In Progress
Please note that this Unit Profile is still in progress. The content below is subject to change.Overview
Geotechnical Engineering Design will enable you to develop and apply your knowledge of Australian Standards and/or relevant guidelines to analyse and design advanced geotechnical engineering structures involving a broad range of investigations. You will learn to use computer software to analyse and design the geotechnical components; conduct site investigations; test and characterise geotechnical materials, design foundations, and earth retaining structures; and make assessments of geotechnical stability. Considering stakeholders and sustainability requirements, you will formulate, plan, manage, and complete projects individually and in teams in an ethical and professional manner by. You will also document and communicate engineering information using appropriate language for a professional engineer.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE Teacher Evaluation Report
Students found the unit challenging but appreciated the coordinator's teaching style, which included the use of tutorial questions, practical examples, and real-world applications to simplify complex concepts and improve understanding. This approach greatly enhanced their confidence and grasp of the subject matter.
Practical examples and tutorial questions should be maintained and further enhanced to simplify complex concepts. Consider incorporating more real-world case studies and interactive problem-solving sessions, which should continue to build student confidence and understanding.
Feedback from SUTE Teacher Evaluation Report
Students suggested incorporating more practical laboratory work alongside software-based analysis to enrich the learning experience. They also recommended adding site visits to geotechnical facilities or related industries to provide hands-on, real-world exposure.
Practical laboratory sessions should be incorporated to complement software-based analysis and provide a balanced learning approach. Site visits should be organised to geotechnical facilities or related industries to offer students hands-on, real-world exposure and reinforce theoretical knowledge upon availability.
Feedback from SUTE Teacher Evaluation Report
The unit is well-received for its clarity and relevance, with a focus on enhancing its practical aspects through additional hands-on learning opportunities.
Delivering clear and relevant content while expanding hands-on learning opportunities should continue. Enhancing practical engagement by integrating more lab activities, fieldwork, or industry collaborations should strengthen real-world application and student learning outcomes.
- Identify and apply site investigation and geotechnical testing techniques to characterise sites and geotechnical materials based on Australian Standards
- Evaluate group piles, pad foundations and earth retaining structures and assess stability of slopes
- Plan, manage and complete projects individually or in teams in an ethical and professional manner considering stakeholder requirements and principals of sustainable development
- Use appropriate software to analyse geotechnical components
- Demonstrate a professional level of communication and leadership.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 3 - In-class Test(s) - 40% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||||
| 2 - Communication | |||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
| 4 - Research | |||||
| 5 - Self-management | |||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
| 7 - Leadership | |||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||