CE 453 Lab Preliminary Instructions



INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the labs in CE 453 is to consolidate the theory you are learning in the classroom and apply it to a project. Much of what you will be doing will involve a project that was built by the DOT on US 20 in Hardin County. You will go through an abbreviated version of the design process, beginning with the determination of the preferred location for the project within the corridor and concluding with the preparation of a representative set of plans. Most labs will require that you prepare a report as well as developing data or drawings. The reports are to be formatted as outlined below.

REPORT FORMAT

Each phase of the design report (as specified by your instructor) shall be developed in a manner that represents the results of the analysis of data and generation of design concepts by you (and/or your team) in a form that facilitates a systematic review by another engineer. To the maximum degree possible, it is expected that graphic exhibits will demonstrate your knowledge of and capability to use computer-aided-drafting (e.g., MicroStation), geographic information systems, GIS (e.g., MapInfo) and efficient use of raster graphics. All graphics and computations in submitted reports are to be produced by the computer (no hand calculations or drawings). All phase reports shall contain the following information:

Report cover sheet information - Include the title of the report, course number, semester, instructor name and design team name and logo, and the names of each designer and their titles. You must always list a project manager.

Table of contents and report organization - Organize by page or tabs each of the lab reports and so indicate in the table of contents

*** NOTE: THESE ARE GENERIC. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT OF LABS TAKE PRIORITY OVER THESE GENERAL SUGGESTIONS WHEN THEY CONFLICT

Introduction - Statement of the problem to be solved in this portion of the laboratory design report, and its relationship to the overall highway design.

Background Information - Statement of assumptions and sources of information that were used to generate the solution presented.

Analysis and Results - Explain the process used to arrive at the solution

Conclusions and Recommendations - State the solution to the problem. In many of the reports this will include a recommendation for a portion of the design. Always include your reasons for any recommendations.

Appendix – Lengthy calculations or tables that would disrupt the flow of information in the main body of the report, multiple copies of design aids used such as nomographs, lengthy computer input/output sheets should go in an appendix and be clearly referenced in the text, by appendix number. (e.g., see Appendix B for computer worksheets). Maps or photographs, and drawings or sketches should be imbedded in the text so as to help the reader understand your analysis and conclusions. If there are so many as to disrupt the flow of reading the text, you may put these in the appendix – but discuss this with your project manager first. If you need to, you may ask your instructor for assistance in this matter. Information in an appendix provides material for other engineers to check the process used and the results obtained in your work.

Your use of the English language (spelling, grammar, style, etc.) will be considered in the grading process.

Team Organization

The design laboratory process is an academic activity intended to simulate a first year professional experience. Much of your professional experience will involve preparing reports; in the lab you will prepare a “preliminary project design report” for a highway project.

The class will be divided into design teams, and you may share information and tips (not work) between teams.

Each team will appoint a project manager that will be rotated each week. Each member must serve as project manager at least 3 times. The project manager will also function as a staff engineer, but should be given reduced workload, accordingly, as they will be working more on project report, assignments and graphics. You may also wish to appoint and rotate positions of staff engineer and graphics specialist.

Note: Project managers will be evaluated each week. They are responsible for calling team meetings, making assignments, pulling together parts of the lab, making sure the lab report reads like one person wrote or prepared it, and providing quality control. If there are major errors in the report or lab submittal the project manager MAY be penalized. As the role of project manager takes extra effort, other members should be assigned work, accordingly.

Project Manager – Tasks:

• Assigns work to staff engineers.

• Works with client to obtain information (holds meetings, phone calls, emails, etc.)

• Calls team meetings and makes work schedules.

• Reports to principal on performance of staff engineers.

• Writes reports with help of staff engineers and graphics specialist.

• Makes sure Audio/Visual needs are provided for at presentations.

• Does some project work, as needed.

• Estimates time required for each task, and with feedback from members, adjusts schedules and assignments to provide near equity among team members.

Note: It is rare that all team members will work the same number of hours in this class. In engineering practice, you will be required to report your billable hours, and that, together with the quality of your work will constitute a large part of the information required by management for promotion, salary and bonus decisions.

Graphics Specialist – Tasks: Prepares professional graphics and report format. (This person also serves as a staff engineer, with appropriately reduced workload).

Staff Engineer – Tasks: Data acquisition, analysis, design and report writing

Note: Each person on the design team is responsible for learning the techniques applicable to each section of the report or lab exercise. The project manager must make sure each person is given ample opportunity to learn what the others are doing. This provides flexibility within the firm (and as a practical matter, provides better grades on exams!)

Peer evaluation: Each person on the team is to be evaluated by other team members weekly. You will base your evaluation on the quality and quantity of work performed compared to others. In past classes the peer evaluation has been used to report problems with the contributions (or lack thereof) of individual team members. You may omit these evaluations if you and your team members are satisfied with the team performance.

INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES

Specific lab instructions will direct you to appropriate sources of information; as you determine necessary you may use other sources but you must document these sources. Whenever you use someone else’s work you must acknowledge that person as the creator of the material you are using. Failing to do so will not be tolerated.

Please see the class web page ctre.iastate.edu/educweb/ce453/453.htm for information on available digital resources.

Map and photographic images are available to you on the Internet at . (Select: Iowa Geographic Image map server’s page).

Each team will be given a resource notebook and a Geopak training manual. THESE MUST BE RETURNED IN GOOD CONDITION AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE A GRADE FOR THE LAB. The resource notebook contains copies of pages from various sources such as the AASHTO A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, the ITE Trip Generation tables, and the Iowa DOT. The material in the Geopak training manual is available on the class web site in the folder “Lab 06” as a pdf file. In order to save on your printing costs we provide it in a binder but you are free to use the electronic version if you prefer.

ELECTRONIC FILES

You will be using Microstation and Geopak during much of the semester. It is extremely important that you follow a specific file structure protocol. These programs are sensitive to where files are stored and used. You should always do your work from a folder C:\User\your name. When you have finished your work save your files and copy the folder to your H drive or other device. When you are ready to start working again, start by copying the folder to the C:\User\ location. In past semesters students have had a lot of trouble when they tried to work from their H drive or a pen drive, such that they have had to redo a major portion of their project.

PROCEDURE

Read the lab instructions, taking care to identify all requirements for your submittal. You may find it helpful to prepare a table of contents for your report from the list of deliverables in each set of instructions. The project manager should then assign specific items to members of the team. Complete the required items and deliver them to the project manager. The project manager should review all items to make sure they are correct and that the submittal is complete. At this point it is important to provide enough time for changes and corrections. Try to avoid waiting until the last minute to complete the lab, as this may not allow enough time for checking, meeting with the instructor, etc.

Most of the labs require you to prepare some sort of report, either as a specific product or as a summary of what you did in the lab. The project manager must allow enough time in the process to review the report for grammar, etc.

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