UNION COLLEGE

Civil & Environmental Engineering Department

Winter 2025

Civil Engineering Materials

CEE-222

Lectures: T&TH 10:55 - 12:40 PM, Olin-306. Labs: T 1:55 - 4:45 PM, Olin-307.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides the civil engineering students with an understanding of the natural properties, mechanical characteristics, methods of manufacturing, structural design of sections, construction, and testing of civil engineering materials. The utilized methods of testing are those standardized by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Basic civil engineering materials covered in this course are aggregates, masonry, wood, Portland cement concrete, and asphalt. Professional design procedures recommended by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the Masonry Society, and the Asphalt Institute (AI) will be used. Four class hours and three lab hours.

COURSE GRADE

• Assignments & Quizzes = 25%
• Laboratory Reports = 25%
• Term Test (TH, 6th week) = 25%
• Final Examination = 25%

NOTES

• Attendance of exams is mandatory.
• If you must miss the midterm test due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (a letter from the Dean of Students will be required in this case), your 25 points of the midterm test will be automatically transferred to the final exam, i.e., your final will be graded out of 50 points. No makeup for the midterm test will be allowed for any reason. If you miss the midterm without a supporting letter from the Dean of Students, there will be 5 points penalty, i.e, the maximum score you can earn in your final exam is 45/50.
• If you must miss the final exam due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (a letter from the Dean of Students will be required in this case), your grade in the course will be prorated based on the components of your term work. No makeup for the final exam will be allowed for any reason.
• Students are randomly selected to participate in class discussion. If you are unprepared or absent without documentation (a formal note from a doctor, nurse, coach, dean of students, etc.), this will impact participation credit.
• Due date for assigned course work will be announced in class. Late submission is assessed at -1 point per day or part thereof.
• The academic performance of the students in this course will be held to the standards of Union College's Honor Code.
• Students with disabilities will be accommodated as per Union College's Policy.

TEXTBOOKS

• Lee, L.S. and Estrada, H. (2020): Materials for Civil Engineering: Properties and Applications in Infrastructure, 1st Edition, McGraw Hill, ISBN: 978-1259862618. (Required)
• Mamlouk, M. and Zaniewski, J. (2016): Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers, 4th Edition, Pearson, ISBN: 978-0134320533. (Not Required)

0. Introduction
0.1. The Construction Process
0.2. Need for Materials with Various Qualities
0.3. Selecting Materials
0.4. Properties of Materials
0.5. Inspection and Testing
0.6. Standards

1. Aggregates
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Classification
1.3. Aggregate Manufacturing Process
1.4. Important Properties of Aggregates
1.5. Experimental Characterization
1.6. Sustainability
1.7. Exercises

2. Concrete
2.1. Introduction
2.2. Components of Concrete
2.3. Significant Properties of Concrete
2.4. Concrete Mix Design and Proportioning
2.5. Experimental Characterization
2.6. Sustainability
2.7. Exercises

3. Steel
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Production
3.3. Types of Steel
3.4. Steel Classification Systems
3.5. Heat Treatment of Steel
3.6. Important Properties of Steel
3.7. Experimental Characterization
3.8. Sustainability
3.9. Exercises

4. Asphalt Binder
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Production of Asphalt Binders
4.3. Types of Asphalt
4.4. Asphalt Concrete for Pavements
4.5. Experimental Characterization of Asphalt Binder
4.6. Sustainability
4.7. Exercises

5. Wood
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Significant Engineering Properties of Wood
5.3. Experimental Characterization of Wood Engineering Properties
5.4. Sustainability
5.5. Exercises

6. Masonry
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Clay Masonry Units
6.3. Concrete Masonry Units
6.4. Mortar and Grout
6.5. Experimental Characterization
6.6. Sustainability
6.7. Exercises

7. FRP Composites
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Constituent Materials
7.3. Manufacturing
7.4. Properties of Composite Materials
7.5. Experimental Characterization
7.6. Sustainability of FRP Composites
7.7. Exercises

LABORATORY SCHEDULE
The following are the tests planned for this course:

Lab (1)
•     Sieve analysis for asphalt and concrete aggregates.
•     Prepare wood specimens for compression and bending tests (glue wood sections).
Lab (2)
•     Mix concrete and prepare specimens (for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days compression tests; and beam for flexural test of structural concrete members).
•     Slump test for freshly mixed concrete.
Lab (3)
•     Bending test of glued wood specimen.
•     Bending test of natural wood specimen.
•     7-days compression test of concrete specimens.
Lab (4)
•     Compression of wood specimens.
•     14-days compression test of concrete specimens.
Lab (5)
•     21-days compression test of concrete specimens.
•     Flexural strength of structural concrete members.
•     Affix strain gages to 28-days concrete specimens.
Lab (6)
•     Batch asphalt.
•     28-days compression test of concrete specimens with strain gages.
Lab (7)
•     Design of asphalt mix.
•     Mix asphalt.
Lab (8)
•     Resistance to plastic flow of bituminous mixtures using Marshall apparatus.
Lab (9)
•     Conclude asphalt design

SPECIFICATIONS OF LAB REPORT

Students will work in randomly selected groups. A group may submit a collective report. Students who wish to be evaluated on their individual effort may submit their own reports. If the partners of a given group feel that a member of the group is not doing his/her fair share of the work they should inform the instructor who will require this person to write an individual lab report. The lab report shall include a cover page with the names of all partners in the group, course and test titles, and date. The report itself shall contain the objective of the test, procedure, detailed figures of equipment used, tables of data recorded, presentation of results in charts and graphs, and conclusions. The report should emphasize the technical aspect of the test. Emphasis in grading will be placed on the technical content of the report as well as clarity, creativity, and correctness of writing.

STUDENTS TAKE AWAY

• Students will develop an understanding and appreciation of the physical and mechanical properties of materials extensively used in civil engineering projects.
• Students will learn how to use material properties and characteristics to make a determination of most proper material to be used for a certain application.
• Students will understand that materials have limitations and are impacted by natural factors in addition to service conditions. This will help students incorporate such parameters in their selection of materials to be used in certain applications.
• Students will comprehend how certain applications, such as concrete foundations in soils with high organic content, can subject materials to extreme service conditions. Such scenarios require material protection or alteration to ensure acceptable performance through the service life of the structure.
• Students will have the opportunity to learn the effect of using materials on the environment and the effect of the environment on used materials. This relationship is important in appreciating the intricate and complex relationship between the civil engineering materials and the environment where these materials are mined/harvested and used.

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