Feasibility Study

CSE6003B

Coursework Briefing
BEng (Hons)/MEng in: Civil & Structural Engineering

Client: Coastal Development Consortium (CDC)

Contract: Whitby Regeneration Study

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1. Introduction
The small coastal town of Whitby in North Yorkshire is facing a number of challenges that
must be addressed if it is to continue to survive and thrive as a community.

Foremost in the list of challenges are the declining fishing and cargo handling industries and
the need to boost revenue from other sources such as leisure and tourism. Many young people
leave Whitby once educated as it cannot provide them with employment and career development
opportunities. Although the leisure and tourism industries are thriving, they are highly seasonal in
nature with much of the local income being generated between the months of April and
September. Local community leaders are keen to encourage new development of the town to
address the seasonal unemployment and rising age profile problems.

Set against this is the need to preserve the architectural style and historical ambience of
Whitby which make it different from other towns in the region and, undoubtedly, contribute to its
success as a tourist resort. In addition, a number of people come to retire to Whitby because of its
quiet and relaxed atmosphere.

Further background information concerning the history and the social and economic problems
facing the town of Whitby is provided in Appendix A (separate document).

Coastal Erosion. In common with most of the coast of North East (NE) England the East and
West cliffs are affected by the erosive and degrading effects of the wind, rain and the sea. This
has been a problem for many decades. The extent of the erosion can be gauged by looking at the
position of the East Pier. When originally constructed it was built up against the foot of the East
cliff. The NE coast of England from the River Tyne in the North to Flamborough Head in the South
is the subject of the “Shoreline Management Plan 2” or SMP2. This has been produced by
consulting engineers Royal Haskoning. Full details are available from the following website:
[Link]

Flood Risk. Whitby is also affected by the comparatively recent effects of climate change,
notably flooding. Any proposed development, including any associated civil and structural
engineering works, must take into account the likelihood of flooding, particularly if such works are
close to the River Esk.

Traffic Congestion. Another severe problem facing Whitby that is likely to stifle new
development is traffic congestion. This is exacerbated by the severe shortage of parking facilities
not only for visitors but also for the people who live and work in Whitby. Any new development
initiatives in the town centre are likely to add to the problems of traffic congestion and car parking.
When considering any new development of the town and its surroundings, the alleviation of traffic
congestion and the provision of improved vehicle parking must also be considered.

Current Parking Solutions. The residents of Whitby frequently complain about the lack of
town centre parking, particularly during peak tourism periods. At present, the Endeavour Wharf
facility is used as a temporary car park to alleviate the lack of parking in the town centre and
temporary parking and ride car parking is provided on the open land adjacent to the tennis courts
on the West Cliff. Other park-and-ride car parking areas are also presently considered, but are still
insufficient.
 At present, there are two major bridges within the town of Whitby - the Swing Bridge and High
Level Bridge (also known as Whitby New Bridge). The Swing Bridge is a major maintenance
liability and restricts the movement of vehicular traffic across the River Esk. This may act as a
constraint to future development of the town centre, however, the bridge is also the main focal
point of the harbour and a tourist attraction.
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The bridge was built in 1909 to replace previous timber and masonry constructions. The
structure carries a single lane carriageway across the River Esk and two very narrow footpaths 1. At
peak periods during the working week and at weekends, vehicular traffic forms disruptive queues
at both ends of the bridge.

Of greater concern is the risk of an accident to pedestrians using the bridge, particularly during
peak tourist periods. It is commonplace for tourists to spill off the footpaths of the bridge onto the
carriageway. Surveys and data collected by the Accident Investigation Unit (AIU) of North orkshire
County Council’s Traffic and Transportation Division have revealed an increasing number of
accidents with the growth in the tourists’ numbers visiting Whitby. Furthermore, a recent risk
assessment by the Technical Services Department of Scarborough Borough Council showed that
the risk of a major accident occurring to pedestrians using the Swing Bridge has reached an
unacceptably high level.

The existing Swing Bridge is owned by the Borough Council which is responsible for all repair
and maintenance works necessary to keep the bridge in a safe and serviceable condition.
following a major survey of the central harbour area in September 1996 by expert teams of
surveyors from the University of Bradford, the Borough Council revealed the following facts
concerning the bridge:

a). A major refurbishment contract2 costing some £400,000 was completed in 1985. This involved
replacement of parts of the seriously corroded steel superstructure of the bridge by bolting on
additional steel plates. In addition the swing mechanisms were completely overhauled; new
electrically operated hydraulic controls were installed within the masonry abutments and the cast
steel bearings and runners were replaced. All the exposed surfaces of the variable depth steel
girders were shot blasted and repainted with a six coat paint system. The swing bridge was closed
to road traffic throughout the 4 month Contract period – the Contractor installed a temporary
footbridge to cater for pedestrians and river traffic.

b). Even though the Refurbishment contract was between November and March when very few
tourists visited Whitby, the closure of the Swing Bridge to vehicular traffic produced many
complaints from the business owners in the area and two businesses sued the Council for
compensation for loss of earnings.

c). Recent severe winter weather has resulted in some of the surface layers of paint becoming de-
bonded from the bridge girders; some flakes of this paint have fallen into the River Esk.
Unfortunately, the paint contains toxins that are harmful to the marine life in the River Esk, and,
although there have been no reported sightings of dead fish, the Council has received complaints
from the local Angling Club and the local branch of Friends of the Earth.

d). In spite of the refurbishment to the swing mechanisms, the eastern span of the bridge crashed
into the Dolphin Public House causing minor structural damage a few years ago (This was
reported in the “Yorkshire Evening Post”).

e). Rising concerns about the safety of the bridge and the high annual maintenance costs of about
£60,000 caused by frequent failures of the mechanical systems, led the Council to commission a
structural survey. The findings of the survey, published in September 2000, are as follows:-

The timber fender system is in a state of disrepair and cannot be relied upon to provide effective
protection against collision damage.
1 The Highways Agency requires a minimum footpath width of 1.8m and suggests the provision of wider footpaths
where severe congestion is likely and the safety of the Public is at risk.
2 This follows a previous major maintenance contract carried out in 1971.
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The repeated motion of traffic over the two leaves of the bridge has caused a series of fatigue
cracks to occur in the superstructure steelwork. Although not yet a major cause for concern, such
cracks could lead to a sudden failure, particularly in low temperature conditions.

There are signs of de-icing salt and sea salt induced corrosion of the welded steel pedestrian
parapets.

The paint system is not proving to be an effective barrier against corrosion; already there are
signs of corrosion of some of the cross girders (spanning between the main beams of the bridge
deck). The current repainting cycle of 10 to 15 years should be maintained.

A diver’s survey and the use of ground penetrating radar have revealed a series of voids in the
stone masonry abutments and the early signs of foundation scour.

The Swing Bridge was recently closed for approximately one week due to a failure to the
swing mechanism.

Hence, the existing Swing Bridge is proving to be a major maintenance and environmental
liability and also a political headache for its owners, Scarborough Borough Council.

Recent cuts have resulted in a severe reduction in the Council’s revenue (maintenance)
budget available for major structural repairs. However, some European Union funding plus funding
from North Yorkshire County Council is likely to be available if the bridges are considered as part
of a redevelopment scheme that will help to reduce unemployment.

2. Your Brief
The local authority (Scarborough Borough Council) together with North Yorkshire County
Council, English Partnerships and a number of private developers have formed a collaborative
partnership known as the Coastal Development Consortium (CDC). The principal role of the
CDC is to commission and manage a series of studies to identify the best solutions for the
development of the upper and lower harbour areas of the town; hereafter this is referred to as the
Harbour Zone.

For the purposes of this study, the Harbour Zone is defined as the area with the following
boundaries:

a). WEST
The Western edge of the West pier and its breakwater; Pier Road; Marine Parade; St. Anne’s
Staith; New Quay Road up to the railway station and the fence on the eastern side of the existing
railway lines down as far as the High Level Bridge (also known as New Bridge).

b). SOUTH
The High Level Bridge (also known as New Bridge) and its junction with Helredale Road (and the
entrance to the Larpool Industrial Estate).
c). EAST.
The eastern side of the roads leading north towards the town centre from the junction mentioned
in b), above, namely Helredale Road, Spital Bridge, Church Street and Henrietta Street onto the
eastern side of the East pier and its breakwater.
d). NORTH
The North Sea beyond the ends of the breakwaters of the West and East piers.

The CDC will provide most of the funding for any development via a series of Public Private
Partnership (PPP) initiatives. It is likely that any shortfall in funding will be met by a combination
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of National Lottery funding and European Union Regional Development grants. The CDC will also
be responsible for operating any new public facilities that are constructed as a result of any re-
development programme.

You have been commissioned by the CDC (hereafter referred to as your Client) as consulting
civil and structural engineers to carry out a feasibility study to investigate the possible ways
of redeveloping the Harbour Zone area of Whitby.

Your feasibility study MUST include (but is not limited to) consideration of the following:
a). Improving or replacing the existing swing bridge;
b). Replacing/Improving/Extending the existing pontoon/marina;
c) The introduction of one or more new river crossings for highway traffic and/or
pedestrian traffic;
d). The provision of improved car parking facilities. Identification of the likely sites for new
development within the Harbour Zone; Identification of the likely sites for the development
of offshore/onshore wind farms
e) An Environmental Impact Assessment
In addition, any proposals you make to your Client MUST:

Embrace the principles of sustainable development and energy efficient sources.

Take into account the future likely effects of climate change (in particular flooding).
Your feasibility study is to be presented to your Client in the form of a feasibility study report
and an oral presentation. Your report must make it clear how you have addressed all of the above
requirements.
The work described in this brief is to be carried out in design teams of 5 (maximum) students.
When working for a firm of consulting engineers it is usual to work in teams to complete a
challenging task of this type.
Although some of the information contained within this brief is true or is based on fact, some of
it has been fabricated for the purposes of this study. In spite of this, the problems described in this
document are fairly typical of those that you might encounter in practice.
In order to carry out a thorough feasibility study you will need to first carry out a detailed site
investigation. This will be substantially completed during the compulsory residential field course
at Whitby during 17 October to 21 October 2022 (depending on the number of students: for large
number of students, two large group students will go to Whitby in separate dates with each group
stay there for two days). Academic members of staff will provide an introduction to Site
Investigations before and during the field course. In general, when you return from Whitby, you
should have obtained the following information:

a). An understanding of environmental impact assessment and sustainability aspects of your

design solutions: This will be based on the information provided by Prof Yakun Guo who will give
presentations (acknowledge for the slides provided by Prof Crina Oltean-Dumbrava) and also give
the tours in Whitby.

b). Some guidance on planning constraints in the area. This will be obtained from a meeting with
Mr. J. Woodhead, Scarborough Borough Council’s Northern Area Engineer, Planning &
Regeneration. You will need to gain some knowledge of the existence of conservation areas,
national park boundaries and other development restrictions defined in the local plan and how
such designation will influence your proposals.

c). A knowledge of the geology of the area and how it relates to the potential construction
difficulties. This will be based on the information provided by Dr M. Mohamed in the geology
briefing given at Whitby and an inspection of the geological outcrops evident on the East and West
Cliff areas and the Khyber Pass.

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d). An assessment of the exposure conditions likely to influence your choice of materials (there
are clear signs of wind induced erosion; abrasion from the sea and attrition effects; chloride-
induced corrosion of exposed carbon steel and steel reinforcement cast in concrete; rotting of
some species of timber exposed to a marine environment);

e). A general knowledge of the site and the range of factors likely to influence the development
of your outline solutions into a well-conceived recommended solution that is fit for its intended
purpose. These factors may include but will not be limited to local opinion, existing local industries
and businesses, the extent and quality of the transportation infrastructure, current and historical
land usage and ownership, environmental factors that might affect design, the presence of any
areas designated as a Site of Special Scientifical Interest (SSSI), any archaeological artefacts
found in the area; any examples of protected species of flora and fauna (as defined by English
Nature), etc. You should be able to gain some information on these matters (and those outlined
in g, below) by carrying out a reconnaissance survey, web searches, gaining information from the
local Tourist Information Office and from a visit to the Whitby Library (by a small group of students
comprised of representatives from each design team). Please also take photos while at Whitby
which will be used in your project report.

f). Knowledge of the main traffic routes into and around Whitby. A small group of students
(comprising representatives from each design team) will be given a tour of all the principal roads
and access routes in the area.

g). Knowledge of any special features in the Harbour Zone area such as the swing bridge;
fishing (and fish processing) facilities; the marina facilities; local sporting clubs, museums and
other tourist attractions; boat repair works; etc. This information will be provided to students in a
meeting with the Harbour Master.

The following additional information will be available in the Feasibility Study classes:
i). Borehole logs for part of the Harbour Zone area. (Note: borehole data is not available for all of
Whitby).

ii). A maritime chart of Whitby harbour showing approximate water depths. Your Client is seeking
your expert advice and detailed recommendations on what you consider to be the preferred
location, form and details of all the civil, structural and environmental engineering works required
to address the Client’s requirements.

Each design team is required to produce a Feasibility Study Report, which you may
assume will be read by other engineers employed by your Client. One copy of the report is
to be submitted by each design team.

Feedback will be provided on feedback sheets and via discussions (or de-briefing sessions) with
each design team. Your team is also required to give an oral presentation of your
recommendations. Your Feasibility Study Report must include a section on the principal findings of
the Site Investigation that you carried out on the residential field course. These findings will help
you to develop your recommendations. In addition, your Feasibility Study report must also include
your proposals to meet the Client’s brief. For each of the Client’s requirements you are required to:

Identify and briefly describe a series of possible alternative solutions (You are encouraged to
identify and consider as many alternatives as possible - there is no upper limit). These will be
outline solutions only and may include different forms of construction, different locations (of similar
forms of construction), different materials, etc.

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Note: You should always consider “do nothing” as a possible solution – it may prove to be the
best solution, however, you must be able to demonstrate that this is the case to your Client.

By carefully critically appraising each alternative for its advantages and limitations and by making
revisions to some of your ideas, you should be able to reduce your list of alternatives to a single
viable solution. Further guidance on how to carry out this will be given by academic members of
staff in the first class when you return from Whitby.

For the single viable solution (only), you must then provide:
An explanation giving the principal reasons for proposing the solution (or, if appropriate, a
detailed explanation why you do not consider the works proposed by your Client to be viable).
A detailed description of the proposed location – this could take the form of a plan in your
Feasibility Study report.

The layout and forms of construction for your proposed development. These might include use
of precast or in-situ concrete, road/footpath construction, masonry, timber or structural steelwork;
dimensions of principal structural elements such as beams, columns and slabs, sheet piles, walls,

earth retaining works, etc.; layout of any buildings, plan dimensions, floor plans (including room
usage); layout of spans, supports, foundations, architectural features and finishes, etc.,
landscaped areas, car parks, new access roads, changes to existing roads, drainage, etc.

A method statement describing the proposed safe method of construction for your development
including details of any major temporary works. The method statement must include a risk
assessment of what you consider to be the 10 most severe hazards; you must demonstrate in
your method statement how the risks created by the hazards will be managed and reduced to an
acceptable level.

A list of the principal items of plant envisaged (this should be included in your method
statement).

A description of how you propose to cope with any restrictions on construction including:- the
local industries, tourism, access for labour, plant and materials, materials storage, any existing
services or drains, any temporary diversion of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, major safety
problems, flooding, sustainable construction materials and methods, environmental impact, etc.

The type of foundations or geotechnical works proposed.

Aspects of your proposals to ensure the health and safety of the public and construction
personnel (during construction and when undertaking any routine maintenance or repair) – see
risk assessment and method statement, above.

Any outline calculations, where necessary (see below).


The materials proposed for each part of your solution, with a specification for each and a section
explaining the reasons for your choice.

The particular aspects of your proposals that you consider are examples of sustainable
construction.

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Not all the information you need will be readily available; you will have to make reasonable
assumptions concerning many aspects of the design, in particular the ground conditions - this is
quite a common situation, particularly at the feasibility study stage of the design process.

Please state clearly any assumptions made during your feasibility study at an appropriate
place in your report and draw the Client’s attention to any further investigations you
consider are necessary before you can proceed with detailed design (see below).

At an appropriate point in your report you must make clear the design recommendations for your
proposed solution to the problems identified above. This should include a detailed statement of
why you consider your proposal to be the best solution to the problems. You should also
include, in the statement, any major assumptions that you have made and brief details of
any additional investigations that you consider are essential to permit detailed design.

3. Some points to consider

The following points should be taken into account when considering your solutions to the
above engineering problems:

a). You can assume that your Client has no fixed ideas on the type of development proposed
although account should be taken with regards to alleviating traffic in the Harbour Zone or of the
type and location of any river crossings. The principal aim is to make a firm recommendation for a
sustainable engineering solution that will be of benefit to the people of Whitby and the surrounding
areas in the short and long-term.

b). Your Client wishes to see clear evidence that your proposed solution encompasses sustainable
forms of construction including sustainable energy sources.

c). The tidal range of the River Esk and the effects of climate change, particularly the high risk of
flooding, must be accounted for in your proposals.

d). At this stage your Client is willing to consider a number of alternatives to avoid traffic
congestion and any reduction in car parking spaces.

e). The saline conditions plus the effects of driving wind and rain have a severe effect on many
exposed materials. Your proposed designs must have a long service life.

f). How to provide access for labour, plant and materials to all parts of your proposed construction
site.

g). The need to minimise the impact of the proposed works (during and after construction) on the
other industries in the area including the various small businesses in the area and any facilities
provided to support tourism.

h). There must be no significant disruption to the existing tourist and leisure facilities, particularly
during the peak tourist season.

i). There are many residential properties in the area; the possible increased levels of noise and
vehicle pollution and traffic congestion must be considered.

j). Particular attention should be paid to the need to maintain a safe working environment during
construction.

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k). The aesthetic impact and appeal of the proposed works must be considered when developing
your design proposals. Account must be taken of the local architecture and the historical features
of the area such as the development of the fishing and whaling industries and the link with the
explorer, Captain James Cook.

l). Although you do not have sufficient time to carry out a detailed cost study, you should be able to
comment on the likely relative costs of the different forms of construction considered. Note: if you
want to get a feel for construction costs, there are some guides in the reference section on the
ground floor of the J. B. Priestley Library.

m). Full planning consent will only be issued by Scarborough Borough Council if all the proposed
works take due account of the Industrial Archaeology and historical character of Whitby.

n). Considerable emphasis should therefore be placed on "fitness for purpose" and low
maintenance costs. Bear in mind that, as the chartered engineers of the future, you also have a
professional responsibility for the aesthetic appeal and environmental impact of any work
you design. In addition you should carefully consider the use of environmentally friendly and
sustainable materials and construction techniques.

o). One of the aspects of a design, which is often overlooked by engineers, is that of risk of delay
during construction. Invariably it is the Client who ends up paying for the costs arising from
delays e.g. the cost of claims for extra payment from the Contractor due to unforeseen ground
conditions, etc.; increased finance charges such as interest payments on loans and a delay in the
opening of engineering works often results in a delay in obtaining revenue from the paying public.
You may wish to address this point when considering alternative design solutions.

p). The members of the CDC will want evidence that alternative designs have been critically
appraised by their "expert" consulting engineers (i.e. YOU) and, assuming that they decide to
proceed with construction, they must be confident that they are getting the best solution and
value for money. Bear this in mind when carrying out your feasibility studies.

q). You have complete freedom of choice of materials, construction methods, forms of
construction, etc. HOWEVER, you must be able to fully justify your design recommendations
using sound engineering reasoning and your design must satisfy the Client’s requirements
stated previously in section 2.

r). Your Client will expect that your proposals will take into account the need to ensure the safety
of the public and site personnel at all times and to minimise the disruption to local industry, traffic,
services, etc. during construction3.
Overall, your design proposals must cater for any potential problems that you identify and consider
to be significant.

4. Report Format
Your report must include a cover sheet (stating the Client’s name, the project title and the names
of each member of the design team), an abstract, contents, an introduction, the main body of the
report (with all the principal points covered in a logical sequence) and a summary (e.g.
conclusions and recommendations). Additional information should be presented in an appendix.

You must also include the following appendices:

i). A list of references (by definition these must be cross-referenced to the text of your report)

ii). A bibliography (a list of appropriate background reading that has been used to inform your
report)
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iii). A copy of the Design team’s Project Implementation Plan (PIP).
NOTE: this must be completed by each design team and included in an appendix to the report.

iv). A copy of the notes or minutes of a minimum of 3 Design Team meetings

NOTE: these must be word-processed and must be completed by each design team. They should
be included in an appendix to the report.

Careful attention must be paid to the structure and presentation of your report. It must be neat,
clear, well-structured and concise. The report must be word processed. Making sure that all
members of the team use the same font type and size, margins, etc. (i.e. your report should
not appear to be separate contributions – it should appear as though it has been written by
one person).
You are encouraged to illustrate construction details, problems, proposed methods of construction,
etc. with clear, neat, fully annotated sketches (pencil or ink sketches are acceptable);
alternatively you may include diagrams produced using AutoCAD. You are not required to submit
a set of engineering drawings with the feasibility study report. Where appropriate, photographs of
the site may be included. Any diagrams, drawings or photographs must be cross-referenced to the
text. Where possible, diagrams, drawings and photographs should be located close to the text
where they are first mentioned rather than in an appendix.

You are not required to produce fully detailed design calculations; you will produce these as
part of the detailed design work carried out in the GEO-CIVIL ENGINEERING DESIGN double
module. You may, however, wish to carry out sufficient outline calculations to obtain approximate
sizes of the principal structural members or foundations. Where these have been carried out by
your team, they must be submitted in ink on standard formal calculation sheets.

Please note that word processed calculations are not acceptable.

All employers (in all disciplines of employment, not just civil engineering) will be seeking graduates
with good communications skills. To reflect the importance of good written communications skills,
a mark of up to 10% will be awarded for presentation (see below). A further 20% will be allocated
for an oral presentation by the design team (see section 5b,below).

5. Submission details and marking schedule

The assessment for Feasibility Study consists of 2 elements: a Feasibility Study Report (80%) and
an Oral Presentation (20%).

a). Feasibility Study Report

Deadline: 3:00 pm, Thursday 15 December 2022. The Feasibility Study Report is to be
submitted online via Canvas ONLY by the group leader (e.g. one submission per group).
The usual rules regarding late submission of coursework will apply – i.e. a late submission without
an approved extension will be awarded a zero mark.

Each report must contain a statement made by the team that summarises the contribution
made by each team member. This statement must be signed by each member of the team.
The signed statement should be included with the coursework cover sheet at the front of
the report. Reports submitted without a signed statement will not be accepted.

Weighting: 80% of total Feasibility Study module mark

3 Important Note. The CDM Regulations came into force in the UK, on 31 March 1995. CDM =
(Construction, Design and Management) Regulations. A revised version was introduced in April 2007.
This legislation, in effect, means that everyone involved at all stages of a project from planning to
construction is responsible for health and safety. Designers and Specifiers have a legal duty to take
health and safety into account when designing any construction works and specifying materials.

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Marking: marks will be allocated as shown in the schedule below. The Feasibility Study is an
exercise in time management and teamwork – these are essential attributes expected of any
engineering graduate. It is expected that all members of each design team will make an equal
contribution to the overall work of the team on a regular basis. The Team Leader together
with all the members of the team must ensure this is the case. The normal work load of the
report should be 3800-4200 words per student (excluding figures/photos/sketches). If
exceed 4200 or less than 3800 words per student, penalty will be given.

Where this is not the case, adjustments to individual’s marks will be applied by the members of the
academic team delivering this module based on the individual performance and the confidential
peer group assessment exercise that has been carried out to identify members of the design team
who, in the judgement of the team, have not made a full contribution to the team activity.

In addition, the initials of the person carrying out the work must be written on the bottom right hand
corner of each page of the report. Each member of the design team will be given a mark that
reflects:

a). The quality and quantity of the work they have undertaken;
b). Their contribution to the team effort.
c) The confidential peer assessment.

Item of Work Weighting%

1. Executive Summary of the group Project 5
2. Site Investigation (the detailed principal findings from the site investigation exercise 10
carried out at Whitby)
3. Initial Considerations (list of design criteria, alternative solutions considered + critical 15
appraisal - all aspects of the Feasibility Study). Considering sustainability and H & S; applying
knowledge of profession and ethic elements in the initial consideration.
4. Detailed proposals for possible development– Single Viable 15
Solution (including sketches, architectural layouts, details including the dimensions of
any principal structural members and detailed materials specifications)
5. Method Statement and supporting risk assessments and H &S for the safe construction of 10
your proposed single viable solution (the method statement should include a list of
assumed principal plant requirements and, where appropriate, sketch details of any
proposed major items of temporary works)
6. Focus on Sustainable Development (how well the principles of sustainable 15
development and environmental impact assessment have been integrated into the
development of your single viable solution)
7. Degree of innovation and creativity employed by the design team (“safe” or very 5
simple solutions will be awarded a low mark in this section, e.g. 0 or 1 mark)
8. Recommendations to the Client including justification of solution and suggestions for 5
further investigations
9. Progress and Teamwork (how well the team has followed its Project Implementation 10
Plan; evidence of good team-working from minutes of design team meetings and from
attendance in class at meetings with the supervisors)
10. Presentation (including the structure of the report; clarity; use of diagrams & 10
photographs; cross-referencing of diagrams & photographs in the text; quality of
abstract; page numbering)
Mark Awarded and Carried Forward to Summary X 0.8

b). Oral presentations

All the oral presentations will be given on Thursday 8 December 2022. Further details
concerning the programme, venue and presentation times will be issued closer to the date.
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(Reminder: the oral presentation mark will be weighted as 20% of your overall mark in the
Feasibility Study module).

Each Design Team is to give an oral presentation lasting 15 minutes on their feasibility study,
followed by 5 minutes questions.

Oral Presentation Assessment Criteria

The student’s performance in the presentation and discussion is to be assessed using the criteria
given below. The maximum mark is 100%. The oral presentation mark contributes 20% to the
overall assessment.

Mark Assessment Criteria

Range
70-100 a) Excellent interest and enthusiasm shown for the subject
b) Comprehensive knowledge of subject and thorough understanding
demonstrated
c) Cogent and perceptive arguments made to support the work in response to
probing questions
60-69 a) Considerable interest and enthusiasm shown
b) Knowledge of subject and thorough understanding demonstrated
c) Able to answer most questions and support or refute others’ views convincingly
with little or no prompting
50-59 a) A measure of interest and enthusiasm shown. Some evidence of planning and
preparation
b) Reasonable knowledge of subject and only adequate understanding
demonstrated
c) Able to provide some logical argument in support of point of view, but only with
prompting
40-49 a) Some interest and enthusiasm shown. Limited evidence of planning and
preparation
b) Incomplete knowledge and understanding of subject demonstrated
c) Some attempt to answer questions and engage in debate in a limited way
0-39 a) No interest and enthusiasm shown. No evidence of planning and preparation
b) No knowledge or understanding of subject demonstrated. Poor understanding of
the work of own group
c) Unable to respond to questions or engage in debate
X 0.2 Mark Awarded and Carried Forward to Summary

On completion of each presentation the Design team will be required to answer questions from
the audience (it is anticipated that this will last approx. 6 minutes).

Every member of the Design Team is to be involved in the Team's presentation. Each Team is
responsible for selecting what it considers to be the most appropriate method of presentation to
the audience. Computer projector and display board will be available.

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