This module is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of reinforced and prestressed concrete design. The primary objective is to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to apply the fundamental principles and theories of reinforced and prestressed concrete design in practical applications. The course will focus on designing, analysing, and evaluating reinforced and prestressed concrete structures, including bridges, buildings, and other civil engineering structures. Through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and hands-on activities, you will learn to design structural elements such as beams, columns, and slabs.  Overall, this module will enhance your expertise and broaden the scope of your application of concrete design principles, preparing you for a successful career in civil engineering.

• LO1: Demonstrate a systematic understanding of Limit State Design principles for structural elements by solving analytical problems in a structured manner.
• LO2: Evaluate the phenomenon of Long-term deflections in reinforced concrete materials as it relates to engineering applications.
• LO3: Compare and contrast the different methods of designing circular columns, slender columns, and columns subjected to biaxial bending using applicable codes of practice.
• LO4: Critically assess the validity of prestressed concrete design theory by comparing it to analytical solutions.
• LO5: Analyse various types of concrete materials, including Fibre Reinforced Concrete, High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Lightweight concrete, and their real-world applications.

The module will provide a comprehensive learning experience for you through a combination of face-to-face and online resources. In-person classes will be conducted on campus to facilitate active engagement and learning. Additionally, online resources will be available for you to access outside of the scheduled classroom time to further enhance your understanding of the subject.

The module will cover various principles related to concrete materials and structures over a 12-week period. Each week will comprise a 2-hour lecture delivered in person, followed by a 1-hour tutorial session held on campus. During the tutorial sessions, you will have the opportunity to discuss your progress on assigned problem sheets and receive support from pre-recorded video lectures.

The tutorial sessions will be highly interactive and will include group problem-solving activities to ensure that you understand the concepts covered in the lectures. The tutorial questions will be designed to challenge you and help you develop critical thinking skills.

To prepare for exams, you will have access to online problem sheets that will provide additional exercises to help you consolidate your learning. These questions will be carefully designed to reflect the type of questions that are typically asked in exams.

Throughout the module you will develop your academic skills in a number of areas:

1. Effective communication.
   1. Contribute to discussions in tutorial sessions by sharing your opinions and insights.
2. Reflection and resilience. You will need to:
   1. Actively engage in reflective practices throughout the semester. This means taking the time to critically evaluate your progress in the course and identifying areas where you can improve.
   2. Demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and creativity when faced with challenges. In this module, you will be exposed to various challenges, such as complex design problems and tight deadlines. It is important to approach these challenges with a growth mindset and a willingness to adapt and learn from mistakes.

You will also develop your subject-specific knowledge in developing your skills to:

1. Independent and critical thinking. You will need to:
   1. Identify and analyse a complex problem related to concrete materials and structures that will form the basis of your independent study. You will need to use your critical judgement to evaluate different sources of information and develop a successful solution to the problem. This process will require you to think creatively and develop original ideas and solutions.

Demonstrate intellectual curiosity in engaging with the complex ideas and principles that underpin the design of concrete materials and structures. You will need to engage critically with the course material, asking questions and challenging assumptions. You should be willing to seek out additional resources and engage in independent research to deepen your understanding of the subject matter. 

The module will be assessed through a final in-person exam (LO 1-5). The exam will consist of calculations, designed to assess your ability to solve real-world problems related to concrete structures and areas, as well as your ability to develop your skills in designing and evaluating concrete systems. The calculations will require you to apply the theories and principles you have learned throughout the module. In addition, the exam will include an open-ended question, which will challenge you to demonstrate your understanding of concrete materials and their applications in a broader context. This question will require you to apply your critical thinking skills, analyse and synthesise information, and draw well-reasoned conclusions. Overall, the exam is designed to test your mastery of the course material and your ability to apply it to real-world problems.

Formative assessment opportunities will be provided through regular tutorial sessions delivered through the semester, which provides opportunities for student to receive feedback on their progress.

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REASSESSMENT IN THIS MODULE: 

There is a potential for re-assessment in this module which may result in a 100% written assessment during the August Resit period. 

Opportunities for re-assessment is only permitted provided you have not failed more credit than in the resit rule adopted by your programme.  If the amount of credit you have failed is more than permitted by the relevant resit rule, you may be permitted to repeat study if you are within the threshold set for the Repeat rule adopted by your programme.  You will be notified of your eligibility to resit/repeat any modules after the Examining Board in the Summer period. 

All resit assessments will be held in the Resit Examination period, prior to the start of the following academic session. 

• Limit State Design of structural elements
  • Yield line theory,
  • 7 assumptions for defining crack patterns,
  • slab with different shapes - rectangular, triangular, skew, circular,
  • different supports - point, simply fixed,
  • Bottom and top reinforcements,
  • different failure patterns, including fan pattern, and optimal failure patterns.
• Deflections
  • Long-term deflections
• Columns
  • circular column
  • Slender columns
  • Column subjected to biaxial bending.
• Concepts of prestressed concrete design
  • Maganel diagram
• Cement hydration and chemistry
  • Early thermal cracking
  • Concrete materials
• Cement replacement materials
  • Fibre Reinforced Concrete
  • High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete
  • Factors affecting the strength of concrete.
  • Lightweight concrete