Construction

This subject was formerly known as Residential Construction and Structures.

A major portion of the general public has aspirations for home ownership and this continues to drive the residential market in Australia. This subject provides an introduction to residential and multi-unit residential low rise construction systems with an emphasis on materials selection, usage and construction methods. The various structural systems and design concepts currently in use are incorporated and interlinked into all the topics, which include an introduction to footing, floor, wall and roof framing systems and their compliance with Australian Standard Codes. The structural considerations include the analysis of loads, load paths, lateral stability, timber column and beam design for strength and stiffness, and general beam behaviour and statics analysis. The issue of materials technology, its application and performance are incorporated throughout the lecture series leading to an awareness of building pathology and maintenance. The subject also provides an introduction to residential services.

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Commercial and high-rise construction (excluding industrial buildings) relies heavily on the use of reinforced concrete as structural components, with the building structure's cost forming a significant part of the total project expenditure. This subject equips students with the skills to interpret information provided by engineers through reinforced concrete drawings and specifications, essential for translating data into the physical built form. Students will explore the design and construction aspects of concrete structures in buildings, gaining insights into design concepts for reinforced concrete structures and how these influence construction methods. They will learn about the rheology of concrete, the use of admixtures, and advanced topics such as post-tensioned concrete design, precast concrete, and 3D printing. The subject also covers sustainable concrete practices and introduces students to related topics like sprayed concrete technology, concrete detailing, and constructability. By the end of this subject, students will be equipped with a comprehensive understanding of concrete design and construction, preparing them to tackle the complexities of modern building projects.

Incidental costs

Students will be required to purchase personal protective equipment (steel-toed boots, hard-hat, hi-vis vest and safety goggles); cost approx. $80 to $120 per person. Students may use equipment from a previous subject if these are in good working condition

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This subject introduces the quantification of building works. It covers the principles and practice of measurement in simple residential construction including the application and use of the Australian Standard Method of Measurement (ASMM) of Building works in practice. It covers the following aspects: writing description/specifications for measured building items; purpose and preparation of Bill of Quantities (BoQ); Processes of preparing BoQ including: taking-off, working-up, abstracting and billing; types of bill formats and their uses; basic principles of measurement and description of the following: groundworks (ordinary strip foundation on flat sites – linear) and superstructure (walls – masonry, and partitions including cladding; floors in concrete, reinforcement and formwork, simple timber pitched roof, Roofing, and finishes); Concept of BoQ estimating, pricing of items and introduction to building-up of rates for work items; Introduction to computerised measurement; Tender process.

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This subject was formerly known as Structures and Construction Systems.

Commercial construction can take many forms and often includes a multitude of complex systems with specific plant and equipment requirements. These commercial buildings can include high, medium or low rise office or apartment buildings, hospitals and institutional buildings, shopping centres, sporting facilities and warehouse industrial sheds. Each project has characteristic structural forms and resultant methods of construction. This subject investigates the various structural design concepts and their influence on construction. The topics covered include the interpretation of steelwork drawings and specifications, steel frame buildings and wide span industrial sheds, warehouse concrete pavements, basement construction and site retention methods, piling systems and construction methods to suit various geotechnical conditions, tilt slab construction methods and precast concrete building systems. Construction detailing and constructability are the key issues covered within each topic, together with organisation of the construction process and hybrid construction systems.

Incidental costs

Students will be required to purchase personal protective equipment (steel-toed boots, hard-hat, hi-vis vest and safety goggles); cost approx. $80 to $120 per person. Students may use equipment from a previous subject if these are in good working condition

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This subject focuses on issues affecting the management of construction projects at the site level. An overview of production management and how it relates to the construction industry is provided along with consideration of issues affecting the efficient use of resources such as labour, subcontract labour, materials, plant and equipment. Construction project planning methods and resource management systems are introduced. Labour productivity improvement techniques such as work, study and activity sampling are presented. Critical path scheduling is introduced and the construction plan for a low rise commercial building is undertaken. Contractor's cost control, industrial relations, site safety and quality assurance are also examined.

Incidental costs

Students will be required to purchase personal protective equipment (steel-toed boots, hard-hat, hi-vis vest and safety goggles); cost approx. $90 to $120 per person. Students may use equipment from a previous subject if these are in good working condition.

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This capstone subject brings together and builds on an understanding of construction technologies and introduces project management concepts. Using an integrated project involving a series of studio-based exercises, students will translate a design proposal into operational construction and project management plans. A project based learning environment will be formulated for students to experience construction and project management decision making from concept through to completion. Details of project environment, construction systems, resource constraints, production processes, and management tools and methods will be explored and efficient project plans will be developed.

In this capstone subject, students will form teams and work on assigned projects appropriately selected from the industry. Different roles in the project will be played by the teams. For example, the tenderers are to prepare a project development proposal based on the requirements of the client and then develop operational plans to implement the project. To accomplish this, the tenderers need to plan the construction project based on the development proposal, clients’ requirements and resources available. They are to estimate and evaluate activity durations, simulate and adjust construction sequences and balance resources involved. In developing the construction plan, alternative construction systems and methods will be examined and compared. Essential elements of the plan include construction equipment, temporary works and site layout. Site safety is an integral part of the plan.

The planning processes will be assisted by introducing commercial computer applications.

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Contractual rights, obligations and construction contracts are presented. Construction legislation and statutory controls are also investigated along with contractual disputes and resolutions. A significant part of the subject aims to provide students with the basic principles and practice of administering building and construction projects in accordance with their respective conditions of contract. Various forms of domestic and international standard building contracts are presented along with the basic principles and practice of administrating construction contracts. Typical standard contracts are presented and analysed in detail. In particular, conditions of contract, role and responsibilities of parties to the contract, insurance and security, progress payments, variations to the contract, adjustment to the contract, delays, defects, completion of the works and retention monies are covered.

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