CIVIL ENGINEERING

SYLLABUS

The syllabus applies to students admitted in the academic year 2016-17 and thereafter under the four-
year curriculum.

Definition and Terminology

Each course offered by the Department of Civil Engineering shall be classified as either introductory
level course or advanced level course.

A Discipline Core course is a compulsory course which a candidate must pass in the manner provided
for in the Regulations.

A Discipline Elective course refers to any technical course offered by the Department of Civil
Engineering for the fulfillment of the curriculum requirements of the degree of BEng in Civil
Engineering that are not classified as discipline core course.

Curriculum

The Curriculum comprises 240 credits of courses as follows:

General Engineering Courses

Students are required to complete at least 36 credits of General Engineering Courses.

Discipline Core Courses

Students are required to complete ALL discipline core courses (78 credits), comprising 24 credits of
introductory core courses and 54 credits of advanced core courses.

Discipline Elective Courses

Students are required to complete at least 36 credits of advanced discipline elective courses offered by
the Department of Civil Engineering.

Elective Courses
Students are required to complete 18 credits of elective course(s) offered by either the Department of
Civil Engineering, or other departments within or outside of the Faculty of Engineering.

University Requirements
Students are required to complete:
a) 12 credits in English language enhancement, including 6 credits in “CAES1000 Core University
English” and 6 credits in “CAES9540 Technical English for Civil Engineering”;
b) 6 credits in Chinese language enhancement course “CENG9001 Practical Chinese for
Engineering Students”; and
c) 36 credits of courses in the Common Core Curriculum, comprising at least one and not more
than two courses from each Area of Inquiry with not more than 24 credits of courses being
selected within one academic year except where candidates are required to make up for failed
credits.

Capstone Experience
Students are required to complete the 12-credit “CIVL4102 Project” to fulfill the capstone experience
requirement for the degree of BEng in Civil Engineering.

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Internship
Students are required to complete the 6-credit internship “CIVL2109 Internship”, which normally takes
place after their third year of study.

Degree Classification

The degree of Bachelor of Engineering shall be awarded in five divisions in accordance with EN16 of
the Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Engineering and UG9 of the Regulations for the First
Degree Curricula.

The details of the distribution of the above course categories are as follows:

The curriculum of BEng (Civil Engineering) comprises 240 credits of courses with the following
structure:

UG 5 Requirements (54 credits)

Course Code Course No. of credits

CAES1000 Core University English 6
CAES9540 Technical English for Civil Engineering 6
CENG9001 Practical Chinese for Engineering Students 6
CC##XXXX University Common Core Course (6 courses)* 36
Total for UG5 Requirements 54
* Students have to complete 36 credits of courses in the Common Core Curriculum, comprising at least
one and not more than two courses from each Area of Inquiry with not more than 24 credits of courses
being selected within one academic year except where candidates are required to make up for failed
credits.

General Engineering Courses (36 credits)

Course Code Course No. of credits

MATH1851 Calculus and ordinary differential equations 6
MATH1853 Linear algebra, probability & statistics 6
ENGG1111/ Computer programming and applications/ 6
ENGG1112 Computer programming and applications I
PHYS1050 Physics for engineering students 6
ENGG1201 Engineering for sustainable development 6
ENGG120X Any one of the General Engineering Courses offered by 6
other Departments of the Faculty of Engineering+
Total for General Engineering Courses 36
+
Choose one General Engineering Course from the following list:

ENGG1202 Introduction to computer science

ENGG1203 Introduction to electrical and electronic engineering
ENGG1204 Industrial management and logistics
ENGG1205 Introduction to mechanical engineering
ENGG1206 Introduction to biomedical engineering
ENGG1207 Foundations of biochemistry for medical engineering

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Discipline Core Courses (78 credits)

Introductory Courses (24 credits)

Course Code Course No. of credits

CIVL1105 Environmental engineering 6
CIVL1113 Engineering mechanics & materials 6
CIVL1114 Surveying & drawing 6
MECH2407 Multivariable calculus and partial differential equations 6
Total for Introductory Discipline Core Courses 24

Advanced Courses (54 credits)

Course Code Course No. of credits

CIVL2102 Engineering geology and rock mechanics 6
CIVL2103 Fluid mechanics 6
CIVL2104 Hydraulics and hydrology 6
CIVL2106 Soil mechanics 6
CIVL2108 Principles of civil engineering management 6
CIVL2111 Transportation engineering 6
CIVL2112 Structural analysis 6
CIVL2113 Structural design 6
CIVL4101 Capstone design project 6
Total for Advanced Discipline Core Courses 54

Capstone Experience and Internship (18 credits)

Course Code Course No. of credits

CIVL2109 Internship* 6
CIVL4102 Project+ 12
Total for Capstone Experience and Internship Courses 18

+Capstone Experience
*Internship

Discipline Elective Courses (36 credits)

Course Code Course No. of credits

CIME2101 Water and air quality: concepts and measurement 6
CIVL2110 Experiential learning 6
CIVL3101 Advanced engineering mechanics 6
CIVL3103 Construction project management 6
CIVL3106 Engineering hydraulics 6
CIVL3107 Environmental impact assessment of civil engineering 6
projects
CIVL3108 Foundation engineering 6
CIVL3111 Wastewater treatment 6
CIVL3112 Prestressed concrete structures 6
CIVL3114 Slope engineering 6
CIVL3115 Solid and hazardous waste management 6
CIVL3116 Steel structures 6
CIVL3118 Theory and design of structures III 6
CIVL3119 Traffic engineering 6
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CIVL3120 Transportation infrastructure engineering 6
CIVL3121 Water resources engineering 6
CIVL3122 Wind engineering 6
CIVL3125 Law for civil engineers 6
CIVL3126 Engineering practice in Mainland China 6
CIVL3127 Professional practice in the built environment 6
CIVL3128 Structural dynamics and earthquake engineering 6
CIVL3129 Numerical analysis in geotechnical engineering 6
CIVL3130 Structural fire engineering 6
CIVL3131 Earth retaining system 6
CIVL3132 Geotechnical testing instrumentation and monitoring 6
CIVL3133 Ground improvement 6
CIVL3134 Environmental geotechnology 6
CIVL3135 Advanced structural analysis 6
Complete six discipline elective courses for a total of 36 credits 36

Elective Courses (18 credits)

At least 18 credits of courses offered by either the Department of Civil Engineering, or other departments
within or outside of the Faculty of Engineering.

Elective MSc(Eng) courses

Students may take up to two 6-credit MSc(Eng) courses offered by the Department of Civil Engineering
as elective courses, subject to the approval of the Head of Department.

Summary of curriculum structure of BEng (Civil Engineering)

Course Categories No. of credits

UG5 Requirements 54
General Engineering Courses 36
Discipline Core Courses (Introductory) 24
Discipline Core Courses (Advanced) 54
Capstone Experience and Internship 18
Discipline Elective Courses 36
Elective Courses 18
Total 240

A suggested study plan is given as follows:

FIRST YEAR

General Engineering Courses (36 credits)

MATH1851 Calculus and ordinary differential equations
MATH1853 Linear algebra, probability & statistics
ENGG1111/ Computer programming and applications/
ENGG1112 Computer programming and applications I
PHYS1050 Physics for engineering students
ENGG1201 Engineering for sustainable development
ENGG120X Any one of the General Engineering Courses offered by other Departments of
the Faculty of Engineering

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University Requirements (UG5) (24 credits)
CAES1000 Core University English
CC##XXXX Three Common Core Courses

SECOND AND THIRD YEARS

Introductory Discipline Core Courses (24 credits)

CIVL1105 Environmental engineering
CIVL1113 Engineering mechanics & materials
CIVL1114 Surveying & drawing
MECH2407 Multivariable calculus and partial differential equations

Advanced Discipline Core Courses (48 credits)

CIVL2102 Engineering geology and rock mechanics
CIVL2103 Fluid mechanics
CIVL2104 Hydraulics and hydrology (pre-requisite: CIVL2103)
CIVL2106 Soil mechanics
CIVL2108 Principles of civil engineering management
CIVL2111 Transportation engineering
CIVL2112 Structural analysis (pre-requisite: CIVL1113)
CIVL2113 Structural design (pre-requisite: CIVL2112)

Discipline Elective Courses (18 Credits)

(Note that pre-requisite is required for some courses. Please refer to the course description for individual
courses)

University Requirements (UG5) (24 credits)

CC##XXXX Three Common Core Courses
CENG9001 Practical Chinese for engineering students (This course should be enrolled in the third year)

Internship (6 credits)
CIVL2109 Internship (This course must be enrolled in the Summer semester of the third year)

FOURTH YEAR

Advanced Discipline Core Courses (6 credits)

CIVL4101 Capstone design project (This course must be enrolled in the fourth year)

Discipline Elective Courses (18 credits)

(Note that pre-requisite is required for some courses. Please refer to the course descriptions for individual courses)

Capstone Experience (12 credits)

CIVL4102 Project (This course must be enrolled in the fourth year)

University Requirements (UG5) (6 credits)

CAES9540 Technical English for Civil Engineering (This course should be enrolled in the fourth year)

Elective Courses (18 credits)

(Note that pre-requisite is required for some courses. Please refer to the course descriptions for individual courses)

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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Candidates will be required to do the coursework in the respective courses selected. Not all courses are
offered every semester.

General Engineering Courses

ENGG1111 Computer programming (6 credits)

ENGG1112 Computer programming I (6 credits)
MATH1851 Calculus and ordinary differential equations (6 credits)
MATH1853 Linear algebra, probability & statistics (6 credits)
MECH2407 Multivariable calculus and partial differential equations (6 credits)
PHYS1050 Physics for engineering students (6 credits)
ENGG1201 Engineering for sustainable development (6 credits)
ENGG1202 Introduction of computer science (6 credits)
ENGG1203 Introduction to electrical and electronic engineering (6 credits)
ENGG1204 Industrial management and logistics (6 credits)
ENGG1205 Introduction to mechanical engineering (6 credits)
ENGG1206 Introduction to biomedical engineering (6 credits)
ENGG1207 Foundations of biochemistry for medical engineering (6 credits)

Please refer to the General Engineering Courses in the syllabus for the degree of BEng for details.

University Requirements on Language Enhancement Courses

CAES1000. Core University English (6 credits)

CENG9001. Practical Chinese for engineering students (6 credits)

Please refer to the University Language Enhancement Courses in the syllabus for the degree of BEng
for details.

CAES9540. Technical English for Civil Engineering (6 credits)

This one semester 6-credit English course will be offered to final year Civil Engineering and
BEng(EngSc) Environmental Engineering students. It will run alongside Civil Engineering core project
course. The main course objective is to provide students with training on report writing and oral
presentation skills. Students will learn to write a technical report in a professional and effective manner
through drafting and revision of their work. They will also be trained to give a technical presentation
that focuses on explaining technical information to the general audience, handling over in a group
presentation and designing appropriate visual aids to both professional and non-expert audiences.
Assessment is by coursework and a final test.

Co-requisite: CIVL4102 Project

CIVL4101 Capstone design project (for BEng(EngSc) Environmental Engineering
students only)
Assessment: 100% continuous assessment.

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University Common Core Curriculum
Successful completion of 36 credits of courses in the Common Core Curriculum, comprising at least
one and not more than two courses from each Area of Inquiry with not more than 24 credits of courses
being selected within one academic year except where candidates are required to make up for failed
credits:

• Scientific and Technology Literacy

• Humanities
• Global Issues
• China: Culture, State and Society

Introductory Discipline Core Courses

CIVL1105. Environmental engineering (6 credits)

This is an introductory course on environmental engineering. Students are taught in 31 hours of lecture
plus 8 hours of interactive problem-based tutorial (IPBT). The IPBT is designed to train students in
small groups for using the knowledge and engineering principles learned from the course to solve
practical environmental engineering related problems.

Assessment: 20% continuous assessment, 80% examination

CIVL1113. Engineering mechanics and materials (6 credits)

The Engineering Mechanics part of this course aims to provide students with a firm foundation of
engineering mechanics, which is needed for their later studies in structural engineering and geotechnical
engineering. This part covers equilibrium of forces; bending moment, shear and axial forces; beam
theory for bending and shear; torsion of circular sections; shear centre; analysis of stress and strain; and
column buckling.

The Materials part of this course aims to provide students with a general knowledge of common
construction materials and some background knowledge of material science. This part covers major
applications and required properties of construction materials; structural steel; concrete; masonry;
timber; bituminous materials; crystalline structure; elastic and plastic deformation; phase diagram;
alloying; material forming and heat treatment; and corrosion.

Assessment: 15% practical work, 15% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL1114. Surveying and drawing (6 credits)

The Surveying part of this course aims to provide students with an overview on the surveying principles
in determination of the differences in levelling between stations and of the coordinates of stations.
Students will be introduced to basic surveying instruments and techniques through lectures and field
work. The aim of the Drawing part of this course is to familiarize the students with the techniques for
reading and production of both hand drawings and computer aided drafting (CAD) drawings. Students
are expected to understand and appreciate the importance of surveying and drawing in the construction
industry in order to prepare them for an engineering career.

Assessment: 35% practical work, 65% continuous assessment

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Advanced Discipline Core Courses

CIVL2102. Engineering geology and rock mechanics (6 credits)

This course provides an introduction to engineering geology, acquainting the students with the
fundamental aspects of rock mechanics, and developing the students’ capability of applying the concepts
and knowledge to solve practical problems in rock engineering.

Assessment: 20% practical work, 10% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL2103. Fluid mechanics (6 credits)

The course introduces the fundamental concepts of fluid flow, and examples of engineering fluid
mechanics.

The course helps students to develop a sound understanding of control volume analysis, and its use with
mass, momentum, and energy conservation principles. The course prepares students for dimensional
analysis for the use of scale models in wind tunnel and hydraulic model testing.

Assessment: 15% practical work, 15% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL2104. Hydraulics and hydrology (6 credits)

This course is to consolidate the principles of fluid mechanics learnt in CIVL2103, to apply them to civil
engineering hydraulic problems, and to provide an understanding of the basic concepts of the
hydrological cycle including its relevance and application to civil engineering field.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2103 Fluid mechanics

Assessment: 15% practical work, 15% continuous assessment; 70% examination

CIVL2106. Soil mechanics (6 credits)

Soil mechanics is a branch of engineering mechanics that describes the behaviour of soils. It differs from
fluid mechanics and solid mechanics in the sense that soils consist of a heterogeneous mixture of fluids
(usually air and water) and particles (usually clay, silt, sand and gravel) but soil may also contain organic
solids, liquids, and gasses and other matter. Along with rock mechanics, soil mechanics provides the
theoretical basis for analysis in geotechnical engineering. Soil mechanics is used to analyze the
deformations of and flow of fluids within natural and man-made structures that are supported on or made
of soil, or structures that are buried in soils. Examples applications are building and bridge foundations,
retaining walls, dams, and buried pipeline systems.

Assessment: 20% practical work, 20% continuous assessment, 60% examination

CIVL2108. Principles of civil engineering management (6 credits)*

Civil engineering projects are characterised by their uniqueness, complexity and uncertainty, and these
have posed immense challenges to our industry. To satisfy the client and project requirements, a good
management skill and knowledge is of paramount importance. While engineers play a key role in
relevant government departments, client organisations, design offices and contracting firms, they have
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the responsibilities of improving the efficiency, safety and quality of civil engineering projects and
maximising the chance of project success and discharging their duties ethically. Therefore, the aims of
this course are to introduce the basic concepts of various aspects of management and to explain how to
apply these management principles to plan, organise and control a civil engineering project.
Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination
* For the double degree in BEng/BBA, students who have completed the business course of ‘Principles
of management’ are exempted from taking this core course under the BEng curriculum.

CIVL2111. Transportation engineering (6 credits)

This course is an introductory course of Transportation Engineering, and covers the causes and
motivations of the movements of people and goods, the basic characteristics of different transportation
modes, land use and transportation planning, equilibrium analysis, cost-benefit analysis, travel demand
modeling and forecasting, highway alignment and geometric design, transportation surveys, and traffic
impact assessment. Hong Kong examples will be used if possible.
Assessment: 20% continuous assessment, 80% examination

CIVL2112. Structural analysis (6 credits)

This course provides students with the basic knowledge and understanding of the behaviour and analysis
of both statically determinate structures and statically indeterminate structures. It also provides the
background for future study of structural design.
At the end of this course, students who fulfil the requirements of this course will be able to:
1. Understand the fundamental principles of structural theory;
2. Analyse simple structures for their reactions and internal forces;
3. Determine deflections of simple structures; and
4. Analyse statically indeterminate structures for their reactions and internal forces.
Pre-requisite: CIVL1113 Engineering mechanics and materials
Assessment: 15% practical work, 15% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL2113. Structural design (6 credits)

This course provides students with the basic knowledge and understanding in structural design of both
reinforced concrete and steel structures. Students must have taken the pre-requisite CIVL2112
Structural Analysis before taking this course. The course will also have an individual project on
preliminary design of a structure which will help students to understand the overall structural design
process.
At the end of this course, students who fulfil the requirements of this course will be able to:
1. Identify and understand vertical and lateral loadings and load paths of a structure.
2. Design simple sections and members using reinforced concrete and hot-rolled steel.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2112 Structural analysis

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL4101. Capstone Design Project (6 credits)

All modern engineering projects required high-level design capability and communication skills from
engineers. With the stronger demand for quality infrastructural projects, many professional engineers
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are facing the common challenge of working in an interdisciplinary taskforce. Therefore, the aims of
this course are to train students to work on civil engineering projects professionally through synergetic
teamwork within a realistic working environment. The course will start by introducing the importance
of engineering design and communication skills, and then will equip students with the general
knowledge of project design across various disciplines by a series of seminars. In each academic year,
a few projects will be offered. By dividing into small project groups (5-8 students), each group will be
assigned one of the projects and supervised by one of the departmental teaching staff (Staff Tutor) and
a part-time teacher from various sectors of the industry (Industrial Tutor). The students will be working
closely with their Staff Tutor and Industrial Tutor throughout the project period, together with various
advisers, on the engineering feasibility of the assigned project and the preliminary and detailed design
of selected components of the project. The assessment of project quality will be based on a series of oral
presentations, poster presentations and written reports from the project team. Another departmental
teaching staff will act as Moderator to ensure consistency in assessment. The poster presentations allow
a fair assessment of all groups taking part in the same project by all teachers engaged in the same project.

Assessment: 100% continuous assessment

Capstone Experience and Internship

CIVL2109. Internship (6 credits)

The course is to provide industrial training to engineering students. The students will have an
opportunity to gain practical experience in civil engineering and related professions.

The course requires students to complete a period of full time approved internship in industry, of not
less than 4 weeks normally after the end of the second semester of the student’s third academic year of
study. The students are required to complete the internship to the satisfaction of an engineering
professional, who will act as the students’ supervisors during the internship.

During the course of their internship, sometimes students will be asked to visit construction sites. To
comply with the legal requirements and for safety reasons, all students must complete the Mandatory
Basic Safety Training Course (MBST). Through the MBST course, students will gain an understanding
on the relevant safety legislation; potential hazards and preventive strategies; use of the protective
equipment and the accident reporting mechanism.

Assessment: 100% continuous assessment

CIVL4102. Project (12 credits)

The primary aim of the project is to give each individual student an opportunity to handle a practical
engineering problem and to present the findings in a precise and concise report. An important part of
the project lies in the way in which the students plan and carry out the task, and apply their engineering
knowledge sensibly and diligently to solve the problem. The way in which the students present their
findings is equally important.
Assessment: 100% continuous assessment

Discipline Elective Courses

CIME2101. Water and air quality: concepts and measurement (6 credits)

This course will introduce concepts on water/air quality and pollution, the standard methods of water

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and wastewater examination, air pollution control principles, and measurement techniques for common
air pollutants.

Pre-requisite: CIVL1105 Environmental engineering (for students of the Department of Civil

Engineering only)
Assessment: 10% practical work, 10% continuous assessment, 80% examination

CIVL2110 Experiential learning (6 credits)

The course is to provide experiential learning experience to engineering students. The students will have
an opportunity to gain practical experience in civil engineering and related professions. Activities for
experiential learning will be organized by the course teachers and is mainly related to construction
projects in Hong Kong, Mainland China or elsewhere.

The course requires students to complete a period of not less than 160 hours of experiential activities
normally after the end of the second semester of the student’s second academic year of study.
Experiential activities such as those of Project Mingde that design and construct facilities relating to
education, environmental protection and poverty relief in less privileged regions on the Mainland will
be organised for the students to participate. The students are required to complete the activities to the
satisfaction of an engineering professional, who will act as the students’ supervisors during the course
of studies.

Assessment: 100% continuous assessment

CIVL3101. Advanced engineering mechanics (6 credits)

CIVL3101 Advanced Engineering Mechanics aims to introduce the fundamentals of engineering

mechanics and how this is linked to engineering solutions by advanced computation techniques based
on the finite element method. Equilibrium in elasticity problems and continuity equation for steady-state
field problems are discussed, and by means of the virtual work principle, finite element formulation will
be systematically established. Using simple 3-node triangular element as an example, engineering
problems in structural mechanics and fluid flow are analysed. A computer demonstration will be
presented to show students how complex practical engineering problems are tackled, and allow them to
develop the ability to analyse realistic engineering problems by themselves and appreciate the capability
and limitations of modern computational tools for engineering solutions. Although the subject is a bit
theoretical by nature, students interested in advanced computations or pursuing research in the future
should find this course useful.

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3103. Construction project management (6 credits)

This course conveys knowledge of the fundamentals of construction project management, including core
principles and their basic applications, which can be further built upon during career development.
Topics span both the management of civil engineering designs and the management of construction
projects. The course imparts important basics of the planning and control of time and money, and links
these to achieving better value for stakeholders, including quality and life cycle considerations.

The course is designed to enable civil engineering undergraduates to appreciate and assimilate key
principles and good practices for the effective, efficient and ethical management of construction projects.
It also aims to equip young civil engineers with the basic knowledge that will enable them to perform
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well and contribute meaningfully in multi-disciplinary project teams that may include financial and legal
professionals, apart from those from other core construction industry disciplines

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3106. Engineering hydraulics (6 credits)

The course Engineering Hydraulics covers three major parts: Open Channel Flow, Storm Drainage
Design and Environmental Hydraulics.

In Open Channel Flow, emphasis will be placed on the ‘gradually varied’ open channel flow (GVF),
which deals with the classification of GVF profiles and different methods of computation of flow
profiles. Some examples of ‘rapidly varied’ flow, such as energy dissipators and vertical drop structures,
will also be given.

In Storm Drainage Design, the classification of drainage and sewerage systems will be introduced.
Students will learn the design of urban stormwater drainage system.

In Environmental Hydraulics, students will appreciate the assimilative capacity (self purification) of the
natural environment, through the study of basic concepts of turbulent mixing and dispersion of pollutants
in water. Examples will be given to demonstrate the use of advective diffusion equation to solve actual
environmental problems.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2104 Hydraulics and hydrology

Assessment: 20% practical work, 20% continuous assessment, 60% examination

CIVL3107. Environmental impact assessment of civil engineering projects (6 credits)

This course will introduce concepts on environmental protection legislation, environmental impact
assessment process, environmental impacts during construction and operation of projects, mitigation
measures, modelling, environmental monitoring and audit, and case studies.

Pre-requisite: CIVL1105 Environmental engineering and CIVL2103 Fluid mechanics

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3108. Foundation engineering (6 credits)

Foundation engineering deals with the investigation, design and construction of the foundations of
engineering structures, which is of prime importance. This course addresses the site investigation of a
geotechnical project, follows by the design and construction of shallow and deep foundations in
accordance with both ultimate and serviceability criteria. At the end of this course, students should have
an overall picture of the geotechnical foundation system and its underlying working principles and
potential types of failures. Besides, students should gain fundamental understanding of the geotechnical
design and construction of the foundation system.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2102 Engineering geology and rock mechanics and CIVL2106 Soil mechanics
Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3111. Wastewater treatment (6 credits)

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This course focuses on the theory, design and operation of wastewater treatment. Emphasis will be
placed upon a fundamental understanding of commonly used treatment technologies. Major sections of
the course cover the generation and characteristics of municipal wastewater, sewerage systems,
preliminary treatment, primary sedimentation, secondary biological treatment, nutrient removal,
disinfection, sludge treatment and disposal, unit process selection and treatment plant design,
characteristics of industrial wastewater, and physical, chemical and biological processes used in
industrial wastewater treatment.

The course aims to introduce to students the basic concept of wastewater treatment engineering and the
knowledge of unit treatment operations and processes. At the end of this course, students who fulfill the
requirement of the course will be able to present the principles and theories behind the common
wastewater treatment technologies and to conduct preliminary design of sewerage systems and typical
physical, chemical and biological units used in conventional wastewater treatment.

Pre-requisite: CIVL1105 Environmental engineering and CIVL2103 Fluid mechanics

Assessment: 10% practical work, 10% continuous assessment, 80% examination

CIVL3112. Prestressed concrete structures (6 credits)

This is an elective course to provide students with the basic knowledge for the design of Prestressed
Concrete Structures. Apart from introducing students to the fundamental principles of prestressing and
application to design of long-span concrete structures, it also provides the background for future study
of bridge engineering. Each student is required to submit a comprehensive design of prestressed concrete
structure. Students must have taken the pre-requisite CIVL2107 Theory and Design of Structures II /
CIVL2113 Structural design before taking this course.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2107 Theory and design of structures II or CIVL2113 Structural design

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3114. Slope engineering (6 credits)

This course is to provide our students with basic knowledge of slope stability analysis and design. It
covers slope stability analyses, cases of landslide hazards, landslide investigation, uncertainties in slope
stability analysis, landslip preventive measures and design, many case studies and actual examples, a
Slope/w software workshop and one field technical trip.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2102 Engineering geology and rock mechanics and CIVL2106 Soil mechanics
Assessment: 20% continuous assessment, 80% examination

CIVL3115. Solid and hazardous waste management (6 credits)

Human activities generate solid waste materials that are often discarded because they are considered
useless. However, the disposal of these unwanted waste materials has created a heavy burden to our
environment and sometimes even threatened the human health due to its hazardous properties. Waste
management has become one of the most significant problems of our time because the current ways of
life in Hong Kong and in many areas of the world produce enormous amounts of waste, and most people
want to preserve their lifestyle, while also protecting the environment and public health. Furthermore,
if managed properly, many of these waste materials can be reused or recovered for becoming a resource
for industrial production or energy generation. This course is an introduction to the key managing
concepts and processing technologies of solid waste. It aims to train future engineers capable of
conducting solid waste project planning for industries, businesses, communities and governmental
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sectors. The discussion of context will stem from solid waste materials generated from municipal
sources, and then include selected examples from industrial sources and/or of hazardous properties with
local relevance. After the training provided by this course, students are expected to be capable of using
different planning tools to manage the reduction of solid waste generation, the reuse and recovery of
waste materials, or the safe and economical disposal strategies.

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3116. Steel structures (6 credits)

This course aims to provide students with knowledge and understanding in behaviour and design of steel
structures. Students will be exposed to plastic analysis, residual stress, slender sections, plate girders,
steel frames, connections and composite structures. Students must have fulfill the pre-requisite
CIVL2107 Theory and Design of Structures II / CIVL2113 Structural design requirement before taking
this course.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2107 Theory and design of structures II or CIVL2113 Structural design

Assessment: 20% continuous assessment, 80% examination

CIVL3118. Theory and design of structures III (6 credits)

The theory part of the course introduces the theory and applications of the matrix method for static and
stability analyses of two-dimensional structures together with the elastic and plastic torsional analyses
of thin-walled sections. The design part of the course introduces the concept and principles of inelastic
design of reinforced concrete structures with emphasis on plastic hinge formation and moment
redistribution. On practical design aspects, ultimate limit state design as per Hong Kong Concrete Code
of special structural members such as two-way slabs, flat slabs, torsion members and slender columns
will be discussed and explained. The course also includes a section of serviceability limit state design
of large civil water-retaining reinforced concrete structures, such as underground box culverts, open
channels, manholes, inspection chambers and water/sewage treatment tanks.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2107 Theory and design of structures II or CIVL2113 Structural design

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3119. Traffic engineering (6 credits)

This course is an introduction to the broad disciplines of traffic engineering and its applications to the
management and control of traffic flows in highways and the planning and design of highway junctions
and interchanges. This course covers the characteristics of traffic flow, mathematical models of traffic
flow, traffic management schemes, traffic surveys, traffic design for safety, and the planning and design
of different types of road junctions, including priority junctions, roundabouts, traffic signal controlled
junctions and grade-separated junctions and interchanges. Hong Kong examples will be used if possible.

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3120. Transportation infrastructure engineering (6 credits)

This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of transportation infrastructure planning, design
implementation and maintenance. Emphasis is placed on demand estimation, capacity assessment,
facility operational requirements, facility location and arrangements, design codes, properties of
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construction materials and their underlying theories. The different stages of project development are
discussed and illustrated by case studies to cover demand forecast, system planning, feasibility studies,
project appraisal, public consultation, preliminary and detailed design, procurement methods and
construction.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2111 Transportation engineering

Assessment: 60% continuous assessment, 40% examination

CIVL3121. Water resources engineering (6 credits)

CIVL3121 is a course that focuses on the concept, theory, design and operation of urban water supply
systems. Emphasis will be placed upon a fundamental understanding of commonly used water collection
and treatment technologies. Major sections of the course cover water cycle, water consumption and
demand, water sources, water collection, storage and transportation, drinking water quality,
conventional surface water treatment unit operations and processes, advanced water treatment
technologies, water stabilisation and corrosion control, urban water distribution and transmission, water
reclamation and total water management.

The course aims to introduce to students the basic concept of water resources engineering and the
knowledge of urban water supply. At the end of this course, students who fulfill the requirement of the
course will be able to present the principles and theories behind the common water collection and
treatment technologies and to conduct conceptual design of freshwater collection systems, common
surface water treatment processes and urban water distribution systems.

Pre-requisite: CIVL1105 Environmental engineering and CIVL2103 Fluid mechanics

Assessment: 20% practical work, 80% examination

CIVL3122. Wind engineering (6 credits)

The course introduces the effects of wind on buildings, structures and the environment, with emphasis
on wind loading of buildings and structures.

The course provides students with the basic scientific knowledge of the engineering description of wind
and the engineering phenomena of wind flow around bluff bodies, buildings, bridges and civil
engineering structures. The basics of flow-structure interaction and wind-induced vibration of structures
are also presented. The course then continues to describe the format and features of a wind loading code
and how the code should be interpreted with the knowledge of wind engineering. The course also
introduces the effects of wind on pedestrian comfort and pollutant dispersion.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2103 Fluid mechanics

Assessment: 15% practical work, 15% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3125. Law for civil engineers (6 credits)

With the changing demands and expectations of civil engineers, law has become an essential part of the
body of knowledge important to the discharge of daily tasks of civil engineers. Whether working for
governments, private developers, consultants, contractors, or sub-contractors, a core competence for the
planning, design, construction and maintenance of projects is the ability to apply principles of laws to
their works. These enable the proper management of projects and the areas of disputes arising thereunder.

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This course aims at introducing the basic principles of laws with particular emphasis on those, which
are relevant to the construction industry.

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3126. Engineering practice in Mainland China (6 credits)

To enable students to gain basic understanding of engineering design and construction practice in
Mainland China. By introducing some commonly used codes of practice, work procedures, quality
control system, engineering requirements, practical design case study, design principles and procedure
of foundation, building structures with and without seismic design requirement and bridges/highway
structures, students will be better equipped to engage in Mainland engineering projects. At the end of
this course, students should be able to understand the work procedure in Mainland China. In design,
students should be capable of carrying out correct design of foundations and buildings as per various
GB Codes and understand the principle of respective design clauses stipulated in the Codes.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2107 Theory and design of structures II or CIVL2113 Structural design

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3127. Professional practice in the built environment (6 credits)

Building construction is one of the major sectors of the construction industry in Hong Kong. Many high-
rise buildings were built in the last three decades, calling for sophisticated designs in building layout,
structure and foundation. At the same time it demands high technique in construction skill and
management. There are government departments ensuring compliance with statutory standards of safety,
health and environment of buildings and building works. Civil engineers would join relevant
government departments, client organizations, consultant and contracting firms playing a key role in
planning, design and construction of buildings. Therefore, the aims of this course are to introduce the
basic knowledge and idea of statutory control on building planning, construction and site supervision.

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3128. Structural dynamics and earthquake engineering (6 credits)

Earthquake disaster is increasingly of global concern as it threatens the world’s population, economy,
and sustainable development. It is the responsibility of civil engineers to design and build earthquake-
resistant structures, in order to minimize the earthquake risk. By reducing losses of lives and properties,
socio-economical sustainability can be achieved.

In this course, students will be introduced to the basic science of earthquakes and its effects on the
natural and built environment.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2107 Theory and design of structures II or CIVL2113 Structural design

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3129. Numerical analysis in geotechnical engineering (6 credits)

Advances in computer technology greatly enhance the application of numerical methods in geotechnical
engineering. The importance of numerical modelling in geotechnical practice has been increased
tremendously over the past decade. In this course, the students will be introduced a proper understanding
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of the subject, covering from fundamentals of the numerical techniques to geotechnical practical
considerations. This course first provides students a basic knowledge of numerical techniques including
the finite difference and finite element method. The second part of the course focuses on practical
considerations required for applying these techniques to geotechnical problems. It will be concluded by
a number of geotechnical applications and case histories.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2106 Soil mechanics

Assessment: 35% continuous assessment, 65% examination

CIVL3130. Structural fire engineering (6 credits)

The major aims of this course are to introduce to the students the concept of fire safety engineering and
design of fire resistant structures. Students will be given opportunities to learn Eurocode for the design
of steel and concrete structures under elevated temperature. At the end of this course, students will be
able to understand the fire development and predict gas temperature of fire compartment and
temperature of structural members in fire condition. With respect to structural design, students will
appreciate the special structural actions that occur under elevated temperature and capable of carrying
out fire resistance design of simple steel and reinforced concrete members.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2107 Theory and design of structures II or CIVL2113 Structural design

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3131. Earth retaining system (6 credits)

Development in urban areas is often limited by the space available, and efficient use of that space
requires building underground or near slopes. Earth retaining systems are the engineering solution to
this problem. This course introduces civil engineering students to different types of earth retaining
systems, and gives them the means of designing earth retaining walls from first principles. An
introduction to unsaturated soils is also given. At the end of the course, the students will have a good
understanding of the forces exerted by the ground on retaining structures, for different cases (e.g.
inclined ground, inclined wall, embedded wall, wall friction/adhesion), the different stabilizing methods
that can be used (e.g. anchors, nails), and be able to use these calculations to design safe retaining walls.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2106 Soil mechanics

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3132. Geotechnical testing, instrumentation and monitoring (6 credits)

Geotechnical testing aims at understanding the behaviour of geomaterials that engineers are dealing with.
A proper instrumentation and monitoring scheme provides crucial information for engineers to judge
the effectiveness and safety of the engineering design and construction. This course first provides
students advanced knowledge on geotechnical testing from both experimental and theoretical
perspectives. Students are required to have hands-on experience on a common geotechnical test – multi-
stage triaxial test. Then both practical and theoretical aspects of geotechnical instrumentation and
monitoring are addressed.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2106 Soil mechanics

Assessment: 15% practical work, 15% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3133. Ground improvement (6 credits)

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Construction is sometimes needed in ground that has poor strength and stiffness qualities. Improving
the ground by reinforcing it or by modifying it can prevent excessive deformations or even failure. This
course introduces civil engineering students to ground improvement by modification or reinforcement.
At the end of the course, the students will have a good understanding of the different techniques used
for ground improvement, and be able to use some of the theory for design.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2106 Soil mechanics

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3134. Environmental geotechnology (6 credits)

Environmental geotechnology can be defined as an interdisciplinary science which covers soil and rock
and their interactions with various environmental cycles, including the atmosphere, biosphere,
hydrosphere, and lithosphere, as well as the geo-microbiosphere, and human activities, which includes
characteristics of tree and vegetation roots and bacterial activities in the subsurface and subsequent
response to the engineering behavior of the soil-water system.

The objective of the course is to provide the students with exposure to the geotechnical nature of
environmental problems through discussions of contaminant transport in porous media and relationship
with remediation technologies for hazardous waste sites and discussions of soil properties relative to
waste containment systems, soil stability, and permeability. At the end of the course, the students who
fulfill the requirements of this course should be able to understand the importance of Geotechnical
Engineering related to environmental issues, to perform preliminary designs of different components of
a municipal landfill, and to select appropriate remediation technologies for a given contaminated site.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2106 Soil mechanics

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3135. Advanced Structural Analysis (6 credits)

The course covers the advanced structural theory, including the theory of elasticity and plasticity,
unsymmetrical bending, torsional analysis of thin-walled sections and yield criteria. Matrix method is
introduced for static and stability analyses of two-dimensional structures.

Pre-requisite: CIVL2112 Structural analysis

Assessment: 30% continuous assessment, 70% examination

CIVL3136 Special Environmental Engineering Project (12 credits)

[For students admitted in the 2013-14 academic year and thereafter]

The primary aim of the project is to give each individual student an opportunity to handle a practical
engineering problem related to environmental engineering and to present the findings in a precise and
concise report. An important part of the project lies in the way in which the students plan and carry out
the task, and apply their knowledge sensibly and diligently to solve the problem. The way in which the
students present their findings is equally important.

Assessment: 100% continuous assessment

CIVL3137 Special Geotechnical Engineering Project (12 credits)

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[For students admitted in the 2013-14 academic year and thereafter]

The primary aim of the project is to give each individual student an opportunity to handle a practical
engineering problem related to geotechnical engineering and to present the findings in a precise and
concise report. An important part of the project lies in the way in which the students plan and carry out
the task, and apply their knowledge sensibly and diligently to solve the problem. The way in which the
students present their findings is equally important.

Assessment: 100% continuous assessment

Minor in Environmental Engineering

(not eligible for BEng(CivE) students)

Candidates are required to complete a total of 48 credits of courses comprising:

(a) Introductory Courses (18 credits)

Course Code Course No. of credits

ENGG1201 Engineering for sustainable development* 6
CIVL1105 Environmental engineering 6
CIVL2103 Fluid mechanics OR 6
CIME2101 Water and air quality: concepts and measurement 6
Total for Introductory Discipline Core Courses 18

* Students opting for the Minor cannot use the course ENGG1201 Engineering for sustainable
development as satisfying the requirements of the General Engineering Course.

(b) Discipline Elective Courses (30 credits)

Students must complete 30 credits of discipline elective courses to be chosen from the following
list:

Course Code Course No. of credits

CIME2101 Water and air quality: concepts and measurement 6
CIVL2111 Transportation engineering 6
CIVL2104 Hydraulics and hydrology 6
CIVL3106 Engineering hydraulics 6
CIVL3107 Environmental impact assessment of civil engineering projects 6
CIVL3111 Wastewater treatment 6
CIVL3115 Solid and hazardous waste management 6
CIVL3121 Water resources engineering 6
CIVL3122 Wind engineering 6
CIVL3134 Environmental geotechnology 6
MECH3420 Air pollution control 6
CIVL3136 Special environmental engineering project 12
Total for Discipline Elective Courses 30

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

For course descriptions, please refer to the syllabuses of the Civil Engineering and Mechanical
Engineering programme.

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Minor in Geotechnical Engineering
(not eligible for BEng(CivE) students)

Candidates are required to complete a total of 48 credits of courses comprising:

(a) Introductory courses (18 credits)

Course Code Course No. of credits

MATH1851 Calculus and ordinary differential equations 6
MATH1853 Linear algebra, probability & statistics 6
CIVL2106 Soil mechanics 6
Total for Introductory Discipline Core Courses 18

(b) Discipline Elective Courses (30 credits)

Students must complete 30 credits of discipline elective courses to be chosen from the following
list:

Course Code Course No. of credits

CIVL2102 Engineering geology and rock mechanics 6
CIVL3108 Foundation engineering 6
CIVL3114 Slope engineering 6
CIVL3129 Numerical analysis in geotechnical engineering 6
CIVL3131 Earth retaining system 6
CIVL3132 Geotechnical testing, instrumentation and monitoring 6
CIVL3133 Ground improvement 6
CIVL3134 Environmental geotechnology 6
CIVL3137 Special geotechnical engineering project 12
Total for Discipline Elective Courses 30

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

For course descriptions, please refer to the syllabuses of the Civil Engineering programme.

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