Civil Engineering Courses

The First-Year Seminar (FYS) introduces new Gonzaga students to the University, the Core Curriculum, and Gonzaga’s Jesuit mission and heritage. While the seminars will be taught by faculty with expertise in particular disciplines, topics will be addressed in a way that illustrates approaches and methods of different academic disciplines. The seminar format of the course highlights the participatory character of university life, emphasizing that learning is an active, collegial process.

This course emphasizes physical geology and the Earth processes. The Earth's evolution, morphology, landforms, and its constituent minerals and rocks are featured. The goal of the course is to enable the student to appreciate the geological context of engineering and associated civil engineering projects, and the forces and phenomena which affect them.

Covers fluid properties, hydrostatics, fluid dynamics, conversation of mass, momentum and energy for incompressible fluids, dimensional analysis, civil engineering applications including closed conduit/pipe flow. Stresses the control volume approach and Eulerian description of flow.

Basic principles of surveying data collection, analysis, and application. Measurement of elevations, distances and angles using total stations and global positioning systems. Examples of analysis of errors in measurements; application of surveying data to engineering design using GIS and 3-D models. Fall. Prerequisite: MATH 157

Hands on laboratory to complement the topics of CENG 261.

topics determined by instructor

Theory and application of engineering mechanics to the solution of internal forces in statically determinate structures subjected to static and moving loads. Introduction of energy concepts for simple indeterminate structures.

An overview of the principles of environmental engineering. Topics include material balance, environmental chemistry, risk assessment, air quality, water quality, and water and wastewater treatment. Spring.

This course emphasizes fundamental environmental chemistry principles and analytical techniques used to study air and water quality and treatment process performance. The course also emphasizes statistical analysis, date interpretation, and reporting requirements associated with environmental engineering. CENG 303 is a co-requisite or pre-requisite for this course.

The course will cover general knowledge in all the transportation fields including; traffic characteristics and flow theory. transportation planning. geometric design of highways, traffic safety, highway materials, and pavement design. Fall.

In this course the properties and behavior of soils (sand, gravel, silt and clay) are studied under various environmental conditions. The study includes weight-volume relations, soil classifications, soil compaction, seepage through porous media, normal effective stress concept, consolidation, shear strength, lateral pressures and slope stability. Laboratory and Field methods for evaluating pertinent properties, generally used for analysis and foundation design. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Fall.

Hands on laboratory to complement the topics of CENG 331.

This course will form a foundation for the study of the occurrence, distribution, and movement of water on, in, and above the earth. Topics covered include: watersheds, precipitation, evaporation, infiltration, discharge calculations, hydrographs, river and reservoir routing, and drainage design including sanitary and storm sewer design and reservoir sizing. Statistical tools dealing with information in water resources, frequency analysis, confidence intervals for prediction, and risk. Applications to common engineering projects in surface and sub-surface situations are presented. Includes computer applications.

Use of fluid mechanics in the engineering analysis and design of components of hydraulic and hydrologic systems. Hydraulics topics include closed conduit flow and water distribution systems; pump selection and cavitation; steady, uniform, and gradually varied flow of water in open channels; specific energy and transitions; and culvert designs. Hydrology topics include watershed delineation; design rainfall; rainfall abstractions; unit/runoff hydrographs; peak flows; and reservoir routing/detention pond design. The associated lab course stresses a variety of practical hydraulic and hydrologic applications both in the lab and in the field including measuring pipe friction; developing pump curves and observing cavitation; analyzing hydraulic jumps; measuring flow with weirs and sluice gates; delineating watersheds; measuring infiltration rates; measuring streamflow; and the development and implementation of a student derived investigation.

Hands on laboratory to complement the topics of CENG 352.

This course and laboratory course examines the manifesting and testing of various construction materials (including steel, aluminum, concrete, masonry, glass, timber, asphalt, etc.). Several laboratory experiments and field trips to local manufacturing and testing facilities are scheduled throughout the semester.

Hands on laboratory to complement the topics of CENG 380.

An integration of topics essential to the practice of civil engineering, including: 1) engineering economics concepts; 2) project management approaches; 3) contract issues and project structures, and 4) general code of conduct of engineers and ethics. Engineering economy topics will include annual cost, present worth, future worth, and rate of return concepts. Students will develop an understanding of the elements of proposals, reports, construction drawings, and specifications. Engineering law, in the context of civil engineering project will be included to further illustrate the four main topics. Spring.

This course explores the characteristics of sustainable systems and how design practices may encourage sustainability. Topics covered in the course will be selected for applicability to specific regions of the world and may change each year. Basic concepts include: building thermal performance, indoor and outdoor environmental quality, passive and active energy systems, water reclamation strategies, life cycle analysis and current sustainable building rating systems. Sustainable design concepts and methods are also applied to building design site development and infrastructure use. Fall.

Application of basic principles of mechanics applied to the design of steel members. Design of structural members and connections using the current American Institute of Steel Construction specifications. Load and Resistance Factor Design and Allowable Stress Design procedures.

Theory and application of analytical procedures applied to the design of reinforced concrete structural members. Proportioning of beams, columns, footings, and walls in concrete structures is approached using current American Concrete Institute code specifications. Ultimate Strength Design Procedures.

An overview of solid, hazardous, and industrial waste management. Topics include regulations, contaminant transport, waste sources, waste minimization, recycling, treatment and remediation technologies, landfill design and risk assessment.

Analysis and design of masonry and timber structures. Sizing of members in masonry and timber according to applicable building codes.

Fundamentals of traffic engineering including traffic flow, capacity analysis, traffic signs and signals, and traffic engineering studies.

Application of national and local standards to transportation system design situations from a multimodal perspective. Course emphasizes geometric design of roadway facilities but also incorporates design considerations for pedestrians, bicycles, and transit.

The analysis and response of structures to dynamic loads. Emphasis is given to dynamic loads due to earthquakes. Basic principles of the seismic design of structures.

Basic principles in the application of hydrology, hydraulics, soil and water chemistry, environmental law, and public policy are presented to solve problems and design projects to manage urban stormwater runoff. Key topics covered include: hydrology of urban watersheds; floodplain management; storm drainage; stormwater detention/retention; water quality improvement; and the design of low impact development best management practices.

Develop building code loads for structures. Approximate analysis methods for statically indeterminate structures. Matrix methods of structural analysis for 2-D and 3-D structures. Introduction to non-linear behavior of structural members.

The theory and design of water treatment processes. Develops contaminant fate and transport theory in engineered and natural systems focusing on reactor hydraulics and reaction kinetics. Granular and membrane filtration, coagulation, disinfection, ion exchange, adsorption, and gas transfer processes are designed for water and wastewater treatment systems. Additional topics include water reuse and water treatment for low-income, remote communities.

Course presents fundamentals of stream restoration: Hydrologic, sediment transport, geomorphic, and ecological principles applicable to (1) assessment of stream channel condition, (2) developing approaches to stream management and restoration, and (3) evaluating project performance. Approach emphasizes the inter-related nature of hydrology, hydraulics, sediment transport, geomorphology, fisheries, and aquatic and riparian ecology. Provides students opportunities to literally get their feet wet while making various observations and measurements in field exercises to evaluate physical and ecological stream characteristics assess stream stability.

Design and construction supervision of the infrastructure required for land development. Topics include roadway geometry, water supply pipelines, sewer pipelines, and storm water drainage. Students will prepare design drawings, project plans, project reports, project specifications, and construction cost estimates that address regulatory requirements.

Covers the design of urban areas to promote sustainable development including the structural, transportation, energy, water, and food production systems. Use of comparative case studies to explore historical and regional differences in cities and their impacts on the environment and resource consumption.

An introduction to the field of air pollution and its control. Topics include regulations, air pollution sources, health effects, meteorology, and the theory and design of control techniques.

Basic principles of hydrologic modeling are presented and practices. Key topics covered include watershed delineation, land use change impact on runoff, flooding impact, bridge/culvert hydraulics, and GIS data analysis. Students will gain an understanding and be able to apply the USACE software tools: HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS. Design projects will focus on applying these models to design stormwater management facilities and size bridges and culverts to minimize flooding impacts.

The theory and design of biological processes for water and wastewater treatment. Topics include basic microbiology, activated sludge, membrane bioreactors, bioremediation, as well as biological treatment systems for water reuse, small on-site treatment systems, and air pollution.

This course is an advanced soil mechanics class, and presents ground considerations related to supporting civil engineering structures and facilities of various types. Treatment of in-place testing of the ground, obtaining the necessary information, and estimating soil behavior in the context of soil-structure interaction is included. Numerous applied examples of structural facilities are used throughout to further relate theory to practice.

General principles behind foundation design. Shallow and deep foundation design: spread footings and pile foundation. Retaining structures: sheet-pile walls, bulkheads and cofferdams.

This course covers topics such as project management, scheduling, cost estimating, and other relevant topics to the construction industry. Various aspects of construction engineering and equipment productivity and operation are included.