MABY4800 Advanced Materials and Technologies for Sustainable Structures Course description

This course will focus on advanced materials and their key strength and durability properties, as well as their future outlook for improving the sustainability and resilience of structures. Lessons developed for this course will cover a wide range of high-performance steel and concrete construction materials developed for buildings and bridges. Further to detailed discussions on the performance and pros/cons of such materials, this course will deliver in-depth knowledge of their main physical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties.

While the traditional curricula primarily cover only conventional concrete and steel materials for building and bridge applications, the current course provides a state-of-the-art knowledge of the advanced concrete and steel materials, including high-strength concrete, ultra-high-performance concrete, and fiber-reinforced concrete, as well as high-strength and corrosion-resistant steel. By completing this course, the students will be inspired to consider innovative applications of high-performance concrete and steel materials in their future research investigations and/or industry endeavors.

All aids are permitted for the project paper, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

No aids are allowed during the oral presentation.

No formal 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 state-of-the-art knowledge of the application of different types of advanced concrete and steel materials such as high-performance concrete and steel
• has in-depth knowledge to select the optimal material in a construction  
• has knowledge to design structures with innovative material
• has in-depth knowledge of physical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of innovative concrete and steel materials
• has knowledge about the effect of application of innovative materials on the life cycle of structures
• has knowledge about the environmental impact of using innovative materials.

Skills:

The student

• is capable of conducting experimental tests on standard specimens using different types of innovative concrete
• is capable of conducting experimental tests on standard specimens using different types of innovative steel
• can assess the needs and propose the optimum innovative materials for certain design cases
• can describe the difference between conventional and innovative steel and concrete in different context
• can carry out the basics of life cycle analysis.

General Competence:

The student is able to:

• design structures with innovative materials.
• reduce the environmental impact of constructional materials
• assess the need for the application of advanced steel and concrete
• using scoping review of scientific articles/reports to gain an overview of the latest developments in advanced steel and concrete
• characterize the properties of high-performance concrete and steel materials.

All organisations need a strategy. In different ways, all organisations compete for resources in the trade-off with the environment it operates in. Understanding value creation and survival through insight in the field of strategy is a key aspect of the course. This course in strategy formation will help to impart insight into the three dimensions of the strategy discipline: process, content and context. The course is particularly useful for students who want to work on strategy formation in staff functions, in management consulting or as a middle manager in future. Recent research and current articles will play a key role in the course.

None

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• insight and specialist insight into strategy, process and content that is fundamental to understanding how a strategy is developed
• knowledge and understanding of why an organisations competitive arena is important for understanding the environment within which a strategy is developed
• developed his/her ability to reflect in order to understand strategies at different levels
• up-to-date knowledge of the forefront of research and different strategic dilemmas in the area of strategy
• theoretical knowledge of what makes some organisations more able than others to resist pressure from competitors over time

Skills

The student is capable of

• analysing complex and comprehensive strategic issues
• applying methods for developing competitive advantages in organisations

General competence

The candidate has

• insight into relevant subjects and professional ethical issues
• can plan and execute varied work tasks and projects in accordance with ethical requirements and guidelines
• can communicate key subject matter such as theories and problems and solutions both in writing and orally
• can exchange views and experiences with others with background in the subject area and through this contribute to the development of good practice
• be familiar with innovative thinking and innovation processes

The course is taught in weekly sessions with assignments for submission, various forms of case discussions, including discussion of dilemmas relating to defining an organisation's goals and how this takes place in relation to different groups of stakeholders, presentations and participation in lessons.

Graded scale: A-F

Two internal examiners. External sensor is used regularly.

The exam in the course consists of two parts: a project assignment and an oral presentation.

1) Students must write a project paper with a scope of 20 pages, excluding appendices. The project assignment must deal with theories and issues from the course. Font and font size: Arial / Calibri 12 points. Line spacing: 1.5

The assignment counts for 60% of the grade in the course, and can be written individually or in groups of a maximum of three students.

2) Oral presentation of a maximum of 25 minutes.

The oral presentation count for 40% of the grade in the course.

All parts of the exam must be passed in order to pass the course. If one of the exam parts is assessed as not passed, the part that is not passed can be taken again.