Design, Construction, and Destruction in the Classroom: Experiential Learning with Earthen Dams
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 6
Abstract
Early in their career, engineering students sometimes have difficulty linking academic concepts between courses and the interests that led to their enrollment. We present a design “interlude” event that is intended to improve experiential inductive learning and the vertical and horizontal integration of engineering courses. In this exercise, second year engineering students design, build, and test a scaled model of an earthen dam. The method integrates content from technical courses in which they are currently enrolled, such as statistics and fluid mechanics, and previews future courses in their curriculum, such as soil mechanics, hydrology, and hydraulics. Students consult with a range of experts, mock stakeholders, and mock protestors. Projects are evaluated for social/environmental impacts, technical design, cost, and performance, including stability, power generation, and spillway overflow. Student feedback was positive and highlights the intended benefits for the students, including interaction with industry partners, team building for the students, hands-on learning, and a better understanding of the impact of engineering projects.
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Data Availability Statement
All data used during the study are available in a repository online in accordance with funder data retention policies (MacVicar 2020).
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful for the help of undergraduate students Darynne Hagen, Grant Mitchell, and Hannah Murphy; department technical staff, including Terry Ridgway, Mark Merlau, Richard Morrison, Mark Sobon, Dan Jessel, and Victor Lewis, for their assistance with planning and running the event; Peter Volcic for putting together the power display and circuitry; Dr. Ahmed El-Awady for explaining dam function and risks to the students; and Prof. Mark Knight for impromptu lessons on geomechanics. The authors would also like to acknowledge the instructors who allowed their students to participate in the event, the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at the University of Waterloo, and the IDEAS Clinic at the University of Waterloo for funding and supporting the design days.
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Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 6 • June 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 10, 2019
Accepted: Nov 6, 2019
Published online: Mar 20, 2020
Published in print: Jun 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Aug 20, 2020
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