The Department of Civil Engineering at the University of New Mexico provides a high quality learning environment for its undergraduate and graduate students, and promotes lifelong learning for practicing professionals. The Department’s focus is on quality instruction in engineering and construction management, innovative research, and community engagement.
Requirements for bachelor’s degrees in Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering and Construction Management include the requirements of the University of New Mexico Core Curriculum. In some cases, the choice of courses is left to the student. See specific core requirements and allowable courses.
The civil engineering laboratories are designed to be an integral part of the educational process as well as an introduction to modern industrial laboratory practice in materials quality control, design and research. Well-equipped instructional laboratories are provided for engineering measurements, civil engineering materials, geotechnical engineering, fluid mechanics and environmental engineering. Modern experimental equipment and techniques are utilized in all laboratories.
Throughout the curriculum the student is exposed to a variety of computational equipment. The department has personal computers available for student use that are connected to the University’s central computing system.
Courses
CE 130.
Construction Detailing.
(3)
Basics of construction detailing and comprehension of working drawing sets.
CE 160L.
Civil Engineering Design.
(3)
Introduction to engineering graphics (AutoCAD), computer-aided design; introduction to civil engineering and construction.
CE 171.
Construction Materials and Techniques.
(3)
Plan reading, elementary construction techniques, materials and construction documents; primary emphasis is on the Uniform Building Code plan checking.
Prerequisite: 130.
CE 202.
Engineering Statics.
(3)
Statics of particles and rigid bodies, in two and three dimensions using vector algebra as an analytical tool; centroids; distributed loads; trusses, frames, internal forces, friction.
Prerequisite: PHYC 160 and MATH 163.
CE 279.
Mechanical Electrical Systems Construction.
(3)
Materials and equipment used in the electrical and mechanical systems of commercial building, and associated codes and costs, are surveyed and explored.
CE 283.
Surveying and Geomatics.
(3)
Principles of physical measurements and error theory applied to transportation systems, including layout and design. Design elements and standards, sight distance considerations and earthwork calculations applied to horizontal and vertical alignment design.
Prerequisite: MATH 162 or 180.
CE 291.
Lower Division Special Topics in Civil Engineering.
(1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
Lower division studies in various areas of civil engineering.
Restriction: freshman or sophomore standing.
CE 302.
Mechanics of Materials.
(3)
Stresses and strains in members subjected to tension, compression, torsion, shear and flexure. Combined and principal stresses; Mohr’s circle construction; buckling. Introduction to statically indeterminate members.
Prerequisite: 202.
Pre- or corequisite: MATH 316.
CE 305.
Infrastructure Materials Science.
(4)
Lecture and laboratory studies of the physical, structural, mechanical and chemical properties of infrastructure materials. Micro and nano-scale structure of matter. Experimental determination of material properties.
Prerequisite: ENGL 219.
Pre- or corequisite: 302 or 371.
CE 308.
Structural Analysis.
(3)
Analysis of determinate and indeterminate structural systems. Determination of forces and displacements. Classical analysis methods, influence lines and introduction to matrix stiffness formulation.
Prerequisite: 302 and 305.
CE 310.
Structural Design I.
(4)
Introduction to structural design, design philosophies and approaches, structural materials and loading. Behavior of structural members, connections and approaches to the design of steel and reinforced concrete elements and systems constructed using current codes. Introduction to timber structures.
Three lectures.
Pre- or corequisite: 308.
CE 331.
Fluid Mechanics.
(4)
Fluid properties; fluids at rest; fluid flow principles, including continuity, energy and momentum; incompressible fluid flow; laboratory study of basic principles of fluid mechanics.
Pre- or corequisite: 202 and ME 306 and three lectures.
CE **335.
Environmental and Water Resources Engineering .
(3)
Basic design concepts of water and wastewater treatment. Flow rates, characterization of water, materials balances, coagulation, flocculation, filtration, sedimentation, biological treatment and disinfection.
Prerequisite: CE 331 and CHEM 122 and 124L.
CE 350.
Engineering Economy.
(3)
(Also offered as ME 350)
A study of methods and techniques used in determining comparative financial desirability of engineering alternatives. Includes time value of money (interest), depreciation methods and modern techniques for analysis of management decisions.
Prerequisite: MATH 162 or MATH 180.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 352.
Computer Applications in Civil Engineering.
(3)
Study of computer-aided design and other computer applications for surveying, site design, earthwork, roadway design, hydrology and other civil engineering topics.
Prerequisite: 160L and 283.
CE 354 / 554.
Probability and Statistics for Civil Engineers.
(3)
Introduction to probabilistic and statistical techniques, including descriptive measures, distributions, hypotheses testing, regression and analysis of variance, and their application to specific examples in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of civil engineering facilities.
Prerequisite: MATH 316.
CE 360.
Soil Mechanics.
(4)
Fundamental properties of soils, classification systems, site investigation, permeability, consolidation, compaction and shear. Laboratory tests conducted to determine the properties of soils-related geotechnical engineering problems.
Prerequisite: 302. Three lectures.
CE 370.
Construction Methods and Equipment.
(3)
Comprehensive study of the ownership and operating costs, production rates and operating characteristics of the major construction equipment types.
Prerequisite: 350.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 371.
Structures for Construction.
(3)
Principles of mechanics, equilibrium conditions, properties of structural materials, structural properties of areas, load-shear-bending moment diagrams, flexural stresses, shearing stresses, deflection, and analysis of simple trusses, beams, columns, and funicular structures.
Prerequisite: 171 and MATH 180 and PHYC 151.
CE **372.
Principles of Construction .
(3)
Management principles as applied to the conduct and control of a construction contracting business; estimating methods, bidding, construction contracts, bonds, insurance, project planning and scheduling, cost accounting, labor law, labor relations and safety.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 376.
Cost Estimating.
(3)
Using modern, professional estimating techniques and resources, students complete cost estimates on buildings based on the Construction Specifications Institute formatted budgets and quantity take-offs for materials, labor, and equipment.
Prerequisite: 171.
CE 377.
Construction Scheduling.
(3)
Planning and scheduling of construction activities including network diagramming and calculations with the Critical Path Method (CPM), resource allocation, schedule updating, and computer applications.
Prerequisite: 171.
CE 382.
Transportation Engineering.
(3)
Multimodal examination of the planning, design and operation of transportation facilities; social aspects and economic evaluation of transportation system improvements; transportation design project.
Prerequisite: 283.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
NONE 409.
Engineering Ethics.
(1)
Topics in engineering practice, licensing, ethics and ethical problem-solving. Cases illustrating ethical issues facing practicing engineers. One lecture and one recitation per week for eight weeks.
Restriction: senior standing.
CE 411 / 511.
Reinforced Concrete Design.
(3)
Structural mechanics of concrete beams, slabs, columns, walls and footings; checking and proportioning of members and connections in accordance with specifications for limit state concrete design.
Prerequisite: 308.
Restriction: senior standing.
CE 413 / 513.
Timber and Masonry Design.
(3)
Design of reinforced masonry and timber structures conforming to the latest building codes and specifications; masonry assemblage methods, shear strength, masonry beams, columns and walls; wood connections, load and resistance factors for timber design.
Prerequisite: 310.
Restriction: senior standing.
CE 415.
Civil Engineering Design Competition.
(1 to a maximum of 3 Δ)
Students will plan, design, construct, and test projects for competitions such as the American Society of Civil Engineering/American Institute of Steel Construction steel bridge competition and the American Concrete Institute’s concrete canoe competition. Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 424 / 524.
Structural Design in Metals.
(3)
Design of steel systems in accordance with LRFD design specifications.
Prerequisite: 308.
Restriction: senior standing.
CE 431 / 531.
Physical-Chemical Water and Wastewater Treatment.
(3)
Theory and design of common physical-chemical treatment processes including sedimentation, coagulation, flocculation, water softening, oxidation, disinfection, sludge handling and disposal, filtration and centrifugation.
CE 433 / 533.
Environmental Microbiology.
(3)
Examination of the fundamental principles of microbiology and biochemistry as they apply to environmental and biochemical engineering. Topics will include microbial cell structure, metabolism, bioenergetics, ecology, molecular methods of analysis, and pollutant degradation.
Prerequisite: CHEM 122.
Restriction: seniors only.
CE 435 / 535.
Water Reuse.
(3)
Principles and practice of the water quality characteristics, treatment, and environmental and human health concerns associated with the reuse of wastewater for municipal, industrial and agricultural purposes. Regulatory aspects will be considered.
Restriction: seniors only.
CE 436 / 536.
Biological Wastewater Treatment.
(3)
Principles and design of wastewater treatment systems which are dependent on biological organisms. Processes covered include suspended culture and fixed culture systems, nutrient removal, hybrid systems, land application and on-site treatment systems. Emphasis will be placed on fundamental interaction between the organisms, wastes and receiving body of water.
Prerequisite: 335.
Restriction: senior standing.
CE 438 / 538.
Sustainable Engineering.
(3)
Evaluation of strategies to improve the environmental performance of industrial processes. Topics include impacts associated with resource consumption and pollution generation, life cycle assessment, environmental management systems, sustainability, techniques for pollution prevention and energy minimization.
Restriction: seniors only.
CE 440 / 540.
Design of Hydraulic Systems.
(3)
Applications of the principles of fluid mechanics to the design and analysis of pipe systems. Topics include pipe network analysis, design and selection of hydraulic machinery and analysis of transient and compressible flow.
Prerequisite: 331.
CE 441 / 541.
Hydrogeology.
(3)
(Also offered as EPS 462)
Hydrologic and geologic factors controlling groundwater flow, including flow to wells. The hydrologic cycle; interactions between surface and subsurface hydrologic systems; regional flow systems. Groundwater geochemistry and contaminant transport.
Prerequisite: CHEM 121 and CHEM 123L and MATH 163 and PHYC 160.
Restriction: senior standing.
CE *442.
Hydraulic Engineering and Hydrology.
(3)
Design of water distribution systems and open channels; selection of pumps and turbines; hydraulics of wells; basic engineering hydrology including precipitation, infiltration, runoff, flood routing, statistical measures and water resources planning.
Prerequisite: 331 and MATH 162.
CE *455.
Engineering Project Management.
(3)
(Also offered as ME 455)
Estimating, proposing, planning, scheduling, quality and cost control and reporting of an engineering project. Case studies of typical engineering projects. Small projects carried out by student teams.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 462 / 562.
Foundation Engineering I.
(3)
Application of principles of soil mechanics to analysis and design of footings, piles, caissons, cofferdams and other substructures.
Prerequisite: 360.
CE 463 / 563.
Earth Structures.
(3)
Analysis and design of earth dams, embankments and excavations; seepage, slope stability. Buried structures, conduits and culverts. Computer applications.
CE 473 / 573.
Construction Law.
(3)
Basic law concepts pertaining to the construction industry in New Mexico, including the Construction Industries Licensing Act, construction contracts, change orders, delay damages, contractor liability, dispute resolution, lien laws and the Miller Acts.
Prerequisite: 376 and 377 and ENGL 219.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 474 / 574.
Principles of Written Construction Documents.
(3)
This course reviews written documents used throughout construction projects, describing how the documents relate to each other and to drawings. It provides detail on the theory, techniques and format for every aspect of construction documentation.
Prerequisite: 376 and 377 and ENGL 219.
CE 475 / 575.
Construction Safety.
(3)
Basic safety and loss control concepts, practices, and skills to improve construction job site safety; OSHA regulations, accidents, documentation, safety policies and procedures, safe work environments, crisis management, and other safety related topics.
Prerequisite: 376 and 377 and ENGL 219.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 477 / 577.
Project Controls.
(3)
Time and cost budgeting is used for project control through management information and systems engineering. Topics to include cost integrated scheduling, earned value, probabilistic estimating and scheduling, crashing, trade-off analysis and forecasting.
Prerequisite: 376 and 377.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 478 / 578.
Design of Temporary Support Structures.
(3)
Design and construction of temporary support structures used in the construction industry, including concrete formwork, scaffolding, caissons, cofferdams, and dewatering systems.
Prerequisite: 308 or 371.
CE 481 / 581.
Urban Transportation Planning.
(3)
Planning aspects of highway transportation including transportation goals, transportation forecasting techniques and models, selection between alternate solutions, financing improvements.
CE 482 / 582.
Highway and Traffic Engineering.
(3)
Principles of the geometric design and operation of streets and highways, including planning aspects, traffic design and control and highway safety. Application of these principles to actual situations.
Prerequisite: 382.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE *491-*492.
Special Topics in Civil Engineering.
(1-3, 1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
Advanced studies in various areas of civil engineering.
CE 493.
Special Topics in Civil Engineering - Honors.
(1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
CE 494.
Honors Seminar.
(3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
CE 495.
Construction Internship.
(1)
Practical construction industry experience (both home office and field). Students spend designated period of time with owner or contractor. Evaluation by both instructor and industry sponsor, emphasizing student’s understanding of observed project management operations.
Restriction: junior or senior standing.
CE 497L.
Design Construction Integration.
(3)
Comprehensive, creative construction management of a typical construction project, including estimating, scheduling, document preparation, constructibility site analysis and quality, safety, equipment and material plans. Both written and oral presentations are required.
Pre- or corequisite: 477.
Restriction: senior standing.
CE 499.
Design of Civil Engineering Systems.
(3)
Comprehensive, creative design of a typical civil engineering project, including cost analysis. Detailed study based on written proposals by student teams, both written and oral reports required. To be taken in the student’s last semester.
Prerequisite: 308 and 331 and 350 and 360.
Restriction: senior standing.
CE 501.
Advanced Mechanics of Materials.
(3)
(Also offered as ME 501)
State of stress and strain at a point, stress-strain relationships; topics in beam theory such as unsymmetrical bending, curved beams, and elastic foundations; torsion of noncircular cross-sections, energy principles.
CE 502.
Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics.
(3)
Topics in finite element analysis with applications to problems in a two and three dimensional, solid continuum.
CE 503.
Composite Materials.
(3)
Mechanical behavior of constituent materials, characteristics of the lamina and laminates, composite action and mechanics, fracture and failure theories, hygrothermal effects, testing and inspection techniques, design of composite structures.
CE 506.
Prestressed Concrete.
(3)
Theoretical and practical aspects of behavior and design of prestressed concrete structures.
CE 511 / 411.
Reinforced Concrete Design.
(3)
Structural mechanics of concrete beams, slabs, columns, walls and footings; checking and proportioning of members and connections in accordance with specifications for limit state concrete design.
CE 513 / 413.
Timber and Masonry Design.
(3)
Design of reinforced masonry and timber structures conforming to the latest building codes and specifications; masonry assemblage methods, shear strength, masonry beams, columns and walls; wood connections, load and resistance factors for timber design.
CE 518.
Theory of Structural Stability.
(3)
General concept of stability of elastic and inelastic systems: columns, beam-columns, frames, plates and torsional stability. Equilibrium, energy and dynamic methods, nonlinear systems, nonconservative problems, discretized mathematical models.
CE 521.
Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering.
(3)
Theory of structural vibrations; response spectra for design; viscous and tuned mass damping; multi-degree-of-freedom analysis using normal mode method; designs under earthquake excitations; seismic design provisions in building codes; final design project.
CE 524 / 424.
Structural Design in Metals.
(3)
Design of steel systems in accordance with LRFD design specifications.
CE 531 / 431.
Physical-Chemical Water and Wastewater Treatment.
(3)
Theory and design of common physical-chemical treatment processes including sedimentation, coagulation, flocculation, water softening, oxidation, disinfection, sludge handling and disposal, filtration and centrifugation.
CE 532.
Advanced Physical-Chemical Water and Wastewater.
(3)
Principles and design practices of unit operations applicable for special problems. Processes covered will include absorption, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, wet air oxidation, ammonia stripping among others. Emphasis will be on reuse of treated effluent and production of high quality water for special applications including drinking water and industrial water supply.
CE 533 / 433.
Environmental Microbiology.
(3)
Examination of the fundamental principles of microbiology and biochemistry as they apply to environmental and biochemical engineering. Topics will include microbial cell structure, metabolism, bioenergetics, ecology, molecular methods of analysis, and pollutant degradation.
Prerequisite: CHEM 122.
CE 534.
Environmental Engineering Chemistry.
(3)
A comprehensive survey including acid-base and precipitation equilibria, complexation of metals, transformation occurring in the environment adsorption, ion exchange. The approach will be quantitative and aimed at developing the student's ability to predict consequences of environmental manipulation, treatment processes and phenomena observed in the field.
CE 535 / 435.
Water Reuse.
(3)
Principles and practice of the water quality characteristics, treatment, and environmental and human health concerns associated with the reuse of wastewater for municipal, industrial and agricultural purposes. Regulatory aspects will be considered.
CE 536 / 436.
Biological Wastewater Treatment.
(3)
Principles and design of wastewater treatment systems which are dependent on biological organisms. Processes covered include suspended culture and fixed culture systems, nutrient removal, hybrid systems, land application and on-site treatment systems. Emphasis will be placed on fundamental interaction between the organisms, wastes and receiving body of water.
CE 538 / 438.
Sustainable Engineering.
(3)
Evaluation of strategies to improve the environmental performance of industrial processes. Topics include impacts associated with resource consumption and pollution generation, life cycle assessment, environmental management systems, sustainability, techniques for pollution prevention and energy minimization.
CE 539.
Radioactive Waste Management.
(3)
(Also offered as CHNE 439/539)
Introduction to the nuclear fuel cycle emphasizing sources, characteristics and management of radioactive wastes. Types of radiation, radioactive decay calculations, shielding requirements. Radwaste management technologies and disposal options.
CE 540 / 440.
Design of Hydraulic Systems.
(3)
Applications of the principles of fluid mechanics to the design and analysis of pipe systems. Topics include pipe network analysis, design and selection of hydraulic machinery and analysis of transient and compressible flow.
CE 541 / 441.
Hydrogeology.
(3)
(Also offered as EPS 562)
Hydrologic and geologic factors controlling groundwater flow, including flow to wells. The hydrologic cycle; interactions between surface and subsurface hydrologic systems; regional flow systems. Groundwater geochemistry and contaminant transport.
CE 542.
Intermediate Hydrology.
(3)
Hydrometeorology, interception, depression storage, infiltration, hydrograph analysis, flood routing, urban hydrology, groundwater analysis and utilization.
Restriction: graduate standing.
CE 545.
Open Channel Hydraulics.
(3)
Open channel hydraulics; specific energy and specific force; steady and unsteady flow; gradually varied flow; rapidly varied flow; computation of water surface profiles.
CE 547.
GIS in Water Resources Engineering.
(3)
Principles and operation of geographic information systems using Arc GIS, work with surface and subsurface digital representations of the environment considering hydrologic and transportation processes. Course project is required.
Restriction: graduate standing.
CE 548.
Fuzzy Logic and Applications.
(3)
(Also offered as ECE 548)
Theory of fuzzy sets; foundations of fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic is shown to contain evidence, possibility and probability logics; course emphasizes engineering applications; control, pattern recognition, damage assessment, decisions; hardware/software demonstrations.
CE 549.
Vadose Zone Hydrology.
(3)
Principles and applications of water, energy and solute transport in the near-surface environment. Topics covered include moisture characteristic curves, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, Richards equation and numerical solutions. Processes studied include infiltration, redistribution, evapotranspiration and recharge.
Restriction: graduate standing.
CE 551.
Problems.
(1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
Advanced reading, analysis, design or research.
CE 554 / 354.
Probability and Statistics for Civil Engineers.
(3)
Introduction to probabilistic and statistical techniques, including descriptive measures, distributions, hypotheses testing, regression and analysis of variance, and their application to specific examples in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of civil engineering facilities.
CE 560.
Advanced Soil Mechanics.
(3)
Stress space and stress paths; in situ tests; shear strength and behavior of sands and clays; selection of strength parameters for analysis and design.
CE 562 / 462.
Foundation Engineering I.
(3)
Application of principles of soil mechanics to analysis and design of footings, piles, caissons, cofferdams and other substructures.
CE 565.
Soil Behavior.
(3)
Understanding of the factors that determine and control the engineering properties of soils. Soil deposits, formation and composition; properties of the clay minerals, soil structure and fabric; and deformational behavior of soils under stresses.
CE 566.
Pavement Design.
(3)
Pavement design principles, including a review of methods for soil testing and characterization, base selection, subgrade stabilization and surfacing material design. Procedures for new pavement design and existing pavement testing and evaluation will be covered.
CE 567.
Foundation Engineering II.
(3)
Analytical and practical aspects of foundation design problems: soil improvement, foundations in difficult soils, reinforced earth walls, sheet pile walls, slurry walls, excavation and anchors.
CE 568.
Soil Dynamics.
(3)
Behavior of soils subjected to loads, elastic and inelastic wave propagation in soils, ground motion, machine foundations, wave effects on structures, seismic studies, pile driving and dynamic soil testing.
CE 571.
Sustainable Design and Construction.
(3)
Principles of sustainable design and construction, including life-cycle cost analysis, evaluation of economic and environmental impacts, state-of-the-art technology, and LEED certification.
CE 573 / 473.
Construction Law.
(3)
Basic law concepts pertaining to the construction industry in New Mexico, including the Construction Industries Licensing Act, construction contracts, change orders, delay damages, contractor liability, dispute resolution, lien laws and the Miller Acts.
CE 574 / 474.
Principles of Written Construction Documents.
(3)
This course reviews written documents used throughout construction projects, describing how the documents relate to each other and to drawings. It provides detail on the theory, techniques and format for every aspect of construction documentation.
CE 575 / 475.
Construction Safety.
(3)
Basic safety and loss control concepts practices and skills to improve construction job site safety. The course will cover OSHA regulations and enforcement, job site accidents and losses associated with various types of accidents, documentation, record-keeping, development of safety policies and procedures, safe environments, employer and worker/ employee responsibilities, drug and alcohol abuse, crisis management and other safety related topics.
CE 576.
Project Delivery Systems.
(3)
Defining characteristics of various project delivery systems, processes to solicit and procure those services. Responsibilities, risks and rewards for owners, designers, and contractors under various PDS.
CE 577 / 477.
Project Controls.
(3)
Time and cost budgeting is used for project control through management information and systems engineering. Topics to include cost integrated scheduling, earned value, probabilistic estimating and scheduling, crashing, trade-off analysis and forecasting.
CE 578 / 478.
Design of Temporary Support Structures.
(3)
Design and construction of temporary support structures used in the construction industry, including concrete formwork, scaffolding, caissons, cofferdams, and dewatering systems.
CE 581 / 481.
Urban Transportation Planning.
(3)
Planning aspects of highway transportation including transportation goals, transportation forecasting techniques and models, selection between alternate solutions, financing improvements.
CE 582 / 482.
Highway and Traffic Engineering.
(3)
Principles of the geometric design and operation of streets and highways, including planning aspects, traffic design and control and highway safety. Application of these principles to actual situations.
CE 588.
Master's Project.
(1-6)
Development of project concept, investigation of needs, initial data collection and assembly of written and field materials necessary to conduct a professional project. Exploration of alternative means to conduct the project.
Prerequisite: completion of 12 credit hours of 500 level course work.
Restriction: CE or Construction Management majors.
CE 598.
Selected Topics.
(1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
A course offered by Civil Engineering faculty which presents a detailed examination of developing sciences and technologies in a classroom setting.
{Offered upon demand}
CE 599.
Master's Thesis.
(1-6, no limit Δ)
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
CE 650.
Research.
(1-6 to a maximum of 12 Δ)
Restriction: CE majors only.
CE 691.
Graduate Seminar.
(1 to a maximum of 4 Δ)
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
CE 699.
Dissertation.
(3-12, no limit Δ)
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
