Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2023-2024 (archived)

Module ENGI3341: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 3

Department: Engineering

ENGI3341: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 3

Type Tied Level 3 Credits 20 Availability Available in 2023/24 Module Cap Location Durham
Tied to H103
Tied to H100

Prerequisites

  • ENGI2201, ENGI2211, ENGI2221

Corequisites

  • As specified in Programme Regulations

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • As specified in Programme Regulations

Aims

  • This module is designed solely for students studying in the Department of Engineering degree programmes.
  • The overall aim is to introduce students to environmental engineering and highlight opportunities where they can be address sustainable development.
  • The module emphasises the need for engineers to understand the holistic nature of sustainability and introduces the students to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
  • A fundamental understanding of the scientific principles and techniques affecting sustainable terrestrial ecosystems including global biogeochemical cycles, pollutant fate, site investigation and hydraulic theory in provided.

Content

  • Polluted Environments and Sustainability.
  • Site Investigation.
  • Civil Engineering Hydraulics
  • Academic advisor meetings

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Understand the role of engineer in achieving sustainable development (e.g. UN’s SDGs)
  • Obtain knowledge about the chemical composition and complexity of different waste streams
  • Understand how elements are involved in global biogeochemical processes
  • Understand how these natural physical, chemical and biological processes control air, water and soil quality and how these affect human health
  • Understand how these physical chemical and biological processes can be used to remediate polluted environments
  • Obtain a broad knowledge of soil and water treatment methods for both inorganic and organic contamination
  • Understand the need to work with and listen to other stakeholders in site development
  • Obtain knowledge of site investigation techniques and their applications
  • Obtain a knowledge of planning of a site investigation and writing a Phase 1 report
  • Develop and solve a range of different mathematical models for understanding civil engineering hydraulics
  • Develop Airy wave theory and solve basic coastal engineering problems.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • To critically analyse, evaluate and interpret environmental engineering data
  • To evaluate how environmental engineering challenges intersect with other global challenges
  • To apply environmental engineering principles to the solution of specific and complex problems
  • To appreciate the importance of using both quantitative and qualitative data
  • The ability to devise a preliminary site investigation programme for a variety of engineering structures
  • To predict pressure, energy and power within hydraulic systems
  • The ability to design open channels and pipes to carry specified flows
  • The ability to design basic coastal defence systems.
Key Skills:
  • Numerical skills appropriate to an engineer.
  • General problem solving skills that can be applied in a novel context.
  • Capacity for self-learning in familiar and unfamiliar situations.
  • Proficient use of IT relevant to the engineering profession.
  • Critical analysis and numeracy
  • Opportunity identification.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Students are able to make use of staff Office Hours to discuss any aspect of the module with teaching staff on a one to one basis. These are sign-up sessions available for up to one hour per week.
  • Coursework element is a summatively assessed written report in site investigation based on a field trip to a contaminated land site.
  • All lecture courses contain mathematical problems to be solved in class. Polluted environments contains a formatively assessed debate in the final session where students debate sustainability issues.
  • Polluted Environments and Sustainability and Civil Engineering Hydrauics lecture courses are assessed via a written examination which enables each student to demonstrate an ability to analyse, discuss and solve new problems.
  • A formative laboratory program develops practical laboratory skills and supports the module's lecture material.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Polluted Environments lectures 9 1 per week 2 hours 18
Site Investigation lectures 9 1 per week 1 hour 9
Civil Engineering Hydraulics lectures 5 1 per week 2 hours 10
Field Trip 1 5 hours 5
Revision seminars 2 1 hour 2
Laboratories 3 Typically 1 per week 3 hours 9
Tutorial Hours As required Weekly sign-up sessions up to 1 hour 8
Academic advisor Typically 5 Throughout the year up to 1 hour 5
Preparation and reading 134
Total 200

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination Component Weighting: 80%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Environmental Engineering 3 2 hours 100% none
Component: Continuous Assessment Component Weighting: 20%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Report on site investigation field trip 100% none

Formative Assessment:

Problem Sheets, class debate.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University