Master of civil engineering course descriptions
MCE 501 independent study (1-4)
Prerequisites: consent of instructor and approval of program
director.
MCE 502 advanced project design
(3)
Course is required of all students not writing a thesis. An
independent or small team-based comprehensive graduate-level design
project in the student's discipline interest area, in consultation with
faculty. A formal written, graphical and oral presentation of the
completed project is required. Prerequisites: completion of 18
semester hours in the MCE Program and consent of instructor.
MCE 503 thesis (1-3)
Independent research in the student's area of interest, under
supervision of faculty. Successful completion of a final oral
examination and successful defense of the thesis before a faculty panel
is required. Students may register for a maximum of three hours
per semester. Prerequisite: completion of 18 semester hours in the
MCE Program and consent of instructor.
MCE 505 insitu soil
testing (3)
Theory and application of the standard penetration, cone
penetration, field vane, pressure meter and plate-loading tests.
Emphasis is on characterizing soils for practical design of foundations,
retaining and earth-structures. Includes field exercises and design
project. Prerequisite: CE 321.
MCE 515 earthquake engineering (3)
Structural design for earthquake forces in accordance with the
current International Building Code (IBC). Fundamentals of earthquake ground motion:
tectonics, seismic waves, intensity, magnitude, seismic maps, soil
effects, structural dynamics and response spectra. A detailed
study of the IBC static force provisions, including seismic use
groups, spectral maps, site coefficients, base shear, force
distribution, torsion and reliability factor; comparison to the
previous earthquake design code
provisions. Detailed analysis and design of diaphragm and shear
wall systems in wood, masonry and concrete. Analysis of steel
moment frames, braced frames and eccentrically braced frames.
Overview of foundation design considerations, seismic isolation and
seismic retrofit. Prerequisites: CE 350, 360.
MCE 518 seismic evaluation (3)
Fundamentals of seismology and geotechnical earthquake engineering,
in accordance with the NEHRP and USGS procedures, with correlation to
the IBC building codes. Topics covered include plate
tectonics, earthquake faults, seismic wave attenuation, development of
response spectra, seismic hazard analysis, ground motion amplification,
liquefaction analysis, dynamic slope stability, seismic design of
retaining walls and mitigation of hazardous sites. Prerequisites:
CE 350, 360.
MCE 525 advanced transportation
engineering (4)
Selected topics in advanced transportation planning techniques,
signalization design, airport planning and design and transportation
economics. Course is designed to equip students with practical
design-oriented knowledge of land-use impacts on transportation, travel
demand forecasting models of trip distribution and traffic assignment on
the road network. Independent research report or design project
required for graduate credit. Course credit cannot be given to
students who have taken CE 425. Prerequisites: CE 323, 359.
MCE 531 advanced steel design (3)
Analysis and design of steel structures, including special
connections, plate girders, composite steel-concrete members, structural
systems and bracing for lateral load resistance. Coursework based
on load and resistance factor design methods, in accordance with
applicable national and international building code requirements.
Prerequisite: CE 440.
MCE 533 prestressed concrete design (3)
Analysis and design of pre-tensioned and post-tensioned concrete
members in buildings and bridges. Pre-stress losses, deflections,
composite construction, continuous beams, code requirements and
interfacing with other structural systems will be covered. Prerequisite:
CE 360.
MCE 535 pavement design (3)
Asphalt and concrete pavement design for highways and airfields.
Covers wheel loads and design factors; stresses in flexible and rigid
pavements; vehicle and traffic considerations; soil classification and
characteristics; subgrade, bases and subbases; and design methods.
Combines soil mechanics theory and traffic requirements for an
understanding of the fundamental behavior of pavements under traffic
loads, with design of material and thickness to satisfy strength and
serviceability performance objectives. Independent research report
or design project required for graduate credit. Course credit
cannot be given to students who have taken CE 435. Prerequisite:
CE 321.
MCE 552 masonry design (3)
Analysis and design of masonry structures per current building code
requirements with focus on reinforced masonry. Topics include general
types and applications of masonry construction systems, basic masonry
and reinforcing steel properties, introduction to fundamental
unreinforced and reinforced masonry behavior and design philosophy,
development of simple loads and load paths, load combinations,
construction specifications and basic building applications.
Design/analysis elements include wall, lintel and beam sections over a
full range of behavior, including ultimate strength, serviceability and
basic detailing; integration of masonry components into simple building
systems. Introduces basic concepts of lateral bracing, diaphragm action,
fire safety, architectural features and rehabilitation of older masonry
buildings. Students apply mechanics of materials, structural analysis
principles and methods first developed in reinforced concrete to the
design of masonry components. Prerequisites CE 360.
MCE 553 matrix structural analysis (3)
Development and application of matrix methods as the basis for
modern computer-based structural analysis. Topics covered include
matrix algebra; basic concepts of the force and flexibility methods;
member and structure stiffness matrices; the Gaussian elimination
algorithm; and exercises in solving indeterminate trusses, beams and
frames. Students learn to extend classical structural analysis to
the advanced analytical techniques used in professional practice.
Students are introduced to commercial software currently used by
structural engineers. Independent research report or design
project required for graduate credit. Course credit cannot be
given to students who have taken CE 453. Prerequisite: CE 350.
MCE 555 advanced foundation design (3)
Advanced topics in settlement and bearing capacity analysis of
shallow and deep foundations, including application of insitu testing
and numerical schemes to foundation design. Prerequisite: CE 430.
MCE 560 structural systems design (3)
Current professional practice in the design of structural systems
for buildings. Multiple material types are used in creating
structural systems designed to resist dead, live, wind and earthquake
loads in accordance with Uniform Building Code (UBC) criteria.
Economical arrangements of components to achieve material compatibility,
strength, serviceability and constructability are emphasized. The
impacts of the responsibilities of the different professional
disciplines comprising a typical project team are examined.
Independent research report or design project required for graduate
credit. Course credit cannot be given to students who have taken
CE 460. Prerequisite: CE 350, 360.
MCE 563 dynamics of structures (3)
Introduction of free and forced vibration of structures; equations
of motion for single and multi degree-of-freedom structural system,
response to harmonic, arbitrary or step excitations, analytical and
numerical methods of natural frequency of vibration, linear and
nonlinear system, un-damped, damped and resonant behavior of structures.
These general concepts on the dynamic behavior of buildings and bridges
are related to the structural response under earthquake-induced motion.
Structural design and analysis against earthquake-loading will be
introduced. Prerequisite: CE 350, 453.
MCE 565 traffic capacity analysis (3)
Analyzes and evaluates capacity and level of service of highway
facilities using methodology of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM).
Covers operational, design and planning applications. Specific focus on
the application of the HCM methodology to two-lane rural highways,
freeways and multilane highways, ramps and weaving segments, urban
streets and signalized intersections. Use of HCS software emphasized.
MCE 570 solid waste management (3)
Engineering management and principles as applied to the collection,
transport, reuse and disposal of solid waste. Emphasis is on
municipal wastes. Independent research report or design project
required for graduate credit. Course credit cannot be given to
students who have taken CE 470. Prerequisite: CE 385.
MCE 571 transportation planning
applications (3)
Techniques of transportation planning applied in urban areas and for
resource transportation; calibration, testing and application of traffic
estimation models; evaluation of alternate plans. Prerequisite:
CE 435.
MCE 575 bridge engineering and design (3)
Analysis and design of bridge structure based on load resistance factor
design in accordance with AASHTO and WADOT bridge design
specifications. Topics on new load-resistant factors and parameters; new
live-load system and application; flexural analysis and design; modified
compression field theory in shear and torsion design; and strut and tie
analysis and design for disturbed region; fatigue and fracture problems
in steel bridge and substructure design. Focus on reinforced concrete
deck and pre-stressed girder composite bridge structures. Design of
steel girder bridge also introduced. Students will design and prepare
structural drawings of a bridge. Prerequisites CE 360, 440
MCE 583 water resources
design (3)
Application of principles of hydrology and hydraulic engineering to
water supply systems design. Collection and distribution, treatment
plant design, storage sizing, pump stations, water quality and economic
considerations. Prerequisite: hydraulics and hydrology.
MCE 585 wastewater systems design (3)
Advanced wastewater systems design, including treatment plant
design, bio-solids management, pump station and collection system
design. Prerequisites: CE 370, 385.
MCE 595 special topics (2-3)
Selected topics in civil engineering. Course offered on
demand. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.