resources for this task, students are also required to experiment with
Bridgebuilder
TM , an educational computer game where bridges are constructed to
span different terrains (Figure 3b). Bridges are tested by passing a train over them
and those structural members that are in tension or compression are highlighted
accordingly. This gives students an insight into basic structural mechanisms and
helps them identify the areas of their design that need strengthening. Bridgebuilder
TM
brings an element of fun into the classroom and encourages students to truly engage
with the module outside of the classroom. At the same time, the software helps
students to achieve a number of programme outcomes; for example, the ability to
solve a real engineering problem (PO(b)), the ability to design a structure (PO(c)), an
awareness of cost and the responsibility of an engineer to the public and to the
environment (PO(d)).
Figure 2: Finite difference grid used in surcharge design problem.
Figure 3: (a) Examples of spaghetti bridges built by 1st year students and (b) screen
grab from Brudgebuilder
TM .
Environmental engineering design is a good example of an area in civil engineering
where multi-media content, legislative instruments and ethics are integrated. For
example, civil engineers must consider all of these issues when they are designing,
constructing and operating water and wastewater treatment units. The availability of
digital resources has brought about substantial changes in the way that staff at NUI
Surcharge assignment solution template
Surcharge amount
100 kPa
cv
2.5 m2/year maximum value that arises in brief is 4 m2/year
beta
0.109514
Δt
0.010951 years
4 day intervals needed (for worst case cv, and ΔH=0.5m to have data at midpoint of 5 x 1m layers for settlement calcs)
DH
0.5 m
Cc/1+e0
0.12
Cs/1+e0
0.025
surcharge duration
6 mths
PORE PRESSURES
z (m) t=0 (days)
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
36
40
44
48
52
56
60
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.5
100
89.0
80.5
73.7
68.2
63.6
59.8
56.5
53.7
51.3
49.2
47.3
45.6
44.0
42.6
41.4
1
100
100.0
98.8
96.9
94.7
92.3
89.9
87.6
85.3
83.1
81.0
79.0
77.2
75.4
73.7
72.2
1.5
100
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.6
99.1
98.4
97.7
96.8
95.8
94.8
93.7
92.7
91.6
90.5
89.4
2
100
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.9
99.7
99.5
99.3
98.9
98.6
98.1
97.7
97.2
96.6
2.5
100
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.8
99.7
99.5
99.3
99.1
98.8
98.4
3
100
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.9
99.7
99.5
99.3
98.9
98.6
98.1
97.7
97.2
96.6
3.5
100
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.6
99.1
98.4
97.7
96.8
95.8
94.8
93.7
92.7
91.6
90.5
89.4
4
100
100.0
98.8
96.9
94.7
92.3
89.9
87.6
85.3
83.1
81.0
79.0
77.2
75.4
73.7
72.2
4.5
100
89.0
80.5
73.7
68.2
63.6
59.8
56.5
53.7
51.3
49.2
47.3
45.6
44.0
42.6
41.4
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(a)
(b)
Bridgebuilder
TM , an educational computer game where bridges are constructed to
span different terrains (Figure 3b). Bridges are tested by passing a train over them
and those structural members that are in tension or compression are highlighted
accordingly. This gives students an insight into basic structural mechanisms and
helps them identify the areas of their design that need strengthening. Bridgebuilder
TM
brings an element of fun into the classroom and encourages students to truly engage
with the module outside of the classroom. At the same time, the software helps
students to achieve a number of programme outcomes; for example, the ability to
solve a real engineering problem (PO(b)), the ability to design a structure (PO(c)), an
awareness of cost and the responsibility of an engineer to the public and to the
environment (PO(d)).
Figure 2: Finite difference grid used in surcharge design problem.
Figure 3: (a) Examples of spaghetti bridges built by 1st year students and (b) screen
grab from Brudgebuilder
TM .
Environmental engineering design is a good example of an area in civil engineering
where multi-media content, legislative instruments and ethics are integrated. For
example, civil engineers must consider all of these issues when they are designing,
constructing and operating water and wastewater treatment units. The availability of
digital resources has brought about substantial changes in the way that staff at NUI
Surcharge assignment solution template
Surcharge amount
100 kPa
cv
2.5 m2/year maximum value that arises in brief is 4 m2/year
beta
0.109514
Δt
0.010951 years
4 day intervals needed (for worst case cv, and ΔH=0.5m to have data at midpoint of 5 x 1m layers for settlement calcs)
DH
0.5 m
Cc/1+e0
0.12
Cs/1+e0
0.025
surcharge duration
6 mths
PORE PRESSURES
z (m) t=0 (days)
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
36
40
44
48
52
56
60
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.5
100
89.0
80.5
73.7
68.2
63.6
59.8
56.5
53.7
51.3
49.2
47.3
45.6
44.0
42.6
41.4
1
100
100.0
98.8
96.9
94.7
92.3
89.9
87.6
85.3
83.1
81.0
79.0
77.2
75.4
73.7
72.2
1.5
100
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.6
99.1
98.4
97.7
96.8
95.8
94.8
93.7
92.7
91.6
90.5
89.4
2
100
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.9
99.7
99.5
99.3
98.9
98.6
98.1
97.7
97.2
96.6
2.5
100
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.8
99.7
99.5
99.3
99.1
98.8
98.4
3
100
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.9
99.7
99.5
99.3
98.9
98.6
98.1
97.7
97.2
96.6
3.5
100
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.6
99.1
98.4
97.7
96.8
95.8
94.8
93.7
92.7
91.6
90.5
89.4
4
100
100.0
98.8
96.9
94.7
92.3
89.9
87.6
85.3
83.1
81.0
79.0
77.2
75.4
73.7
72.2
4.5
100
89.0
80.5
73.7
68.2
63.6
59.8
56.5
53.7
51.3
49.2
47.3
45.6
44.0
42.6
41.4
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(a)
(b)