Course level

Undergraduate

Faculty

Engineering, Architecture & Information Technology

School

Civil Engineering School

Units

2

Duration

One Semester

Attendance mode

In Person

Class hours

Lecture 2 Hours/ Week
Tutorial 2 Hours/ Week

Incompatible

CIVL7225

Prerequisite

MATH1051 and MATH1052 and CIVL2210 and CIVL3210

Assessment methods

Examination, assignments, laboratory report

Course enquiries

Professor Alexander Scheuermann (Semester 2, St Lucia, In person)

Current course offerings

Course offerings Location Mode Course Profile
Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025) St Lucia In Person Profile unavailable

Please Note: Course profiles marked as not available may still be in development.

Course description

Dams are important civil engineering structures that require geotechnical design, construction and maintenance to satisfy stability and sustainability. Worldwide dam construction activities have accelerated and more dams are in planning for the coming decades. Dams are an important measure to provide solutions to two big societal challenges worldwide, namely water supply and energy. Moreover, with the increasing likelihood of extreme weather events due to climate change, dams are playing a crucial role by acting as flood protection structures and providing drought storage. It is the responsibility of experienced geotechnical engineers to ensure that the design of the dam is able to withstand the hydraulic and mechanical loadings to be expected during the lifetime of the structure. This requires taking into account the conditions influenced by the geology of the site, the hydrology of the catchment, the meteorology of the region and all other influences affecting the safety of the dam to ensure the sustainable construction of the dam. The course introduces the fundamental concepts and methods for designing dams for various purposes ensuring the hydraulic and mechanical safety of the structure.

Archived offerings

Course offerings Location Mode Course Profile
Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024) St Lucia In Person Course Profile
Semester 2, 2023 (24/07/2023 - 18/11/2023) St Lucia In Person Course Profile