Please note: Course fees are non-refundable. 

About this Course

Discover the latest in the performance-based design of bridges within a lifecycle context. In this 30-hour, non-credit micro-credential course, you’ll learn about designing and modeling bridges to satisfy requirements of the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CSA-S6-19), while taking the lifecycle design into consideration.

Specific course topics include:

• Principles of performance-based seismic design (PBD) of bridges;
• Applying PBD based on the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code;
• Hands-on tutorials on the nonlinear analyses of bridges;
• Lifecycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) and Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) concepts.

Designed for

Civil and bridge engineers, contractors, bridge agency officials, asset managers responsible for the design, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of bridges, and other parties interested in advancing their understanding of bridge engineering.

See the prerequisites below for more details on the background required.

Course Structure and Delivery

This 30-hour micro-credential is structured around:

• 21 hours of synchronous lectures, group problem-solving and hands-on tutorials
• 9 hours of independent learning activities (quizzes, assignments, and/or a project)

The course will be delivered fully online via Zoom from June 2nd to June 16th, 2023. Learners are required to achieve 60% or higher on the coursework to earn the credential.

Course Schedule

ONLINE, GROUP-PACED

Real-time, online sessions will take place in the Pacific timezone at the following times:

Friday, June 2: 8:00am - 12:00pm	Lecture Topic: Introduction to seismic design and life cycle design of bridges Tutorial Topic: Bridge modelling in CSiBridge
Saturday, June 3: 8:00am - 12:00pm	Lecture Topic: Seismic hazard, response spectrum analysis (RSA) and performance-based design
Friday, June 9: 8:00am - 12:00pm	Lecture Topic: Pushover analysis incorporating soil structure interactions and moment-curvature analysis Tutorial Topic: RSA and pushover analysis using CSiBridge
Saturday, June 10: 8:00am - 12:00pm	Lecture Topic: Indigenous Knowledge and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA)
Friday, June 16: 8:00am - 11:00am 12:00pm - 2:00pm	Morning: Lecture Topic: Life cycle assessment (LCA) Tutorial Topic: Life cycle assessment using OpenLCA Afternoon: Lecture Topic: Case Study

Credential Awarded

Learners who successfully complete this course will receive a UBC Okanagan Non-credit Letter of Proficiency.

This is a 30-hour continuing education course and is intended to support the satisfaction of CE requirements as defined and explained in the Guide to Continuing Education Program handbook, section 3.1 (Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia, 2021, version 1.1, page 6). This definition aligns with similar expectations of practicing professionals in many jurisdictions in Canada.

Requirements

PREREQUISITES

Participants in this program should have knowledge in theory of structures and reinforced concrete design basics. Familiarity with the Canadian codes such as CSA-S6-19 is recommended.

This non-credit credential does not require a prior or existing affiliation with UBC. This learning opportunity is designed for adult learners; participants must be 18 years or older. Language of instruction is English.

COURSE MATERIALS

There is no required textbook in this course. A list of suggested readings will be provided.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The learners should have the required technology to access and participate in online learning and assessment. These include stable internet connection, a webcam, a microphone, and a computer. The computers used by the learners should be of a processor greater than 2.0 GHz and a Ram of 4.0 GB or greater.

Instructors

Dr. Shahria Alam leads the instructional team. 

Dr. Alam is a Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC)’s Okanagan Campus.  He is serving as the Director of the Green Construction Research & Training Center (GCRTC) and the Applied Laboratory for Advanced Materials & Structures (ALAMS) at UBC.  He received his PhD in Civil Engineering from Western University in 2008. He has authored over 300 peer-reviewed articles and holds several patents. Dr. Alam serves as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Bridge Engineering, ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers).

Saqib Khan (P.Eng. in BC, AB, ON; S.E. and P.E. in WA; P.E. in CA, AL) comes with 22+ years of experience in bridge engineering. He is a Principal and founding partner at Spannovation Consulting Limited.

Dr. Qi Zhang is an instructor at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Civil Engineering department and a Postdoctoral Fellow at UBC Okanagan.  Prior to his teaching career, he was a bridge engineer at WSP Canada.

Additional instructor information forthcoming

Additional Info

FEES

Please note: Course fees are non-refundable.

All instructional content required to complete the course is available through the course website. There are no additional fees for textbooks.

Standard Fee | $1700

Early Bird Pricing | $1500
Between March 21st and May 8th, 2023, learners can take advantage of an early bird pricing promotion by using the discount code EB-PBDLCCA-2023, which offers a $200 discount from the regular course fee of $1700.

TUITION SUBSIDIES

We are committed to reducing barriers for learners, and increasing equity, diversity and inclusion in engineering study and practice. To support this goal, the project has received funding to offer a limited number of partial fee subsidies ($800/learner discounted from the standard course fee) to individuals who live in British Columbia and who self-identify as members of underrepresented groups in engineering, including Indigenous peoples, women, members of racialized minorities, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. To apply for this subsidy, please complete this form by Monday, May 8th, 2023.

COURSE SURVEYS

Learners will be asked to take part in pre- and post-course surveys that include information regarding current employment status, educational background, professional goals, and an evaluation of subject matter knowledge prior to and following the learning experience. In particular, there will be a survey distributed 6 months after the completion of this course. This information will be collected privately and used solely for the purpose of understanding the impact of the course in meeting the professional development needs of participants.

CONTACT

Please send additional inquiries about this micro-credential to info.GCRTC@ubc.ca.

Last updated: May 4th, 2023, LM.