The teaching staff of the department provides the educational process for students of all specialities of the university and all forms of training; the training is implemented in the form of lectures and practical and laboratory classes in the following disciplines:
- General physics
- Electrodynamics
- General chemistry
- Concepts of modern science
- Building physics.
General physics training course
Among the general educational subjects, the university course in general physics has a special place in the training of civil engineers, since their qualifications are determined not only by the amount of applied knowledge, but also by the level of understanding of the general laws of science and technology, skills of scientific thinking, and outlook on life.
Currently, multimedia equipment and educational computer programs are widely used for conducting classes. The use of computers improves the quality of practical and laboratory classes in physics.
General chemistry training course
Chemistry is one of the most essential and vast areas of natural science. This is the science of substances, their properties, the structure of matter and its transformations occurring as a result of chemical reactions. Chemistry has much in common with physics and biology; in fact, the margin between them is arbitrary. The main topics of the discipline are the structure of matter, chemical reactions in the conversion of substances, solutions and their properties, properties of metals and nonmetals, electrochemical processes.
Chemistry is taught to first-year students and includes a course of lectures and laboratory works. The laboratories are equipped with standard laboratory paraphernalia for chemical experiments.
Training course "Concepts of modern natural science"
This course has been introduced into the higher education system relatively recently and is currently the basis of science education in the training of qualified personnel of socio-economic specialities at Russian universities.
The main goal of the “Concepts of modern natural science” course is to give students a general idea of the scientific picture of the world based on modern scientific achievements; to extend students' curiosity; to deepen their ability to critically interpret the incoming information (in particular, para- and pseudo-scientific facts). Students should master the natural science approach so that they could use the experience gained in certain areas of both economic and technical sciences; it’s important to increase their general cultural and educational level, create the prerequisites for the formation of modern innovative and technological thinking.
The discipline includes the following sections: “Physical picture of the world”, “Life. Living systems and humans” and “Evolutionary-synergetic paradigm: from holistic science to a holistic culture”.
As a result of studying the discipline, students should get a better idea of the basic natural science concepts, principles, theories, their relationship and mutual influence; get acquainted with the historical aspects of the development of natural sciences and the most common research methods in various fields of science.
Training course of physics in construction
Three basic disciplines are taught in the course of physics in construction: Thermophysics, Construction Physics and Climatology, and Acoustics. These disciplines are applied sections of general physics considering physical phenomena and processes associated with the construction and operation of buildings and structures. High-quality design of construction projects taking into account energy conservation issues is virtually impossible without knowledge of the basic laws of construction physics.
The following aspects are studied in the course of training:
- Ensuring thermal and environmental comfort in buildings and methods of engineering calculations for that
- Ensuring acoustic comfort in the premises, determining the sound insulation of building envelopes
- The use of the part of optical spectrum of radiant energy in construction and the creation of optimal indoor conditions in terms of natural and artificial illumination.
The section of heat engineering comprises such areas as thermotechnical properties of building materials, the local climate and the indoor micro climate, heat transfer through building envelopes, the humidity regime of fencing and air permeability, and energy-saving concepts adopted in Russia.
The section of architectural and construction acoustics includes the formation of a sound field in auditoriums and methods for designing building envelopes that provide sound insulation from airborne and impact noises at the regulatory level.
The section of architectural and construction lighting embraces the laws of lighting engineering, methods for calculating the coefficient of natural illumination, artificial lighting and insolation.
Training activities under the curriculum of the Department include:
- Classroom studies comprise a lecture course and laboratory-based work (experimental and computational-graphic laboratory work)
- Independent work of students (e.g., the implementation of a course project).
A major role in the study of the disciplines of construction physics is assigned to mastering practical skills in working with technical and reference sources and with regulatory documents and electronic databases.
Today, two sciences, physics and chemistry, form the foundation of the main areas of engineering and almost all types of technologies. Electrical engineering and energy, radio engineering and electronics, computer engineering, lighting, construction equipment, hydraulic engineering, a significant part of military equipment are based on physics and physical and chemical research methods.
The Department staff is conducting intensive scientific and methodological work. The following publications in all sections of physics were compiled and published:
- Study guides as detailed lecture notes
- Guidelines for practical and laboratory studies
- Brief guideline workbooks for student laboratory works
- Guidelines for coursework in construction physics