Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
AR20238 Highways and infrastructure |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Intermediate |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: CW 100% |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must (take AR10040 and take AR10041) |
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Aims: To provide an introductory knowledge to the planning and design of infrastructure, especially highways.
Learning Outcomes: The successful student should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the techniques used in the design and planning of highways and infratructure, and knowledge of its relationship to the social, political and environmental context in which it is carried out. Skills: A range of analytical abilities, together with knowledge of the context in which they are used. Content: * Introduction to the social and political context of infrastructure design, and to the environmental and financial assessment of infrastructure projects; * Organisation of highway design in the UK - DOT, Welsh Office, etc.; * RCU's and County Councils - rules, codes, memoranda; * Early roads (Roman to Macadam) and Bridges (beams, arches, trusses to steel and concrete); * Road Alignment: horizontal curves, vertical curves, gradients, sight lines; * Pavement Design: rigid, flexible, vertical curves, gradients, sight lines; *Bridge Design: types of crossing, relationship to strata, factors affecting choice of materials and construction, headroom, loading rules; * Cut and fill/embankments: factors affecting excavation and fill (costs, suitability of fill, difficulties of excavation programme etc), calculations for cut and fill, slopes of embankments, compaction; * Tunnelling in rock and in soft ground; types of machines, immersed tubes. |