Units / CIV5148
CIV5148 · Ground hazards engineering
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 5Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
Geotechnical engineering concepts applied to solve or minimise geo-hazard problems specific to waste containment facilities, contaminated sites and redevelopment and construction on marginal land. The unit focuses on geotechnical aspects of ground improvement, as well as in the analysis, design and construction involving projects located on marginal land. Learning through failure cases to highlight potential pitfalls of the discipline is an important component in this unit.
Areas of study: E6014 Master of Engineering - Specialisation: Civil engineering
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Clayton | First semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
Assessment
The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dynamic compaction | Project | 25% | — |
| 2 | Ground improvement-reinforcement | Project | 15% | — |
| 3 | Failure case study | Project | 35% | — |
| 4 | Research paper | Project | 25% | — |
Continuous assessment: 100 % The assessments of this unit are designed to demonstrate the achievement of the advanced learning outcomes and standards expected of Master’s level coursework.
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
prohibitions
- CIV4248 — Ground hazards engineering
Learning outcomes
- Draw on analytical procedures to determine stability.
- Reflect on the importance of ethics and legal matters for geotechnical and geoenvironmental projects.
- Prioritise the minimisation of the likelihood of failures.
- Draw on the concept of ground improvement.
- Design ground improvements using sound analytical methods.
- Communicate professional decisions to specialist and/or non-specialist audiences.
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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