a graduates perspective

1
a graduates perspective

• david wilson civil engineer
• eva oconnor structural engineer

2
david wilson

• 2001 MEng in Civil Engineering, Nottingham
• 2001 Arup Rail Team, Solihull
• 2003 Secondment to Carillion, Rugby Resignalling
• 2004 Arup Bridges Team, Solihull
• 2004 Arup Project management, London
• 2005 Arup Rail Team, Solihull

3
key benefits from civil engineering degree

• Understanding of key civil engineering principles
• A way of thinking about problems
• Employability
• But
• Havent referred to my notes since graduation

4
rugby resignalling construction planning
5
feasibility studies final year project
6
alignment design
7
eva oconnor

• 1994 1998 MEng Civil Building Engineering,
  Loughborough University
• 1998 Structural Engineer at Arup Sheffield
• 1999 Arup, Birmingham
• 2002 Seconded to Balfour Beatty, Priory
  Place, Coventry
• 2004 Building Engineering, Arup London
• 2005 Building Engineering, Arup Solihull

8
key benefits from civil engineering degree

• Broad understanding of civil engineering
  fundamentals
• Maths and structural analysis need to get
  technical
• How to approach problems
• Common sense!

9
Cornish Place, Sheffield
broad understanding of civil engineering

• Structural and geotechnical engineer
• Inspection of trial pits
• Preparation and interpolation of site
  investigation information

10
broad understanding of civil engineering
University of Wolverhampton, New Teaching Building

• Integration of services with structure
• Understanding servicing options and impacts

11
broad understanding of civil engineering
Leicester Hospitals PFI bid

• Modal analysis of floor plates to establish
  susceptibility of geometry and/or structural
  options to vibrations
• Criteria is based on the Response Factor
  (measure of human perception under exposure to
  continuous vibration)
• R lt 1 Cant be felt
• R 1 Lower limit of human perception
• (also limit for operating
  theatres)
• R 1.4 Limit for other areas

12
maths and structural analysis
National Exhibition Conference Centre, Malaysia

• Approaching the problem looking for
  simplifications
• Non linear computer analysis - capabilities
  not abilities - understanding
  modelling principles to
  understand limitations

13
maths and structural analysis
Chiswick Park, London
fixed

• Column design fixed or
  pinned?

• Back to basic principles
• Design to codes ...or even
  beyond

pinned
14
survey of Arup graduates from different
universities
Aston
Nottingham
Sheffield
Coventry
Oxford Brookes
Bath
Birmingham
Oxford
Loughborough
Bristol
15
good bits

• Coverage of all aspects of civil engineering
• Practical demonstrations and hands on experience
• Field trips site visits
• Links to current industry practice
• Work experience in industry
• How to think like an engineer
• Group design projects
• Thinking in 3D

16
bad bits

• Quality of some teaching
• Lectures based on formula derivation
• Link of theory to design construction
• Not enough tutorials or seminars

17
consideration for including in degrees
Civil engineering

• More seminars tutorials
• Rules of thumb
• Technical communication skills
• More practical emphasis on Health Safety
  legislation
• Contract awareness relevant contracts
• Application of theory
• More labs, site visits, field trips
• Construction methods

18
consideration for exclusions from degrees

• Not much need a broad base of knowledge
• The highly theoretical end of subjects
• Too many soft subjects

19
conclusions

• Good teaching is key to understanding
• Need broad basis of knowledgedont dilute the
  fundamentals
• Need to link theory to reality
• More relevant contractual HS content of
  coursesbut not too many soft issues
• Civil Engineering Degree is a good preparation
  for many careers