MCE 415 Earthquake Engineering (3 credits)
Structural design for earthquake forces in accordance with the 1997 UBC and the 2000 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-2000 static force provisions, including seismic use groups, spectral maps, site coefficients, base shear, force distribution, torsion and reliability factor; comparison to the UBC-97 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 321, 350, 450.

MCE 418 Seismic Evaluation (3 credits)
Fundamentals of seismology and geotechnical earthquake engineering, in accordance with the NEHRP and USGS procedures, with correlation to the UBC and 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 321, 350, 450.

MCE 501 Independent Study (1-4 credits)
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and approval of program director.

MCE 502 Advanced Project Design (3 credits)
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 credits)
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: Consent of instructor.

MCE 505 Insitu Soil Testing (3 credits)
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: Soil Mech.

MCE 525 Advanced Transportation Engineering (4 credits)
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 credits)
Analysis and design of steel structures, including special connections, plate girders, composite steel-concrete members, structural stystems 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 credits)
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: Reinf. Conc.

MCE 535 Pavement Design (3 credits)
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 553 Matrix Structural Analysis (3 credits)
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 credits)
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 credits)
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: senior standing.

MCE 570 Solid Waste Management (3 credits)
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 credits)
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 583 Water Resources Design (3 credits)
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 credits)
Advanced wastewater systems design, including treatment plant design, bio-solids management, pump station and collection system design.  Prerequisites: CE 370, CE 385.

MCE 595 Special Topics (2-3 credits)
Selected topics in civil engineering.  Course offered on demand.  Prerequisite: consent of instructor.