MABY5010 Specialization in Structural Engineering and Building Technology Course description

The goal of the course is to give students further specialization either within the field of structural engineering or building technology, and a more comprehensive understanding of what the design of complex structures and/or buildings involves. Through interdisciplinary seminars, with contribution from invited researchers and experts from the consulting industry, the students will be presented a wide range of topical issues relating to various aspects of structural engineering and building technology, such as the analysis and design of large structures, e.g. bridges, offshore installations, high-rise buildings, the engineering building physics phenomena in structures and building constructions, insights into new building construction materials etc. The students will prepare individual reflection notes for each of the seminars they will attend and furthermore, they will work on a project assignment (individual or in group of two) related to one specific topic presented during the seminars, either within the structural engineering or the building technology field. The project assignment is included to give the students both deeper theoretical knowledge within a specific field as well as experience of applying this knowledge to real-world complex issues in structures or buildings. The project assignment shall be based on a real building and construction project or be part of a more extensive research and development project, and the project report shall take a scholarly, reflective approach to the problem. As the project assignment will be linked to one structural engineering or building technology problem, it will be determining for the specialization of the students within the corresponding field. It is expected that the project assignment will function as the first part of the master thesis, which will follow in the nest semester (MABY5900). In particular, the students are expected to conduct a literature review of the existing studies with the specific scientific problem they have chosen to analyse, highlight the scientific gar they have identified, justify accordingly the importance of their own contribution and eventually provide and initial presentation of the scientific and technical methods they will work with during the master thesis.

MABY4100 Finite Element Method in Structural Analysis

MABY4200 Building Physics and Climate Adaptation of Buildings

MABY4500 Durability and Service Life of Structures

or courses providing equivalent learning outcomes.

No admission requirements.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The student

• has advanced theoretical knowledge of structural engineering or building technology scientific and technical problems.
• specialized insight into how to apply the theoretical knowledge in practice onto a real design of a structure or building.
• is capable of analyzing a specific topic within structural engineering or building technology by using scientific work methods.
• has developed a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of the structures and buildings.

Skills:

The student is capable of

• employing the relevant theoretical background and knowledge and applying the relevant methods to solve real, complex structural engineering or building technology problems.
• using his/her knowledge to assess and develop more sustainable design solutions.
• using analysis tools and methods, and carrying out literature searches to collect, process and present relevant information.

General competence:

The student is capable of:

• working in teams and communicating his/her own work.
• organizing and summarizing technical and scientific information provided by an organization or company.
• carrying out a project assignment, including a report and presentation.
• preparing a project plan with milestones.

The teaching will consist of seminars with invited lecturers, discussions and presentations. The students will be given individual assignments relating to the topics of the seminars (reflection notes) and a bigger  project assignment.

The students must have attended at least 80% of the seminars and have individual reflection notes approved (approx. 4-5 pages per note) linked to the seminars they have attended. Students who fail to meet the coursework requirements can be given up to one opportunity to resubmit reflection notes before the exam.

Project report prepared individually or in a group of 1-2 students, approx. 20-30 pages, with oral presentation. Detailed guidelines for the project assignment will be published in Canvas.

The overall assessment cannot be appealed. Formal errors can be appealed. If a student fails the project assessment, he/she is given one opportunity to resubmit the project.

All aids are permitted.

Pass/fail.

Two internal examiners. External examiners are used regularly.

Mahdi Kioumarsi