Student Workbook

RIICWD507D: Prepare Detailed Geotechnical Design

What is the purpose of this document?

The Assessor Pack is a benchmarking document that defines the skills and knowledge required for the
students to demonstrate competence in a unit of competency. This document outlines the evidence criteria
used to judge the quality of performance (i.e., the assessment decision-making rules).

The document includes the following:

 Information related to the unit of competency

 Benchmark answers and guidelines to assess the student’s competency

Trainer/Assessor Evaluation

These documents are designed after conducting thorough industry consultation. Trainers are encouraged
to evaluate this document and provide constructive feedback to their training organization if they feel that
this document can be improved.

Link to other unit documents

 The Student Pack is a document for students to complete to demonstrate their competence. This
document includes context and conditions of assessment, tasks to be administered to the student,
and an outline of the evidence to be gathered from the student.
 The Unit Mapping is a document that contains information and comprehensive mapping with the
training package requirements.
 The Unit Requirements is a document that contains information related to the unit of competency
for the Training Organization staff and students.

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Assessor Pack

1. Qualification and unit of competency

Qualification/Course/Program Details
Code:
Name:
Unit of competency
Code: RIICWD507D
Name: Prepare Detailed Design of Foundations
Releases: 1.0
Release date: 12/July/2022

2. Assessments
The student must be assessed as satisfactory in each of the following assessment tasks in order to
demonstrate competence.
Evidence number Assessment method/ Type of evidence
Assessment 1 Knowledge Test (KT)
Assessment 2 Project (PT)

3. Instructions to complete the outcomes of assessment in the Student Unit Tool assessment
record

You are required to fill out the assessment outcome records in the Student Pack when:

• The student has completed all requirements for the assessment tasks for this unit of competency.
• The student’s work has been reviewed and assessed by you.
• You have recorded a satisfactory/unsatisfactory result for each assessment task within this unit of
competency.
• Relevant and detailed feedback has been provided to the student.

Every assessment has a “Feedback to Student” section to record information. You must ensure that all
sections are filled out appropriately, such as:

• The results of the assessments (Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory)

• Student name, signature, and date
• Assessor name, signature, and date
• Relevant and detailed feedback

4. Unit Requirements

The student must read and understand all the information in the Unit Requirements before completing the
Student Pack.

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Assessor Pack

5. Feedback to student

Feedback on the student’s assessment performance is a vital element of learning. Its purpose is to justify to
students how their competency was assessed, as well as to identify and reward specific qualities in their
work, to recommend aspects needing improvement, and to guide students on what steps to take.

Feedback defines for students what their trainer/assessor think is important for the student to know with
regards to a topic or a subject. At its best, feedback should:
• Be provided for each Assessment Task
• Guide students to adapt and adjust their learning strategies
• Guide trainers/assessors to adapt and adjust their teaching to accommodate the student’s
learning needs
• Be a pivotal feature of learning and assessment design, not an add-on ritual
• Focus on course and unit learning outcomes
• Guide students to become independent and self-reflective learners and their own critics
• Acknowledge the developmental nature of learning
Feedback should not provide short/one-word comments, such as “Fantastic” or “Great work!”. Feedback
needs to be:

• Constructive - highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of a given piece of work, it should set
out ways in which the student can improve the work.
• Timely – should be given while the assessed work is still fresh in a student's mind before the
student moves on to subsequent tasks.
• Meaningful- should target individual needs, be linked to specific assessment criteria, and be
received by a student in time to benefit subsequent work.
If students have not received proper feedback, they can speak to the Compliance or Administration
Department responsible for looking after the quality and compliance services of the Training
Organization

For more information, please refer to the Training Organization’s Student Handbook.

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Assessor Pack

Learner Instructions

Overview
Prior to commencing the assessments, your trainer/assessor will explain each assessment task and the terms
and conditions relating to the submission of your assessment task. Please consult with your trainer/assessor if
you are unsure of any questions. It is important that you understand and adhere to the terms and conditions,
and address fully each assessment task.
Written work

Assessment tasks are used to measure your understanding and underpinning skills and knowledge of the
overall unit of competency. When undertaking any written assessment tasks, please ensure that you address
the following criteria:

Address each question including any sub-points

Demonstrate that you have researched the topic thoroughly
Cover the topic in a logical, structured manner
Your assessment tasks are well presented, well referenced and word processed
Active participation

It is a condition of enrolment that you actively participate in your studies. Active participation is completing
all the assessment tasks on time.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is taking and using someone else's thoughts, writings or inventions and representing them as your
own. Plagiarism is a serious act and may result in a learner’s exclusion from a course. When you have any
doubts about including the work of other authors in your assessment, please consult your trainer/assessor.
The following list outlines some of the activities for which a learner can be accused of plagiarism:

Presenting any work by another individual as one's own unintentionally

Handing in assessments markedly similar to or copied from another learner
Presenting the work of another individual or group as their own work
Handing in assessments without the adequate acknowledgement of sources used, including assessments
taken totally or in part from the internet.

If it is identified that you have plagiarised within your assessment, then a meeting will be organised to
discuss this with you, and further action may be taken accordingly.

Collusion

Collusion is the presentation by a learner of an assignment as their own that is, in fact, the result in whole or
in part of unauthorised collaboration with another person or persons. Collusion involves the cooperation of
two or more learners in plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct and, as such, both parties are
subject to disciplinary action.
Competency outcome

There are two outcomes of assessments: S = Satisfactory and NS = Not Satisfactory (requires more training
and experience).

Once the learner has completed all the assessments for this unit of competency, the learner will be awarded
“Competent” (C) or “Not Competent” (NC) for the relevant unit of competency.
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Assessor Pack
Confidentiality

The college will treat anything, including information about your job, workplace, employer, with strict
confidence, in accordance with the law. However, you are responsible for ensuring that you do not provide
us with anything regarding any third party including your employer, colleagues and others, that they do not
consent to the disclosure of. While we may ask you to provide information or details about aspects of your
employer and workplace, you are responsible for obtaining necessary consents and ensuring that privacy
rights and confidentiality obligations are not breached by you in supplying us with such information.

Assessment appeals process

If you feel that you have been unfairly treated during your assessment, and you are not happy with your
assessment and/or the outcome as a result of that treatment, you have the right to lodge an appeal. You must
first discuss the issue with your trainer/assessor. If you would like to proceed further with the request after
discussions with your trainer/assessor, you need to lodge your appeal via the complaint and appeal form
which is available on the college website.
Recognised prior learning
Learners will be able to have their previous experience or expertise recognised on request.

Special needs

Learners with special needs should notify their trainer/assessor to request any required adjustments as soon
as possible. This will enable the trainer/assessor to address the identified needs immediately.

Assessment requirements

Assessment can be:

 Direct observation
 Product-based methods e.g. reports, role plays, work samples
 Portfolios – annotated and validated
 Questioning.

The assessment activities in this workbook assess aspects of all the elements, performance criteria, skills and
knowledge and performance requirements of the unit of competency.
To demonstrate competence in this unit, you must undertake all activities in this workbook and have them
deemed satisfactory by the assessor. Once you have demonstrated the required level of performance, you will
be deemed competent in this unit.
As part of the assessment process, all learners must abide by any relevant assessment policies as provided
during induction.

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Assessor Pack
Candidate Details

Please complete the following activities and hand in to your trainer/assessor for marking. This forms part of
your assessment for RIICWD507D: Prepare Detailed Geotechnical Design
Name: _____________________________________________________________
Email: _____________________________________________________________
Student ID: _____________________________________________________________

Declaration
I declare that no part of this assessment has been copied from another person’s work with the exception of
where I have listed or referenced documents or work and that no part of this assessment has been written for
me by another person. I also understand the assessment instructions and requirements and consent to being
assessed.
Signed: ____________________________________________________________
Date: ____________________________________________________________

If activities have been completed as part of a small group or in pairs, details of the learners involved should
be provided below:
This activity workbook has been completed by the following persons and we acknowledge that it was a fair
team effort where everyone contributed equally to the work completed. We declare that no part of this
assessment has been copied from another person’s work with the exception of where we have listed or
referenced documents or work and that no part of this assessment has been written for us by another person.
Learner 1: ____________________________________________________________
Signed: ____________________________________________________________
Learner 2: ____________________________________________________________
Signed: ____________________________________________________________
Learner 3: ____________________________________________________________
Signed: ____________________________________________________________

The following forms the basis of the evidence that you need to collect from students for assessment in this
assessment task. The task and specific assessment requirements that are given to students are also outlined.
 Refer to all the blue and italic text for a guide to suggested answers and benchmarking for
assessments and for instructions on how to use the assessment tools.
 Ensure all outlined conditions of assessment requirements are met.
 For each assessment task, an Assessment Result Sheet form for the student is completed. This is
located at the end of each assessment task in the Student Pack
 This Assessment Result Sheet allows the trainer/assessor to record the following items:
o The outcome of the assessment tasks as either Satisfactory (S) or Not Satisfactory (NS).
o Feedback to the student
o The student declaration
o The Trainer/Assessor declaration

 The trainer/assessor and the student must sign the Assessment Result Sheet to show that the student
was provided with the task outcome.
 The Unit Mapping identifies what aspects of the Unit of Competency are being addressed in each
assessment task.
 Once all assessment tasks allocated to this Unit of Competency have been undertaken, the Student’s
Assessment Plan (point 5 in the Student Pack) is completed to record the unit outcome. The outcome
will be either Competent (C) or Not Yet Competent (NYC).
 When all assessment tasks are deemed Satisfactory (S), the unit outcome is Competent (C).
 If at least one of the assessment tasks is deemed Not Satisfactory (NS), the unit outcome is Not Yet
Competent (NYC).

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Assessor Pack
 The following information is attached to each assessment task:

o Assessment type
o Assessment task description
o Applicable conditions
o Resubmissions and reattempts
o Location
o Instructions for completion of the assessment task
o How trainers/assessors will assess the work
o Task-specific instructions for the student

Resources required to complete the assessment task:

 Computer
 Internet
 Access to Codes and standards
 Project Drawings & Specifications
 Soil Testing Report / Geotechnical Report
 MS Word
 Printer or e-printer

Assessment task Instructions

 There are written questions in this assessment pack.

 The student must attempt all questions.
 Instructions/Guidelines such as word-limit, what is expected from the student, example answer etc.
have been given to each question.
 The student must complete this task individually.
 The student’s answers must demonstrate understanding and application of relevant concepts and
critical thinking.

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Assessor Pack

Assessment 1 - Knowledge Test

Q-1 Which legislation / Standard is required to prepare detailed Geotechnical Design report?

A-1

Q-2 What is Geotechnical Engineering?

A-2

Q-3 What is the typical geotechnical site inspection?

A-3

Q-4 What are the most commonly used industry equipments and machinery for geotechnical site
inspection?

A-4

Q-5 Name and explain different types of ground improvement methods. (Any Two)

A-5

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Q-6 Name the types of software used for the Detailed Geotechnical Design?

A-6

Q-7 Why are bearing capacity assessments conducted?

A-7

Q-8 Briefly explain areas, volumes, density and mass.

A-8

Q-9 What is the difference between verification and validation of a design?

A-9

Q-10 What is the purpose of planning in geotechnical design projects? Outline a planning process for
geotechnical design work.

A-10

Q-11 What is defined in a soil testing report?

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A-11

Q-12 What is the process for Geotechnical Report approval?

A-12

Q-13 Explain briefly:

1. Cultural & Heritage Management.
2. Environmental Management.
3. Geotechnical Management.
4. Quality Management.
5. Hydrological & Meteorological Management.

A-13

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Q-14 What is meant by System Close Outs?

A-14

Q-15 Describe unit rate estimating.

A-15

Q-16 What is meant by Statutory Compliance?

A-16

Q-17 What types of geotechnical studies are applicable to road projects?

A-17

Q-18 What needs to be included in a geotechnical design cost estimate? Why?

A-18

Q-19 Briefly explain the need and use of surveying before geotechnical design works?

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A-19

Q-20 What client information would you require prior to commencing a geotechnical design project?
Who provides this information?

A-20

Q-21 Why would councils require geotechnical reports?

A-21

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Written Assessment Outcome

Question Remarks Question Remarks

1 12
2 13
3 14
4 15
5 16
6 17
7 18
8 19
9 20
10 21
11

Assessed by: _________________________

Assessor Signature: _________________________

Date: _________________________

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Assessor Pack

Assessor Instructions: Assessment 2 – Project

Task – 1: Plan for the detailed design of geotechnical works

Tasks:
1.1 Meet with the Project Client and Architect to Discuss the project, work requirements and
project scope to carry out detailed geotechnical design.
(Use meeting agenda and meeting minutes template provided below)
1.2 Access and interpret the obtained documentation to locate the construction area. Discuss the
details provided in each document obtained from client.
1.3 Identify relevant industry standards and discuss the compliance requirements to ensure your
work is following state regulations and standards.
1.4 Prior to designing, prepare a design management plan outlining the processes and making the
best use of available resources.
1.5 Identify potential site hazards, constraints, and conditions and conduct a risk assessment for
your project.

Meeting minutes template (Task 1.1):

Minutes of Meeting

Meeting Objective:

Attendees:

Venue:

Date:

No. Points Discussed Actions Suggested Target Date

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Signature of attendee 1: Signature of attendee 2:

Signature of attendee 3: Signature of attendee 4:

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Task – 2: Undertake the detailed design of geotechnical works

Tasks:
2.1 Identify and analyze any viable options and make recommendations for the preferred option to
be followed in your detailed Geotechnical Design Works.
2.2 Communicate and coordinate with your Manager/Design Team to discuss your design progress
according to workplace requirements.
2.3 Based on the information and data gathered in task 1, Undertake the required and
recommended detailed geotechnical design.
2.4 Prepare a cost estimate for executing the designed geotechnical works.
2.5 Prepare a report by completing and compiling all the documentation required for the
geotechnical design and send it to the stakeholders for review.
2.6 Prepare a presentation using engineering graphical presentation techniques for your meeting
with the stake holders.

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Task – 3: Finalise design processes of geotechnical works

Tasks:
3.1 Meet with the relevant stakeholders for a performance review meeting and gather their
feedbacks.
3.2 Review client and stakeholder feedbacks and perform design verification according to your
workplace requirements.
3.3 Explain the recording / filing / storage system of the workplace. Confirm design records are
filed according to the workplace requirements.
3.4 Identify the authority/personnel responsible for granting approval to the designs. Gain
approval for your Geotechnical Works design.
3.5 Close out the systems as per your organizations policies.

Meeting minutes template (Task 3.1):

Minutes of Meeting

Meeting Objective:

Attendees:

Venue:

Date:

No. Points Discussed Actions Suggested Target Date

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Signature of attendee 1: Signature of attendee 2:

Signature of attendee 3: Signature of attendee 4:

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Task – 4: Support and review the application of the design of geotechnical works

Tasks:
4.1 Plan for a site visit when geotechnical design is being implemented. Provide clarification and
advice to the site personnel regarding your designs as required to meet job requirements.
You are to provide recommendations to deal with the situation.

4.2 Review the application of the design and recommend changes for continuous improvement.
4.3 Ensure all work on site is being commenced as per compliance.
4.4 Perform necessary steps to Contribute to the validation of the design

Template Task 4.2:

Lessons Learnt Document
S.No What Went Well Why
1.
2.
What Went wrong Why
1.
2
3.
Recommendations for Continuous Improvement
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Assessor Pack

RIICWD507D Prepare detailed geotechnical design

Assessment Outcome Record
In order to be deemed competent in this unit, the candidate must answer all written questions correctly and
satisfactorily complete all practical tasks. In order to complete all practical tasks, all Observation Criteria need
to be satisfied, i.e. demonstrated and marked as an 'S'. The task summary outcome must be noted as satisfactory
to note the demonstration of a satisfactory outcome for each practical task requirement.

Student Name

 Not Yet Competent  Competent

Comments

Assessor (Name)

Assessor Signature

Date

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Assessor Pack

Meeting minutes template:

Minutes of Meeting

Meeting Objective:

Attendees:

Venue:

Date:

No. Points Discussed Actions Suggested Target Date

Signature of attendee 1: Signature of attendee 2:

Signature of attendee 3: Signature of attendee 4:

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