Civil Engineering Report: Earthwork, Substructure, and Highway Design

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Civil Engineering Technology
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Table of Contents
LO1 Explain the common methods and techniques used in civil engineering earthwork and
substructure................................................................................................................................3
P1 . Discuss earthworks activities, equipment and techniques..............................................3
P2. Describe methods and techniques used to create complex foundation, pilling works and
drainage works........................................................................................................................4
P3 Describe methods and techniques used in culvert construction, underpass construction
and provision for utilities........................................................................................................7
LO2 present a site safety plan, risk assessment, and method statement for a given civil
engineering activity....................................................................................................................9
P4. Identify the hazards, risks and safety arrangements for excavations, working in
confined spaces, working on structure and for working within temporary works on
highways.................................................................................................................................9
P5. Develop and present a site safety plan, risk assessment for a given civil engineering
activity..................................................................................................................................10
LO 3. Evaluate a given civil engineering problem and propose a solution.............................12
P6. Evaluate the environmental, quality, geotechnical and economic contexts of a given
civil engineering problem.....................................................................................................12
P7. Propose a solution to a given civil engineering problem..............................................12
LO4. Prepare a design proposal for a new infrastructure project............................................14
P8. Describe methods and techniques used in the highway design......................................14
P9. Develop a civil engineering design, proposal for new infrastructure project................14

LO1 Explain the common methods and techniques used in civil engineering earthwork
and substructure.
P1. Discuss earthworks activities, equipment, and techniques.
Earthquake is the natural phenomenon where the surface of the earth starts shaking as the
result of sudden energy release in the lithosphere layer of earth. This sometimes have a
greater intensity that leads to the destruction of the building and other monuments that
contributes to the natural calamities. Therefore, to avoid the harmful effect caused to the
buildings there are few measures to be taken and equipment to be used during the earthquake
occurrence the building constructed should withstand the effect. ( Falcão, Júnior and de
Athayde Prata, 2016)
There are many measures and practices that are t be used to get protected against seismic
threats.
Techniques that are used for the buildings that are resistant to earthquake and protect the
structures from damage which also protect humans from the disaster: -
1) Installing Shock absorbers: - the shock absorbers that are used for the buildings are
similar to the absorbers that are used in the automobile vehicle. Using this absorber,
the magnitude of vibration occurred due to the earthquake effect are reduced
significantly that help in protecting the structure from damages.
2) Floating foundation: - the approach of making floating foundation was an effective
idea that was suggested by a civil engineer in which the base of the structure is kept
separated from the upper structure of the building also called superstructure. There are
several ways of doing this from which an effective method is using a lead and rubber
bearing to make the building float over its foundation. It comprises the cover of solid
lead with layers of steel and rubber. These bearings are connected to the foundation of
the building by using plates of steel .so that whenever the earthquake occurs the
foundation is free to move as per the magnitude of the vibration without movement of
the structure.
3) Pendulum power: - This technique consists of a pendulum which suspends a mass of
high weight connected to the top of the building structure. The path is provided for the
pendulum to move freely. It is suspended using some fluid damper with high viscosity
and steel cables between the mass and building. During the earthquake occurrence,
the pendulum moves in the opposite direction to balance the forces developed by the

vibration of the building. It reduces the dynamic response of the structure. The
pendulum is made to match the natural frequency of the structure and is known as
mass dampers.
4) Rock core wall: - today as there is an increasing number of building with increasing
heights. The rock core wall technique is used to improve the resistance of building
form the seismic forces at significantly low costs. A reinforced core of concrete is
made to set to the heart of the building which is surrounded by the bank of the
elevator. It is the most affordable technique that is used for the purpose of saving
buildings from damages from earthquakes. Using this with the base isolation this
technique is the most effective to be used for structural development. It is easy to be
implemented, cost-efficient, and very effective.
5) Cross bracing, diaphragms and symmetry: - the most common and the simplest
way to avoid the damage from the earthquake is making the structural symmetrical.
The risk of damage in the structure that is asymmetrical is more as they are more
prone to the torsion forces, for example, L shaped, T shaped and many other
appealing design buildings.
(https://www.howstuffworks.com, 2013)
P2. Describe methods and techniques used to create complex foundation, pilling works,
and drainage works.
Foundations: -
Foundation is the most important part in the building construction present beneath the
structure near the ground. These foundations are generally called a shallow foundation and
are the complex foundation.
It is classified into 5 types: -
i. Grillage foundation
ii. Inverted foundation
iii. Raft foundation
iv. Stepped foundation
v. Open trench or spread footing foundation

(Yao, Jiantao and Yijun, 2016)
Pilling: -
A long cylindrical structure of very string materials like concrete that is further pushed in the
ground to provide support for the structure. This is known as a pile.
It is used for the following: -
i) When there is the layer of weak soil on which the structure is about to be made
and is unable to handle or bear the load then pilling is used as a method to
construct a building on the land where the weak soil is present.
ii) When there is a need to construct a heavy building that is higher like a bridge,
water tank or the skyscraper building.
iii) The pile foundation is able to bear high loads which a spread footing foundation
cannot.
(Agarwal, and Jain, 2015)

Drainage work: -
It is the structure that is constructed when there is a requirement of preventing mixing of
drain water from the canal water that is supplied in the city or state for the drinking are other
cleaning purpose but the mixing of drain water can pollute the canal water which cannot be
used further. Drainage works consists of the methods to improve the drainage passing.
Types of drainage work: -
1) Supper passage
2) Spillways
3) Level crossing
4) Aqueducts
5) Sluices
(Huang, Zhang, Zhang, An and Lu, 2018)
The methods and techniques involved in the construction of buildings: -
1) Building information modeling- BIM
2) Prefabrication
3) Bricks made of fly ash
4) Permeable concrete
5) Solar materials and roads.
6) 3D volumetric modular construction
7) Precast system
8) Flat Slabs
9) Tunnel from
10) Construction of hybrid construction
11) Low joint masonry
12) Concrete framework insulation
13) Precast foundation
(Jamal, 2016)

P3 Describe methods and techniques used in culvert construction, underpass
construction and provision for utilities.
Culvert: -
A Culvert is structured that is allowing water to cross under the road, trails, railroads, etc. it
is a cylindrical pipe structure or some time just a path allowing water to pass. It is generally
made of concrete, pipes and many other materials. It is also used to pass the drains to the
drainage yard protecting the canal water or fresh river water to drink from the drainage. It is
to be installed underground so that remains undamaged for more years.
Underpass construction: -
An underpass is a tunnel or a subway under the ground that is used to make a path for the
railways or sometimes roads or sometimes to allow wildlife animals to cross jungle without
roads to avoid road accidents. Underpass constructions are preferred in the area where there
are more population and less area for proper transportation that also avoid traffic jamming.
There are mainly three methods to construct an underpass: -
1) Thrust bored unit

2) Precast concrete unit
3) In situ concrete
Methods used to construct tunnels, culverts, underpass, etc: -
1) Building open pit
2) Drum cutting
3) The machine of slurry shield
4) Construction of wall cover
5) Hydraulic splitters
6) Blasting and drilling
7) Land tunnel
8) Enlargement
9) Temporary way
10) Underwater tunnel
11) Pipe Jacking
12) Box jacking
13) Spraying concrete method
14) Boring machine
15) Clay-kicking
16) Cut & cover method

LO2 present a site safety plan, risk assessment, and method statement for given civil
engineering activity.
P4. Identify the hazards, risks and safety arrangements for excavations, working in
confined spaces, working on the structure and for working within temporary works on
highways.
Excavation: -
An excavation process involves recording, processing, and exposure of archaeological
matters that remain on the surface of the land for years and are unsearched. In the excavation
process where the part of land or site is selected to be studied for further processing. Several
archaeological surveys are preferred which takes several weeks or sometimes years for the
inspection of the site.
In the process of excavation, there are several hazards and risks that are associated with it are
can lead to serious incidents.
Hazards involved in Excavation: -
1) Tripping over debris, equipment, and spoils
2) Falling of the heavy equipment, the material of excavation and other objects on the
workers leading to death
3) Structures that are adjacent and unstable
4) Atmospheric hazards that involve powerful wind, heavy rain, tornado, etc which leads
to the delaying of work and may make some destruction
5) The improper placing of the materials and mishandling
6) Some incident may occur due to vehicles and equipment
7) Irritating, toxic and flammable explosive gases may cause severe hazards
8) Electrical cable being overheated and other underground exposure may lead to serious
problems
9) Falling in excavation pit or trenches
( Meguriya, Kanari, and Kurose, Hitachi Construction Machinery Co Ltd, 2017)
Confined Spaces: -
It refers to the place that has a congested area that includes tanks, vessels, bund, pit, cellar,
chamber and other space that have limited space to be worked into. Due to the limited space

the conditions for working in it can be hazardous and risky and are more prone to an accident
and may require action in an emergency situation: -
Some of the major hazards and risk for the confined spaces are: -
1) Presence of explosive and flammable atmosphere
2) Harmful vapors, fumes and gas exposure
3) Deficiency of oxygen at some places result in breathing difficulty
4) Higher temperature results in a burning or other accident
5) Increase in the water level or free-flowing liquids.
6) Enrichment in oxygen
Working on structure: -
By working in structure, it means that the worker who is working on the high structure of a
skyscraper building construction that have a high risk and hazards. There should be proper
training of the worker to work on heights and with the proper equipment.
Several risks and hazards related to the working on the structures are: -
1) Falling from the heights on the concrete floor may lead to instant death
2) Falling on equipment or equipment falling on the worker
3) Improper handling of equipment
P5. Develop and present a site safety plan, risk assessment for given civil engineering
activity.
A safety plan must include several things like: -
1) Scaffolds
2) Fall protection
3) Life-saving and personal protection equipment
4) Head protection
5) Face and eye protection
6) Ladders and Stairways
7) Health provisions and General safety
8) Hazardous and toxic substances

9) Health provision and general safety
10) Aerial Lifts
Few examples that can be used for risk assessment purpose: -
1) Steel Erection
2) First floor Block Laying
3) Side damper driving
4) Hand injuries
5) Using devices like quick hitch

LO 3. Evaluate a given civil engineering problem and propose a solution
P6. Evaluate the environmental, quality, geotechnical and economic contexts of a given
civil engineering problem.
Issues of environmental compliance that are seen in a civil engineering problem: -
1) Ecology – Terrestrial & Marine
2) Invasive Species
3) Dust
4) Flooding
5) Water Pollution
6) Sustainability
7) Vibration & Noise
8) Contamination/ Waste
(Bregman and Edell, 2016)
The geotechnical evaluation includes the following factors: -
1) Quality of soil on which the construction is to be gone
2) Excavation of the site
3) the strength of the site to know how much weight it can hold without the pilling
process
4) moisture content present in the soil
5) nature of land
(Chunyuk and Magomedov, 2017)
P7. Propose a solution to a given civil engineering problem.
Problems faced during construction work: -
1) lacking communication: - it can be a huge problem if the people involved in the
construction work does not communicate with each other or face problem in
communication. Therefore, there should be proper technology for communication that
must be followed by at least major participants in construction work.
2) Lacking skilled labor: - the worker that is involved in the construction work should
be trained firstly and given the knowledge of safety and the precaution to be taken in
the works and how to handle the equipment properly so that during the actual