207-315 Landscape Construction

The aim of this subject is to extend the participant's ability to:

• understand the fundamental principles of soil mechanics and the relevance to built structures in the urban landscape;

• understand the functional roles and fundamental design and construction principles for a range of hard landscape construction elements including concrete and masonry structures and pavements;

• understand water infiltration, movement and retention in urban soils and how this relates to the management of water in the urban landscape; and

• understand the application and construction methods for understand the fundamental construction techniques of formal and free form-water features and field rock in the landscape.

The content covered in this subject includes:

• the principles of soil mechanics and their relevance to built structures;

• soil water retention and movement and the effect of landscape construction on drainage;

• surface and subsurface drainage systems;

• earthworks earth moving equipment and calculation of volumes;

• construction techniques for retaining walls concrete slabs and footings;

• pavement and steps for vehicular and pedestrian use;

• construction of formal an free-form water features; and

• placement of field rock.

A two-hour examination (40%) and three project reports equivalent to 2500 words (each 20%).

• G Davis, Landscape Surveying. Lorien Landscapes, 1990.
• K A Handreck and N D Black, Growing Media for Ornamental Plants and Turf. New South Wales University Press, 1989.
• K McIntyre and B Jakobsen, Drainage for Sportsturf and Horticulture. Horticultural Engineering Consultancy, 1998.