Life-cycle analysis of civil engineering structures

Course Units

#	Title	Description	Hours
1	Introduction	Built environment and civil engineering projects. Short historical flashback. Life cycle phases. Projects’ dimensions: social, financial, environmental, technical, organizational, entrepreneurial. Civil engineering science, studies and profession. Professional ethics, risks and satisfaction.	3
2	Engineering approach	Engineering approach to problem solving. Indicative examples: retaining walls, landslides, irrigation channels etc.	3
3	Legal framework	Introduction to law: public, penal, civil, commercial etc. Regulatory framework of permits: environmental, archaeological, spatial planning, urban planning, energy etc. Public and private contracts.	3
4	Feasibility studies	Project conception. Cost Benefit Analysis. Decision making methods and criteria. Financial, economic and social analysis. Environmental impacts. Cash flow analysis. Construction of a block of flats: construction contract, financing model, risk analysis, apartment sale contract.	6
5	Public works financing programs	Supranational, national and regional planning and scheduling of infrastructure projects. Public investments program. EU co-financing. Public and private partnerships. Public works concessions.	3
6	Public works contracts	Project Owner / Client. Designers. Contractors. Categories and stages of designs. Procurement procedures. Fees. Structure and Content of Tender Documents. Award procedures and criteria. Contract management.	6
7	Public and private works costing	Estimation of works quantities and cost. Contract Budget. Analytical calculation of works’ prices. Measurement of works’ quantities. Bills and payment orders.	6
8	Quality management	International and national Technical Specifications and Regulatory Framework (European Regulation 305, CE marking etc.). Design instructions. Quality control of materials and works. Quality assurance. Certification and accreditation.	3
9	Safety and Health at work	Basic requirements of OHSAS 18001 International Standard; inspection techniques. National Legislative Framework for Health and Safety at Work; obligatory documentation. Employer and employee responsibilities. The Role of the Safety Engineer.	3
10	Operation, maintenance and exploitation of projects	Legislative framework and theoretical approaches. Case studies: block of flats’ operation, motorway company, land irrigation agency. Project decommissioning and environmental landscape restoration.	3

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, students are able to:

• recognize the breadth and dynamics of the science and the profession of civil engineer;
• understand the need for a holistic view of each technical project’s lifecycle;
• develop the first elements of engineering thinking to address technical problems;
• acquire limited ability to financially analyze a project and organize its documentation.

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods	In the classroom: lectures; solution of simple examples and problems; discussion of case studies.
Teaching media	Blackboard (chalk) writing. Power Point slides presentations. Calculations using Excel on PC.
Computer and software use	Students use the Excel software to solve their exercises.
Assignments (projects, reports)	Each student (a) draws up in Excel a financial model for a building project and (b) organizes a documentation file for his family house.

Student Assessment

• Final written exam: 70%
• Assignments (projects, reports): 30%

Textbooks - Bibliography

Course notes (with literature by chapter).