5 ECTS credits
130 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4023624ENR for all students in the 1st semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculteit Ingenieurswetenschappen
Department
Mechanics of Materials and Constructions
External partners
Université libre de Bruxelles
Educational team
Pierre Gerard
Alessia Cuccurullo (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
24 contact hours Lecture
36 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

The valid fiche can be found at the following link: CNST - H406. Change the language to English in the dropdown menu on top of the page.

The course studies the mechanical behaviour of geotechnical structures and particularly the interactions between the structures and the ground. Four main parts will be addressed:

  1. The retaining structures including the stability analysis and the theory of Rankine’s limit states and its applications: gravity walls, sheetpiles, anchors, slurry walls, ….
  2. The pile and raft foundations with their designs based on laboratory and in-situ test results. Several applications will be considered: single piles, groups of piles, compensated raft foundations.
  3. The slope stability including the plane and rotational surfaces of failure and the effect of water.
  4. Ground dewatering and groundwater control.

In addition to the theoretical courses, exercise sessions will allow the student to apply the knowledge and understanding. The ability to communicate will be enhanced by the reporting of the exercise work.

Additional info

It is assumed that the student has a working knowledge of continuum mechanics, elasticity, strength of materials and the basic notions of soil mechanics.

Electronic version of the study materials will be delivered during the course.

Contact: bertrand.francois@ulb.ac.be

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

After attending successfully the course, the students must be able to understand the main concepts of geotechnical engineering and to design foundations of constructions, retaining structures, earth slope and ground dewatering systems.

General competences

The Master of Science in Engineering has in-depth knowledge and understanding of exact sciences with the specificity of their application to engineering.

The Master of Science in Engineering has in-depth knowledge and understanding of integrated structural design methods in the framework of a global design strategy.

The Master of Science in Engineering can correctly report on research or design results in the form of a technical report or in the form of a scientific paper.

The Master of Science in Engineering can present and defend results in a scientifically sound way, using contemporary communication tools, for a national as well as for an international professional or lay audience.

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering can design (conceptually and quantitatively) geotechnical structures by applying the fundamental concepts of soil mechanics.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 50% of the final mark.
Written Exam determines 40% of the final mark.
PRAC Report determines 10% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral theoretical exam with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

    Note: For the oral theoretical examination, a list of all possible questions will be given to the students before the examination. At examination time, the students will receive two questions out of this list. 50% of the total number of points is given to the theory examination. No lecture notes or other study material are allowed be used for this part of the examination.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written exercise exam with a relative weight of 30 which comprises 40% of the final mark.

    Note: The practical part consists of a written exercise examination about the problems that have been addressed during the exercise sessions. For this part of the examination, lecture notes are allowed to be used. 40% of the total number of points is given for this part of the examination.

Within the PRAC Report category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written reports with a relative weight of 20 which comprises 10% of the final mark.

    Note: The remaining 10% is given on the base of the written reports of the exercise session during the year.

Additional info regarding evaluation

For the oral theoretical examination, a list of all possible questions will be given to the students before the examination. At examination time, the students will receive two questions out of this list. 50% of the total number of points is given to the theory examination. No lecture notes or other study material are allowed be used for this part of the examination.

The practical part consists of a written exercise examination about the problems that have been addressed during the exercise sessions. For this part of the examination, lecture notes are allowed to be used. 40% of the total number of points is given for this part of the examination. The remaining 10% is given on the base of the written reports of the exercise session during the year.

For the evaluation, the distribution of points is thus set to 50% for the theoretical and 50% for the practical part.

 

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Civil Engineering: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Architectural Engineering: Default track (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Civil Engineering: Standaard traject (BRUFACE)
Master of Architectural Engineering: default