Design Projects in Civil Engineering Curriculum

Community projects often offer exceptional opportunities for civil engineering students to develop their design skills. The University of Delaware had such an opportunity when a local nature center needed a pedestrian bridge to an island in a river. A special bridge-design course was organized at the University of Delaware and students sited, designed, and prepared construction documents and permits for a cable-stayed pedestrian bridge. The class organization simulated a design office. The project organization design components and each design group developed their own design component. The organization, design development, student interaction, professional support, and class evaluation for this project are described in detail. Perhaps the most significant part of the project was the interaction between the local professional community and permitting agencies as the students developed their designs and made presentations to the owner and the permitting agencies.