Senior Design Capstone
Hands-On Learning. Career Preparation.
Culminating projects in your fourth year wrap together all the knowledge you’ve learned and the skills you’ve acquired.
Your senior project is on the books of Duke CEE’s simulated engineering firm—Overture Engineering.
A True-to-Life Challenge
Working in teams, Duke CEE seniors take on planning for a real-world engineering project. A real location on the Duke campus is selected.
Teams present to practicing engineers and architects, adding more reality to the exercise.
The Overture capstone focuses senior-year projects into actual engineering work products that are architectural, environmental, and structural, integrating with Duke CEE’s majors in civil and environmental engineering and the Certificate in Architectural Engineering.
‘Embrace the Ditch’
Recently, students in the senior capstone courses prepared all the documentation needed to build 50,000 square feet of research space on an actual part of the Duke campus.
Many real-world lessons were learned while trying to accomodate a ditch that runs through the site.
Architectural
CEE 411 Architectural Engineering II
- Project Siting
- Development of Program—Space use, dimensions, etc.
- Floor Elevations
Structural
CEE 429 Integrated Structural Design
- Foundation Design
- Column and Beam Design
- Slab-on-Grade and Floor Slab Design
- Retaining Wall Design
Environmental
CEE 469 Integrated Environmental Design
- Environmental Site Assessment
- Grading and Erosion Control Plan
- Stream Restoration and Wetland Creation
- Water Distribution Design
- Wastewater Conveyance System Design
Project Management
CEE 649/679 Project Management
- Project Budget
- Direct and Indirect Expenses
- Bill Rates
- Utilization Tracking
- Schedule Compliance
Individual Effort. Team Results.
Beyond applying everything you’ve learned, there’s an even bigger challenge—teamwork.
The critical element to completing the challenge is discovering how the divisions can work together effectively.
There’s a lot to figure out. You’ll do it as the pros do—with all-team roundtable discussions of major design issues.
