ENGR 373 Materials of Construction

Fall 2022

1 Course Information

Lecture/Lab Meeting Days and Times SUN 4:35 pm - 5:55 pm, TUE 4:35 pm - 5:55 pm, THU 4:35 pm -
5:55 pm

Classroom -

URL of Course Website -

Credits and Contact Hours 3

Pre-requisites CHEM 232

Co-requisites PHYS 233

2 Instructor Details

Name Dr. Ahmed Salih Mohammed

Office Location B-F2-06

Tel. 07701588695

Email [email protected]

Office Hours Monday and Wen., from 1 pm to 2 pm and by

appointments.

3 Course Catalogue Description

The course mainly focuses on the importance of engineering geology, maps, weathering and soil-
forming processes, rock mechanics, soil mechanics, mass wasting, groundwater, fluvial
processes, land subsidence, engineering geology of coastal regions, earthquakes, geophysical
techniques, and geological hazards. It covers the engineering properties of earth materials and
their effects on civil engineering work. Then it covers the geotechnical evaluation of soil and
rocks, the mitigation of geological hazards like earthquakes, landslides, resource evaluation.

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Finally, it covers the field trip and lab visits to explain the physical and chemical properties,
which helps in the identification of the mineral.

4 Course Delivery: Teaching/Learning Approaches

Lectures in this course are delivered with the use of PowerPoint slides. Slides that cover the
material of each chapter of the textbook will be uploaded to the blackboard. Students are
expected to print the slides which will serve as the backbone for their course notes. Example
problems will be solved during the lectures and students are expected to participate in the
solution process. To facilitate the learning process, students are expected to bring their textbooks
to lectures as they contain relevant data tables, plots, and equations. Homework problems will be
assigned and posted on the blackboard with corresponding solutions. Students are expected to
practice solving problems out of the textbook on their own.

5 Textbook(s) /Required Material and References

• Engineering Geology by Perry H. Rahn, 2nd edition, 1996, Text Book (ISBN =
0131774034).

6 Topics Covered

Topics Covered
● Cost Estimation for the construction ● Asphalt Binders and Asphalt Mixtures
● Foundations and Earth Works Wood/Timber
● Earth Works-Under ground ● Composites
construction ● Masonry
● Materials Engineering Concept ● Artificial sand's physical and
● Aggregate mechanical properties.
● Portland Cement, Mixing, and ● Hollow and solid concrete blocks
physical and mechanical properties.
Admixtures
● Special Construction materials such as
● Portland Cement Concrete, Concrete Waterproofing and damp proofing
technology. materials, fibers, and damp proofing
● Steel material.
● Aluminum ● Thermal Insulating Materials and
● Building Construction, Overview of Adhesives or Bonding materials
Civil Engineering ● Geo-synthetic materials and Ceramics.
● Natural Construction materials, Rocks, ● Finishing materials (Plastering
Bituminous materials and mixtures, Materials – Mortars, Paints, Linoleum,
Soil Timber, and lime. and Lime mortar).
● Physical Classification of Natural
Construction materials.
● Necessary tests for the Natural
Construction materials
● Artificial Construction materials,

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 cement, Brick, polymers, tiles, and
class.
● Geopolymer Concrete

7 Course Learning Outcomes (ABET SLO’s Covered by this course)

CLO # Description Program Assessment Emphasis

SLO Method H/M/L

1.a CLO 1: Apply mechanical testing techniques to

understand and analyze the physical principles of Assessment
1 H
elastic and plastic deformation of various Venue(s)
construction materials

1.1 Elastic and plastic deformation analysis - Quiz I exam -

1.2 Mechanical properties of each construction Quiz I and

- -
materials Final exam

1.3 Mechanical testing methods Quiz II and

- -
Final exam

1.b CLO 2: Identity, design, and conduct experiments

Assessment
for various construction materials using existing and 1 H
Venue(s)
modern methods and tools

2.1 Aggregate gradations and concrete mix design - Midterm -

and Final
2.2 Asphalt concrete mix design - exam -

2.3 Effect of environmental curing conditions on the Midterm

mechanical behavior of different types of - and Final -
construction materials. exam

1.c CLO 3: the broad education necessary to

understand the impact of engineering solutions in a Assessment
4 M
global, economic, environmental, and societal Venue(s)
context.

3.1. Application of each construction material, Midterm

advantage and disadvantages with the - and Final -
environmental issues of each material exam

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8 Graded Work

The purpose of the below assessments is to provide you, the learner, with feedback regarding your
level of knowledge, skills, and competencies related to the above Course Learning Outcomes.
Your performance on these items is also used to determine your overall final grade for the course.

Assessment Component Weight Due Date

1. Quizzes 10 % TBC
2. Project 20% -
3. Midterm exam I 20 %
4. Midterm exam II 20 %
5. Final exam 30 % Announced by Registrar
Total 100 %

Grading Scale
LG GPA Range Rank
A 4 93 - Superior
100
A- 3.7 90 - 92
B+ 3.3 87 - 89 Good
B 3 83 - 86
B- 2.7 80 - 82
C+ 2.3 77 – 79 Satisfactory
C 2 73 - 76
C- 1.7 70 – 72
D+ 1.3 67 – 69 Unsatisfactor
y
D 1 60 – 66
F 0 <60 Fail

9 Course Policies and expectations

9.1 While You Are in the Class

Students should be alert and willing to participate in class activities and discussions and refrain from
having disruptive conversations during class. Students must bring to the class: a copy of the textbook or
its soft copy on a laptop or tablet, a notebook for writing course notes, a calculator, all the relevant notes
and handouts for the course, the needed stationery, and a copy of the syllabus.
Students are asked to limit the use of their laptop computers or tablets for class purposes. Students who
violate this may not be allowed to use their personal laptop computers and tablets during the class lecture.

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Students should limit the usage of their smart/cell phones during the class lecture, whereas their usage is
prohibited in quizzes, tests, exams, lab safety, and evaluations.

9.2 Classroom Conduct

Students are advised to conduct themselves in a collegial manner at all times when in class. Rude,
disrespectful, aggressive, or threatening language or behavior will not be tolerated, and students
displaying this will be asked to leave the class. Students should avoid distracting behavior, otherwise,
they may be asked to leave the class and marked absent for the day. Examples of distracting behavior
include:
• Side conversations while others are speaking.
• Any other behavior that a student is warned against during class.

9.3 Grade Disputes

Unless grades are added up incorrectly, the grades will not change after quizzes/exams are handed back to
the students. Any grade related issue might be discussed in detail during office hours, and not in class
time. If there is a dispute concerning the final grade for the course, students have the right to make a
formal grade appeal within the period set by the Registrar's office. Details on this process can be found in
the Academic Catalog, page 40 (please check the catalog for updated page number).
9.4 Incomplete Grades
In the unlikely event that it becomes necessary to assign an “I”, for incomplete, as the final grade in the
course, the affected student(s) and professor will adhere to the incomplete grade policy on page 22 (please
check in the new catalog) of the Academic Catalog.

9.5 Revisions to the Syllabus

This syllabus is subject to change. The instructor must inform students of changes in a timely fashion.
Students are obliged to be cognizant of any changes.
Courses of four credit-hours: AUIS adheres to the United States federal definition of a credit hour, as
established by the US Department of Education. As a four credit-hour course, you are expected to attend
four hours of direct instruction per week, and spend a minimum of eight hours out of class per week in
homework, studying, preparing, and otherwise engaging with the material of this course.
Courses of three credit-hours: AUIS adheres to the United States federal definition of a credit hour, as
established by the US Department of Education. As a three-credit-hour course, you are expected to attend
three hours of direct instruction per week, and spend a minimum of six hours out of class per week in
homework, studying, preparing, and otherwise engaging with the material of this course.
Courses of two credit-hours: AUIS adheres to the United States federal definition of a credit hour, as
established by the US Department of Education. As a two credit-hour course, you are expected to attend
two hours of direct instruction per week, and spend a minimum of four hours out of class per week in
homework, studying, preparing, and otherwise engaging with the material of this course.
Courses of one credit-hour: AUIS adheres to the United States federal definition of a credit hour, as
established by the US Department of Education. As a one credit-hour course, you are expected to attend

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one hour of direct instruction per week, and spend a minimum of two hours out of class per week in
homework, studying, preparing, and otherwise engaging with the material of this course.

10 Course Examinations/Assignments Policies

• There are two midterm exams (17.5% each, 35% total) and a final exam (40%). All exams are
closed book, and closed notes (unless otherwise indicated). Examinations policies for this course
are based on AUIS policies. Selective formulae may be supplied during exams. These will be
mentioned during lectures.
• Exam grades are contested with a written explanation of what is being contested.
• Students who do not show up to an exam session at the scheduled time will receive a score of
zero points for that exam. Make-up exams are only given under extraordinary circumstances and
require a note from the student affairs office explicitly stating the nature of the circumstance.
• All problem solutions, whether on quizzes or exams, should be neat and orderly. They should
begin with a brief problem statement and a figure (elaborate drawings are not expected). Do not
copy the entire problem statement. State the given quantities and parameters in abbreviated form,
and indicate what quantities and/or parameters need to be found. If Newton’s Law is applied, a
free-body-diagram is required. You should make a judgment if additional diagrams are necessary.
Put a box around your final answer when applicable.
• No mobile phones are permitted during exams. A grade of zero (0) will be given for not
switching off your mobile phone. Programmable calculators are not permitted during exams. The
only permissible calculators are the model types approved for use in the Fundamentals of
Engineering (FE) Examinations, listed at http://ncees.org/exams/calculator-policy/.
• Any possession of a non-authorized calculator during examinations/quizzes will be considered
academic dishonesty and dealt with following AUIS rules and regulations.

11 Academic Support

The students are encouraged to make use of the instructor’s office hours. The Department will
provide additional support for students such as tutorials and help sessions.

12 Attendance Policies

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, arrive on time, and remain in class until
dismissed. Tardiness and early departure are disruptive for students and the teacher and are
unacceptable.

For classes that meet four times a week: As per university policy, at the tenth absence the
student will be dismissed from the course with a grade of F.

For classes that meet three times a week: As per university policy, at the eighth absence the student
will be dismissed from the course with a grade of F.

For classes that meet twice a week: As per university policy, at the sixth absence the student will be
dismissed from the course with a grade of F.

For classes that meet once a week: As per university policy, at the fourth absence the student

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 will be dismissed from the course with a grade of F.

These cutoffs are absolute. Per university policy, as stated in the Academic Catalog, there are no
excused absences. At the penultimate absence, the professor must notify students via e-mail that they
are in danger of failing the course, with a copy to the Dean of Students.

13 Emergency Evacuation

In case of an emergency or a fire alarm during a class, all students must follow the directions of
the class/laboratory instructor and evacuate the room in an orderly manner to the assembly area.
Failure to do so is a violation of AUIS Health and Safety Policy on emergency evacuation and will
be subject
to disciplinary action.

14 Academic Conduct

Academic Integrity is honest behavior in a school setting. Academic integrity is more than the
absence of cheating. It is necessary for students to truly learn new skills and develop as human
beings. By struggling with her studies and by making honest mistakes and discoveries, a student
learns about the world and herself. Using another’s work inappropriately prevents this
intellectual and emotional growth.

Academic Dishonesty (“cheating”) is any form of deceit, fraud, or misrepresentation in academic

work. Academic dishonesty is the opposite of learning because it prevents the student-writer
from genuinely learning and responding to the material. Plagiarism is one of the most serious
forms of academic dishonesty.

Plagiarism is using other people’s ideas and/or words without clearly acknowledging the source of
the information. If a student uses the content or grammatical structures from the internet, a
professional writer, or another student and does not inform the reader, he plagiarizes. A student
who allows another student to use his writing without attribution is also guilty of plagiarism.

Cheating will not be tolerated in this class. All major written assignments completed outside of
class time must be submitted via www.turnitin.com. A student found to be cheating for the first
time will receive a zero for the assignment and the Dean of Students will be notified. In the event
of a second offense confirmed by the Dean of Students, the student will fail the course. The third
instance of cheating will result in that student being dismissed from the American University of
Iraq, Sulaimani. Students are directed to the AUIS Honor Code and the Academic Integrity policy
section of the Academic Catalog (available online at www.auis.edu.krd). These documents guide
cases of academic dishonesty, so we should all be familiar with them.
At the end of each assignment the following statement should be added and signed:
“I pledge that I have neither given nor received any unauthorized assistance on this academic assignment, exercise,
or examination.”
Signed: ID: Section: Date:

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15 Course Calendar: Fall 2021

Topics/Activities
Week
[CLO(s) addressed shown in brackets]

1 Materials Engineering Concept, Aggregate

2 Portland Cement Concrete, Concrete technology.

3 Steel, Aluminum

Natural Construction materials, Rocks, Bituminous

4
materials and mixtures, Soil Timber, and lime.

Physical Classification of Natural Construction

5
materials.

6 Necessary tests for the Natural Construction materials Midterm, Exam #1 Oct. 2

Artificial Construction materials, cement, Brick,

7
polymers, tiles, and class.
Asphalt Binders and Asphalt Mixtures Wood/Timber,
8 Composites, Masonry

Hollow and solid concrete blocks physical and

mechanical properties. Special Construction materials
9
such as Waterproofing and damp proofing materials,
fibers, and damp proofing material.
Thermal Insulating Materials and Adhesives or Midterm, Exam #2:
10
Bonding materials Nov.6

Finishing materials (Plastering Materials – Mortars,

11
Paints, Linoleum, and Lime mortar).

12 Geopolymer Concrete

13 Materials Engineering Concept

14 Final Exam

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