Outline

Overview

Geoenvironmental Engineering is an applied science concerned with the protection of soil and aquifers from human activities. It can be divided into 2 main branches: waste containment and treatment of pollution sites. The former is usually a preventative activity, whereas the latter is corrective, i.e., it occurs after pollution has taken place. Geoenvironmental Engineering draws on fundamental science, especially fluid flow and contaminant migration in soil and the physics and chemistry of low-permeability material such as clay. The goal of CIVL5351 is to introduce you to the science behind Geoenvironmental Engineering and develop your skills at designing barrier systems for groundwater protection. Learning Outcomes: 1. Analyse flow regime in saturated and unsaturated soils using Darcys Law; 2. Analyse contaminant migration in soil using coupled flow and reactive diffusion-advection equations; 3. Describe the main processes of clay-water interactions and their influence on behaviour of barrier systems; 4. Design a contaminant barrier system satisfying groundwater quality requirements; 5. Assess the feasibility of waste-to-energy conversion; 6. Conduct research on a geoenvironmental topic; 7. Build simulation models and appraise quality of their predictions. Syllabus Summary: introduction to geoenvironmental engineering; integrated waste management and life cycle assessment; soil composition and mineralogy; types and characteristics of contaminants; theory of water seepage in saturated and unsaturated soils; theory of reactive contaminant transport in soil including molecular diffusion, mechanical dispersion and advective flow; analytical and numerical solutions of reactive diffusion advection equation; design of barrier systems; geosynthetics and geomembranes; defects and leakage rates; methane generation in landfills and waste-to-energy potential.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Civil Engineering
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Abbas El-Zein, abbas.elzein@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Contribution	Participation Participation	5%	Ongoing	-	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Practical skill	In class computer lab session report 1 Computer Lab Report	4%	Week 02 Due date: 14 Aug 2025 at 17:00	2 hours	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Practical skill	In class computer lab session report 2 Computer Lab Report	4%	Week 04 Due date: 28 Aug 2025 at 17:00	2 hours	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Practical skill	In class computer lab session report 3 Computer Lab Report	4%	Week 06 Due date: 11 Sep 2025 at 17:00	2 hours	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-person written or creative task	Midterm exam Midterm exam	25%	Week 08 Due date: 25 Sep 2025 at 11:00	90min	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Practical skill	In class computer lab session report 5 Computer Lab Report	8%	Week 11 Due date: 23 Oct 2025 at 17:00	4 hours	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Research analysis	Emerging Contaminants Research project on emerging contaminants	15%	Week 11 Due date: 26 Oct 2025 at 23:59	6hrs	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written exam ?	Final Exam Final exam in class	35%	Week 13 Due date: 06 Nov 2025 at 13:00	2 hours	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Exams (60%):

Midterm exam m (25%)
final exam e (35%)

Assignment, Computer Lab Reports and Participation (40%):

4 lab session reports – group work (2 students) – i1 to i4 (4% each except lab exercise 4 with 8%) (20%)
Report on emerging contaminant assignment: r (15%)

Participation in lectures, tutorials and computer lab sessions pt (5%)

Overall mark= 0.25m+0.3e+0.05(i1+i2+i3+2i4)+0.15r+0.05pt

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.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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:

Each group is required to submit one report online (over Canvas) for each exercise (1 submission per group) by the deadline given in the timetable. Submissions will be accepted for 24 hours AFTER the deadline, but late submissions will incur a penalty of 10 points. No submission will be accepted later than 24 hours after the deadline. If no submission is made, a mark of 0 is awarded for that exercise to both group members. If a student is not present at the lab session, his/her mark is set to zero, even if his/her partner has submitted a valid report by the deadline. The present partner of an absent group member is not penalised, i.e., his/her mark is awarded without penalty. If you have not been able to complete the exercise during the lab session, make sure you complete it in your own time. This is important because exercises are dependent on each other, i.e., an exercise for a given week usually depends on some output from an exercise from a previous week.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to Geoenvironmental Engineering	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	Water Flow in Saturated Soils I	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Water Flow in Saturated Soils II	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Water Flow in Saturated Soils (computer-lab exercise 1)	Simulation laboratory (2 hr)
Week 03	Water Flow in Saturated Soils III	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Problem-Solving Session 1: Water Flow in Saturated Soils	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Contaminant Migration in Soils I	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Water Flow in Saturated Soil (computer-lab exercise 2)	Simulation laboratory (2 hr)
Week 05	Contaminant Migration in Soils II	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Problem-Solving Session II: Contaminant Migration in Soils	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Contaminant Migration in Soils III	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Contaminant Migration in Soils (computer-lab exercise 3)	Simulation laboratory (2 hr)
Week 07	Contaminant Migration in Soils IV	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Porblem-Solving Session III: Contaminant Migration in Soils	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Barrier Design I: Clay-Water Interactions	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Emerging Contaminants	Lecture (2 hr)
	Problem-Solving Session IV: Barrier Design	Lecture (2 hr)
	Emerging Contaminants: Research Work	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Barrier Design II: Aims, Design and Materials	Lecture (2 hr)
	Barrier Design II: Aims, Design and Materials	Lecture (2 hr)
	Contaminant Migration and Barrier Design (computer-lab exercise 4)	Simulation laboratory (2 hr)
Week 11	Barrier Design III: Modelling A	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Contaminant Migration and Barrier Design (computer-lab exercise 4 continued)	Simulation laboratory (2 hr)
Week 12	Barrier Design III: Modelling B	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Problem-Solving Session IV: Barrier Design	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Concluding Lecture and Revision for Final Exam	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

The UoS includes 14 lectures, 5 computer lab sessions, and 5 tutorial sessions in total (over the whole semester). Each of these is of 2-hour duration. You are expected to attend ALL computer lab sessions and a minimum of 90% of lectures/tutorials.

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 online. Detailed lecture materials and readings for each lecture are provided in the UoS syllabus which can be accessed on Canvas.

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.

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

LO1. Analyse saturated flow regime in soil using Darcy and flow equations.
LO2. Analyse contaminant migration in soil using coupled flow and reactive diffusion-advection equations.
LO3. Describe the main processes of clay-water interactions and how they affect behaviour of clay in geoenvironmental engineering.
LO4. Build numerical models of water flow and contamination transport and critically appraise the quality of results of numerical simulations.
LO5. Design a single or double composite landfill liner satisfying groundwater quality requirements.
LO6. Conduct research on a geoenvironmental topic.
LO7. Appraise the sources and impacts of emerging contaminants.
LO8. Write professional reports describing optimal designs and the rationale behind them.
LO9. Communicate technical knowledge in writing or verbally.

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

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1. ENABLING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 5. PRACTICAL AND ‘HANDS-ON’ EXPERIENCE 5.5. Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1. ENABLING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity. 5. PRACTICAL AND ‘HANDS-ON’ EXPERIENCE 5.5. Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1. ENABLING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 5. PRACTICAL AND ‘HANDS-ON’ EXPERIENCE 5.5. Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 2.3. Meaningful engagement with current technical and professional practices and issues in the designated field. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity. 3. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 3.3. Creativity and innovation. 4. ENGINEERING APPLICATION EXPERIENCE 4.2. Ability to use a systems approach to complex problems, and to design and operational performance. 4.3. Proficiency in the engineering design of components, systems and/or processes in accordance with specified and agreed performance criteria. 4.5. An ability to undertake problem solving, design and project work within a broad contextual framework accommodating social, cultural, ethical, legal, political, economic and environmental responsibilities as well as within the principles of sustainable development and health and safety imperatives.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 3. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 3.2. Information literacy and the ability to manage information and documentation.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2.3. Meaningful engagement with current technical and professional practices and issues in the designated field. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 3. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 3.1. An ability to communicate with the engineering team and the community at large. 5. PRACTICAL AND ‘HANDS-ON’ EXPERIENCE 5.9. Skills in documenting results, analysing credibility of outcomes, critical reflection, developing robust conclusions, reporting outcomes.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 3. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 3.1. An ability to communicate with the engineering team and the community at large. 3.2. Information literacy and the ability to manage information and documentation.

Responding to student feedback

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

CIVL5351 was not delivered in 2024. Based on 2023 feedback, the unit has been revised for 2025 delivery to reduce content and allow more in-depth consideration of topics covered, with focus on contaminant migration. This is also allowed the introduction of a new important topic, on emerging contaminants. The number of assessments was reduced and assessment structure simplified.

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

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

CIVL5351: Geoenvironmental Engineering

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links