Department of Civil Engineering

Faculty of Engineering & Technology

University of Ilorin
Nigeria.

1. Course: CVE 486 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE (2 credits /Compulsory).

2. Lecturer:

Olayinka G. OKEOLA
BEng, MEng, Ph.D (Ilorin), MASCE, MIWA, R. Engr. (COREN)
E-mail: ogolayinka@unilorin.edu.ng
Office location: Block 8 RM F28, Department of Civil Engineering
Consultation hours: 9am 10am Wednesdays; 2pm 4pm Thursdays
3. COURSE DETAILS

3.1 Course Content

Legal, professional and ethical aspects of engineering contracts and contract document including
specification and competitive bidding. Negotiated contracts. Civil engineering Quantities -
Standard method of measurement, application of the classification of coding and numbering of
items. Bill of quantities. 36h (T); C.

3.2 Course Description

The course is designed to fulfill the requirement of CVE 486 by providing 30 hours of
continuing education on ethics applicable to the practice of engineering profession. The course is
also essentially designed to abreast the students on the professional liability the law repose on
engineers during practice. It is also to introduce students to procurement of goods and services
such as engineering infrastructure-dependent within the Nigeria context and international best
practices. The professionalism and ethical issues within the profession are explored with
emphasis.

3.3 Course Justification

A professional engineer practice within the threshold of procurement of goods and services. The
students therefore need basis background knowledge and exposure to professionalism and ethical
issues as related to functioning credibly in the planning and implementation of procurement of
goods and services as either a contractor, a consultant, or a public civil servant.

3.4 Course Objectives

At the end of the course, the students would understand the following:
1. Nigeria critical infrastructure
2. Professionalism and ethics.
3. Engineering contracts and documentation.
4. Construction industry in Nigeria and sanctity of contract.
 5. Tendering procedures.
6. Project cost estimation
7. Civil engineering quantities and bill of engineering and measurement evaluation

3.5 Course Requirements

1. This is a compulsory course for all civil Engineering students. In view of this, students
are expected to participate in all the course activities and have minimum of 75%
attendance to qualify to write the final examination.
2. They will also be expected to solve the study questions and assignments.
3. Expected to keep to classroom decorum and submit assignment latest on the due date.
4. Students are also expected to have e-mail accounts.

3.6 Methods of grading

1. Assignment 10%
2. Term paper 10%
3. Class test 10%
4. Final examination 70%
5. Total 100%

3.7 Course Delivery Strategies:

This includes lectures, tutorials, interactive sessions, and provision of the course monograph.
Students will be encouraged to read extensively on the topics and follow current issues in the
media particular on state and federal governments infrastructural project award and
implementation. The Bureau Public Procurement (BPP) portal domain shall be recommended for
regular visit.

Reading List:

1. Adams, 3,4 D. K. (2008) The Structural Engineers Professional Training Manual. The
McGraw Hill companies, Inc. USA (2008)
2. Bennett, 4 L.F. (2003)A Management of Construction: A Project Life Cycle Approach.
Butterworth-Heinemann. United Kingdom.
3. Buchan,3,4 R.D, Fleming, F.W. and Grant, F. E. K. (2006) Estimating for Builders and
Surveyors. Second edition. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. UK.
4. Daveyi,4 K (2005) Building Conservation Contracts and grant aid: A Practical Guide.
E & FN Spon. London.
5. Ethics for Professional Engineers. Engineer Educators, Inc. Tallahassee. USA.
(www.engineereducators.com)
6. Federal Republic of Nigeria official Gazette No 65 Vol. 94
7. Gilman,4 S. C. (2005) Ethics Codes And Codes of Conduct As Tool For Promoting An
Ethical And Professional Public Service: Comparative Successes & Lessons. World
Bank. Washington, DC.
8. Okeola, 3,4 O. G. and A.W. Salami (2012). A Pragmatic Approach to the Nigerias
Engineering Infrastructure Dilemma. Epistemic in Science, Engineering and
Technology.(2):1 pp 55-61
 9. Okeola5, O.G. (2009) Occupational Health and Safety Assessment in the Construction
Field. Proceedings of 1st Annual Civil Engineering Conference, Pp 32 - 40. Published
by Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
10. Sagay,2,4 I.E. (1987) Nigerian Law of Contract. Spectrum Books Ltd. Ibadan. Nigeria
11. Project4 Cost Estimating Manual. (December 2007). 3rd Edition. Queensland
Government. Department of Main Road. Australia
12. Sadiq,1,4 K. (2008) Construction Industry and Sanctity of Contract: An Appraisal. B.LL
Project. Faculty of Law. University of Ilorin. Nigeria

4. LECTURES

Week 1: Introduction
Objectives:
It is to provide general overview of construction industry and consultancy firms including also
the description in terms of multinationals and home based; and roles in the national
development.

Description:
General overview of the nations construction industry and consultancy firms.
Sole ownership and partnership arrangement in construction and consultancy industries.
Examples and operations of both industries.

Study Questions:

1. Name 3 basic types construction industry.

2. Name key members of building construction team.
3. Name 5 multinational construction company in Nigeria
4. Name 5 indigenous construction company in Kwara state.
5. Mention at least 5 ongoing construction projects in Kwara state.

Week 2 and 3: Professionalism and Engineering Ethics.

Objectives:
The aim is to instill earlier enough on students the required discipline and ethical issues within
the practice of engineering profession.

Description:
Concept of Ethics / Codes of ethics.
Professionalism
Unethical behavior of an Engineer.
Negligence / Incompetence, duty of care and unethical behavior illustrations.
Standard forms of construction contracts.
Study Questions:
1. In a single sentence define the following: (1) Engineering ethics (2) Professional code of
ethics.
2. List the three common standard contract forms use for construction and design in Nigeria.
3. What is the name of state regulatory body that govern member of the cadres of
engineering profession.
4. List five conducts of a professional engineer that can attract the sanction of the state
regulatory body.
5. What is the aim of the term duty of care and explain with two examples the
responsibility of site engineer in building construction project within the context duty of
care

Week 4: Term Paper (2 months grace)

Term Paper assignment would be given to students from the following topics:
1. The ICT industry: A case for recognition of professionalism.
2. The Construction Industry: A case for recognition of professionalism.
3. The Public Procurement Act and Professionalism: An Engineer Perspective
4. Critique the success and /or failure of PPA in engineering infrastructures development.
5. An Appraisal of EFCC and ICPC in engineering infrastructure construction industry.
6. Management of ethical issues in ICT industry.

Week 4 and 5: Engineering Contracts

Objectives:
This is to introduce the students to the major types of contract in engineering work and also their
suitability or otherwise for different engineering jobs.

Description:
1. Definitions, elements and types of contract.
2. Sanctity of contracts.
3. Contract document: Form of agreement, General conditions of contract, Specifications
Bill of quantities, Contract drawings, and Form of tender.

Study Questions:
1. Obtain a contract documents for a recent or past construction project in your locality.
i. List the major divisions in the technical specification section and one specific item
in each.
ii. Note three specific items in the general conditions.
2. What are the common nonfirm construction contracting practices?
3. List six components of normal contract document.
4. Differentiate between expressed and implied contracts in a single sentence.
5. Explain the Bill of Quantities contract.
Week 6: Tendering
Objectives:
The objective is to get the student understand the process involved in the selection of contractor
and consultant in the execution of a job (project).

Description:
1. Open tendering
2. Selective tendering
3. Negotiated tendering

Study Questions:
Students would be required to get current copy of the Federal Tender Journal at Federal
Secretariat or from any vendor and then read and study for in-depth understanding. Thereafter,
identify pre-qualification requirement for (1) Contractor and (2) Consultant in their expression to
bid for a job. Give appropriate citation of the journal.

Week 7: Public Procurement (PP)

Objective:
The objective is to bring to the knowledge and understanding of the students, the public
procurement reform within the context of Public Procurement Act 2007 and shall be
exhaustively discussed with illustrations.

Description:
1. Public procurement reform
2. Public Procurement Act 2007
3. Bureau of public procurement (BPP): Objectives and functions
4. Essential steps in the procurement process.
5. Funding of Federal University capital projects.

Study Questions:
1. List four sources of the funding of Federal Universities capital projects.
2. What is the name of the Act that established Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and for
what major purpose ?
3. List the essential steps in the procurement process.
4. What are the objectives of BPP?

Week 8: Civil Engineering Standard Methods of Measurement

Objective:
The objective is to prepare the student for the important aspect of their professional practice
which is the preparation of project cost estimates.

Description:
1. Preamble: Construction cost indexes
2. List of Principal Quantities
 3. Daywork Schedule
4. Work Items (divided into parts)
5. Grand Summary

Weeks 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13: Preparation of Engineering Bill of Quantities and
Evaluation (BEME)
Objective:
The objective is to prepare the student for the basic knowledge in the preparation of standard
BEME for both Civil and Electrical engineering works.

Description:
1. Elements of project net cost
2. Analysis of rates
3. Preparation of BEME for building components
4. Preparation of BEME for Road works
5. Preparation of BEME for mechanical and electrical components in building projects

Study Questions:

1. What are the direct and indirect costs of a project?

2. Differentiate between unit-area and unit-volume estimates in term of application.
3. What is estimating?
4. List and explain the major sections of the bill of engineering measurement and evaluation
(BEME).
5. Calculate the quantities and amount of materials required for foundation, block work and
plastering for the 100m jail wall whose cross section is shown below. Cement sand
mortar in block work and plastering is 1:6 while concrete mix in foundation is 1:2:4.
Thickness of plastering is 20mm.

Week 14: Revisions

Objectives:
The interactive session is for revisions, tutorials, and general question/discussion on any aspect
of the course

Legend
1- Available in the University Library
2- Available in local bookshops
3- Available on the Web.
4- Personal collection
5- Departmental libraries