Land Development Design

Catalog description

Land development design is designed for seniors in Surveying Engineering and covers the basic principles of residential design and development. The objective of the course is to provide students with exposure to elements of the land development process from an engineering perspective. Topics covered include land development regulations, site analysis of soils, site evaluation in terms of opportunities and constraints, sketch design, site layout, preliminary design, street layout including horizontal and vertical design, grading plan, drainage design, stormwater management, sewer and water, and erosion and sedimentation controls. Students work in teams of two or three on a design project for a local property. Students will utilize AutoCAD Civil 3D (or similar software) and the Virginia Tech/Penn State Urban Hydrology Model (VTPSUHM) (or similar) in the project design. A site visit to the design property is included in the course when possible. At the end of the course, student teams will exchange their project designs and critique each other's work from the viewpoint of a township engineer. Designs are evaluated for adherence to a pre-selected municipal subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO). Students are required to present their final designs to the class. They must be prepared to explain their work and defend any design elements that are questioned during the presentation. After completion of this course, students will be able to: 1) evaluate a site for land development potential, 2) prepare sketch designs for a proposed land development site, incorporating opportunities and constraints, 3) prepare a preliminary design including street alignment for a residential subdivision, sanitary sewer for a residential subdivision, storm sewer with inlets and inverts and a grading plan; and 4) prepare a mock final plan for public review and presentation.