Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering
Coursework
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
ASSIGNMENT: ACADEMIC SESSION 2020/2021
Campus Medway
Faculty Engineering & Science
Level 7
MODULE CODE CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
MODULE TITLE Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering
PROJECT Risk Analysis and Management for a an existing Railway Bridge
COURSE COORDINATOR: A. K. Rahman
Aims:
To offer students an opportunity to understand the principles of analysis and management of risk in civil engineering infrastructure through the applications of these principles in risk analysis and management practices.
Coursework
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the project students should be able to:
1. develop understanding of risk identification and register at various phases of civil engineering construction projects;
2. develop investigative and analytical skills for risk assessment and management;
3. analyse the identified risks and their consequences using effective risk analysis techniques, such as an event tree model and a fault tree model;
4. propose effective measures to avoid, reduce and control risks for existing civil engineering infrastructure systems.
5. interpret your results and describe your opinions accurately.
Method:
1. Use the lecture materials and relevant references to develop student’s thoughts/ideas in discussion with the tutor and colleagues;
2. Write a report on behalf of Network Rail on the risk assessment and management strategy to be used in connection with the maintenance, decommissioning and replacement of an existing 130year old railway bridge.
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Assessment:
The assessment will be based on clarity, style of presentation, analysis, professional manner, initiative and appreciation of the subject studied. The project marks will be based on the following.
1. Introduction (10%)
aim and objectives
Brief description of the principal risks for the developer
Methodologies to be applied
2. Assessment of risk (25%)
identify and list possible hazards and risks in the development
register the identified risks with risk description and details
provide a risk ranking based upon a probability impact approach
recommend how each risk can be managed and or mitigated
3. Risk analysis and assessment (30%)
Assessment of risk;
Remedial actions to mitigate risks;
Analysis of the risk and determine level of severity and probability of an accident resulting from the defects;
4. Risk management and control (30%)
Advice to management on the level of severity of the risks;
General recommendation to management on the severity of risks to the public.
Recommendation to management to make the bridge safe based on the assessment and environmental constraints.
Construction probability assessment and delivery times
5. Conclusions and suggestions (5%)
Coursework
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Submission Requirements:
This is an individual project.
The working shall be done on A4 sheets. All the sheets shall be clearly presented in the order of the above assessment. The report shall be securely bound in a folder. Allow a sufficient margin for binding. Use black or blue ink only.
Failure to comply with any of the above-mentioned requirements will result in a deduction of 20% of total marks from the coursework.
A guide size is 10000 words – 30 pages
Submission Date:
Friday 30th April 2021
Submissions must be handed to the Office of Student Affairs at the appointed time.
A Coursework Header Sheet must accompany your submission. You can obtain information and create the Course Header Sheet by visiting your Portal.
REFER TO UNIVERSITY POLICY ON LATE SUBMISSION
Coursework
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF RISK IN CIVIL ENGINEERING - CIVI 1021
Assignment: Barming Railway Bridge Risk Assessment
1.0 Background Information
The Barming Railway Bridge is located in South Street in the village
of Barming, Maidstone, Kent. The bridge has a Network Rail designation
of ELR-PWS1 Structure 958 and is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 - Barming Lane Railway Bridge - ELR – PWS1 Structure 958
Figure 2 shows a local map identifying the location of the bridge.
The bridge is located between the railway stations of East Farleigh
and Wateringbury. An aerial view showing the local landscape is shown
in Figure 3. The railway line lies above an embankment and serves the
Medway Valley Line rail services, linking Strood and the Medway Towns,
with Maidstone West and onward to Paddock Wood and Tonbridge. The
section of the railway, between Maidstone West and Tonbridge passes
through the narrower sections of the River Medway on the outskirts of
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
the village of Barming. The line was built by South Eastern Railway
in two stages, with the first stage being opened in 1844, Ref [1],
linking Paddock Wood with Maidstone West. In 1856 the second stage
was completed, linking Maidstone West with Strood further down the
Medway Valley. This gives a timeline of when this bridge was built.
Figure 2 Barming Railway Bridge Location Map – Ref. [2]
Figure 3 Railway Bridge Aerial View – Ref. [3]
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
2.0 Structural Form of the Railway Bridge
This bridge form is a common type of design for railway bridges of
this age. The structural form comprises of three I-girder beams,
fabricated from wrought iron, riveted together with angle plates to
form single girders. Construction details of the bridge and other key
information are provided in the bridge record cards Figure 4 and
Figure 5.
The three I-girders bear down on six pad-stones, shown in Figure 5,
and these are used to distribute and transfer the vertical compressive
loads to the abutment wall. The deck spans laterally between the I-
girder beams and they are made from riveted cross girders fabricated
from plates and metal troughs. The troughs are made from rolled steel
and bear on an angle plate which is riveted to the corners of the main
I-girder beam. The adjacent troughs are interconnected by a riveted
joining plate. Angle cleats are riveted to the top of the connecting
plate and also riveted to the web of the main I-girder beam. The
troughs may be infilled with concrete with a ballasted track on top
supporting railway line.
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 4 Barming Lane Railway Bridge Record Card Side 1
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 5 Barming Lane Railway Bridge Record Card Side 2
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
3.0 Results of Initial Visual Inspection
The bridge was subject to a Principal Inspection and this has
identified significant degradation of the bridge and surrounding
structure. Significant degradation are found around the connections
and more significantly, movement cracks on the bricks of the abutment.
The bridge reveals some fundamental design flaws which have
contributed to the deterioration and subsequent resulting corrosion
of the bridge. The latter has been exacerbated by a lack of maintenance
of this bridge over the years. At the time this bridge was built many
of the mechanisms of corrosion, and how to avoid them by simple design
practices, were probably not fully understood. Also, the bridge
reveals how localised micro-environments can have a devastating effect
on the break-down of the protective coatings and how this can result
further corrosion issues. There are no signs of any major structural
re-work on the bridge itself. However, the embankment walls have been
strengthened at some point to stabilise the wall, which shows
significant movement cracks. The walls have been stabilised using
pattress plates. Also, two galvanised steel plate gulleys have been
added for water drainage, but this has developed further corrosion
issues.
The result of the defects found during the inspection are shown in
Figure 6 through to Figure 11. The bridge at the road level is also
liable to flooding due to the River Medway bursting its banks as shown
in Figure 12. Each of the defects are identified on Defect Maps shown
in Figure 13 through to Figure 16.
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 6 Defect No 1 – Abutment & Wing Wall Movement
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 7 Defect No 2 - Corrosion
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Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 8 Defect No 3 – Water Staining
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 9 Defect No 4 - Corrosion
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 10 Defect No 5 – Water Drainage
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 11 Defect No 6 – Crevice Pitting Corrosion
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 12 Bridge Road Level Flodding – River Medway Overflowing
Figure 13 Defect Map – South Side
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 14 Defect Map – North Side
Figure 15 Defect Map – Underside
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Figure 16 Defect Map – Road Surface Abutment
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
4.0 Scope of Work for Risk Assessment
The Principle Inspection has identified a number of defects and using
this information you are to perform a risk assessment of the bridge
and provide a report to management. The risk assessment will include
the following.
Using the information provided you are to assess each risk and
recommend possible remedial actions to mitigate those risks.
Using an appropriate risk assessment methodology, identify the
level of severity and the probability of an accident that could
result from the defects.
Using your assessment provide a statement to management on the
severity of the risks to the rail operator, passengers and the
general public who may use the road over which the bridge
crosses.
Make a general recommendation to the management to make the
bridge safe based on your assessment and the existing
environmental and working constraints of the bridge.
Assuming that you decommissioning the bridge and replacing with
a new bridge identify and discuss the risks associated with this
approach and how these can be mitigated.
Identify the key stakeholders of the new bridge project and
discuss how standard contract clauses can be used to address
stakeholder risks.
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
Table 1 represents the construction activities for the replacement of
the bridge in the sequence that they are to be completed before the
new bridge can be placed.
Table 1 Construction Activity and Probability
As project manager explain which of these activities should
attract your attention and why?
For scheduling purposes you are required to assess the most
likely time for delivery of the sequence of works in Table 1.
Give an indication of the probable delivery time of the project.
List the methods you can use to manage risk and indicate the
steps you could take to meet the client requirements.
Wallingford, Ref [5] and the Defra/Environment Agency, Ref [6] reports
provides reference material for this assignment.
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Session: 2021
Module Title: Analysis and Management of Risk in Civil Engineering Module Code: CIVI-1021-M02-2020-21
5.0 References
[1] Opening of the Maidstone Branch Railway – The Times Digital Archive 25th September 1844.
[2] Ordnance Survey Map – ME18 5EG & ME16 9EY.
[3] Google Earth.
[4] Godfrey P (1996) Control of Risk-A Guide to Systematic Risk in Construction.
[5] HR Wallingford, (2006) Preliminary Reliability Analysis on the Thames Estuary: Dartford Creek to Gravesend, FLOODsite Project Report T07-06-07.
[6] Defra/Environment Agency, (2003) Risk, Performance and Uncertainty in Flood and Coastal Defence – A Review, R&D Technical Report FD2302/TR1