Fluid Mechanics for Civil & Environmental Engineers

Course Description
This is an introductory level course dealing with the properties and behaviour of fluids in usual civil and environmental engineering applications. The fundamental principles of continuity, energy and momentum are introduced and applied to applications that include fluid statics, fluid dynamics, pipe flows, similarity laws, fluid loading and unsteady flows. The course provides essential knowledge for the study of natural flow phenomena in rivers, estuaries oceans and the atmosphere. It provides the fundamental theory for design of hydraulic structures such as culverts, spillways, energy dissipators and pipe networks.

Course Introduction
This is an interesting and important introductory level course dealing with the properties and behaviour of fluids in Civil and Environmental Engineering applications (e.g., (un)steady fluid forces on pipelines, jetties, coastal structures, dams, forces on buildings through to static fluid forces, pressure and gravity driven pipe flows, stability of structures within fluids, fluid-structure interaction {offshore structure movements}). You will learn introductory fluid mechanics through reading highlighted sections of the recommended textbook before lectures, actively participating in lectures, solving problems before and during tutorials and conducting four "hands on" laboratory experiments as a team, as well as through informal group work and independent study.

Learning Objectives
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

1. ESSENTIAL (ASSESSABLE) LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.1  Describe and explain a range of fundamental fluid mechanics concepts and processes using both text and illustrations (see Course Aims for details)
1.2  Solve quantitative fluid mechanics problems at the introductory level using complex reasoning and the selection of appropriate solutions (see Course Aims for details)
1.3  Perform a sequence of introductory level pre-laboratory calculations and associated fluid mechanics laboratory experiments
1.4  Write clear and accurate 1. laboratory reports for the laboratory experiments using the given templates or 2. design check report
1.5  Perform appropriate analyses and calculations to enable the initial design of typical engineering hydraulic systems (see Course Aims for details)

2. DEVELOPING (NON-ASSESSABLE) LEARNING OBJECTIVES
2.1  Work as a productive team member to conduct laboratory experiments or design checks and produce group laboratory or design check reports.

Class Contact
3 Lecture hours, 1 Tutorial hour, 1 Practical or Laboratory hour