CHALLENGE 1-CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL & GEOMATIC ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING CHALLENGE 1

DISASTER MANAGEMENT. RELIEF AFTER 2010 CONCEPCION EARTHQUAKE (CHILE)

Programme(s): BEng and MEng in Civil Engineering (IEP)

Academic Year: 2024/2025

Module Title: Engineering Challenges. Challenge 1

Disaster management. Relief after 2010 Concepcion Earthquake (Chile)

Module Code: ENGF0001

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The 2010 Concepcion (Chile) earthquake will be used as a case study where analysis from different perspectives of Civil Engineering will be carried out.

The structure of the module is such, that it has 2 themes:

• Structural Engineering

• Geotechnical Engineering

Two thematic problems, related to the proposed event, will be presented, each one of them representing a relevant area in our department. You will have to:

• Identify and allocate the proposed problem within the thematic topic and discipline.

• Research the problem, talk about its implications and discuss potential optionsto solve it.

In this first three weeks of the module you will have to work individually. Then the Challenge 1 will end and you will start the Challenge 2. The information in this handbook only covers Challenge 1.

Some pre-recorded sessions (face to face and synchronous) and pre-recorded materials are uploaded in Moodle for you to watch. On the first week you will have kick of sessions, including general information and the description of your assessment for this part of the module, a pre-recorded keynote lecture and a workshop. Then, a set of sessions and videos will cover the contents of the module as well as instruction to prepare and submit your assessment.

1.1 AIMS

ThisIntegrated Engineering module isintended to give you an opportunity to put yourlearning into practice by working in an interdisciplinary, problem-based, industry linked and design focused environment. Atits core, you will make use of and explore the creative and stimulating aspects of design as practiced by ‘real’ engineers and computer scientists in industry and the professional skills needed to be successful in the enticing and highly competitive working world.

1.2 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this module you should have:

• LO1 – Develop technical knowledge and understanding of your own discipline.

• LO2 – Develop the ability to learn through your own research and enquiry.

• LO3 – Develop the ability to communicate the role and value of your chosen discipline.

2.0 MOODLE SPACE

There is Moodle space where all the information about the module will be found:

https://moodle.ucl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=43963 (tab ‘Challenge 1 [CEGE]’). Please use Moodle as much as possible: start discussions in forums and communicate with the academics.

3.0 OUTLINE OF THE SESSIONS

3.1 Tasks per week

Week 1

- Task 1. Attending kick-off meetings (2 hours).

- Task 2. Watching video 'Earthquakes and structural engineers'/workshop and taking the quiz (1 hour).

- Task 3. Workshop. Introduction to structural analysis (2 hours).

Week 2

- Task 4. Attending the lecture 'Seismic structural analysis - basic concepts' and taking the quiz (1.5 hours).

- Task 5. Workshop. Building your seismic resistant structure (2 hours).

Week 3

- Task 6. Attending the lecture on seismic slope stability analysis and taking the quiz (2 hours).

- Task 7. Workshop. Analysis of seismic slope stability analysis on a granular material (2 hours).

- Task 8. Watching a video: Experiences of a practicing geotechnical earthquake engineer (1h 15’).

- Task 9. Recording your 3 minutes video (2 hours).

3.2 Sessions on Mondays:

- All sessions will take place on campus.

3.3 Workshops on Wednesdays:

- There will be two sessions. You will have to attend a session, depending on your personal tutorial group:

o Group 1: personal tutorial groups from 1 to 11: Wednesday (9:00-11:00)

o Group 2: personal tutorial groups from 12 to 22: Wednesday (11:00-13:00).

- You will have to do the workshops with your personal tutorial groups, and therefore you have to attend your designated session.

4.0 ASSESSMENT OUTLINE – DEADLINE

Format: 3 min video where students will introduce the problem and present their activities and main conclusions for the two workshops and general conclusions about the module.

This submission will be done on-line, in Moodle. The video will have to be uploaded into an on-line platform. (we recommend Microsoft Stream) and the submission will consist of the link to visualise it.

The videos will be judged by a panel of academics and industry representatives, who will select the winning team. The best UCL-CEGE video will be awarded with a prize of £25.

A1 INDIVIDUAL VIDEO – Marking scheme

The videos will be assessed through a Workshop*, including peer marking (60% of marks) and by conventional marking (40%) following the next marking criteria:

*Information on the Workshop and peer marking will be provided to you in Moodle.

A2 Activity 1

First week: Structural Engineering

Title: Seismic structural analysis: create structural models to resist the 2010 Chile Earthquake.

Description:

The students will look for information on the Rio Alto building, in Concepcion (Chile): type of structure, dimensions, and damage caused by the 2010 Concepcion Earthquake. They will create the model of its reconstruction (scale to be decided, based on the provided information), keeping the original dimensions of the faulty building, but changing the structural design to make it safer against earthquakes. They will use the materials indicated in the video for the workshop. The building will be subject to manual shaking and monotonic horizontal load on top. The students will have to qualitatively evaluate the performance of their model against the earthquake, as well as the mode of failure.

Required information:

• Dimensions of the original structure.

• Seismic loading representative of the earthquake.

Aims and objectives:

• Carrying out research on a particular faulty structure after an earthquake.

• Understanding the mechanism of failure of a structure subjected to seismic loading.

• Understanding the meaning of safe seismic structural design.

• Deciding the scale of a model for testing, based on the prototype dimensions and the characteristics of the testing equipment to be used.

• Qualitatively evaluating the seismic resistance of a structure.

Submission:

This activity will be summarised and included as part of the individual video.

A3 Activity 2

Second week: Geotechnical Engineering.

Title: Seismic slope stability in granular materials from Las Palmas tailing dam

Description:

The students will create a scale model of a slope strictly stable under gravity loading to evaluate the friction angle from granular material from Las Palmas tailing dam, using dry sand and a plastic box. After carefully measuring the geometry of this slope, an impact loading will be applied to the lateral side of the box and the peak acceleration will be measure with a phone app (as in the demonstration done for this workshop). The new slope angle will be measured. Thisprocedurewillbe repeated several times (at least 3), for different loadings, and slope angles will be measured for all of them. A plot of stability angle vs. horizontal acceleration will be derived. These results will be discussed as part of the individual video.

Required information:

• Seismic loading representative of the earthquake.

Aims and objectives:

• Carrying out research on slope stability in granular soils.

• Understanding the mechanism of failure of slopes under dynamic loading.

• Understanding the meaning of factor of safety.

• Setting up the scaled tests and measuring the results.

• Being able to qualitatively compare numerical and test results.

Submission:

This activity will be summarised and included in individual video