Using failure case studies in civil engineering courses

Abstract

The study of engineering failures can offer students valuable insights into associated technical, ethical, and professional issues. Lessons learned from failures have substantially affected civil engineering practice. For the student, study of these cases can help place design and analysis procedures into historical context and reinforce the necessity of lifelong learning. Three approaches for bringing forensics and failure case studies into the civil engineering curriculum are available. These are stand-alone forensic engineering or failure case study courses, capstone design projects, and integration of case studies into the curriculum. Since it is not practical to add another required course to the crowded civil engineering curriculum, the latter approach will be more practical for most undergraduate programs. Some cases have been developed and used in courses at the United States Military Academy (USMA) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), as well as at other institutions. Currently an NSF-funded research project is underway at UAB to develop and disseminate case study materials. Under this project, a web site has been developed to provide case study materials for faculty. The web site links courses, course topics, and case studies illustrating those course topics through hypertext. Summarized case studies are provided, with references, along with links to selected fully developed case studies. An online bibliography provides sources of case study materials including books, technical papers and magazine articles, videos, web sites, prepared PowerPoint presentations, and television programs.