EGB123 Civil Engineering Systems

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

Civil engineers undertake site investigations and project assessments as part of infrastructure planning and management activities that meet stakeholders' needs. This 1st year unit introduces you to knowledge and skills bases that are used in these activities. You will learn road network planning, design and management bridges and bridge approaches design and construction, public utility plant management, engineering governance, and transport facility design and development. You will continue to learn about ethics, cultural awareness, and sustainable development practices and how they underpin professional work. With embedded support for learning you will further develop your professional skills in communication and engineering teamwork. This introductory unit draws upon your learning in EGB101 Engineering Design and Professional Practice and integrates your learning with EGB124 Engineering for the Environment. All units in your Civil Engineering major will build upon this unit.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Examine the civil engineering system in a local area with respect to its technical and societal attributes at an introduced level.
2. Perform a civil engineering major projects assessment using engineering information at an introduced level.
3. Contribute to a civil engineering assessment, as a team member and as a team leader with pre-assigned tasks, at an introduced level.
4. Compose a technical report of a civil engineering project that adheres to a template and includes design calculations and design drawings at an introduced level.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you can expect to experience the following timetabled activities:

• Formal lectures (2 h per week) from experienced professional civil engineers to give you insight into knowledge, skills, and attribute that will assist you in completing your assessments. Emphasis will be given to sustainability in civil engineering systems. You have the opportunity to ask questions during these lectures.
• Tutorial classes (2 h per week) that will give you the opportunity to work collaboratively with your peers to work on your assessments. Emphasis will be given to using industry relevant digital practices and technologies in exploring civil engineering systems. Tutorials will be facilitated by tutors and will provide an opportunity to test your understanding and gain feedback on your work.

These activities will be detailed by week of semester on the unit schedule. You can also expect to be provided with learning resources including video presentations and readings on a unit Canvas site, which you can access flexibly to complete your learning in this unit.

At the beginning of the unit, you will be made aware of the ways in which you can ask questions or seek clarification from the unit coordinator, lecturers and tutors.

You are expected to:

• Engage with timetabled learning activities on campus and ask questions.
• Engage with online resources outside of timetabled learning activities. They will be available on the unit Canvas site. You will receive regular email announcements regarding the release of these resources.
• Work in a group to complete a civil engineering study area investigation and also a civil engineering major projects assessment. While there will be time during timetabled tutorial classes, you will also need to undertake independent work outside of this time to complete assessment tasks, including for areas of individual responsibility.
• Prepare for learning activities according to the unit schedule, and follow up on any work not completed.
• Complete assessment tasks by working consistently throughout the semester and meeting the due dates that are published via the unit Canvas site.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

During tutorial classes, you will share your formative ideas for your civil engineering study area and investigation and your civil engineering major project assessment and you will receive feedback from your tutor. You are encouraged to view your group and the broader class as a learning community and to share and discuss emergent ideas in the civil engineering systems analysis process and your understandings of civil engineering professional practice, including use of relevant technologies and approaches towards sustainability. Each assessment submission will be graded against criteria and standards that will be shared with you at the beginning of semester through Assessment Task Descriptions and Marking Rubrics. Marked assessment will also include written feedback given by the markers against the criteria, which will directly relate to and inform your final assessment.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit has been designed to give you the opportunity to show your learning against the unit learning outcomes. During the semester you will work in a group to prepare and submit two assessments related to civil engineering systems analysis during the semester, deploying work practices that align to civil engineering professional practice (including sustainability and industry relevant digital practices and technologies). You will be expected to work together with your group, as a leader and as a group member, and independently to make individual contributions to the assessments. You will sit an examination individually during the central examination period at the end of semester, where you will show your overall learning in the unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Study Area Investigation

You will work in an effective group, as a leader and as a group member, with tasks preassigned to each member, to investigate the diverse functions of real world civil engineering systems within an urban study area. Your group will communicate your findings in a written engineering technical report with appendices that adheres to a template. As an individual you will submit an individual contribution statement that details and reflects on your own contribution, responsibilities and group interactions during this assessment.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Major Projects Assessment

You will work in an effective group, as a leader and as a group member, to prepare a major projects assessment that analyses prescribed technical aspects of a real world major civil engineering projects using engineering information. Your group will communicate your findings in a written engineering technical report with appendices that adheres to a guideline. As an individual you will submit an individual contribution statement that details and reflects on your own contribution, responsibilities and group interactions during this assessment.

Your group report will show evidence of your collaboration and each of your individual contributions.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: End of Semester Examination

You will be required to analyse aspects of civil engineering systems including road network planning and design, design and construction of bridges, design and construction of bridge approaches, urban Public Utility Plant systems, civil engineering systems governance, and civil engineering major projects assessment. , and roadway design. You will be presented with descriptions of the civil engineering systems and will need to diagnose the problem type, make use of appropriate theory or methods, demonstrate systems knowledge, show your working, and communicate a complete answer in writing and graphically.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Reference book(s)

Dandy G. et al 2018. Planning and Design of Engineering Systems. 3rd Ed. Taylor & Francis, Oxon. (online via QUT portal)

Kittelson & Associates et al. (2013). Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual, 3rd Edition. National Academies, Washington.

Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads – TransLink Division. (2020). Public Transport Infrastructure Manual. Brisbane.

Software

Brisbane City Council n.d., Community Maps.

Nearmap n.d., Nearmap

Risk Assessment Statement

You will undertake lectures and tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres of QUT. You will follow all legitimate instructions of staff in accordance with QUT workplace health and safety requirements.

Risks may be associated with visiting study areas and/or project sites. You are required to have completed a valid Workplace Health and Safety course. You shall not enter project sites without the Unit Coordinator's approval. You shall not to contact members of the public, public officers or staff associated with any project without permission of the Unit Coordinator. More detailed information will be provided in your Week 1 information class..

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer

1: Knowledge and Skill Base

1. 
   Relates to: End of Semester Examination
2. 
   Relates to: Major Projects Assessment
3. 
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, End of Semester Examination
4. 
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, End of Semester Examination

2: Engineering Application Ability

1. 
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, Major Projects Assessment, End of Semester Examination
2. 
   Relates to: Major Projects Assessment, End of Semester Examination
3. 
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, Major Projects Assessment

3: Professional and Personal Attributes

1. 
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, End of Semester Examination
2. 
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, Major Projects Assessment
3. 
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, Major Projects Assessment

Course Learning Outcomes

EN01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Make decisions ethically within the social, cultural, and organisational contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, End of Semester Examination
2. Engage stakeholders professionally and communicate the outcomes of your work effectively to expert and non-expert audiences using appropriate modes.
   Relates to: ULO4, Study Area Investigation, Major Projects Assessment
3. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO3, Study Area Investigation
4. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: Major Projects Assessment
5. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, End of Semester Examination
6. Engage with and apply regulatory requirements relating to safety, risk management, and sustainability in professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO1
7. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Major Projects Assessment, End of Semester Examination
8. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of one engineering discipline, its research directions, and its application in contemporary professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, Major Projects Assessment, End of Semester Examination

EV01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Make decisions ethically within the social, cultural, and organisational contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, End of Semester Examination
2. Engage stakeholders professionally and communicate the outcomes of your work effectively to expert and non-expert audiences using appropriate modes.
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, Major Projects Assessment
3. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation
4. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: Major Projects Assessment
5. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Study Area Investigation, End of Semester Examination
6. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Major Projects Assessment, End of Semester Examination
7. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of one engineering discipline, its research directions, and its application in contemporary professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Major Projects Assessment, End of Semester Examination