major in Environmental Engineering requires 48 credit points from this table including: | |||
| (i) 12 credit points of 1000 and 2000-level core units | |||
| (ii) 6 credit points of 3000-level core units | |||
| (iii) 12 credit points of 4000-level project units | |||
| (iv) 6 credit points of 4000-level interdisciplinary units | |||
| (v) 12 credit points of 4000-level or higher elective specialist units | |||
Units of Study |
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1000-level units of study |
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Core units |
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| GEOL1501 Engineering Geology 1 |
6 | N GEOL1002 or GEOL1902 or GEOS1003 or GEOS1903 |
Semester 2 |
2000-level units of study |
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Core units |
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| CIVL2410 Soil Mechanics |
6 | A CIVL2201 AND GEOL1501 AND (CIVL1802 or ENGG1802). An understanding of simple statics, equilibrium, forces and bending moments, and of stress and strain and the relationship between them. This is covered by University of Sydney courses CIVL1802 Statics (or ENGG1802 Engineering Mechanics), CIVL2201 Structural Mechanics. Familiarity with the use of spreadsheets (Excel, Mathcad) to obtain solutions to engineering problems, and with the graphical presentation of this data. Familiarity with word processing packages for report presentation. Familiarity with partial differential equations, and their analytical and numerical solution. |
Semester 2 |
3000-level units of study |
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Core units |
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| CIVL3411 Geotechnical Engineering |
6 | A CIVL2410 |
Semester 2 |
4000-level units of study |
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Project units |
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| CIVL4022 Thesis A |
6 | P 30 credit points of any 3000- or higher level units of study. N CIVL4203 Note: Department permission required for enrolment in the following sessions:Semester 2 It is expected that the Thesis will be conducted over two consecutive semesters and that the majority of students will start in Semester 1. Commencement in Semester 2 requires permission of Thesis coordinator and School's Director of Learning and Teaching and will only be allowed where there are good reasons for doing so. Students considering this option should discuss it with the Thesis coordinator at least one semester before they intend to start. |
Semester 1 Semester 2 |
| CIVL4023 Thesis B |
6 | P 30 credit points of any 3000- or higher level units of study. N CIVL4203 Note: Department permission required for enrolment in the following sessions:Semester 1 |
Semester 1 Semester 2 |
Interdisciplinary units |
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| CIVL4903 Civil Engineering Design |
6 | A CIVL2410 AND CIVL3612 AND (CIVL4811 OR CIVL3811) P (CIVL3205 and CIVL3206) OR CIVL4811 |
Semester 1 |
5000-level units of study |
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Elective specialist units |
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| CIVL5351 Geoenvironmental Engineering |
6 | Semester 2 |
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| CIVL5452 Foundation Engineering |
6 | A [CIVL2410 OR CIVL9410] AND [CIVL3411 OR CIVL9411]. Students are assumed to have a good knowledge of fundamental soil mechanics, which is covered in the courses of soil mechanics (settlement, water flow, soil strength) and foundation engineering (soil models, stability analyses; slope stability; retaining walls; foundation capacity) N CIVL6452 |
Semester 1 |
| CIVL5453 Geotechnical Hazards |
6 | A (CIVL2410 AND CIVL3411) OR (CIVL9410 AND CIVL9411). Students are assumed to have a good knowledge of fundamental soil mechanics, which is covered in the courses of soil mechanics (settlement, water flow, soil strength) and foundation engineering (soil models, stability analyses; slope stability; retaining walls; foundation capacity). |
Semester 2 |
| CIVL5458 Numerical Methods in Civil Engineering |
6 | Semester 1 |
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| CIVL5460 Particle Mechanics for Geotechnics |
6 | Semester 1 |
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| CIVL5999 Advanced Research and Analysis |
6 | A (CIVL2201 OR CIVL9201) AND (CIVL2611 OR CIVL9611) AND (CIVL2410 OR CIVL9410) |
Semester 1 |