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Civil Engineering
In the College of Engineering
Office: Engineering 424
Telephone: (619) 594-6071
The undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering is accredited by
the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.
Emeritus: Capp, Johnson, Quiett, Stone
Chair: Supernak
Professors: Banks, Chang, Chou, Krishnamoorthy, McGhie, Noorany, Ponce, Stratton, Supernak, Westermo
Associate Professor: Sharabi
Assistant Professor: Bayasi
Doctor of Philosophy degree in applied mechanics.
Master of Science degree in civil engineering.
Major in civil engineering with the B.S. degree.
No credit will be given for upper division engineering coursework taken at an institution having an engineering program which has not been accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., unless the student successfully completes the first 12 units of engineering work attempted at this university. At that time, and upon recommendation of the department, credit will be given for the unaccredited work.
Students will complete a minimum of 50 units in General Education, to include a minimum of nine upper division units taken after attaining junior class standing. No more than twelve units may be used for General Education credit from any one department or academic unit.
- I. Communication and Critical Thinking: 9 units
- 1. Oral Communication (3 units)
- 2. Composition (3 units)
- 3. Intermediate Composition and Critical Thinking (3 units)
- II. Foundations: 29 units
- A. Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning (17 units):
- 1. Physical Sciences (11 units)
Engineering students will take Chemistry 200 which
includes a laboratory (5 units).
- Physics 195 (3 units)
- Physics 196 (3 units)
- 2. Life Sciences (3 units)
- 3. Laboratory (satisfied under A.1. above)
- 4. Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning
Engineering students will take Mathematics 150 (3 units)
applicable to General Education
- B. Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 units)
- C. Humanities (9 units)
Complete three courses in three different areas. One of these
courses and the one under IV.A. below must be taken in the
same department
- III. American Institutions: Three units of the six units of coursework which meet the American Institutions graduation requirement may be used in General Education, excluding courses numbered 500 and above.
- IV. Explorations: Total: 9 units; must include one course of cultural diversity.
- A. Upper division Humanities (3 units)
Three units must be taken from the same department as one of
the Humanities courses selected in Foundations.
- B. Upper division Humanities (3 units from a department not
selected in A above.)
- C. Upper division Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 units)
Civil engineering is the application of engineering principles to the improvement of the human environment. The civil engineering major prepares students to design and supervise the construction of buildings, dams, roads, harbors, airports, tunnels, and bridges. It also provides training in the planning and construction of the complex systems that supply clean water to cities, remove sewage, control floods, and perform other functions which ensure continued health and safety.
Civil engineers are needed in both the private and public sectors. They are employed in the aerospace industry, usually as structural engineers; design and construction of roads, buildings, bridges, airports, dams and other structures; research and teaching at colleges and universities (with an advanced degree); public utilities and transportation; manufacturing; and offshore drilling, environmental pollution, and energy self-sufficiency. New job opportunities in civil engineering will result from growing demands in housing, industrial buildings, power generating plants, and transportation systems.
All students in civil engineering pursue a common program of study in basic engineering and civil engineering fundamentals. In addition, students are provided with the opportunity to select a pattern of study to satisfy their areas of interest. This pattern of study is indicated in the sequence below as "professional electives" and may be selected from available courses in foundation, structural, environmental, transportation, or water resources engineering; computer programming; advanced surveying; engineering economics; and other areas. The students' choice of elective courses must be made in consultation with their adviser and documented by the filing of an approved master plan during the first semester of their junior year.
Upper Division Writing Requirement. Passing the University Writing Examination or completing one of the approved writing courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better.
NOTE: See following page for the recommended sequence of courses for the major in civil engineering.
423. Timber Design (2) I, II
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 321 with minimum grade of C.
Physical and mechanical properties of wood. Sawn lumber, glulam, plywood. Design of various types of wood structures. Connection design.
444. Applied Hydraulics (3) I, II
Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 340. Proof of completion of
prerequisite required: Copy of transcript.
Open channel and pressure conduit flow, pumps and turbines, hydroelectric power, and water law.
445. Applied Hydrology (3) II
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 444 with minimum grade of C.
Basic hydrologic principles, hydrologic measurements, small and midsize catchment hydrology, frequency analysis, regional analysis, reservoir, stream channel and catchment routing, hydrologic design.
462. Soil Mechanics (3) I, II
Prerequisites: Civil Engineering 253; Civil Engineering 301 with
minimum grade of C, credit or concurrent registration in Engineering
Mechanics 340, and concurrent registration in Civil Engineering 463.
Proof of completion of prerequisite required: Copy of transcript or
enrollment confirmation.
Mechanics of soils as they apply to engineering problems, soil classification, compaction, swelling, consolidation, strength and permeability. Applications to geotechnical and environmental engineering problems.
463. Soil Mechanics Laboratory (1) I, II
Three hours of laboratory.
Prerequisite: Concurrent registration in Civil Engineering 462.
Proof of completion of prerequisite required: Copy of transcript or
enrollment confirmation.
Laboratory procedures of soil testing for geotechnical and environmental engineering problems.
465. Foundation Engineering (3) II
Prerequisites: Civil Engineering 462 and 463 with minimum grades
of C.
Soil mechanics theories applied to the design of shallow and deep foundations; lateral pressure of soils, design of retaining walls.
479. Construction Materials (3) II
Two lectures and three hours of laboratory.
Prerequisites: Civil Engineering 462 and 481.
Selection, design and control of mixes of portland cement and asphalt concrete. Properties of these and other materials used in construction.
481. Transportation Engineering (3) I, II
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 218 with minimum grade of C.
Function and design of different modes of transportation for moving people and goods; and corresponding terminal facilities.
482. Highway Engineering (3) I, II
Two lectures and three hours of laboratory.
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 481 with minimum grade of C.
Highway design, facility sizing, geometric design, drainage, earthwork, pavement design, traffic control devices, safety and environmental considerations.
491. Construction Methods (3) I
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 321.
Components and methods of construction including earthwork; foundations; wood, steel, and concrete construction; roofing and cladding; interior construction.
492. Construction Engineering (3) II
Prerequisites: Civil Engineering 491 and Engineering 430.
Project oriented. Cost estimating; alternative cost-saving changes; critical path scheduling.
495. Civil Engineering Design (3) I, II
One lecture and six hours of laboratory.
Prerequisites: Civil Engineering 321, 355, 444, 462, 481, and credit
or concurrent registration in Civil Engineering 421.
Application of engineering principles and design techniques to the design of civil engineering projects.
496. Advanced Civil Engineering Topics (1-3) I, II
Prerequisites: Minimum grade point average of 3.0 and consent of
instructor.
Modern developments in civil engineering. See Class Schedule for specific content. Maximum credit six units for any combination of Civil Engineering 496, 499 and 596.
499. Special Study (1-3) Cr/NC I, II
Prerequisites: Minimum grade point average of 3.0 and consent of
instructor.
Individual study. Maximum credit six units for any combination of Civil Engineering 496, 499 and 596.
521. Structural Analysis II (3) I
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 321 with minimum grade of C.
Analysis of statically indeterminate structures by virtual work. Advanced treatment of slope deflection, moment distribution. Arch analysis, secondary stresses in trusses. Advanced treatment of influence lines. Introduction to matrix analysis of structures.
525. Design of Steel Structures (3) I, II
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 321 with minimum grade of C.
Mechanical behavior of structural steel. Design of steel beams, girders, columns and members subjected to combined stresses. Design of various types of connections of steel structures; plate -girders, continuous beams and rigid frames.
530. Open Channel Hydraulics (3) I, II
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 444 with minimum grade of C. Proof
of completion of prerequisite required: Copy of transcript.
Open channel flow theory, analysis and problems, including studies of critical flow, uniform flow, gradually varied and rapidly varied flow-all as applied to the design of channels, spillways, energy dissipators, and gravity pipelines.
555. Water and Wastewater Engineering (3) I
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 355 with minimum grade of C. Proof
of completion of prerequisite required: Copy of transcript.
Water and wastewater. Physical, chemical and biological methods of treatment. Advanced waste treatment processes. Water reclamation.
558. Solid Waste Management (3) II
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 355 with a grade of C or better.
Proof of completion of prerequisite required: Copy of transcript.
Management of municipal solid waste from a civil engineering perspective, including waste minimization and recycling. Engineered volume reduction through composting, incineration, mechanical compaction, and other methods. Ultimate disposal, landfill design and legislative regulations.
596. Advanced Civil Engineering Topics (1-3) I, II
Prerequisites: Minimum grade point average of 3.0 and consent of
instructor.
Modern developments in civil engineering. See Class Schedule for specific content. Maximum credit of six units for any combination of Civil Engineering 496, 499 and 596 applicable to a bachelor's degree. Maximum combined credit of six units of Civil Engineering 596 and 696 applicable to a 30-unit master's degree.
FRESHMAN YEAR
Fall Semester Units Spring Semester Units
Chem. 200, General Chemistry 5 Phys. 195, Principles of 3
Physics
Math. 150, Single Variable Math. 151, Calc. and Anal.
Calculus 5 Geom. 4
ME 190, Engineering Drawing 2 Engr. 120, Engr. Problem 2
Analysis
General Education 6 Engr. 140, Engr. Meas. 2
Analysis
General Education 6
18 17
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Fall Semester Units Spring Semester Units
Phys. 196, Principles of Phys. 197, Principles of
Physics 3 Physics 3
Math. 252, Multivariate
Calculus 4 EM 220, Dynamics 3
EM 200, Statics 3 EE 204, Principles of Elec. 3
Engr.
ME 260, Engineering Materials 3 CE 218, Surveying for CE 3
General Education 3 General Education 6
16 18
JUNIOR YEAR
Fall Semester Units Spring Semester Units
CE 301, Intro. to Solid
Mechanics 3 EM 340, Fluid Mechanics 3
CE 302, Solid Mechanics Lab 1 EM 341, Fluid Mechanics Lab 1
Engr. 280, Methods of
Analysis 3 CE 253, Geology for Engrs. 2
ME 352, Thermo. & Heat
Transfer 3 CE 321, Structural Analysis I 4
General Education 6 CE 355, CE Environmental 2
Studies
General Education 6
16 18
SENIOR YEAR
Fall Semester Units Spring Semester Units
CE 444, Applied Hydraulics 3 CE 421, Reinforc. Concrete 3
Design
CE 462, Soil Mechanics 3 CE 495, Civil Engr. Design 3
CE 463, Soil Mechanics Lab 1 #Professional Electives 9
CE 481, Transportation Engr. 3 American Institutions 3
#Professional Electives 5
American Institutions 3
18 18
218. Surveying for Civil Engineers (3) I, II
Two lectures and three hours of laboratory.
Prerequisites: Engineering 140 and Mathematics 151.
Principles of plane surveying. Measurement of horizontal distance, difference in elevation, and angles. Traverse surveys and computations. Horizontal and vertical curves. Principles of stadia. Topographic surveys. Earthwork.
253. Geology for Engineers (2) I, II
One lecture and three hours of laboratory.
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 218.
Earth materials, geologic processes, and methods of geologic interpretation of concern to engineers. Open only to students majoring in engineering.
301. Introduction to Solid Mechanics (3) I, II
Prerequisites: Engineering Mechanics 200 with a grade of C or better, and credit or concurrent registration in Engineering 280 and Engineering Mechanics 220.
Mechanics of solid deformable bodies involving analytical methods for determining strength, stiffness, and stability of load-carrying members. (Formerly numbered Engineering Mechanics 301.)
302. Solid Mechanics Laboratory (1) I, II
Three hours of laboratory.
Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in Civil Engineering
301.
Laboratory studies in solid mechanics. Experimental stress analysis. Experimental confirmation of theory. (Formerly numbered Engineering Mechanics 302.)
321. Structural Analysis I (4) I, II
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 301 with minimum grade of C.
Principles of mechanics applied to analysis of beams, frames, trusses, and three-dimensional frameworks. Graphical methods, influence lines; deflections; introduction to statically indeterminate structures and moment distribution.
355. Civil Engineering Environmental Studies (2) I, II
Prerequisites: Chemistry 200 and credit or concurrent registration
in Engineering Mechanics 340.
The application of civil engineering methodology to the solution of environmental problems.
421. Reinforced Concrete Design (3) I, II
Prerequisite: Civil Engineering 321 with minimum grade of C.
Properties and characteristics of reinforced concrete; design of structural components. Introduction to plastic theory and limit design.
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