by Construction Experts, Inc.
June 26 - September 3, 2023
3.0 CEU / 30 PDH
Member $550 / Non-member $650
The course will start on the date stipulated. Once your registration is received, the instructor will be notified of your enrollment within one business day. Your textbook will be mailed to you, and by the time you receive it, you should receive login instructions by email from the instructor.
- For US addresses, shipping will be by USPS and will take three to five days for delivery.
- For Canadian and international addresses, shipping can take much longer. The additional charge of $50 provides expedited shipping so that you receive your book in a timely manner.
Introduction
The purpose of this course is to give the student an overall and elementary understanding of construction equipment and selected construction methods. This includes selection, economy, and productivity of common construction equipment and construction procedures for site development and industrial, heavy and civil construction. The course will introduce students to civil construction plans, determining earthwork quantities, equipment economics and utilization, equipment production rates, fundamentals of earthmoving and excavating, loading and hauling equipment.
Learning Objectives
Learn how to best utilize construction equipment on site work and heavy civil projects
Become familiar with construction equipment and their capabilities
Understand standard designations, sizes, and gradations of equipment
Properly select heavy equipment based on applications, utilization, productivity, and other factors
Understand the elements of equipment cost and evaluating investment alternatives.
Develop a basic understanding of unit price and earthwork quantities
Develop an increased awareness of civil construction blueprints
Be able to demonstrate awareness of construction safety related to earthmoving operations
Class Organization and Grading
The following table lists the learning modules, the maximum point value a student can receive within each module, and the week in which the modules must be finished.
In each module there are discussions (15 points) and a quiz (10 points)
| Module | Point Value | By End of Week |
| 0. Student Orientation | 0 | Before start |
| 1. Introduction to Construction Equipment | 30 | 1 |
| 2. Equipment Accounting and Acquisition Decisions | 30 | 2 |
| 3. Heavy Construction Blueprint Reading and Estimating | 30 | 3 |
| 4. Fundamentals of Earth moving | 30 | 4 |
| 5. Pushing, Ripping, and Dozing Equipment | 30 | 5 |
| 6. Digging and Hauling Equipment | 30 | 6 |
| 7. Trenching Equipment | 30 | 7 |
| 8. Compressors and Pumps | 30 | 8 |
| 9. Drilling and Blasting Equipment | 30 | 9 |
| 10. Course Review | 30 | 10 |
| Total Points | 300 |
Grading Policies
Graded assignments will consist of one quiz for each module and participation in at least two class discussions. Each quiz will count 10 points and class discussions will count 15 points per module. Students should provide at least 3 contributions to the class discussions each week to gain the maximum points.
Grades will be posted on a weekly basis. You will have full access to your grade sheet and can keep track of how you are doing at all times.
Your overall grade in the course will be determined by the total number of points you have accumulated on quizzes and assignments. The grading scale is as follows.
- A 225 to 250 points
- B 200 to 224 points
- C 175 to 199 points
- D 150 to 174 points
You will be given more information about the grading and other course matters in the Orientation Module.
Withdrawals and Refunds
You may withdraw from this course by sending an email to education@aacei.org requesting to be dropped from the course. Non-attendance or notifying the instructor does not constitute officially dropping or withdrawing from a course. Students who stop attending courses without officially dropping will receive a grade of U in the class. Refunds are not automatic. NO refunds are due unless the course is officially dropped within stated guidelines in the refund schedule.
Refund Schedule
- Withdrawal received before the first day of class – total fee less a $125 cancellation fee.
- Refund requests postmarked on or after the first day and no later than two weeks after the first day of class will be refunded 65% of the fee, after which time there is no refund.
- Decision on withdrawals and refunds will be based on the date when the written withdrawal notice is received by AACE International. Drops done by mail are effective as of the postmark date.