ENGINEERING TRIPOS PART IIA and IIB – 2012/2013

Module 4D16 - Construction and management (not running 2011/12)

Leader:	Dr A Al-Tabbaa (aa22@eng)with visiting Professor Ian Liddell (wil20@eng)
Timing:	Michaelemas Term
Prerequisites:	None
Structure:	12 lectures + 2 discussion seminars + coursework (note: available to 3rd year students as a Shared Module in Part IIA)
Assessment:	Material / Format / Timing / Marks Lecture Syllabus / Written exam (1.5 hours) / Start of Easter Term / 75 % Coursework / Essay Report / by 7th December / 25 %

Further information to follow

AIMS

The aim of this course is to outline to students how construction is projected, designed, procured and organised; and then to cover legal, safety and health matters relevant to construction, as well as risk management generally, so far as is possible in time allocated. The course will concentrate on construction in Britain, mainly considering large-scale civil engineering and building projects, but will also touch occasionally upon consruction abroad and smaller scale projects. Extensive use will be made of lecturers from industry and of case studies of particular construction projects.

SYLLABUS

It is expected that the lectures will be given in back-to-back pairs, during the same afternoon each week (on Mondays 12-1 and 2-3) to facilitate involvment of external speakers. There will be a short break between the two lectures of each pair. In most cases there will be two lectures in a pair on the same theme. The six themes currently proposed are set out below. The integrated design activities theme will include 3 lectures with the fourth being dedicated to the introduction of the coursework. Throughout there will be strong emphasis on case studies, to establish and exemplify general principles. A list of the speakers at the various sessions will be provided separately.

Theme 1: Initial and client activities

• planning issues and process
• environmental impact

Theme 2: Integrated design activities

• conception through to scheme design: project evaluation
• professional roles; design management functions
• decisions and communication
• regulations, Codes, Institutions, responsibilities
• budgetting and cost estimates, quantity surveying etc
• feedback into the design process, 'buildability'

Theme 3: Procurement

• how to build and who by
• forms of contract, traditional arrangements
• partnering, tendering etc
• routes to selection of contractor and sub-contractor (s)
• assessment and sharing risk
• arrangement of inspection, testing, commissioning
• procurement abroad

Theme 4: Contractor's activities

• erection schemes, temporary works, shop drawing, CAD systems
• tendering, cost estimation, financial control
• technical control of the works
• quantity surveying
• provision of feedback into the design process

Theme 5: Health safety and risk

• CDM and other regulations
• hazard and risk assessment, risk managment
• office and site aspects
• responsibility, safety-conscious working

Theme 6: Professional and legal aspects

• common and statute law
• contract, tort, liability
• legal process, who gets sued
• insurance of the works
• professional indemnity insurance

COURSEWORK

The coursework will involve each student writing a report related to a specfic aspect of the Olympic site including design,construction,contractual,legal,health and safety,managemnet etc

OBJECTIVES

On completion of the course students should:

• have a broad understanding of how construction projects are initiated and driven forward
• appreciate the roles and responsibilities of the various professionals involved in design and construction
• have some knowledge of the regulations covering construction
• have some knowledge of forms of contract and of law relevant to construction
• appreciate the importance of health and safety in construction and the related regulations and if risk managment generally.
• understand something of costing and financial aspects of construction
• have experience of critical study of at least one construction project

REFERENCES

Please see the Booklist for Group D Courses for references for this module.

Last updated: September 2012

teaching-office@eng.cam.ac.uk