Civil Engineering with Foundation Year

Information technologies and the use of software is increasingly being used in engineering design. In this module you will be introduced to some of the elements of information technologies and advanced manufacturing technologies which will be meanwhile provide you with the necessary skills to use in learning and research including academic reading, writing reports and presentations.

You’ll be introduced to the basic concept of mechanics. You’ll learn about the principle of stress and strain, solve problems in statistics and build knowledge for problems associated with simple beams. 

Studied in both trimester one and trimester two, these modules will provide an introduction to mathematics and its application to engineering. Module content is designed to help you understand and apply mathematics in engineering. Topics include algebra, trigonometry, functions, geometry, vectors, complex numbers and calculus.

Module content will introduce the concepts of power and energy within the context of engineering systems and conservation. You’ll learn the fundamental laws of thermodynamics and the technologies which can generate energy and power for domestic and commercial consumption.

Module content will provide you with an understanding of the basic units used in engineering and their practical significance.  You’ll learn to apply engineering analysis to design experiments and develop skills in producing technical reports.  You’ll also build a range of engineering measurement and computational analysis skills.

An understanding and ability to use mathematics are essential skills for success in engineering. This module will review and expand on the following subjects: algebra, trigonometry, functions, geometry, vectors, complex numbers and calculus, with emphasis on their applications to engineering.

Civil engineering employs the use of a wide range of materials, in this module you will develop your understanding of those materials and study their fundamental behaviour. Subjects include construction materials, geology, soil mechanics and laboratory testing.

You will further develop your ability to analyse statically indeterminate structures and design complex structures. Subjects include moment distribution with sway, plastic section properties, Hillerborg strip methods, and design of timber structures including glulam timber members.

As a successful civil engineer it is important to have a wide range of well developed communications skills allowing you to communicate effectively not only with other engineers but also clients, contractors and labourers. This module will develop your drawing, written reports and presentation skills.

You will develop your understanding and ability to undertake a range of civil engineering surveying tasks, such as setting out, land surveying and quantity surveying. The main subject areas are land surveying techniques, setting out techniques, modern surveying techniques and quantity surveying. You will cover subjects and learn techniques such as setting up a level, theodolite and total station, construction lasers, GPS, EDM, co-ordinates, bearings and contract pricing.

There are a broad spectrum of elements involved with civil engineering construction. This module will develop your understanding of those elements from effective engineering construction techniques to contract law. Subjects include site safety, sustainability, resource efficiency, consulting engineers and contractors, client's requirement and financial planning and control.

This module will build on the engineering mathematics module in year one and develop more advanced knowledge and skills in mathematical analysis, to enable you to tackle more advanced engineering problems. Subjects covered include partial differentiation, determinants and matrices, vector analysis, Laplace transforms and functions of a complex variable.

All structures are dependent on the ground they're built on, in this module you will be introduced to the principles of soil mechanics including the general behaviour of different soil types under loading and unloading conditions and how this behaviour may be predicted. Subjects include geotechnical investigation, soil strength and transient groundwater flow.

The module builds on your structural analysis knowledge from year 1 and develops it to consider simple statically determinate structures. On the design side Reinforced concrete structures are considered in detail. The design of slabs, beams, columns and foundations are looked at. Overall stability of RC structures is also described.

Project planning and execution are a vital part of the role of a civil engineer. In this module you practice these skills, culminating in a residential field course which will see you working in a team to construct structures from bridges to oil rigs.

Our highways are crucial to our lives, whether that be economic or recreational. In this module you will learn the principles which underlie current UK practice in highway design and construction and analysis, including the application of statistical techniques to transport engineering problems.

You will develop an understanding of civil engineering hydraulics concentrating on flow in pipelines. The subjects covered include fluid properties, hydrostatics, fluid dynamics, flow in pipes, Reynolds experiments, pipe systems and networks, and water distribution systems.

You will learn to develop approaches to the design and analysis of soil slopes and foundations. The subjects include stability of embankments, stability of earth dams, stability of shallow foundations on fine and coarse grained soils, design based on in situ tests and stability of deep foundations in fine and coarse grained soils.

You will develop your understanding of sediment transport, wave theory, pressure transients in closed systems and hydrological science. The subjects covered include surface water hydrology, open channel flow, steady non-uniform flow, hydraulic structures, water waves, and hydraulic models.

You will further develop your ability to analyse statically indeterminate structures and design complex structures. Subjects include moment distribution with sway, plastic section properties, Hillerborg strip methods, and design of timber structures including glulam timber members.

You will develop the ability to identify and deal with environmental issues relating to civil engineering, through a series of case studies. The subjects include environmental risks associated with ground engineering and water resources, transport and the environment, landscape, heritage, and biodiversity impacts, and engineering solutions.

This module will introduce stiffness and finite element analysis as applied to civil engineering structures, and the fundamentals of seismic analysis and the effects of earthquake activity on the design of ground slopes, earth dams, foundations and structures.

One of the most important parts of your preparation for your future career, whether in industry or research, is the undertaking of an individual project. Projects are based on particular civil engineering themes of industrial relevance.