Western Sydney University
School of Computing, Engineering & Mathematics
200472 Material Science in Construction
Individual assignment 2019
Weighting: 24%
Task
Carry out an investigation of a material used in construction.
Refer to 2.5.2 of the Learning Guide for assessment criteria.
Project
In this project assume you are working for a construction company and have been asked to investigate a material used in construction and are required to write a brief condition report. The material can be part of a larger structure.
This project is based on observation of buildings materials. Look around your local area or worksite and select a construction material. Take clear photographs. The location must be in the Sydney region. Do not use images outside of Sydney or particularly outside of Australia.
It can be a new building or an old building.
Consider the following;
• What is the material
• What is it used for, ie what is its function?
• Properties of the material
• Describe the condition of the material
• Is there a better or alternative material that could of been used?
Take your own photographs of the building material. If you use images from the internet and claim they are yours, you will lose marks. You will need several clear photographs. Once you have your own images you can use an image from the internet and compare to your photographs, make sure you reference the source.
Reference all sources of information.
Use Google maps to show the location.
Format
The submission is to be in the format of a material assessment report with appropriate headings and sub-headings etc. The length of the report is 1200 words, excluding any appendices and referencing/bibliography in the number of words.
Format should be A4 1.5-line space 12pt Times New Roman font.
Use photos you have taken to support your study. Identify sources of all information used in your report. A consistent style is required in the report. Do not pad the report with irrelevant detail or long tables and dot points. This may lead to less marks.
Your technical report should have the following sections
? Introduction
? Description of the Material
? Description of the condition of the material
o Is it performing its function or is it deteriorating
? Literature to identify the condition and give technical information on the building material
o Information obtained from your literature research should describe what the properties of the material are, why is it used and discuss its relevant properties.
? Discussion
o Discussion on information found with opinions drawn from this information. Do not base on personal opinion.
? Conclusions
? References
o Minimum of 10 quality references
o Referencing use WSU Harvard system (see the link below). Marks will be deducted for improper referencing. If you have questions, contact the library.
o https://library.westernsydney.edu.au/main/sites/default/files/pdf/cite_Harvard.pdf
Assessment Guideline
• The assessment will be orientated towards the quality of your report information and the research, though due consideration will also be given to the overall quality of the discussion and writing, report presentation and formatting.
• The submission of sub-standard English will either result in less marks or a request for resubmission.
• A consistent writing style is required in the report.
• Penalties will apply for late work, any evidence of plagiarism and collusion.
• The assessment will be based on the criteria set in the Learning Guide.
Submission
Submit by Turnitin in vUWS only, week 12 (24th May), Friday 9 pm. Do not submit a hard copy.