CONCRETE BUILDING DESIGN - 2025/6

Module Overview

Reinforced concrete design is taught to different levels and to different codes in Universities worldwide and those entering the MSc at the University of Surrey have a variety of backgrounds.  The course is based on the Eurocodes and includes the role of the designer in building construction, health and safety and sustainability issues, and challenges students to develop conceptual ideas on a design rather than just delivering a design from a drawing.  The module includes the design of simple elements such as beams, slabs, flat slab including punching shear, slender and short column design and shear wall design.

This module is for students with knowledge of structural analysis at final year BEng level..

Module provider

Sustainability, Civil & Env Engineering

Module Leader

SAGASETA Juan (Sust & CEE)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

• Code requirements for fire safety, robustness, stability and durability.


• Structural forms and layout of low and high-rise reinforced concrete buildings.


• Braced and un-braced frames.  Analysis of shear walls.


• Load combinations and load patterns.  Moment distribution and re-distribution.


• Design for Flexure, shear, deflection and crack control in beams and slabs.


• Design of flat slabs including for punching shear.


• Design of short and slender columns.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate a variety of aspects of reinforced concrete design although not all elements may be included every year.  In particular conceptual design, building stability, health & safety aspects and element design are included. Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Design Report  [LOs assessed 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]; estimated working hours 38; work carried out in groups or individual towards providing a creative concrete building solution.


• Examination examination  [LOs assessed 1, 3, 4, 5]

Module aims

• Develop conceptual design of reinforced concrete buildings.
• Enhance student understanding of the health and safety aspects associated with the design and construction of reinforced concrete structures.
• Provide students with the ability to use the methods of analysis and design of reinforced concrete building elements in accordance with BS EN 1992 and associated European codes.
• Provide an understanding of the overall stability requirements of reinforced concrete buildings in accordance with Eurocodes.
• Provide an understanding of the serviceability requirements of Concrete buildings to improve durability and sustainability aspects.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

This module offers learning and teaching activities which are presented on a weekly basis. These activities include video captured content for the main theoretical part which is supported by guided learning material and live tutorial sessions to go through practical examples and questions raised by students during the week.

The learning content of this module goes beyond basic reinforced concrete design covered up to FHEQ Level 6, focusing on conceptual design aspects and wholistic approach to procurement of concrete buildings. A broad set of home exercises are proposed on a weekly basis to support learning with opportunities to raise areas of interest related to design and analysis, also in relation with other structural engineering modules at Level 7.

The learning and teaching strategies include:

30 hours lectures, 12 hours tutorial/question classes/self-assessment questions, 108 hours independent learning.

Total student learning time 150 hours.

 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENGM041

Other information

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas:

Employability: The module covers conceptual design as well as the application of design codes (Eurocodes) towards producing efficient concrete building designs which are widely used in infrastructure. These practical design skills are core in the profession. Some of the assessment in this module mimics examination for chartership used by some structural engineering professional bodies.

Resourcefulness & resilience: In this module, students are faced with challenging open-ended design questions in which informed decisions and agile thinking is required. The design process can be strengthened by using different resources from other disciplines and students are encouraged to link their work to their individual experience and strengths.

Sustainability: Current philosophy in Concrete Building Design includes sustainability considerations in terms of environmental, economic and social aspects of the design solution as well as the life cycle of the building as an asset. This general goal is achieved looking at the Building Scheme level rather than the material level only. Students are encouraged to reflect and improve their designs considering this general design philosophy. Health and safety practice and regulations are also included as part of considerations of the design and implications in construction, operation and maintenance.

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.