A uniform beam walks into a restaurant…
The waiter asks, “What would you like?”
The beam replies “Ummm… just give me a moment.”
From David Martin on [Source]
Welcome, young civil engineer! CIV102 is one of the most iconic and most difficult courses in Engineering Science. It even contains material normally taught to upper-year Civil Engineering students. But we promise we aren’t trying to scare you away; besides, you’re going to learn a lot from this course.
CIV102 gives you an overview of civil and structural engineering and covers topics such as static systems, bending beams, truss bridge analysis, and concrete. Material is often introduced in its historical context, so you get both a technical understanding of the concepts and their societal relevance. You’re taught a set of equations and problem-solving techniques for each topic and are assessed with problems that ask you to apply these equations in new scenarios. The trick with this course is understanding how and where to apply your equations and rules, not necessarily how the equations and rules were derived.
Professor
Professor Evan Bentz
Professor Evan Bentz [Source]
CIV102 is instructed by Professor Evan Bentz. He is an expert in structural software, in particular, he explores the best methods for the upkeep, repair, and maintenance of structures before critical failures occur. Professor Bentz completed his Ph. D here at U of T and he has been teaching CIV102 for two years. He brings a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge from his many years working in the field of civil engineering while providing a unique perspective on structural engineering to EngSci students!
Interview
Highlights
- Matboard Bridge Competition! In this assignment every team is given a cardboard-like material called “matboard” and some glue (contact cement). Your job is to design a bridge that can sustain as much weight as possible; the best designers win special prizes from professors and, more importantly, eternal bragging rights. This is also your only chance of joining the KiloNewton Club (we don’t want to spoil your experience, so keep an eye out for how to join). See this video from a past competition. Note, the course project is subject to change for the 2023 academic year.
- Nothing will bring you closer to your peers than the legendary weekly problem sets. The questions are challenging but deal with some really interesting course concepts.
- Very interesting demonstrations and experiments run by the instructors. We saw wood beams getting crushed and heavy weights dropping on the floor – don’t worry, we were safe, we think…
- Stress will gain a whole new meaning! 🙂
- You’ll have great positive moments!
Week in the Life of a CIV102 Student
Lectures
CIV102 lectures usually happen three times a week. They cover mathematical and physical concepts behind structures while providing historical background as to how these structural properties were discovered and used. These historical anecdotes will help you understand the societal implications of an engineer’s work, especially in civil engineering.
Practicals
Practicals are where students usually get the most value from CIV102. They vary from week to week, but typically consist of a material or design demonstration from the professors followed by either a lab or a teaching session and a quiz.
In the case of a lab, you will need to build testing structures and analyze material properties that you are learning in the course.
In weeks without labs, a TA will walk you through course material and worked examples to help your understanding. Then, you will be given a quiz on the material. Your quiz marks add up by the end of the semester, so make sure you review your CIV each week!
Tutorials
There are no dedicated Tutorial slots for this course.
Assignments
The ✨legendary CIV102 problem sets✨ are a staple of any EngSci’s Fall semester. You will analyze stress, strain, concrete, beams, and more. Working through the problem sets will help you understand course concepts and succeed on quizzes and the final exam, so make sure to stay on top of them!
Upper-year EngScis may tell you about the stress these problem sets caused them. Nevertheless, the material is super interesting, and assignments are more manageable when you’re working with friends.
Exams
There are no midterms in CIV102. No checkpoints. Nowhere to test your skills (except quizzes, problem sets and past exams). There is only a final. This is a difficult cumulative assessment. Because of the single-exam nature of this course, students often neglect it during the semester thinking, “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.” However, you will not succeed in CIV102 by studying only for the final. Study for this course as if you had midterms – use the problem sets, quizzes, and past finals available to you.
Find past CIV102 exams in the Skule exam repository.
How to Succeed
Quick Tips & Equations
More Details
Make your own Textbook
The CIV102 exam is an open book assessment. You are allowed to bring in the notebooks you used throughout the semester, equation sheets, and whatnot*. Pay attention and take detailed notes in class to stay on track and have comprehensive resources for assessments. Don’t rely 100% on your available resources during an assessment as you only have a set amount of time to complete it. Advice from us as your blog admins is that your resources are only there as aids; do not underestimate the amount of studying needed.
*There may be restrictions on the material allowed (such as “no electronic devices”) so make sure you confirm with your professor/TA beforehand.
Use TA office hours
The TAs for this course are some of the best you’ll have. They are either past EngScis who know exactly what position you’re in or very experienced civil engineering graduates. They will answer any of your questions, especially when you need some one-on-one time before quizzes, exams, and problem sets.
Show your work
When answering a question on a quiz or an exam, be clear about what you know. Describe your process and don’t give up! If you answer most of the question properly but don’t produce a final answer, you could still receive 8 or 9 out of 10 marks.
Giant version of the old CIV102 notebook’s outer cover. It is located in the EngSci Common Room.
What Will You Take Out of It?
- Being an engineer comes with a set of responsibilities, and this will be emphasized quite a lot in this course. As an engineer, you need to be aware of people’s safety, a priority in all your designs.
- You will gain an understanding of the world around you in terms of fundamental concepts. These can then be applied beyond the field of just civil engineering. For example, airplane wings act like cantilever beams. The former flies while the latter supports weight on the ground, but the basic principles of the two structures are the same.