Overview

This unit aims to provide students with foundational knowledge in structural dynamics and teach them how to analyse and design structures for different types of transient actions, including earthquake actions. The unit will cover the basic science of earthquakes and their effects on the natural and built environment, and teach students how to undertake the seismic analysis, design, and detailing of structures using industry-engaged projects.

Requisites

Prerequisites
ENG10003 Engineering Mechanics
CVE20003 Design of Concrete Structures

or

Enrolment in a postgraduate course

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-August-2026
01-November-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-August-2026
Census date
01-September-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
22-September-2026
Results released date
08-December-2026

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Analyse and quantify the response of structures to transient actions (K1, K2, K3, K5, S1, S2, S3)
  • Quantify the nature of earthquake hazard and ground motions (K1,K2,K3,K4,S1,S2,S3)
  • Analyse earthquake-generated forces on structures and evaluate their dynamic response to earthquakes (K1,K2,K3,K4,S1,S2,S3)
  • Apply seismic analysis techniques including equivalent static method and response spectrum analysis (K1,K2,K3,K4,K5,S1,S2,S3)
  • Explain seismic design philosophy and principles (K1,K3,K4,K5,S1,S2,S3)
  • Use earthquake design codes for basic seismic analysis (K1,K2,K3,K4,K5,K6,S1,S2,S3)
  • Describe the framework of performance-based earthquake engineering (K1,K3,K4,K5,K6,S1,S2,S3)

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Class		 2.00  12 weeks  24
Live Online
Lecture		 2.00  12 weeks  24
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		 8.50  12 weeks  102
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Assignment Individual/Group  80 - 90%  1,2,3,4,5,6,7 
Online Quiz Individual  10 - 20%  2,3,4,5,6,7 

Content

  • Basics of structural dynamics
  • Dynamic response of single-degree-of-freedom systems
  • Dynamic response of multi-degree-of-freedom systems
  • Dynamic response of structures to transient actions
  • Basic seismology
  • Earthquake ground motion
  • Local site (soil) effects
  • Earthquake response spectrum concept
  • Seismic design codes
  • Seismic analysis methods
  • Seismic design principles

  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Technical literacy

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.