BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF AIM AND CONTENTS
The course aims to provide the basics of construction technology as applied to Engineering practice. It covers construction materials, building construction techniques, plant and equipment used for some building works such as Site clearance, sitting and setting out of buildings; site selection; factors for various types of topology. Excavation of trenches and foundation construction
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to demonstrate Knowledge and Understanding of:
1.1 Construction materials and their application
1.2 Different techniques used in construction industry
1.3 Understand the application of some plants and equipment in building construction
1.4 Functioning and construction of simple foundations.
Cognitive/Intellectual skills/Application of Knowledge
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to:
2.1 Tentatively evaluate simple building work that has been carried out by other professionals.
2.2 Circumstantially select suitable construction methods, emerging building materials and techniques, and also appropriate technologies in construction.
2.3 Identify suitable construction materials and equipment for a selected safe site and building function.
Communication/ICT/Numeracy/Analytic Techniques/Practical Skills
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to:
3.1 Elaborate building elements and components details applicable to the building construction.
3.2 Supervise simple construction works.
General transferable skills
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to:
4.1 Undertake self-learning in construction technology
4.2 Produce simple reports
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Consideration of construction materials markets in Rwanda; general introduction to basic building construction techniques, materials and plant and equipment used for following building works: Site clearance, siting and setting out of buildings; site selection; factors for various types of topology. Excavation of foundations trenches disposal of excavated materials and timbering for excavations. Simple foundations including concrete strip footings, blinding, foundation walls and hardcore fillings. Floor construction, walls and simple roofs and consideration of design of rainwater goods - including the design criteria for each. Studio exercises for various elements covered in this unit.
LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY
The course is delivered mainly through lectures backed up by tutorial sessions and site visits.
The lectures include interactive elements whereby students in groups apply principles to simple problems to ensure their involvement and so gain understanding. Hand-outs are used so that students can concentrate on the material of the lectures, but with gaps where students either have to fill in or make separate notes.
Problem sheets are given out to students and after time, the problems are discussed in class. Some of the problems will be handed in and then marked by peers to give formative feedback to fellow students.
The site visits and assignments will require the students to undertake some investigation on their own and to develop ideas and apply them. They will also produce a report for each.
The course aims at providing the students with the basic knowledge on environmental science, effects of construction on the environment including extraction and processing of raw materials for building e.g. deforestation, quarrying, pollution; effects of constructed facilities on the environment; environmental mitigation; management of construction and household waste including recycling; introduction to environmental impact assessments and statements, environmental audits.. Environmental economics, environmental management and conservation are discussed. Environmental laws and their application in construction are also illustrated.
This course aims to provide the students with knowledge about types, properties, sources, behaviour, application and manufacture of various materials used in the building process. General properties and characteristics of gypsum, cement, concrete, bricks/blocks, timber and metals are discussed. Sources of materials and their production in Rwanda and the region are discussed.
The course of Strength of Materials aims at providing students with knowledge on elementary strength of materials:
structural sections, Simple bending theory, areas. First and second moments of areas: Stress and
Strain, Elasticity and Plasticity, Hooke’s law;Forces and beams,shear forces and bending moments in beams and determination of forces in truss structures.