Dr Anwar Orabi
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2026 (23/02/2026 - 20/06/2026)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Civil Engineering School
This course aims to provide students with skills and knowledge to evaluate the explicit performance of structures in fire. It covers the fundamental principles of structural mechanics under high temperature before discussing the impact of heating on determinate and redundant structures comprised of different materials. All the way through the course tutorial based learning is complemented by computer laboratory practicals to reinforce the learning outcomes.
The course will provide a thorough introduction to Structural Fire Safety Engineering. The course covers:
- Principles of Structural Fire Safety Engineering
- Design and regulatory framework
- Heat Transfer
- Structural Fire Behaviour
- Fire Safe Structural Design (Steel, Timber, Concrete)
- Finite Element Analysis for Structural Fire Safety
- Gaps and Advances in Structural Fire Engineering
The above will be applied in the class to practical problems of the type that a fire safety engineer or a structural engineer may encounter in practice.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
CIVL3340
Course staff
Course coordinator
Lecturer
Dr Anwar Orabi
Associate Professor David Lange
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide students with skills and knowledge to evaluate the performance of structures in fire and design fire safe structural systems.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Implement empirical models to generate different design temperature-time curves and analyse their sensitivity to input parameters
LO2.
Design for structural performance in fire, accounting for the controlling mechanisms associated with different materials and structural forms
LO3.
Develop a spreadsheet program to Perform heat transfer analysis of structural members in fire
LO4.
Develop various finite element models to explicitly analyse structural fire performance
LO5.
Assess the impact of thermal expansion on structures in fire using detailed analytical models
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial/ Problem Set | Individual Assignment #1 | 30% |
17/04/2026 4:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Individual Assignment #2 | 30% |
29/05/2026 4:00 pm |
| Examination |
Interview on comprehension of course material
|
40% |
8/06/2026 - 15/06/2026
To be scheduled during the exam period. |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Individual Assignment #1
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
17/04/2026 4:00 pm
Task description
Details provided in assessment handout made available via blackboard.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Individual Assignment #2
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
29/05/2026 4:00 pm
Task description
Details provided in assessment handout made available via blackboard.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Interview on comprehension of course material
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Online
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
8/06/2026 - 15/06/2026
To be scheduled during the exam period.
Task description
This interview is an identity verified assessment and will assess the understanding and retention of the course material. It will also assess the ability of the student to apply the acquired knowledge to a change in design brief or underlying design parameters. The interview will last 20 minutes and will be recorded.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Students need to achieve a grade of 4 or higher in the Interview on comprehension of course material in order for a pass grade to be awarded for the whole course.Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Open book examination - any written or printed material is permitted; material may be annotated |
| Exam platform | Other |
| Invigilation | Invigilated by Zoom |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Consistent with industry practice around presentations to clients/industry partners, no late submissions will be accepted and a 100% late penalty applies. This has been approved by the Associate Dean (Academic).
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: As for the grade of 2 and the student fails to complete the assessment for the course. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student fails to demonstrate sufficient knowledge or understanding of the underlying concepts. Much of the information provided is inaccurate and irrelevant. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Some knowledge of the subject is evident but the student demonstrates a limited understanding of the underlying concepts. A substantial part of the information provided is inaccurate or irrelevant. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates sound knowledge and at least partial understanding of the underlying concepts. Has some correct and some incorrect information. Students need to achieve a grade of 4ﾠor higher in the presentation in order for a pass grade to be awarded for the whole course. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates sound knowledge and a sound understanding of the key concepts. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Key concepts are understood. There is a demonstrated ability to solve previously unseen problems. There are only minor factual inaccuracies and there is little irrelevant information. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Key concepts are understood and can be used to solve previously unseen problems.ﾠThere is evidence of critical analysis and an ability to synthesize information from different aspects of the subject. There are insignificant factual inaccuracies and there is very limited irrelevant information. |
Additional course grading information
Final (total) marks will be rounded up to an integer value prior to applying hurdles or grade boundaries.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Tutorial |
Lecture, computer session, and tutorial These zoom sessions will guide the students through the analysis of finite element simulations for structural fire safety engineering. |
Lecture |
Lectures |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
- AI for Assessment Guide
- Recording of Teaching Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: