SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

COURSE OUTLINE (STRUCTURAL DESIGN 3A, STEEL & TIMBER –

SDE311S / S5)

STATEMENT ABOUT ACADEMIC HONESTY AND INTEGRITY

All staff and students of the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), upon signing their employment
contracts and registration forms, commit themselves to abide by the policies and rules of the institution. The core
activity of NUST is learning and in this respect academic honesty and integrity is very important to ensure that learning
is valid, reliable and credible.

NUST therefore does not condone any form of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and cheating on tests and
assessments, amongst other such practices. NUST requires students to always do their own assignments and to
produce their own academic work, unless given a group assignment.

Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

• Using the ideas, words, works or inventions of someone else as if it is your own work.
• Using the direct words of someone else without quotation marks, even if it is referenced.
• Copying from writings (books, articles, webpages, other students’ assignments, etc.), published or
unpublished, without referencing.
• Syndication of a piece of work, all or part of an assignment, by a group of students, unless the assignment
was a legitimate group assignment.
• The borrowing and use of another person’s assignment, with or without their knowledge or permission.
• Infringing copyright, including documents copied or cut and pasted from the internet.
• Asking someone else to prepare an assignment for you or to write or sit an assessment for you, whether this
is against payment or not.
• Re-submitting work done already for another course or programme as new work, so-called self-plagiarism.
• Bringing notes into an examination or test venue, regardless of whether the notes were used to copy or not.
• Receiving any outside assistance in any form or shape during an examination or test.

All forms of academic dishonesty are viewed as misconduct under NUST Student Rules and Regulations. Students who
make themselves guilty of academic dishonesty will be brought before a Disciplinary Committee and may be
suspended from studying for a certain time or may be expelled. All students who are found guilty of academic
dishonesty shall have an appropriate endorsement on their academic record, which will never be erased.

COURSE INFORMATION

COURSE CODE AND TITLE:

SDE311S - STRUCTURAL DESIGN (STEEL & TIMBER)

DEPARTMENT:
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

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PROGRAMME:
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

CONTACT HOURS:
THREE (3) HOURS PER WEEK

NQF LEVEL AND CREDIT:

NQF LEVEL 5 AND NQF CREDITS 15

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course aims at enabling students to design and evaluate reinforced concrete and masonry structures in
accordance with widely used design codes and standards.

PRE-REQUISITES:
Theory of Structures and Strength of Materials

COURSE EQUIVALENCIES:
None applicable

COURSE DELIVERY METHODS:

The theoretical content of the course will be presented by means of lectures. Tutorials will also be conducted
to ensure that the students practice the application of the design theory presented in lectures. An
assignment as well as a lab session will also be conducted.

The following communication tools will be used in this course:

The communication tools for this course will be mainly during lectures, however should further
communication required, Email and office consultations are encouraged.

Course Format:
The course will mainly be conducted through lectures, however, tutorials after each topic will be
issued (note that only three (3) of these will be marked for assessment). An assignment will also be
issued and will be assessed for marks. One lab session will also be conducted to assist in
understanding the material, concrete.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
08/02/2017

LECTURER INFORMATION
Lecturer’s name: Mr. MM Muukua (Pr. Eng.)
Email: mmuukua@nust.na
Office phone: Office 12 (E3/4)
th
Office location: Civil / Mining Engineering Building (4 floor)
Office hours: 07:30 – 16:30
Consultation hours: All lecturers are available for consultation with students. Consultation times can be found
on the doors of lecturers’ offices.

STUDENT READINESS

Technology & Equipment Readiness:

PC and Projectors are available during lectures for the course presentation. However the
whiteboard will be frequently used as well.

Student Commitments And Contact Times:

Students are expected to be punctual. Any student that is late by more than 10 minutes may not be
allowed to enter the lecture room, especially if the situation occurs on a regular.

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 Course Resources:
The students are encouraged to acquire the prescribed book and the recommended South African
Design Codes.

Prescribed Reading:
1. Design of Structural Steel in Southern Africa to SANS10162-1 by J. Mahachi
2. Structural Steelwork by T.J. MacGinley and T.C. Ang (optional)
3. Structural Design of Wood by J.J. Stalnaker and E.C. Harris

Recommended Reading:

The following codes of practice and software will be introduced to the students: -

• SABS 0160 – 1989: The general procedures and loadings to be adopted in the design of buildings

• SABS 0162-1 – 1993: Limit States Design of Hot Rolled Steelwork

• SABS 0163: Structural use of Timber

STUDENT LEARNING

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course of study, you should be able to....

• Use detailed knowledge, philosophies, analysis and design of structural steel elements.

• Evaluate the existence and application of different international recognized design codes.

• Design Steel and Timber sections for axial, shear and bending forces in accordance with SABS/SANS
design codes/standards. As well as determining deflections, wind loadings and designing
connections from first principles using simplified equation and section tables.

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COURSE SCHEDULE:
Week Date Activity/Topic/Assessment

Applied Loads on structures – introduction, code of practice for general

1 procedures and loadings, loading patterns and Dead loads
- Interlink between structural analysis and structural design
- Introduction to various International codes and standards: SABS, BS,ACI etc
Applied Loads on structures – Evaluation of Wind loads
2

3 Structural steel element design – limit state design

Tutorials sessions (T1)
Structural steel element design - axial tension member design:
4

Structural steel element design –axial compression member design,

5

Tutorial sessions (T2)

6
TEST/EXAMS 1
Mid-semester break
Structural steel element design – Bending
7

Structural steel element design – Bending

8

Tutorial sessions (T3)

9

Structural steel element design – Bending, Shear / Combined bending and

10 shear

Structural steel connection detail design Structural steel connection design

11 details

Timber Design
12
Tutorial sessions (T4)
Timber Design
13

TEST/EXAMS 2
14

Timber Design
15
Final grade submission
NA
16

Total

Topic Assignments

etc.

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IMPORTANT DATES:
NOTE: The following dates are subject to change based on the needs of the students at the lecturer’s prerogative.
Students will be notified ahead of time of any changes.

Date Important Information

Exam / Test 1
Exam / Test 2
Assignment Issue
Assignment Submission

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:

Assessment Weight

Exam / Test 1 25%

Exam / Test 2 25%

Assignment 20%

Tutorials (three off) 10& each

Total: 100%

Minimum pass requirement for this course: 50%

COURSE POLICIES
General Academic Policies:
It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with and adhere to NUST’s Policies. These Policies can be found
in NUST Prospectus or online at www.nust.na/prospectus.

Supplementary Policies:
• Late submission of assignment/ tutorials carries a zero mark
• All tests are exams based and goes for a minimum of two hours
• All tests will be conducted based on strict exams conditions
• The one off supplementary or second opportunity exams will be is carried out to those students who have
failed the course and grade obtained will replace the weakest grade or unattended examination or
assessment session
• Students with more than 30% failure to attend the course will be considered failed
• Student caught cheating during any of the schedule exams will carry a zero mark for that exam
• Student found to be dishonest either by signing attendance register on behalf of a student or otherwise will be
given a severe penalty as determined by the course Lecturer.

DATE REVISED: 08/02/2017

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
None

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

None

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FAILURE TO PAY FEES:

A student who fails to pay his/her fees may not be allowed to write the examination and if allowed, the results will be
withheld until all outstanding fees are paid in full.

IMPORTANT STUDENT SERVICES AT NUST

There are a variety of services which you can use at the NUST. These services are to your advantage – Use them!!!
They include the following:

• Student Counseling and Career Development – Department: Students Services

• Writing Centre and student academic problems –Teaching and Learning Unit (CTL)
• Campus Health and Wellness Centre (CHWC) - Student Services’/ NUST Clinic

AUTHORISATION:
This course is authorised for use by:

___________________________________ __________________________
Head of Department Date

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY STUDENT

(To be completed by all students on the course, detached from the course outline and kept on record in the
department)

I, (insert name), (Student number), hereby acknowledge that I have received this course outline for (insert course title
and code), and that I have familiarised myself with its content, in particular the statement about academic honesty
and integrity. I agree to abide by the Policies and arrangements spelt out in this course outline.

SN Full Names Student Number Signature Date