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Session 1449

Integration of Third Party Design Software in a Civil Engineering Design and Graphics Class in Construction Engineering Technology Nicholas V. Kissoff University of Toledo

Abstract

The current trend of state departments of transportation is to require the utilization of third party design software in the production of design drawings for state funded highway projects. This has led to the need to introduce the use of this type of software in design classes in Construction and Civil Technology programs. The University of Toledo Construction Engineering Technology program integrated GEOPAK into synchronized CAD laboratory projects within a course that included highway geometric design as well as site and utility layout and design. This course was found to foster the ability of students to become sufficiently comfortable with the software, allowing them to take the next step in becoming fully productive with its use. Although it is far from a complete understanding of the workings of the software, students are taught how use GEOPAK to create existing and proposed digital terrain models, cut profiles and produce horizontal and vertical roadway alignments, while producing finished plan sets. Students were found to be appreciative of the delivery system of the class. It offered realistic periodic progress submittals during the development of a semester long project which required the use of GEOPAK to aid in the design. While the students expressed the feeling of being a bit overwhelmed with the additional complexities of GEOPAK, most found that they gained an appreciation for the capabilities of available software technology and its utilization as a time saving tool in the production of construction documents.

Introduction

In order to complete the transition from the quarter to semester academic calendar, The University of Toledo Construction Engineering Technology (CET) program found it necessary to revive a civil graphics class that had not been offered for several years. The reintroduction of Construction Graphics (CET-2030) into the program filled the void left by its quarter-system counterpart. This course was found not to fit into the curriculum when the University converted to a semester-based system beginning with the 1997-1998 academic year. The suspension of this class offering came at a precipice in the history of civil construction document design and preparation. During this time, changes in the way site and roadway plans were produced left the previous offering’s methodology of presenting material in this course in need of a review and overhaul. Industry standards were demanding computer-aided drafting (CAD) as the presentation media of choice. Additionally, new software technology which had previously been used by a handful of progressive organizations had now become the norm. State departments of transportation were beginning to require the use of third party design software in the production

Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright Ó 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

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Kissoff, N. (2002, June), Integration Of Third Party Design Software In A Civil Engineering Design And Graphics Class In Construction Engineering Technology Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10931