Construction Engineering Undergraduate Program

Construction Engineering is one of the largest industries in Egypt, and in the world as well.  With the increase in size, complexity and capital investment of most construction projects, the need for integrating the fundamentals of engineering design with the principles of construction management and construction technology has become a must.  The construction engineering program at AUC is the only program of its kind in the Middle East.  At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, its faculty have diverse and varied backgrounds to offer the students the necessary fundamental and practical expertise for a successful career in construction engineering.

The main objective of the program is to prepare students for the professional practice of construction engineering, and to promote the development of a lifelong learning aspiration that enhances professional growth throughout their careers.  The program provides an environment in which students develop their critical thinking capabilities, problem solving skills, communication skills in English and proficiency in the tools of learning. 

• Handle construction engineering projects 
• Plan for construction organization 
• Improve and cope with the ever evolving advances in the construction field 
• Use computers in the practice of various aspects of the construction engineering profession
• Develop means to improve production, products, components and utilization of equipment in the construction industry 
• Understand and appreciate the importance of team work
• Conduct themselves according to high standards of professional behavior and ethical conduct

The undergraduate curriculum includes a firm foundation in fundamentals as well as analysis, synthesis, design, construction management and construction technology.  Graduates are equipped with the basic knowledge and skills of the profession and the tools to continue professional development through formal or informal studies. 

Students are exposed to basic civil and construction engineering areas such as: structures, geotechnology, water resources, transportation, environmental engineering, construction management and construction equipment and methods.  A capstone graduation project and industrial training are required.  Computer utilization and laboratory experience are emphasized.  Other elements of the program objectives are common to all engineering students.  The university Core Curriculum provides the social, cultural and historic developmental context, and introduction to general business practices are dealt with in a required course taken in the School of Business, Economics and Communication.  A complete listing of the program requirement can be found here. 

Program Accreditation

The Construction Engineering program was accredited by the Egyptian Supreme Council of National Universities in 1991 and graduates of the program may register in the Egyptian Syndicate for Engineers immediately after graduation.  The program is also accredited by the prestigious U.S. Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).  This is the very first time that such formal accreditation is awarded to a construction engineering program outside of the United States. 

Faculty

The full-time faculty in Construction Engineering for the 1999-2000 academic year are: 

• Abou-Zeid, Mohamed, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. University of Kansas, 1994.  Engineering Materials and Mechanics
• Bazaraa, Abdallah, Professor, Ph.D. Colorado State University 1979.
• Ezeldin, A. Samer, Associate Professor, Ph.D. Rutgers University 1989. 
• Fahmy, Ezzat, Professor. McMaster University, 1979. Structural Analysis and Design
• Farghal, Sherif, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. University of Michigan, 1996. 
• Haroun, Medhat, Professor and Chair of Engineering, Ph.D. 
• Hassanein, Amr, Associate Professor, Ph.D. University of Illinois, 1989.  Construction Management.
• Khedr, Safwan, Professor, Ph.D. Ohio State University, 1979. Materials, Foundation and Transportation Engineering.
• Sherif, Ahmed, Associate Professor, Ph.D. University of Michigan, 1988.  Architecture Engineering and Construction Technology.  

In addition, highly qualified part-time adjunct faculty participate in teaching a limited number of courses offered by the Construction Engineering Department. 

Specialized Laboratory Facilities

The construction engineering curriculum is served by well equipped laboratories of the science department, common engineering laboratories and specialized construction engineering laboratories.  The laboratories are used throughout the various stages of the curriculum in close coordination with pertinent courses and commensurate with students' development and needs.  In addition, the laboratories are often used to carry out the experimental work needed for the students' capstone projects as well as graduate students' research theses.

THE SPECIALIZED CONSTRUCTION LABORATORIES INCLUDE:

• The concrete laboratory has the equipment and facilities of performing tests for the assessment of properties and performance of cement, mortar and concrete mixtures.  In addition, the laboratory includes equipment for conducting in-situ testing of structures such as nondestructive and semi-destructive testing.
• The aggregates laboratory has the equipment needed to perform the experimental work for the aggregates mainly used in Portland cement concrete and asphalt cement concrete.  These experiments include property assessment experiments and performance and evaluation experiments.
• The asphalt laboratory has the testing facilities for the evaluation of asphalt cement and asphalt concrete mixtures.  Equipment is also available for the in-situ testing of asphalt mixtures used in pavements.
• The soil mechanics laboratory has the facilities needed for the classification of soil (such as gravel, sand, silt and clay).  These facilities allow the evaluation of important soil parameters such as the permeability and the bearing, shear and tri-axial strength.
• The hydraulics laboratory is equipped with testing facilities for the demonstration and evaluation of different hydraulic flow patterns and phenomena.  The laboratory has its own water supply/drainage cycle and can be used for modeling and simulating flow in the vicinity of hydraulic structures.
• The surveying laboratory has equipment for conducting surveying work, most of which takes place outdoors.  The equipment includes the indispensable traditional measuring devices together with advanced electronic devices which are often required for faster and more accurate measurements.

All laboratories are designed to emphasize direct student involvement and hands-on practice by which students run projects and experiments either individually or in groups.  Computing laboratories are operated for regular and extended hours to encourage student use of computers.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Students are encouraged to participate in professional and honor societies.  The student Construction Engineering Association was established in 1991, and has been very active in arranging professional, academic and social activities for its members and construction engineering students at large.  The association co-sponsors activities with the Egyptian section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and is in contact with the.  Engineering Syndicate and many of the construction companies.  Department faculty serve as advisors of the association as well as other student activities.

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