Units / CIV4280
CIV4280 · Bridge design and assessment
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 4Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
Essential aspects of highway bridge design, assessment and rehabilitation. Criteria for selection of bridge types, which are most prevalent. Examine structure as a whole, and implement the analysis and design of the bridge deck and the supporting members. Relevant strength and serviceability limit states applied to the design of the bridge, life-cycle performance and risk assessment, material degradation, corrosion, fatigue and time-dependent deformations of reinforced and prestressed concrete elements of the bridge, structural rehabilitation and repair techniques.
Areas of study: E3001 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Specialisation: Civil engineering
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | First semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
| Clayton | First semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
Assessment
The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Project | Project | 30% | Threshold |
| 2 | Practice classess | Quiz / Test | 15% | Threshold |
| 3 | Quizzes | Quiz / Test | 5% | Threshold |
| 4 | Final assessment | Examination | 50% | Threshold |
Continuous assessment: 50% Final assessment: 50% This unit contains threshold hurdle requirements that you must achieve to be able to pass the unit. You are required to achieve at least 45% in the total continuous assessment component and at least 45% in the final assessment component. The consequence of not achieving a hurdle requirement is a fail grade (NH) and a maximum mark of 45 for the unit.
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
prohibitions
- CIV5170 — Bridge design and assessment
Learning outcomes
- Formulate a conceptual design for a bridge considering various types of bridges, their components, and methods of construction.
- Identify and calculate the loads to which a bridge is subjected, according to first principles and relevant codes of practice.
- Determine the structural behaviour various bridge types quantitatively and qualitatively using relevant hand- and computer-based methods.
- Design prestressed concrete beams for service and strength requirements.
- Describe the reliability basis for limit state design and its use in bridge assessment, including descriptions of the basic variables.
- Discuss bridge inspection and management procedures, including levels of assessment and condition rating approaches.
- Work effectively in a bridge design team and communicate engineering designs.
Workload
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Workshops | 24 hours |
| Practical activities | 24 hours |
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