Penn State Surveying Program

SUR 482
Land Development Design

Title SUR 482 - Land Development Design
Catalog Data 482 LAND DEVELOPMENT DESIGN (3) The land development process; geometric, environmental, aesthetic aspects of development; local regulatory requirements; preparation of final plat and report. Prerequisites: Senior standing.
Textbook Dion, Thomas R., 2002. Land Development for Civil Engineers, 2nd Ed. John Wiley and Sons. ESBN 0-471-43500-7.
Coordinator Thomas A. Seybert, Associate Professor, Surveying Engineering Program
Goals To introduce the student to the land development design process; specifically including regulatory concerns, initial site selection, property subdivision, engineering design, the approval process, and construction concerns.
Prerequisites by Topic Coordinate geometry and simple circular curve geometry; legal aspects of property surveys; and an introduction to contract law. Surveying Engineering students must be in their final year of study to schedule this course.
Topics
  1. Introduction; regulations, approvals, and permits
  2. Soil properties and site evaluation
  3. Site layout: streets, parking, flood plains, wetlands
  4. Topography, grading, stormwater and erosion control
  5. Sewer and water
  6. Specifications, cost estimates, and construction
  1. 4 hours
  2. 4 hours
  3. 8 hours
  4. 5 hours
  5. 4 hours
  6. 5 hours
Laboratory Projects
  1. Contracts
  2. Ordinances
  3. Soil characteristics, survey and field trip
  4. Site evaluation: opportunities and constraints
  5. Sustainable Development
  6. Design Layout
  7. Roads and Parking
  8. Topography and Grading
  9. Sewer and Water
  10. Erosion and Sedimentation Control, field trip
  11. Project design practicum
  12. Mock municipal meeting
  13. Exam
  1. 1 lab
  2. 1 lab
  3. 2 labs
  4. 1 lab
  5. 1 lab
  6. 1 lab
  7. 1 lab
  8. 1 lab
  9. 1 lab
  10. 1 lab
  11. 2 labs
  12. 1 lab
  13. 1 lab
Computer Usage The practicums are orchestrated such that the student will start with an undeveloped tract of land (AutoCAD DWG file) and design a subdivision including lots, streets, sewer, water, utilities, etc. using AutoCAD and Eagle Point engineering design software.

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Last Update: January 09, 2006