Senior Civil Engineering Design I

Instructor Information

• Instructor: Dr. Samir Rashid (Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering)
• Email: srashid@university.alkimi.ai
• Office: Rowan Engineering Center 308
• Office Hours:
  • Tuesday & Friday: 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (In person, Rowan Engineering Center 308)
  • Wednesday: 2:00–3:00 p.m. (Virtual via Zoom; link posted in Canvas)
  • Also available by appointment.

Course Description

First semester of the capstone design sequence: site assessment, alternatives analysis, codes and permitting, cost estimating, and a preliminary design report for a client project. CE 490 is the first course in the two-semester senior civil engineering capstone design sequence. Working in student consulting teams on authentic client-sponsored infrastructure projects, students perform comprehensive site investigations, evaluate environmental and regulatory permitting constraints, generate and screen multi-disciplinary alternatives, and prepare preliminary engineering designs. Emphasizing professional licensure, the ASCE Code of Ethics, and industry standards, the semester culminates in a 30% preliminary design drawing package, cost estimate, and formal Preliminary Design Review (PDR) presentation.

Prerequisites

CE 301, CE 310, CE 320, and senior standing.

Measurable Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of CE 490, students will be able to:

1. Perform Infrastructure Site Assessments: Analyze existing site conditions, topographical GIS surveys, utility infrastructure, and geotechnical data to define project site constraints and development opportunities.
2. Evaluate Regulatory and Permitting Frameworks: Identify and apply applicable local zoning ordinances, environmental regulations (NEPA, Clean Water Act, NPDES stormwater permits), and building codes (IBC, ASCE 7).
3. Execute Multi-Criteria Alternatives Analysis: Develop competing infrastructure alternatives across structural, geotechnical, water resources, and transportation domains, evaluating solutions using formal decision matrices.
4. Prepare Preliminary Engineering Drawings and Estimates: Generate 30% civil engineering drawing sets using AutoCAD Civil 3D, perform material quantity takeoffs, and develop preliminary construction cost estimates using RSMeans.
5. Apply Professional Ethics and Deliver Reviews: Adhere to the ASCE Code of Ethics regarding public safety and environmental stewardship, and present defensible preliminary engineering designs before clients and professional engineers.

Required Course Materials & Approximate Costs

1. Grigg, Neil S. Civil Engineering Practice in the Twenty-First Century: Knowledge and Skills for Design and Management. 2nd ed., ASCE Press, 2012. Approx. $60 digital purchase ($90 print; reserve copies available in Alkimi Library).
2. AutoCAD Civil 3D, ArcGIS Pro, and RSMeans Online Data (available on university engineering workstations). Free educational access provided through university engineering licensing.
3. Total estimated cost: Approx. $0 (library reserve & campus software) to $60 (textbook purchase).

Generative AI Policy (AI Level 2: AI Permitted with Disclosure for Specified Tasks)

In accordance with Alkimi University Academic Policies (Student Handbook §5.8), CE 490 operates under AI Level 2.

• What is permitted: Students may use AI tools to assist in researching federal, state, and local permitting statutes, drafting document outlines, formatting quantity takeoff spreadsheets, and refining technical prose.
• What is prohibited: AI models must not be used to fabricate site assessment data, generate structural sizing calculations without engineering derivation, invent environmental impacts, or create unverified AutoCAD drawing sets. All engineering analyses must reflect original student calculations.
• Disclosure: Each submitted project milestone and the final 30% design submittal must include an explicit AI disclosure statement listing any AI tools used, the exact queries submitted, and the professional verification steps taken to confirm code compliance and engineering accuracy.

Grading Components and Weights

• Team Charter & Project Scoping Report: 10% (Due Friday, September 11 at 11:59 p.m.)
• Site Assessment & Environmental Permitting Package: 15% (Due Friday, October 2 at 11:59 p.m.)
• Alternatives Analysis & Preliminary Engineering Evaluation: 15% (Due Friday, October 23 at 11:59 p.m.)
• Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Presentation: 20% (In class, Thursday, December 3)
• Project Management, Client Standups & Peer Evaluation: 15% (Evaluated through biweekly team sprint updates, client meeting minutes, and confidential peer reviews)
• Preliminary Design Report & 30% Engineering Drawing Package: 25% (Due by the end of the final exam period, Thursday, December 17, 2026, 1:00–3:00 p.m.)

Grading Scale (Alkimi University Standard)

• A: 93–100% | A-: 90–92%
• B+: 87–89% | B: 83–86% | B-: 80–82%
• C+: 77–79% | C: 73–76% | C-: 70–72%
• D+: 67–69% | D: 60–66% | F: Below 60%
• Extra credit: No extra credit assignments are available in CE 490.

Course Schedule (Fall 2026)

Course Policies

Attendance Policy

Punctual attendance at all seminar sessions, team progress meetings, and client briefings is mandatory. Civil capstone teams operate as professional engineering consulting practices; missing meetings harms team momentum and project deliverables. If an illness or approved professional interview travel arises, notify Dr. Rashid and your team members in advance. Students who miss the first two class meetings without notifying the instructor may be dropped. Students may miss class for religious observance without penalty if they notify the instructor in writing within the first two weeks of the semester (by Wednesday, September 9, 2026). Absences for university-sponsored activities (athletics, performances, conferences) are excused with a letter from the sponsoring office at least one week in advance.

Late Work Policy

Deliverables must be submitted on time to maintain the consulting project schedule. Late team milestones will incur a 10% penalty per 24 hours up to 48 hours late, after which submissions are not accepted without prior written instructor consent. Preliminary Design Review presentations cannot be rescheduled.

Final Exam Policy

CE 490 has no final examination. The preliminary design report & 30% engineering drawing package takes its place. Nothing is due on Reading Day (Thursday, December 10, 2026).