Outline

Overview

Materials are an important part of the civil engineers' work. Indeed, civil engineers who are concerned with the design, construction, and maintenance of facilities need to understand the behaviour and performance of the materials used. And as it happens, mechanical properties- which are essential and basic for civil engineers- are highly dependent on the structure of materials at various scales. Therefore, it is important that a student in Civil Engineering possesses a fundamental knowledge in materials science. This unit of study aims to provide students with the tools necessary to select the adequate material for a particular application and to assess its mechanical behaviour while in use. This unit will focus mainly on materials for civil engineering and construction applications, i.e. metals, concrete and soils.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	CIVL1110
Academic unit	Civil Engineering
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	AMME1362 or CIVL2110
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	CIVL1802 (or equivalent)
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Mohammad Saadatfar, mohammad.saadatfar@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	James Warner, james.warner@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Open book)	Final exam MCQ & extended response questions	35%	Formal exam period	1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Quiz 1 Online quiz during class	8.33%	Week 06	40 min
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Quiz 2 Online quiz during class	8.33%	Week 08	40 min
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Quiz 3 Online quiz during class	8.34%	Week 10	40 min
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Microscopy Assignment Online assessment	5%	Week 10 Due date: 21 Oct 2021 at 23:59	week 5 - week 10
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	End of Year take-home quiz Take-home	25%	Week 12 Due date: 11 Nov 2021 at 23:59	Opens week 11 - Due 4 Nov. 2021
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Lab report Lab report - max 5 pages	10%	Week 13 Due date: 09 Nov 2021 at 23:59	Due date: 9 Nov. 2021
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = Type C final exam ?

Assessment summary

Quiz: 3 quizzes of 40 min each during class sessions and will remain open for four hours. closed book and only the three two marks for the quizzes will count towards the final mark.
Assignment: The individual assignment is composed of different problems to test the basic understanding of new concepts and the application of these concepts in engineering related problems.
Final exam: The exam tests students’ understanding of the relations between structure and mechanical properties. To pass this unit of study, students are required to obtain at least 45% at their final exam.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1). As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

High Distinction 85% – 100%	The student shows a clear understanding of all the concepts taught in class and is able to use them to select materials for different applications. The lab report is at the level of professional documents and includes complex critical comments with extended justification. The student’s mark at the final exam is at least 45%.
Distinction 75% - 84%	The student shows a clear understanding of all the concepts taught in class and is able to use them to select materials for some applications. The lab report is well written and includes coherent critical comments with substantial justification. The student’s mark at the final exam is at least 45%.
Credit 65% - 74%	The student shows a clear understanding of most of the concepts taught in class and is able to use them to limited extent to material selection. The lab report is complete, well presented and applies some of the concepts seen in class to the laboratory experiments. The student’s mark at the final exam is at least 45%.
Pass 50% - 64%	The student understands most of the concepts taught in class and can use them in simple problems. The student fails to see the connection between material structures and properties and is unable to determine material selection criteria. The student is however able to select a material once the selection criteria have been established independently. The lab report addresses the major aspects of the laboratory but contains some style and expression errors. The student’s mark at the final exam is at least 45%.
Fail	The student does not meet the passing criteria.

To pass this unit of study, students are required to obtain at least 45% at their final exam. Any student with a mark below 45% at the final exam will automatically fail the course and their mark for this UoS will be 45/100.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Introduction to the course; 2. Atomic structure	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Crystallography	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 03	Solidification and Imperfections	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 04	1. Diffusion; 2. Mechanical Properties	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 05	1. Mechanical Properties; 2. Strengthening mechanisms	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 06	1. Strengthening mechanisms; 2. Fracture Mechanics	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 07	Fatigue and creep	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 08	1. Phase diagram; 2. Materials for construction: steels	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 09	Materials for construction: steels and aluminium alloys	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 10	1. Welding; 2. Corrosion	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 11	1. Corrosion; 2. Introduction to concrete materials	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 12	Cement and concrete	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 13	Timber	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Foundations of Materials Science and Engineering by William Smith, Javad Hashemi, Materials (CIVL5501 & CIVL2210) prepared by G. Proust (Special edition for UoS CIVL5501 and CIVL2210)

Reference Books

- Engineering Materials 1 –An Introduction to Properties, Applications & Design, 3rd ed MF Ashby & DRH Jones

- Engineering Materials 2 –An Introduction to Microstructures, Processing & Design 3rd ed MF Ashby & DRH Jones

- Introduction to Materials Science for Engineers, Second Edition, by JF Shackelford

- Foundations of Materials Science and Engineering, 5ed, by Smith & Hashemi, Mc Graw-Hill, 2010

- Civil Engineering Materials, Fifth edition. by N. Jackson and RK Dihr

- Construction Materials – Their nature and behaviour, 3rd ed, by JM Ullstone and PLJ Domone

- Concrete: Microstructure, Properties and Materials, 3rd ed, by P. Kumar Mehta and Paulo J.M. Monteiro, 2006

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Design a presentation using powerpoint and write a lab report
LO2. Select the correct material for an application and appreciate the repercussions of an incorrect selection
LO3. Comprehend the relations between the structure of materials and their mechanical properties
LO4. Apply basic materials concepts relative to materials structures
LO5. Describe and utilise mechanical concepts such as stress, strain, elasticity, plasticity, fracture, fatigue and creep that will be used in other units of study in Civil Engineering.
LO6. Become familiar with microscopy methods associated with materials engineering.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1). As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

CIVL1110: Materials

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1). As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect