Sustainable Construction Engineering

Overview

The future of construction in the US and around the world includes the need to maintain and build new housing, schools, healthcare facilities, shopping, government and safety services; more clean water and waste water treatment facilities; and more sustainable energy resources. We will need more roads, rail, public transit and ports to move people and goods. Coupled with retirement projections, employers seek new, qualified professionals able to complete these big projects while maintaining the sustainability triple bottomline: people, planet and profit.

ADMISSIONS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering conducts funded sustainable construction engineering research which considers this future state and prepares our graduates to be leaders in the field. While considering the interconnection of people and technology, research projects investigate:

About

Smart and Intelligent Construction

This theme of research focuses on the development and test of the next generation Intelligent Information Systems (IIS) and Intelligent Physical Systems (IPS) for the design, engineering, construction and operations of built environments (e.g., buildings, industrial facilities, and smart transportation systems etc.). Specifically, it aims at augmenting human cognitive and physical capabilities and developing a 21st century data-capable civil engineering workforce via Intelligent Cognitive Assistants (ICAs) and Collaborative Robots (Cobots).

Sustainable Workforce

This research bridges the space between understanding the future of work in civil engineering in the United States and characterizing the competencies, learning technologies, and ecosystems that equip and sustain an inclusive workforce for that future. Topics include hazard recognition, safety, leadership, satisfaction, personal resilience, organizational culture, training, informal learning and social considerations. When employees thrive in the workplace and are professional prepared for work, organizational outcomes such as sustaining the workforce; achieving safety, productivity, and profitability goals; planning, designing and constructing intelligent and/or resilient infrastructure; and addressing current and future challenges such as infrastructure and disaster management are also achieved.

Education for Leadership Roles

More Effective Project Delivery Systems
Advanced Project Management and Control Systems
Advanced Safety Management Methods
Sustainable Infrastructure Renewal Research Focus Areas
Advanced Project Planning and Delivery
Intelligent Infrastructure Asset Management Systems
Advanced Project Safety Management
New Construction Methods, Material and Equipment
Intelligent Real Time Construction Information Management Systems

Research Outcomes

Improved Project Planning
More Efficient and Cost Effective Project Delivery
Improved Infrastructure Management Decisions
Safer more cost effective work technologies and processes

Research Benefits

Improved Project Outcomes
Infrastructure Assets Conservation and Optimization
More Cost Effective Investment in Capital Projects
Safety of the Work Force and the Public Facilities
State of the Art Project Controls Laboratory
Multiple Digital Recording Equipment Systems for Data Collection
Multiple Vehicles Available for Project Trips
Research Assistants Assigned Individual State of the Art Work Station Research Opportunities
Activity funded research program with multiple sponsors
Research Assistantships and fellowships
Competitive stipend and full tuition

Graduate Study Program

Master of Engineering (ME) or Master of Science (MS) Degree

Introduction

Master of Engineering (ME) or Master of Science (MS) Degree in Civil Engineering with Specialization in Sustainable Construction Engineering

Within the construction engineering field, employers often seek out our graduates with master’s degrees. They have high expectations regarding the skills and capabilities that our graduates bring with them into industry. Consequently, we offer a specialization in sustainable construction engineering within the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering. The following requirements, in addition to the minimum requirements imposed by the UF Graduate School, must be met for graduation.

Course Requirements

Master’s students specializing in Sustainable Construction Engineering (SCE) are expected to satisfy the following minimum coursework requirements and procedures. Upon admission, a SCE faculty member is assigned as your advisor. Regardless of whether you are pursuing a Thesis or Non-Thesis degree, you must complete the coursework requirements outlined on the following page for the SCE specialization. You will also be required to complete the Master’s Program Plan of Study (PPS), which is posted on the ESSIE website. You must also have it approved by your advisor during the first week of classes in your first semester. You must request the use of transfer credits toward your degree program on the PPS and obtain approval, as indicated by the advisor’s signature on the PPS. Prior to the registration periods of subsequent semesters, contact your advisor for approval of your proposed course selection for the upcoming semester along with any changes in your PPS. Once your course selection has been approved by your advisor, you will then send (via email) your course selection along with your updated and approved PPS to your advisor with a copy submission to gradforms@essie.ufl.edu. Your advising hold will then be removed, allowing you to register.

Regardless of whether you are pursuing a Thesis or Non-Thesis degree, you must complete the Master’s Program Plan of Study (PPS), which is posted on the ESSIE website. You must request the use of transfer credits toward your degree program on the PPS and obtain approval, as indicated by the advisor’s signature on the PPS. You will have an advising hold until your first PPS has been submitted based on these timeframes: Masters non-thesis submission is required by midterm of the first semester; Master’s thesis by midterm of the second semester. Before the registration periods of subsequent semesters, contact your advisor for approval of your proposed course selection for the upcoming semester, along with any changes in your PPS. You or your advisor need to submit your PPS (original or revised) to gradforms@essie.ufl.edu for processing.

Additional requirements may be imposed by the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering or the University of Florida Graduate School; therefore, the student should consult the Civil and Coastal Engineering Graduate Student Handbook for additional information.

Non-thesis Master’s degree

Non-thesis students obtaining a Master’s of Science degree must satisfy the final exam requirements by submitting a completed design or analysis term project that earned a grade of B or better from one of the core competency courses listed in the coursework requirements. Projects from outside the curriculum will not be considered. Projects are to be submitted to the student’s advisor for approval and must be comprehensive in nature. Master of Engineering students are not required to complete the final examination per the Graduate Catalog.

Thesis Master’s degree-seeking students:

A thesis master’s degree-seeking student is required to have a supervisory committee. That committee must consist of a minimum of two members, a chair (usually the advisor) and at least one additional member. The full committee should be formed by the mid-term of the second semester. If a minor is designated, the committee must include a graduate faculty member from the minor department.

Grades & Graduation

Per the University of Florida Graduate School Policy, students must have an overall GPA of 3.00 and an overall 3.00 GPA within the departmental courses to be eligible for graduation.

Coursework Requirements

Courses are selected to ensure students obtain a minimum level of competency in construction materials engineering. After the course requirements for the categories are met, remaining coursework must be selected from approved electives.

MS or ME with Thesis

Minimum 30 total semester hours; min. 24 hours coursework permitted and max 6 hours Masters Research (CGN 6971) permitted OR 27 hours coursework and 3 hours Masters Research (CGN6971) required; min. 15 hours coursework in Civil and Coastal Engineering, written master’s thesis; oral defense. Enrollment of 3 credit hours (Fall/Spring) or 2 credit hours (Summer) of Masters Research (CGN 6971) is required during the final/graduating semester. The student must take a minimum of 21 credits of coursework from the college of engineering.

MS or ME with Coursework Only (non-thesis)

Minimum 30 total semester hours of coursework; (only available if the student has not received financial aid from the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering), min. 15 hours coursework in Civil and Coastal Engineering. The student must take a minimum of 21 credits of coursework from the college of engineering.

A. Technical Fundamentals of Construction Competency (9 credits required):

BCN 5618C Comprehensive Estimating
CGN 6905 Construction Simulation and Modeling
CCE 6037 Civil Engineering Operations I

B. Construction Materials Competency (3 credits – take one of the following courses):

CGN 6525 Sustainable Materials
CGN 6505 Properties, Design and Control of Concrete
CGN 6905 Concrete Durability
CGN 6905 Concrete Structural Rehabilitation
CGN 6506 Bituminous Materials

C. Construction-Applied Resources Competency (3 credits – take one of the following courses):

CGN 6905 Construction Faults and Safe Practices
CGN 6905 Advanced Construction Information Systems

D. Field Construction Operations Competency (3 credits):

CGN 6905 Design of Temporary Structures

E. Electives (12 credits):

CGN 6971 Master’s Research (3 to 6 credits required only for thesis option)
CEG 5115 Foundation Design
CEG 6515 Earth Retaining Walls
CEG 5114 Advanced Geotechnical Aspects of Landfill Design
CES 5801 Design and Construction in Timber
CES 5235 Design of Highway Bridges
CES 5606 Topics in Steel Design
CES 6706 Advanced Reinforced Concrete
CES 5010 Probabilistic and Stochastic Methods in Civil Engineering
CES 5715 Prestressed Concrete
CGN 5605 Public Works Planning
CGN 5606 Public Works Management
CGN 6905 Microstructural Analysis of Cementitious Systems
CGN 6905 Railroad Engineering
EGN 6039 Engineering Leadership
EGN 6640 Entrepreneurship for Engineers
EGN 6642 Engineering Innovation
ENV 5306 Sustainable Materials Management (Municipal Refuse Disposal)
ENV 6932 Construction and Demolition Debris Management
ENV 6617 Prin. Green Eng. Design & Sustainability
ENV 6932 Beneficial Use of Waste Materials
BCN 5874 Equipment and Methods for Heavy Construction
BCN 5885 Methods & Management for Heavy Construction
BCN 6748 Construction Law
BCN 5729 Design-Build Delivery Methods
BCN 5776 International Construction Business Management
BCN 6641 Construction Value Engineering
BCN 6558C Building Integrated Renewable Energy Systems

Elective Notes

Classes listed in core competencies taken above the credit hour requirement in that competency may count toward the elective credit requirement
Other classes in Civil, Coastal, Environmental engineering or with a prefix of EGN courses may be taken upon approval of advisor
Only one of BCN 5874 BCN 5885 may be taken
Other electives outside of the college of engineering may be taken upon approval of advisor
A maximum of 9 credits outside of engineering may be used to satisfy degree requirements. Since BCN 5618C is required, only an additional 6 credits outside of engineering may be taken.

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