Civil engineering: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
m Reverted 1 edit by 134.36.14.161 identified as vandalism to last revision by Jammycaketin. (TW)
m link systems thinking
 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{short description|Engineering discipline focused on physical infrastructure}}
{{Mergefrom|Civil engineer|date=August 2008}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2022}}
<!-- Spelling: US -->
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
[[Image:Torres Petronas Mayo 2004.jpg|thumb|300px|The [[Petronas Twin Towers]], designed by Thornton-Tomasetti and Ranhill Bersekutu Sdn Bhd engineers, and [[Cesar Pelli]], were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004.]]
{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}
[[File:TVA engineers monitoring Tellico Dam model.jpg|300px|thumb|right|[[Tennessee Valley Authority]] civil engineers monitoring [[hydraulics]] of a [[Tellico Dam]] scale model.]]


'''Civil engineering''' is a [[Professional Engineer|professional engineering]] discipline that deals with the design, construction and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works such as [[bridge]]s, [[road]]s, [[canal]]s, [[dam]]s and [[building]]s.<ref>The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/civil%20engineering] (accessed: [[2007-08-08]]).</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=History and Heritage of Civil Engineering |work=[[ASCE]] |url=http://live.asce.org/hh/index.mxml?versionChecked=true |accessdate=2007-08-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Institution of Civil Engineers What is Civil Engineering|work=[[Institution of Civil Engineers|ICE]]|url=http://www.ice.org.uk/downloads//little_book_full_colour.pdf|accessdate=2007-09-22}}</ref> Civil engineering is the oldest [[engineering]] discipline after [[military engineering]],<ref name=CSCE/> and it was defined to distinguish it from military engineering.<ref name=eb>{{cite web |title=Civil engineering |work=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9105844/civil-engineering |accessdate=2007-08-09}}</ref> It is traditionally broken into several sub-disciplines including [[environmental engineering]], [[geotechnical engineering]], [[structural engineering]], [[transportation engineering]], [[hydraulic engineering|water resources engineering]], [[materials science|materials engineering]], [[Coastal management|coastal engineering]],<ref name=CSCE>{{cite web |title=What is Civil Engineering? |work=[[The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering]] |url=http://whatiscivilengineering.csce.ca/civil1.htm |accessdate=2007-08-08}}</ref> [[surveying]], and [[construction engineering]].<ref name="Oakes">{{Citation | last = Oakes | first = William C. | last2 = Leone | first2 = Les L. | last3 = Gunn | first3 = Craig J. | title = Engineering Your Future | publisher = Great Lakes Press | year = 2001 | isbn = 1-881018-57-1 }}</ref> Civil engineering takes place on all levels: in the public sector from municipal through to federal levels, and in the private sector from individual homeowners through to international companies.{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
'''Civil engineering''' is a [[Regulation and licensure in engineering|professional engineering]] discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including [[public works]] such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, [[sewage system]]s, pipelines, structural components of buildings, and railways.<ref>{{cite web |title=History and Heritage of Civil Engineering |work=[[American Society of Civil Engineers|ASCE]] |url=http://live.asce.org/hh/index.mxml?versionChecked=true |access-date=8 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216235716/http://live.asce.org/hh/index.mxml?versionChecked=true |archive-date=16 February 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ice.org.uk/careers-and-professional-development/what-is-civil-engineering|title=What is Civil Engineering|date=2022-01-14 |publisher=[[Institution of Civil Engineers]]|access-date=15 May 2017}}</ref>


Civil engineering is traditionally broken into a number of sub-disciplines. It is considered the second-oldest engineering discipline after [[military engineering]],<ref name="CSCE">{{cite web |title=What is Civil Engineering? |work=[[The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering]] |url=http://whatiscivilengineering.csce.ca/civil1.htm |access-date=8 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070812030647/http://whatiscivilengineering.csce.ca/civil1.htm |archive-date=12 August 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and it is defined to distinguish non-military engineering from military engineering.<ref name="eb">{{cite encyclopedia | title=Civil engineering |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9105844/civil-engineering |access-date=9 August 2007}}</ref> Civil engineering can take place in the public sector from municipal [[public works]] departments through to federal government agencies, and in the private sector from locally based firms to global [[Fortune Global 500|Fortune 500]] companies.<ref name="sector">{{cite web |title=Working in the Public Sector Versus Private Sector for Civil Engineering Professionals |url=https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/tcep-119-public-sector-versus-private-sector/ |website=The Civil Engineering Podcast |publisher=Engineering Management Institute |date=June 5, 2019 }}</ref>
==History of the civil engineering profession==
[[Image:FalkirkWheelSide 2004 SeanMcClean.jpg|thumb|300px|The [[Falkirk Wheel]] in [[Scotland]].]]


==History==
[[Engineering]] has been an aspect of life since the beginnings of human existence. Civil engineering might be considered properly commencing between 4000 and 2000 BC in [[Ancient Egypt]] and [[Mesopotamia]] when humans started to abandon a [[nomad]]ic existence, thus causing a need for the construction of shelter. During this time, [[transport]]ation became increasingly important leading to the development of the [[wheel]] and [[Maritime history|sailing]]. The construction of [[Egyptian pyramids|Pyramids]] in Egypt (circa 2700-2500 BC) might be considered the first instances of large structure constructions. Other ancient historic civil engineering constructions include the [[Parthenon]] by [[Iktinos]] in [[Ancient Greece]] (447-438 BC), the [[Appian Way]] by [[Roman engineering|Roman engineers]] (c. 312 BC), and the [[Great Wall of China]] by General [[Meng Tian|Meng T'ien]] under orders from Ch'in Emperor [[Qin Shi Huang|Shih Huang Ti]] (c. 220 BC).<ref name="Oakes"/> The Romans developed civil structures throughout their empire, including especially [[aqueducts]], [[insulae]], [[harbours]], [[bridges]], dams and roads.
=== Civil engineering as a discipline ===
Civil engineering is the application of physical and scientific principles for solving the problems of society, and its history is intricately linked to advances in the understanding of [[physics]] and [[mathematics]] throughout history. Because civil engineering is a broad profession, including several specialized sub-disciplines, its history is linked to knowledge of structures, materials science, geography, [[geology]], [[soil]]s, [[hydrology]], [[environmental science]], [[mechanics]], [[project management]], and other fields.<ref name="baveystock">{{cite news|last=Baveystock|first=Nick|title=So what does a civil engineer do, exactly?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/careers/what-does-civil-engineer-do|access-date=September 11, 2020|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=August 8, 2013}}</ref>


Throughout ancient and medieval history most [[architectural design]] and construction was carried out by [[artisan]]s, such as [[masonry|stonemasons]] and [[carpenter]]s, rising to the role of [[Architect|master builder]]. Knowledge was retained in [[guild]]s and seldom supplanted by advances. Structures, roads, and infrastructure that existed were repetitive, and increases in scale were incremental.<ref name="Saouma">{{cite web|url=http://ceae.colorado.edu/~saouma/Lecture-Notes/se.pdf|title=Lecture Notes in Structural Engineering|first=Victor E. |last=Saouma|publisher=University of Colorado|access-date=2 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110419190641/http://ceae.colorado.edu/~saouma/Lecture-Notes/se.pdf|archive-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Until modern times there was no clear distinction between civil engineering and [[architecture]], and the term engineer and [[architect]] were mainly geographical variations referring to the same person, often used interchangeably.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=VQYeHMGp2gwC&q=The+Architecture+of+the+Italian+Renaissance&dq=The+Architecture+of+the+Italian+Renaissance&pgis=1 ''The Architecture of the Italian Renaissance''] Jacob Burckhardt ISBN 0805210822</ref> In the 18th century, the term civil engineering began to be used to and exchange, and in the construction of ports, harbours, moles, breakwaters and lighthouses, and in the art of distinguish it from military engineering.<ref name=eb/>


One of the earliest examples of a scientific approach to physical and mathematical problems applicable to civil engineering is the work of [[Archimedes]] in the 3rd century BC, including [[Archimedes' principle]], which underpins our understanding of [[buoyancy]], and practical solutions such as [[Archimedes' screw]]. [[Brahmagupta]], an Indian mathematician, used arithmetic in the 7th century AD, based on Hindu-Arabic numerals, for excavation (volume) computations.<ref>{{cite book|first=Henry Thomas |last=Colebrook|url=https://archive.org/details/algebrawitharith00brahuoft|title=Algebra: with Arithmetic and mensuration|location=London|year=1817}}</ref>
{{Seealso|History of structural engineering}}
[[Image:Archimedes-screw one-screw-threads with-ball 3D-view animated small.gif|thumb|250px|The [[Archimedes' screw]] was operated by hand and could raise water efficiently.]]


=== Civil engineering profession ===
The first self-proclaimed civil engineer was [[John Smeaton]] who constructed the [[Eddystone Lighthouse]].<ref name="Oakes"/><ref name=CSCE/> In 1771 Smeaton and some of his colleagues formed the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers, a group of leaders of the profession who met informally over dinner. Though there was evidence of some technical meetings, it was little more than a social society.
{{See also|History of structural engineering}}
Engineering has been an aspect of life since the beginnings of human existence. The earliest practice of civil engineering may have commenced between 4000 and 2000 BC in [[ancient Egypt]], the [[Indus Valley civilization]], and [[Mesopotamia]] (ancient Iraq) when humans started to abandon a [[nomad]]ic existence, creating a need for the construction of shelter. During this time, transportation became increasingly important leading to the development of the wheel and [[Maritime history|sailing]].[[File:Leonhard Euler 2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Leonhard Euler]] developed the theory explaining the [[buckling]] of columns.]]


Until modern times there was no clear distinction between civil engineering and architecture, and the term engineer and architect were mainly geographical variations referring to the same occupation, and often used interchangeably.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VQYeHMGp2gwC&q=The+Architecture+of+the+Italian+Renaissance |title=The Architecture of the Italian Renaissance |first=Peter |last=Murray |date=1986 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday |isbn=0-8052-1082-2}}{{page needed|date=August 2022}}</ref> The construction of [[Egyptian pyramids|pyramids]] in Egypt ({{circa|2700}}–2500 BC) were some of the first instances of large structure constructions. Other ancient historic civil engineering constructions include the [[Qanat]] water management system in modern-day Iran (the oldest is older than 3000 years and longer than {{convert|71|km}},<ref>{{Cite book | publisher = Springer| isbn = 978-90-481-8631-0| last = Mays| first = L.| title = Ancient Water Technologies| date =2010 |page=4}}</ref>) the [[Parthenon]] by [[Iktinos]] in [[Ancient Greece]] (447–438 BC), the [[Appian Way]] by [[Roman engineering|Roman engineers]] ({{circa|312 BC}}), the [[Great Wall of China]] by General [[Meng Tian|Meng T'ien]] under orders from Ch'in Emperor [[Qin Shi Huang|Shih Huang Ti]] ({{circa|220 BC}})<ref name="Oakes">{{Cite book | last1 = Oakes | first1 = William C. | last2 = Leone | first2 = Les L. | last3 = Gunn | first3 = Craig J. | title = Engineering Your Future | publisher = Great Lakes Press | year = 2001 | isbn = 978-1-881018-57-5 }}</ref> and the stupas constructed in ancient [[Sri Lanka]] like the [[Jetavanaramaya]] and the extensive irrigation works in [[Anuradhapura]]. The Romans developed civil structures throughout their empire, including especially [[Roman aqueduct|aqueducts]], [[insulae]], harbors, bridges, dams and roads.
In 1818 the [[Institution of Civil Engineers]] was founded in [[London]], and in 1820 the eminent engineer [[Thomas Telford]] became its first president. The institution received a Royal Charter in 1828, formally recognising civil engineering as a profession. Its charter defined civil engineering as:<ref name=ICE>{{cite web|url=http://www.ice.org|title=Institution of Civil Engineers' website|accessdate=2007-12-26}}</ref>


[[File:Pont du Gard BLS.jpg|thumb|A Roman [[Aqueduct (bridge)|aqueduct]] [built {{Circa|19 BC}}], [[Pont du Gard]], France]]
{{cquote|"...the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man, as the means of production and of traffic in states, both for external and internal trade, as applied in the construction of roads, bridges, aqueducts, canals, river navigation and docks for internal intercourse navigation by artificial power for the purposes of commerce, and in the construction and application of machinery, and in the drainage of cities and towns."}}
[[File:Chichen Itza 3.jpg|thumb|[[Chichen Itza]] was a large pre-Columbian city in Mexico built by the [[Maya people]] of the Post Classic. The northeast column temple also covers a [[Channel (geography)|channel]] that [[funnels]] all the rainwater from the complex some {{convert|40|m}} away to a rejollada, a former [[cenote]].]]


In the 18th century, the term civil engineering was coined to incorporate all things civilian as opposed to military engineering.<ref name="eb" /> In 1747, the first institution for the teaching of civil engineering, the [[École nationale des ponts et chaussées|École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées]] was established in France; and more examples followed in other European countries, like [[Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos|Spain]].<ref>{{Cite book|author= Dirección General de Obras Públicas Spain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wwxQCOlssjcC&pg=PA20|title=Memoria sobre el estado de las obras públicas en España en 1856 presentada al excmo. sr. Ministro de Fomento por la Dirección General de Obras Públicas|publisher=National Press|year=1856|location=Madrid}}</ref> The first self-proclaimed civil engineer was [[John Smeaton]], who constructed the [[Eddystone Lighthouse]].<ref name="CSCE" /><ref name="Oakes" /> In 1771 Smeaton and some of his colleagues formed the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers, a group of leaders of the profession who met informally over dinner. Though there was evidence of some technical meetings, it was little more than a social society.
The first degree in Civil Engineering in the United States was awarded by [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]] in 1835.<ref> Griggs, Francis E Jr. "Amos Eaton was Right!". ''Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice'', Vol. 123, No. 1, January 1997, pp. 30-34. See also [http://www.lib.rpi.edu/Archives/timeline/all_time/index.html RPI Timeline]</ref> The first such degree to be awarded to a woman was granted by [[Cornell University]] to [[Nora Stanton Blatch]] in 1905.{{Fact|date=June 2008}}


==History of the science of civil engineering==
[[File:John Smeaton.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9|[[John Smeaton]], the "father of civil engineering"]]
In 1818 the Institution of Civil Engineers was founded in London,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ice.org.uk/about-ice/our-history|title=Our history|publisher=Institution of Civil Engineers|access-date=12 April 2018|date=2015-12-02}}</ref> and in 1820 the eminent engineer [[Thomas Telford]] became its first president. The institution received a [[Royal charter]] in 1828, formally recognising civil engineering as a profession. Its charter defined civil engineering as:{{blockquote|the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man, as the means of production and of traffic in states, both for external and internal trade, as applied in the construction of roads, bridges, aqueducts, canals, river navigation and docks for internal intercourse and exchange, and in the construction of ports, harbours, moles, breakwaters and lighthouses, and in the art of navigation by artificial power for the purposes of commerce, and in the construction and application of machinery, and in the drainage of cities and towns.<ref name=ICE>{{cite web | url=http://www.ice.org.uk| title=Institution of Civil Engineers' website| access-date=26 December 2007}}</ref>}}


===Civil engineering education===
[[Image:Pont du gard.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[Pont du Gard]], [[France]], a [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] aqueduct built circa 19 BC.]]
The first private college to teach civil engineering in the United States was [[Norwich University]], founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.norwich.edu/about/legacy.html|title=Norwich University Legacy Website|access-date=15 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706104111/http://www.norwich.edu/about/legacy.html|archive-date=6 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first degree in civil engineering in the United States was awarded by [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]] in 1835.<ref>Griggs, Francis E Jr. "Amos Eaton was Right!". ''Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice'', Vol. 123, No. 1, January 1997, pp. 30–34.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lib.rpi.edu/Archives/timeline/all_time/index.html |title=RPI Timeline |access-date=14 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702223338/http://www.lib.rpi.edu/Archives/timeline/all_time/index.html |archive-date=2 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first such degree to be awarded to a woman was granted by [[Cornell University]] to [[Nora Stanton Blatch]] in 1905.<ref name="EB">{{cite encyclopedia | url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9124919/Nora-Stanton-Blatch-Barney | access-date=8 October 2010 | title=Nora Stanton Blatch Barney | encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] Online }}</ref>


In the UK during the early 19th century, the division between civil engineering and military engineering (served by the [[Royal Military Academy, Woolwich]]), coupled with the demands of the Industrial Revolution, spawned new engineering education initiatives: the Class of Civil Engineering and Mining was founded at [[King's College London]] in 1838, mainly as a response to the growth of the railway system and the need for more qualified engineers, the private [[College for Civil Engineers]] in [[Putney]] was established in 1839, and the UK's first Chair of Engineering was established at the [[University of Glasgow]] in 1840.
Civil engineering is the application of physical and scientific principles, and its history is intricately linked to advances in understanding of [[physics]] and [[mathematics]] throughout history. Because civil engineering is a wide ranging profession, including several separate specialized sub-disciplines, its history is linked to knowledge of [[structures]], [[materials science]], [[geology]], [[soil]]s, [[hydrology]], [[Environmental science|environment]], [[mechanics]] and other fields.


==Education==
Throughout ancient and medieval history most architectural design and construction was carried out by [[artisan]]s, such as [[mason|stone masons]] and [[carpenter]]s, rising to the role of [[Master Builder|master builder]]. Knowledge was retained in [[guilds]] and seldom supplanted by advances. Structures, roads and infrastructure that existed were repetitive, and increases in scale were incremental.<ref name=Saouma>{{cite web|url=http://ceae.colorado.edu/~saouma/Lecture-Notes/se.pdf|title=Lecture notes in Structural Engineering|author=Victor E. Saouma|publisher=University of Colorado|accessdate=2007-11-02}}</ref>
{{Main|Civil engineer}}''Civil engineers'' typically possess an [[academic degree]] in civil engineering. The length of study is three to five years, and the completed degree is designated as a [[bachelor of technology]], or a [[bachelor of engineering]]. The curriculum generally includes classes in physics, mathematics, [[project management]], design and specific topics in civil engineering. After taking basic courses in most sub-disciplines of civil engineering, they move on to specialize in one or more sub-disciplines at advanced levels. While an undergraduate degree (BEng/BSc) normally provides successful students with industry-accredited qualifications, some academic institutions offer post-graduate degrees (MEng/MSc), which allow students to further specialize in their particular area of interest.<ref name="CITE Postgrad">,{{cite web|url=http://www.uel.ac.uk/cite/programmes/postgraduate/index.htm|title=Cite Postgrad|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081106121950/http://www.uel.ac.uk/cite/programmes/postgraduate/index.htm|archive-date=2008-11-06|url-status=dead}}</ref>[[File:Tkkstudentsbackinthedays.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.15|Surveying students with professor at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]] in the late 19th century.]]


== Practicing engineers ==
One of the earliest examples of a scientific approach to physical and mathematical problems applicable to civil engineering is the work of [[Archimedes]] in the 3rd century BC, including Archimedes Principle, which underpins our understanding of [[buoyancy]], and practical solutions such as [[Archimedes' screw]]. [[Brahmagupta]] is considered to be the first to use arithmetic for civil engineering. [[Brahmagupta]] used arithmetic based on Hindu-Arabic numerals for canal construction, excavation and volume computations. R<ref>ef: Algebra with arithemtic and mensuration by Henry Thomas Colebrook, http://books.google.com/books?id=A3cAAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=brahmagupta</ref>
In most countries, a bachelor's degree in engineering represents the first step towards [[professional certification]], and a [[professional body]] certifies the degree program. After completing a certified degree program, the engineer must satisfy a range of requirements including work experience and exam requirements before being certified. Once certified, the engineer is designated as a [[professional engineer]] (in the United States, Canada and South Africa), a [[chartered engineer]] (in most [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] countries), a chartered professional engineer (in Australia and [[New Zealand]]), or a European engineer (in most countries of the [[European Union]]). There are international agreements between relevant professional bodies to allow engineers to practice across national borders.


The benefits of certification vary depending upon location. For example, in the United States and Canada, "only a licensed [[professional engineer]] may prepare, sign and seal, and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal engineering work for public and private clients."<ref>{{cite web | title = Why Should You Get Licensed? | work = National Society of Professional Engineers | url = http://www.nspe.org/lc1-why.asp | access-date = 11 August 2007 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050604085233/http://www.nspe.org/lc1-why.asp | archive-date = 4 June 2005 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> This requirement is enforced under provincial law such as the Engineers Act in [[Quebec]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Engineers Act | work = Quebec Statutes and Regulations (CanLII) | url = http://www.canlii.org/qc/laws/sta/i-9/20050616/whole.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061005184956/http://www.canlii.org/qc/laws/sta/i-9/20050616/whole.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 5 October 2006 | access-date = 11 August 2007 }}</ref> No such legislation has been enacted in other countries including the United Kingdom. In Australia, state licensing of engineers is limited to the state of [[Queensland]]. Almost all certifying bodies maintain a [[code of ethics]] which all members must abide by.<ref>{{cite web | title = Ethics Codes and Guidelines | work = Online Ethics Center | url = http://onlineethics.org/CMS/profpractice/ethcodes.aspx | access-date = 11 August 2007 | archive-date = 2 February 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160202155943/http://www.onlineethics.org/CMS/profpractice/ethcodes.aspx | url-status = dead }}</ref>
==The civil engineer==
===Education and licensure===
{{main|Civil engineer}}
[[Image:Instituion of Civil Engineers.jpg|thumb|left|225px|The [[Institution of Civil Engineers]] headquarters in London]]


Engineers must obey [[contract law]] in their contractual relationships with other parties. In cases where an engineer's work fails, they may be subject to the law of [[negligence|tort of negligence]], and in extreme cases, criminal charges.<ref>{{cite magazine | title = Singapore's Circle Line criminal trial started | magazine = New Civil Engineer | url = http://www.nce.co.uk/singapores-circle-line-criminal-trial-started/530302.article | access-date = 16 November 2013 }}</ref> An engineer's work must also comply with numerous other rules and regulations such as [[building codes]] and [[environmental law]].
Civil engineers typically possess an [[academic degree]] with a major in civil engineering. The length of study for such a degree is usually four or five years and the completed degree is usually designated as a [[Bachelor of Engineering]], though some universities designate the degree as a [[Bachelor of Science]]. The degree generally includes units covering [[physics]], [[mathematics]], [[project management]], [[design]] and specific topics in civil engineering. Initially such topics cover most, if not all, of the sub-disciplines of civil engineering. Students then choose to specialize in one or more sub-disciplines towards the end of the degree.<ref>Various undergraduate degree requirements at [http://cee.mit.edu/index.pl?id=10951&isa=Category&op=show MIT], [http://ceenve.calpoly.edu/media/files/cecurriculum0709.pdf Cal Poly], [http://www.civil.queensu.ca/undergraduate/documents/newcivlengprogrm2007-08.doc Queen's] and [http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/coursetypes/undergraduate/BEngHonsCivilEngineering/whatwillistudy/ Portsmouth] </ref>

In most countries, a Bachelor's degree in engineering represents the first step towards [[professional certification]] and the degree program itself is certified by a [[professional body]]. After completing a certified degree program the engineer must satisfy a range of requirements (including work experience and exam requirements) before being certified. Once certified, the engineer is designated the title of [[Professional Engineer]] (in the United States, Canada and [[South Africa]]), [[Chartered Engineer]] (in most [[Commonwealth]] countries), [[Chartered Professional Engineer]] (in [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]), or [[European Engineer]] (in much of the [[European Union]]). There are international engineering agreements between relevant professional bodies which are designed to allow engineers to practice across international borders.

The advantages of certification vary depending upon location. For example, in the United States and Canada "only a licensed engineer may prepare, sign and seal, and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal engineering work for public and private clients.".<ref>{{cite web | title = Why Should You Get Licensed? | work = National Society of Professional Engineers | url = http://www.nspe.org/lc1-why.asp | accessdate = 2007-08-11 }}</ref> This requirement is enforced by state and provincial legislation such as [[Quebec|Quebec's]] Engineers Act.<ref>{{cite web | title = Engineers Act | work = Quebec Statutes and Regulations (CanLII) | url = http://www.canlii.org/qc/laws/sta/i-9/20050616/whole.html | accessdate = 2007-08-11 }}</ref> In other countries, no such legislation exists. In Australia, state licensing of engineers is limited to the state of [[Queensland]]. Practically all certifying bodies maintain a [[code of ethics]] that they expect all members to abide by or risk expulsion.<ref>{{cite web | title = Ethics Codes and Guidelines | work = Online Ethics Center | url = http://onlineethics.org/CMS/profpractice/ethcodes.aspx | accessdate = 2007-08-11 }}</ref> In this way, these organizations play an important role in maintaining ethical standards for the profession. Even in jurisdictions where certification has little or no legal bearing on work, engineers are subject to [[contract law]]. In cases where an engineer's work fails he or she may be subject to the [[negligence|tort of negligence]] and, in extreme cases, the charge of [[criminal negligence]].{{Fact|date=August 2007}} An engineer's work must also comply with numerous other rules and regulations such as [[building codes]] and legislation pertaining to [[environmental law]].

===Careers===
There is no one typical career path for civil engineers. Most engineering graduates start with jobs of low responsibility, and as they prove their competence, they are given more and more responsible tasks, but within each subfield of civil engineering, and even within different segments of the market within each branch, the details of a career path can vary. In some fields and firms, entry-level engineers are put to work primarily monitoring construction in the field, serving as the "eyes and ears" of more senior design engineers; while in other areas, entry-level engineers end up performing the more routine tasks of analysis or design and interpretation. More senior engineers can move into doing more complex analysis or design work, or management of more complex design projects, or management of other engineers, or into specialized consulting, including [[forensic engineering]].

Engineers are in high demand at banks, financial institutions and management consultancies because of their analytical skills.<ref>{{cite web|title=More than half of today's graduate engineers will go into other fields, such as finance, commerce and the media|url=http://www.grb.uk.com/industry_profiles.0.html?industry_id=44|accessdate=2007-12-29}}</ref>


==Sub-disciplines==
==Sub-disciplines==
[[File:Akashi-kaikyo bridge3.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.35|The [[Akashi Kaikyō Bridge]] in Japan, currently the world's second-longest suspension span.]]

In general, civil engineering is concerned with the overall interface of human created fixed projects with the greater world. General civil engineers work closely with surveyors and specialized civil engineers to fit and serve fixed projects within their given site, community and terrain by designing grading, drainage, [[Pavement (material)|pavement]], water supply, sewer service, electric and communications supply, and land divisions. General engineers spend much of their time visiting project sites, developing community consensus, and preparing construction plans. General civil engineering is also referred to as [[site engineering]], a branch of civil engineering that primarily focuses on converting a tract of land from one usage to another. Civil engineers typically apply the principles of geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering and construction engineering to residential, commercial, industrial and public works projects of all sizes and levels of construction.
There are a number of sub-disciplines within the broad field of civil engineering. General civil engineers work closely with surveyors and specialized civil engineers to design grading, drainage, [[Pavement (material)|pavement]], water supply, sewer service, dams, electric and communications supply. General civil engineering is also referred to as site engineering, a branch of civil engineering that primarily focuses on converting a tract of land from one usage to another. Site engineers spend time visiting project sites, meeting with stakeholders, and preparing construction plans. Civil engineers apply the principles of geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering and construction engineering to residential, commercial, industrial and public works projects of all sizes and levels of construction.


===Coastal engineering===
===Coastal engineering===
{{main|Coastal management}}
{{Main|Coastal engineering|Coastal management}}
[[File:Oosterscheldekering, Netherlands.JPG|thumb|upright=1.15|[[Oosterscheldekering]], a [[storm surge barrier]] in the Netherlands.]]

Coastal engineering is concerned with managing coastal areas.
''Coastal engineering'' is concerned with managing coastal areas. In some jurisdictions, the terms sea defense and coastal protection mean defense against flooding and erosion, respectively. Coastal defense is the more traditional term, but coastal management has become popular as well.

[[Image:BuildingSite.jpg|thumb|Building construction for several apartment blocks]]


===Construction engineering===
===Construction engineering===
{{main|Construction engineering}}
{{Main|Construction engineering}}
''Construction engineering'' involves planning and execution, transportation of materials, site development based on hydraulic, environmental, structural and geotechnical engineering. As construction firms tend to have higher business risk than other types of civil engineering firms do, construction engineers often engage in more business-like transactions, for example, drafting and reviewing contracts, evaluating [[Logistics|logistical operations]], and monitoring prices of supplies.

Construction engineering involves planning and execution of the designs from transportation, site development, hydraulic, environmental, structural and geotechnical engineers. As construction firms tend to have higher business risk than other types of civil engineering firms, many construction engineers tend to take on a role that is more business-like in nature: drafting and reviewing [[contract]]s, evaluating [[Logistics|logistical operations]], and closely-monitoring prices of necessary supplies.


===Earthquake engineering===
===Earthquake engineering===
{{main|Earthquake engineering}}
{{Main|Earthquake engineering}}
''Earthquake engineering'' involves designing structures to withstand hazardous earthquake exposures. Earthquake engineering is a sub-discipline of structural engineering. The main objectives of earthquake engineering are<ref>{{citation |last1=Chen |first1=W-F |last2=Scawthorn |first2=C. |title=Earthquake Engineering Handbook |publisher=CRC Press |date=2003 |isbn=0-8493-0068-1 |chapter=Chapter 2}}</ref> to understand interaction of structures on the shaky ground; foresee the consequences of possible earthquakes; and design, construct and maintain structures to [[seismic performance|perform]] at earthquake in compliance with [[building code]]s.


===Environmental engineering===
'''Earthquake engineering''' covers ability of various structures to withstand hazardous [[earthquake]] exposures at the sites of their particular location.[[Image:El Castillo Stitch 2008 Edit 2.jpg|thumb|4,862 × 3,011 px|left|Earthquake-proof and massive pyramid [[El Castillo, Chichen Itza]]]]
{{Main|Environmental engineering}}
[[File:Creek Water Pollution.jpg|right|thumbnail|upright=1.15|Creek contaminated with water pollution]]
''Environmental engineering'' is the contemporary term for [[sanitary engineering]], though sanitary engineering traditionally had not included much of the hazardous waste management and environmental remediation work covered by environmental engineering. Public health engineering and environmental health engineering are other terms being used.


Environmental engineering deals with treatment of chemical, biological, or thermal wastes, purification of water and air, and [[Environmental remediation|remediation]] of contaminated sites after waste disposal or accidental contamination. Among the topics covered by environmental engineering are pollutant transport, [[water purification]], [[waste water treatment]], air pollution, [[Waste management|solid waste treatment]], [[recycling]], and [[hazardous waste|hazardous waste management]]. Environmental engineers administer pollution reduction, [[green engineering]], and [[industrial ecology]]. Environmental engineers also compile information on environmental consequences of proposed actions.
[[Earthquake engineering]] is treating its subject [[structure]]s like defensive [[fortifications]] in [[military engineering]] but for the [[warfare]] on [[earthquakes]]. Both earthquake and military general design principles are similar: be ready to slow down or mitigate the advance of a possible attacker.


===Forensic engineering===
The main objectives of '''earthquake engineering''' are:[[Image:Snapshot of base isolation effect.jpg|thumb|696 × 700 px|right|Snapshot of [[earthquake shaking table|shake-table]] testing [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzVvd4Dk6sw&locale=en_US&persist_locale=1] of a base-isolated (right) and a regular (left) building model]]
{{Main|Forensic engineering}}
''Forensic engineering'' is the investigation of materials, [[Product (business)|products]], structures or components that fail or do not operate or function as intended, causing personal injury or damage to property. The consequences of failure are dealt with by the law of product liability. The field also deals with retracing processes and procedures leading to accidents in operation of vehicles or machinery. The subject is applied most commonly in civil law cases, although it may be of use in criminal law cases. Generally the purpose of a Forensic engineering investigation is to locate cause or causes of failure with a view to improve performance or life of a component, or to assist a court in determining the facts of an accident. It can also involve investigation of intellectual property claims, especially [[patent]]s.


===Geotechnical engineering===
* Understand interaction of [[structure]]s with the shaky ground.
{{Main|Geotechnical engineering}}
[[File:Soil-phase-diagram.svg|thumb|A phase diagram of soil indicating the weights and volumes of air, soil, water, and voids.]]
''Geotechnical engineering'' studies rock and soil supporting civil engineering systems. Knowledge from the field of [[soil science]], materials science, [[mechanics]], and [[hydraulics]] is applied to safely and economically design [[foundation (engineering)|foundations]], [[retaining wall]]s, and other structures. Environmental efforts to protect [[groundwater]] and safely maintain landfills have spawned a new area of research called geo-environmental engineering.<ref name="mitchell">{{cite book |last=Mitchell |first=James Kenneth |date=1993 |title=Fundamentals of Soil Behavior |edition=2nd |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |pages=1–2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Shroff |first1=Arvind V. |last2=Shah |first2=Dhananjay L. |date=2003 |title=Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering |publisher=Taylor & Francis |pages=1–2}}</ref>


Identification of soil properties presents challenges to geotechnical engineers. [[Boundary condition]]s are often well defined in other branches of civil engineering, but unlike steel or concrete, the material properties and behavior of soil are difficult to predict due to its variability and limitation on [[geotechnical investigation|investigation]]. Furthermore, soil exhibits nonlinear ([[stress (physics)|stress]]-dependent) [[shear strength (soil)|strength]], stiffness, and dilatancy (volume change associated with application of [[shear stress]]), making studying [[soil mechanics]] all the more difficult.<ref name="mitchell"/> Geotechnical engineers frequently work with professional [[geologists]], [[Geological Engineering]] professionals and soil scientists.<ref>{{cite web |title=Geotechnical/Geological Engineering |url=https://www.ausimm.com.au/content/docs/careers_booklet_geotgeoleng.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720101333/http://www2.ausimm.com.au/content/docs/careers_booklet_geotgeoleng.pdf |archive-date=2008-07-20 |url-status=live |website=Professional Careers in the Mineral Industry |publisher=The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy |access-date=30 May 2018}}</ref>
* Foresee the consequences of possible [[earthquake]]s.


===Materials science and engineering===
* Design, construct and maintain [[structure]]s to [[seismic performance|perform]] at [[earthquake]] exposure up to the expectations and in compliance with [[building code]]s.
{{Main|Materials science}}
''Materials science'' is closely related to civil engineering. It studies fundamental characteristics of materials, and deals with ceramics such as concrete and mix asphalt concrete, strong metals such as aluminum and steel, and [[thermosetting polymer]]s including [[polymethylmethacrylate]] (PMMA) and carbon fibers.


''Materials engineering'' involves protection and prevention (paints and finishes). Alloying combines two types of metals to produce another metal with desired properties. It incorporates elements of [[applied physics]] and [[chemistry]]. With recent media attention on [[nanoscience]] and [[nanotechnology]], materials engineering has been at the forefront of academic research. It is also an important part of forensic engineering and [[failure analysis]].
'''Earthquake engineering structure''' does not, necessarily, means ''extremely strong'' and ''expensive'' structure like, e.g., [[El Castillo, Chichen Itza|El Castillo pyramid at Chichen Itza]] shown above.


===Site development and planning===
Now, the most ''powerful'' and ''budgetary'' tool of the [[earthquake engineering]] is [[base isolation]] which pertains to the passive structural [[vibration control]] technologies.
{{see also|Land development|urban planning}}
[[File:Palmetto Springs pedestrian village.png|thumb|Plan draft of proposed mixed-use site]]
''Site development'', also known as ''site planning'', is focused on the planning and development potential of a site as well as addressing possible impacts from [[Building permit|permitting]] issues and [[Environmental impact assessment|environmental challenges]].<ref name="site">{{cite web |title=Site Development and Planning |url=https://nobis-group.com/markets/site-development/#:~:text=Site%20Development%20and%20Planning%2C%20Site%20Civil%20Engineering%2C%20Land,make%20the%20most%20out%20of%20your%20unique%20site. |website=Nobis Group |access-date=September 7, 2020}}</ref>


===Environmental engineering===
===Structural engineering===
{{main|Environmental engineering}}
{{Main|Structural engineering}}
[[File:Burj Dubai Evolution.ogv|right|thumb|[[Burj Khalifa]] animation of construction process|thumbtime=0:23]]
[[Image:Trickling filter bed 2 w.JPG|thumb|left|200px|A filter bed, a part of [[sewage treatment]]]]
[[File:Construcción de una cimentación por zapata aislada.ogv|thumb|left|[[Shallow foundation]] construction example]]
''Structural engineering'' is concerned with the [[structural design]] and [[structural analysis]] of buildings, bridges, [[tower]]s, [[overpass|flyovers]] (overpasses), tunnels, off shore structures like oil and gas fields in the sea, [[aerostructure]] and other structures. This involves identifying the loads which act upon a structure and the forces and stresses which arise within that structure due to those loads, and then designing the structure to successfully support and resist those loads. The loads can be self weight of the structures, other dead load, live loads, moving (wheel) load, wind load, earthquake load, load from temperature change etc. The structural engineer must design structures to be safe for their users and to successfully fulfill the function they are designed for (to be ''serviceable''). Due to the nature of some loading conditions, sub-disciplines within structural engineering have emerged, including [[wind engineering]] and earthquake engineering.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Narayanan |first1=R |first2=A |last2=Beeby |title=Introduction to Design for Civil Engineers |location=London |publisher=Spon |date=2003}}</ref>


Design considerations will include strength, stiffness, and stability of the structure when subjected to loads which may be static, such as furniture or self-weight, or dynamic, such as wind, seismic, crowd or vehicle loads, or transitory, such as temporary construction loads or impact. Other considerations include cost, constructibility, safety, aesthetics and [[sustainability]].
Environmental engineering deals with the treatment of chemical, biological, and/or thermal waste, the purification of water and air, and the [[Environmental remediation|remediation]] of contaminated sites, due to prior waste disposal or accidental contamination. Among the topics covered by environmental engineering are pollutant transport, [[water purification]], [[waste water treatment]], [[air pollution]], [[solid waste treatment]] and [[hazardous waste]] [[Waste management|management]]. Environmental engineers can be involved with pollution reduction, green engineering, and [[industrial ecology]]. Environmental engineering also deals with the gathering of information on the environmental consequences of proposed actions and the assessment of effects of proposed actions for the purpose of assisting society and policy makers in the decision making process.


===Surveying===
Environmental engineering is the contemporary term for [[sanitary engineering]], though sanitary engineering traditionally had not included much of the hazardous waste management and environmental remediation work covered by the term ''environmental engineering''. Some other terms in use are public health engineering and environmental health engineering.
{{Main|Surveying|Construction surveying}}
''Surveying'' is the process by which a surveyor measures certain dimensions that occur on or near the surface of the Earth. Surveying equipment such as levels and theodolites are used for accurate measurement of angular deviation, horizontal, vertical and slope distances. With computerisation, electronic distance measurement (EDM), total stations, GPS surveying and laser scanning have to a large extent supplanted traditional instruments. Data collected by survey measurement is converted into a graphical representation of the Earth's surface in the form of a map. This information is then used by civil engineers, contractors and realtors to design from, build on, and trade, respectively. Elements of a structure must be sized and positioned in relation to each other and to site boundaries and adjacent structures.


Although surveying is a distinct profession with separate qualifications and licensing arrangements, civil engineers are trained in the basics of surveying and mapping, as well as [[geographic information system]]s. Surveyors also lay out the routes of railways, [[tramway track]]s, highways, roads, pipelines and streets as well as position other infrastructure, such as [[harbor]]s, before construction.
===Geotechnical engineering===
[[Image:Slab on grade.JPG|thumb|right|A [[shallow foundation|slab-on-grade foundation]]]]
{{main|Geotechnical engineering}}


;Land surveying
Geotechnical engineering is an area of civil engineering concerned with the [[Rock (geology)|rock]] and [[soil]] that civil engineering systems are supported by. Knowledge from the fields of [[geology]], [[material science]] and testing, [[mechanics]], and [[hydraulics]] are applied by geotechnical engineers to safely and economically design [[foundation (engineering)|foundations]], [[retaining wall]]s, and similar structures. Environmental concerns in relation to [[groundwater]] and [[landfill|waste disposal]] have spawned a new area of study called geoenvironmental engineering where [[biology]] and [[chemistry]] are important.<ref name="mitchell">{{harvnb |Mitchell|1993|pp=1–2 }}</ref><ref>{{harvnb |Shroff|Shah|2003|pp=1–2 }}</ref>
In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth countries land surveying is considered to be a separate and distinct profession. [[Surveying#Cadastral surveying|Land surveyors]] are not considered to be engineers, and have their own professional associations and licensing requirements. The services of a licensed land surveyor are generally required for boundary surveys (to establish the boundaries of a parcel using its legal description) and subdivision plans (a plot or map based on a survey of a parcel of land, with boundary lines drawn inside the larger parcel to indicate the creation of new boundary lines and roads), both of which are generally referred to as [[Cadastral surveying]].[[File:Bureau of Land Management Cadastral Survey Marker Arizona.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|[[Bureau of Land Management|BLM]] [[cadastral]] survey marker from 1992 in [[San Xavier, Arizona]].]]


;Construction surveying
Some of the unique difficulties of geotechnical engineering are the result of the variability and properties of soil. [[Boundary condition]]s are often well defined in other branches of civil engineering, but with soil, clearly defining these conditions can be impossible. The material properties and behavior of soil are also difficult to predict due to the variability of soil and limited [[geotechnical investigation|investigation]]. This contrasts with the relatively well defined material properties of [[steel]] and [[concrete]] used in other areas of civil engineering. [[Soil mechanics]], which define the behavior of soil, is complex due to [[stress (physics)|stress]]-dependent material properties such as volume change, stress–strain relationship, and [[shear strength (soil)|strength]].<ref name="mitchell"/>
Construction surveying is generally performed by specialized technicians. Unlike land surveyors, the resulting plan does not have legal status. Construction surveyors perform the following tasks:
* Surveying existing conditions of the future work site, including topography, existing buildings and infrastructure, and underground infrastructure when possible;
* "lay-out" or "setting-out": placing reference points and markers that will guide the construction of new structures such as roads or buildings;
* Verifying the location of structures during construction;
* As-Built surveying: a survey conducted at the end of the construction project to verify that the work authorized was completed to the specifications set on plans.


===Water resources engineering===
===Transportation engineering===
{{Main|Transportation engineering}}''Transportation engineering'' is concerned with moving people and goods efficiently, safely, and in a manner conducive to a vibrant community. This involves specifying, designing, constructing, and maintaining transportation infrastructure which includes streets, canals, highways, [[rail transport|rail systems]], airports, ports, and [[mass transit]]. It includes areas such as transportation design, [[transportation planning]], [[traffic engineering (transportation)|traffic engineering]], some aspects of [[municipal or urban engineering|urban engineering]], [[queueing theory]], [[pavement engineering]], [[Intelligent Transportation System]] (ITS), and infrastructure management.
{{seealso|Hydraulic engineering}}
{{seealso|Hydrology}}
[[Image:Hoover dam from air.jpg|thumb|left|225px|[[Hoover dam]]]]


===Municipal or urban engineering===
Water resources engineering is concerned with the collection and management of water (as a [[natural resource]]). As a discipline it therefore combines [[hydrology]], [[environmental science]], [[meteorology]], [[geology]], [[water conservation|conservation]], and [[resource management]]. This area of civil engineering relates to the prediction and management of both the quality and the quantity of water in both underground ([[aquifers]]) and above ground (lakes, rivers, and streams) resources. Water resource engineers analyze and model very small to very large areas of the earth to predict the amount and content of water as it flows into, through, or out of a facility. Although the actual design of the facility may be left to other engineers. Hydraulic engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water. This area of civil engineering is intimately related to the design of [[Pipeline transport|pipelines]], [[water supply network|water distribution systems]], drainage facilities (including bridges, dams, [[Channel (geography)|channel]]s, [[culvert]]s, [[levee]]s, [[storm sewer]]s), and canals. Hydraulic engineers design these facilities using the concepts of [[fluid pressure]], [[fluid statics]], [[fluid dynamics]], and [[hydraulics]], among others.
[[File:Old Market Roundabout, Bristol.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.15|The engineering of this [[roundabout]] in [[Bristol]], England, attempts to make traffic flow free-moving]]
{{Main|Urban engineering}}
[[File:LagoMenorChapultepec3.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.15|Lake [[Chapultepec]]]]
''Municipal engineering'' is concerned with municipal infrastructure. This involves specifying, designing, constructing, and maintaining streets, [[sidewalk]]s, [[municipal water supply|water supply networks]], sewers, [[street light]]ing, [[municipal solid waste]] management and disposal, storage depots for various bulk materials used for maintenance and public works (salt, sand, etc.), [[urban park|public parks]] and [[cycling infrastructure]]. In the case of underground [[public utility|utility]] networks, it may also include the civil portion (conduits and access chambers) of the local distribution networks of electrical and telecommunications services. It can also include the optimization of waste collection and [[public transport bus service|bus service]] networks. Some of these disciplines overlap with other civil engineering specialties, however municipal engineering focuses on the coordination of these infrastructure networks and services, as they are often built simultaneously, and managed by the same municipal authority. Municipal engineers may also design the site civil works for large buildings, industrial plants or campuses (i.e. access roads, parking lots, potable water supply, treatment or pretreatment of waste water, site drainage, etc.)


===Materials engineering===
===Water resources engineering===
{{See also|Hydraulic engineering|Hydrology}}
{{main|Materials science}}
[[File:Hoover dam from air.jpg|thumb|right|[[Hoover Dam]] ]]
''Water resources engineering'' is concerned with the collection and management of water (as a [[natural resource]]). As a discipline it therefore combines elements of hydrology, environmental science, [[meteorology]], [[water conservation|conservation]], and [[resource management]]. This area of civil engineering relates to the prediction and management of both the quality and the quantity of water in both underground ([[aquifer]]s) and above ground (lakes, rivers, and streams) resources. Water resource engineers analyze and model very small to very large areas of the earth to predict the amount and content of water as it flows into, through, or out of a facility. Although the actual design of the facility may be left to other engineers.


''Hydraulic engineering'' is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water. This area of civil engineering is intimately related to the design of [[Pipeline transport|pipelines]], [[water supply network]], drainage facilities (including bridges, dams, [[Channel (geography)|channels]], [[culvert]]s, [[levee]]s, [[storm sewer]]s), and canals. Hydraulic engineers design these facilities using the concepts of [[fluid pressure]], [[fluid statics]], [[fluid dynamics]], and hydraulics, among others.[[File:FalkirkWheelSide 2004 SeanMcClean.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|The [[Falkirk Wheel]] in Scotland]]
Civil engineering also includes elements of materials engineering, also known as [[materials science]]. Construction materials with broad applications in civil engineering include ceramics such as Portland cement concrete (PCC) and hot mix asphalt concrete, metals such as aluminum and steel, and polymers such as [[polymethylmethacrylate]] (PMMA) and carbon fibers. Current research in these areas focus around increased strength, durability, workability, and reduced cost.


===Structural engineering===
===Civil engineering systems===
Civil engineering systems is a discipline that promotes the use of [[systems thinking]] to manage complexity and change in civil engineering within its wider public context. It posits that the proper development of civil engineering [[infrastructure]] requires a [[Holism|holistic]], coherent understanding of the relationships between all of the important factors that contribute to successful projects while at the same time emphasizing the importance of attention to technical detail. Its purpose is to help integrate the entire civil engineering [[Project management|project life cycle]] from conception, through planning, designing, making, operating to decommissioning.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Introduction+to+Civil+Engineering+Systems%3A+A+Systems+Perspective+to+the+Development+of+Civil+Engineering+Facilities-p-9780470530634 |first=Samuel |last=Labi |title=Introduction to Civil Engineering Systems: A Systems Perspective to the Development of Civil Engineering Facilities |date=2014 |publisher=John Wiley |isbn=978-0-470-53063-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first1=David |last1=Blockley |first2=Patrick |last2=Godfrey |title=Doing it Differently: Systems for Rethinking Infrastructure |year=2017 |edition=2nd |publisher=ICE Publications |location=London |isbn=978-0-7277-6082-1}}</ref>
{{main|Structural engineering}}
[[Image:Burjdubaiaug92007.jpg|left|thumb|160px|[[Burj Dubai]], the [[world's tallest building]], currently under construction in [[Dubai]]]]
[[Image:Clifton.bridge.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Clifton Suspension Bridge]], designed by [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]], in [[Bristol]], [[United Kingdom|UK]]]]

Structural engineering is concerned with the [[structural design]] and [[structural analysis]] of buildings, bridges, [[tower]]s, [[flyover]]s, [[tunnel]]s, off shore structures like oil and gas fields in the sea and other [[structure]]s. This involves identifying the loads which act upon a structure and the forces and stresses which arise within that structure due to those loads, and then designing the structure to successfully support and resist those loads. The loads can be self weight of the structures, other dead load, live loads, moving (wheel) load, wind load, earthquake load, load from temperature change etc. The structural engineer must design structures to be safe for their users and to successfully fulfill the function they are designed for (to be ''serviceable''). Due to the nature of some loading conditions, sub-disciplines within structural engineering have emerged, including [[wind engineering]] and [[earthquake engineering]].

Design considerations will include strength, stiffness, and stability of the structure when subjected to loads which may be static, such as furniture or self-weight, or dynamic, such as wind, seismic, crowd or vehicle loads, or transitory, such as temporary construction loads or impact. Other considerations include cost, constructability, [[safety]], aesthetics and [[sustainability]].

===Surveying===
{{main|Surveying}}
[[Image:All female survey crew - Minidoka Project, Idaho 1918.jpg|thumb|An all-female surveying crew in [[Idaho]], 1918]]

Surveying is the process by which a surveyor measures certain dimensions that generally occur on the surface of the Earth. Modern surveying equipment, such as electronic distance measurement (EDM), total stations, GPS surveying and laser scanning, allow for accurate measurement of angular deviation, horizontal, vertical and slope distances. This information is crucial to convert the data into a graphical representation of the Earth's surface, in the form of a map. This information is then used by civil engineers, contractors and even realtors to design from, build on, and trade, respectively. Elements of a building or structure must be correctly sized and positioned in relation to each other and to site boundaries and adjacent structures. Civil Engineers are trained in the basics of surveying and [[mapping]], as well as [[geographic information system]]s.
Surveyors may also lay out the routes of [[Rail tracks|railways]], [[tramway track]]s, [[highway]]s, [[road]]s, [[pipeline]]s and [[street]]s as well as position other [[infrastructure]]s, such as [[harbor]]s, before construction.

===Transportation engineering===
{{main|Transport engineering}}

Transportation engineering is concerned with moving people and goods efficiently, safely, and in a manner conducive to a vibrant community. This involves specifying, designing, constructing, and maintaining transportation infrastructure which includes [[streets]], [[canals]], [[highways]], [[rail transport|rail systems]], [[airport]]s, [[port]]s, and [[mass transit]]. It includes areas such as transportation design, [[transportation planning]], [[traffic engineering]], [[urban engineering]], [[queueing theory]], [[pavement engineering]], [[Intelligent Transportation System]] (ITS), and infrastructure management.


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal | Engineering | Nuvola apps kcmsystem.svg | 35}}
{{Portal|Engineering}}
{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Civil engineer]]
* [[Architectural engineering]]
* [[Civil engineering software]]
* [[Engineering drawing]]
* [[Geological Engineering]]
* [[Geomatics engineering]]
* [[Glossary of civil engineering]]
* [[Index of civil engineering articles]]
* [[List of civil engineers]]
* [[List of civil engineers]]
* [[List of historic civil engineering landmarks]]
* [[List of engineering branches]]
* [[List of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks]]
* [[Macro-engineering]]
* [[Railway engineering]]
* [[Site survey]]
{{Div col end}}

=== Associations ===


{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}
;Associations <!--This list is alphabetical.-->
* [[American Society of Civil Engineers]]
* [[American Society of Civil Engineers]]
* [[Canadian Society for Civil Engineering]]
* [[Canadian Society for Civil Engineering]]
* [[Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors]]
* [[Chi Epsilon]], a civil engineering honor society
* [[Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria]]
* [[Earthquake Engineering Research Institute]]
* [[Engineers Australia]]
* [[Engineers Australia]]
* [[European Federation of National Engineering Associations]]
* [[FIDIC|International Federation of Consulting Engineers]]
* [[Indian Geotechnical Society]]
* [[Institution of Civil Engineers]]
* [[Institution of Civil Engineers]]
* [[Institution of Structural Engineers]]

* [[Institute of Engineering]] (Nepal)
==Footnotes==
* [[International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering]]
{{reflist}}
* [[Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh]]
* [[Institution of Engineers (India)]]
* [[Institution of Engineers of Ireland]]
* [[Institute of Transportation Engineers]]
* [[Japan Society of Civil Engineers]]
* [[Pakistan Engineering Council]]
* [[Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers]]
* [[Transportation Research Board]]
{{Div col end}}


==References==
==References==
{{refbegin}}
{{Reflist}}

*{{Citation
==Further reading==
| last = Mitchell
* {{cite book|last=Blockley|first=David|title=Structural Engineering: a very short introduction|year=2014|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19-967193-9}}
| first = James Kenneth
* {{cite book|title=The Civil Engineering Handbook|isbn=978-0-8493-0958-8|publisher=CRC Press|editor-first1=W.F. |editor-last1=Chen |editor-first2=J.Y. Richard |editor-last2=Liew|year=2002}}
| year = 1993
* {{cite book|last=Muir Wood|first=David|title=Civil Engineering: a very short introduction|year=2012|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19-957863-4}}
| title = Fundamentals of Soil Behavior
* {{cite book|title=Standard handbook for civil engineers|isbn=978-0-07-136473-7|publisher=McGraw Hill|editor-first1=Jonathan T. |editor-last1=Ricketts |editor-first2=M. Kent |editor-last2=Loftin |editor-first3=Frederick S. |editor-last3=Merritt|year=2004|edition=5}}
| edition = 2nd
| publication-place =
| place =
| publisher = John Wiley and Sons
| isbn = 0471856401
}}
*{{Citation
| last = Shroff
| first = Arvind V.
| last2 = Shah
| first2 = Dhananjay L.
| year =2003
| title =Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
| edition =
| publication-place =
| place =
| publisher =Taylor & Francis
| isbn =9058092356
}}
{{refend}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://www.asce.org/asce.cfm American Society of Civil Engineers]
{{Library resources box}}
* [http://www.ice.org.uk/homepage/index.asp Institution of Civil Engineers]
* [http://www.planete-tp.com/en/ Planete TP - The World of Public Works]
* [http://www.ice.org.uk/ The Institution of Civil Engineers]
* [http://www.cenews.com CENews - For the Business of Civil Engineering]
* [http://www.cesdb.com/ Civil Engineering Software Database]
* [http://www.ices.org.uk The Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors]
* [http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/find-by-topic/#cat=engineering&subcat=civilengineering Civil engineering classes, from MIT OpenCourseWare]


{{Engineering fields}}
{{Technology-footer|state=collapsed}}
{{Glossaries of science and engineering}}
{{Construction overview}}


{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Civil Engineering}}
[[Category:Civil engineering| ]]
[[Category:Civil engineering| ]]
[[Category:Construction]]
[[Category:Engineering disciplines]]
[[Category:Engineering disciplines]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]

[[ar:هندسة مدنية]]
[[bg:Строително инженерство]]
[[ca:Enginyeria civil]]
[[de:Bauingenieurwesen]]
[[el:Πολιτικός Μηχανικός]]
[[es:Ingeniería civil]]
[[eu:Herri-lan ingeniaritza]]
[[fa:مهندسی عمران]]
[[fr:Génie civil]]
[[ko:토목공학]]
[[hr:Građevina]]
[[id:Teknik sipil]]
[[ia:Ingenieria civil]]
[[it:Ingegneria civile]]
[[he:הנדסה אזרחית]]
[[nl:Civiele techniek]]
[[ja:土木工学]]
[[no:Byggeteknikk]]
[[pl:Budownictwo lądowe]]
[[pt:Engenharia civil]]
[[ro:Construcţii]]
[[su:Rékayasa sipil]]
[[sv:Väg och vattenbyggnadsteknik]]
[[ta:குடிசார் பொறியியல்]]
[[th:วิศวกรรมโยธา]]
[[tr:İnşaat Mühendisliği]]
[[ur:مدنی ہندسیات]]
[[zh:土木工程]]

Latest revision as of 14:57, 1 June 2024

Tennessee Valley Authority civil engineers monitoring hydraulics of a Tellico Dam scale model.

Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage systems, pipelines, structural components of buildings, and railways.[1][2]

Civil engineering is traditionally broken into a number of sub-disciplines. It is considered the second-oldest engineering discipline after military engineering,[3] and it is defined to distinguish non-military engineering from military engineering.[4] Civil engineering can take place in the public sector from municipal public works departments through to federal government agencies, and in the private sector from locally based firms to global Fortune 500 companies.[5]

History[edit]

Civil engineering as a discipline[edit]

Civil engineering is the application of physical and scientific principles for solving the problems of society, and its history is intricately linked to advances in the understanding of physics and mathematics throughout history. Because civil engineering is a broad profession, including several specialized sub-disciplines, its history is linked to knowledge of structures, materials science, geography, geology, soils, hydrology, environmental science, mechanics, project management, and other fields.[6]

Throughout ancient and medieval history most architectural design and construction was carried out by artisans, such as stonemasons and carpenters, rising to the role of master builder. Knowledge was retained in guilds and seldom supplanted by advances. Structures, roads, and infrastructure that existed were repetitive, and increases in scale were incremental.[7]

One of the earliest examples of a scientific approach to physical and mathematical problems applicable to civil engineering is the work of Archimedes in the 3rd century BC, including Archimedes' principle, which underpins our understanding of buoyancy, and practical solutions such as Archimedes' screw. Brahmagupta, an Indian mathematician, used arithmetic in the 7th century AD, based on Hindu-Arabic numerals, for excavation (volume) computations.[8]

Civil engineering profession[edit]

Engineering has been an aspect of life since the beginnings of human existence. The earliest practice of civil engineering may have commenced between 4000 and 2000 BC in ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley civilization, and Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq) when humans started to abandon a nomadic existence, creating a need for the construction of shelter. During this time, transportation became increasingly important leading to the development of the wheel and sailing.

Leonhard Euler developed the theory explaining the buckling of columns.

Until modern times there was no clear distinction between civil engineering and architecture, and the term engineer and architect were mainly geographical variations referring to the same occupation, and often used interchangeably.[9] The construction of pyramids in Egypt (c. 2700–2500 BC) were some of the first instances of large structure constructions. Other ancient historic civil engineering constructions include the Qanat water management system in modern-day Iran (the oldest is older than 3000 years and longer than 71 kilometres (44 mi),[10]) the Parthenon by Iktinos in Ancient Greece (447–438 BC), the Appian Way by Roman engineers (c. 312 BC), the Great Wall of China by General Meng T'ien under orders from Ch'in Emperor Shih Huang Ti (c. 220 BC)[11] and the stupas constructed in ancient Sri Lanka like the Jetavanaramaya and the extensive irrigation works in Anuradhapura. The Romans developed civil structures throughout their empire, including especially aqueducts, insulae, harbors, bridges, dams and roads.

A Roman aqueduct [built c. 19 BC], Pont du Gard, France
Chichen Itza was a large pre-Columbian city in Mexico built by the Maya people of the Post Classic. The northeast column temple also covers a channel that funnels all the rainwater from the complex some 40 metres (130 ft) away to a rejollada, a former cenote.

In the 18th century, the term civil engineering was coined to incorporate all things civilian as opposed to military engineering.[4] In 1747, the first institution for the teaching of civil engineering, the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées was established in France; and more examples followed in other European countries, like Spain.[12] The first self-proclaimed civil engineer was John Smeaton, who constructed the Eddystone Lighthouse.[3][11] In 1771 Smeaton and some of his colleagues formed the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers, a group of leaders of the profession who met informally over dinner. Though there was evidence of some technical meetings, it was little more than a social society.

John Smeaton, the "father of civil engineering"

In 1818 the Institution of Civil Engineers was founded in London,[13] and in 1820 the eminent engineer Thomas Telford became its first president. The institution received a Royal charter in 1828, formally recognising civil engineering as a profession. Its charter defined civil engineering as:

the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man, as the means of production and of traffic in states, both for external and internal trade, as applied in the construction of roads, bridges, aqueducts, canals, river navigation and docks for internal intercourse and exchange, and in the construction of ports, harbours, moles, breakwaters and lighthouses, and in the art of navigation by artificial power for the purposes of commerce, and in the construction and application of machinery, and in the drainage of cities and towns.[14]

Civil engineering education[edit]

The first private college to teach civil engineering in the United States was Norwich University, founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge.[15] The first degree in civil engineering in the United States was awarded by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1835.[16][17] The first such degree to be awarded to a woman was granted by Cornell University to Nora Stanton Blatch in 1905.[18]

In the UK during the early 19th century, the division between civil engineering and military engineering (served by the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich), coupled with the demands of the Industrial Revolution, spawned new engineering education initiatives: the Class of Civil Engineering and Mining was founded at King's College London in 1838, mainly as a response to the growth of the railway system and the need for more qualified engineers, the private College for Civil Engineers in Putney was established in 1839, and the UK's first Chair of Engineering was established at the University of Glasgow in 1840.

Education[edit]

Civil engineers typically possess an academic degree in civil engineering. The length of study is three to five years, and the completed degree is designated as a bachelor of technology, or a bachelor of engineering. The curriculum generally includes classes in physics, mathematics, project management, design and specific topics in civil engineering. After taking basic courses in most sub-disciplines of civil engineering, they move on to specialize in one or more sub-disciplines at advanced levels. While an undergraduate degree (BEng/BSc) normally provides successful students with industry-accredited qualifications, some academic institutions offer post-graduate degrees (MEng/MSc), which allow students to further specialize in their particular area of interest.[19]

Surveying students with professor at the Helsinki University of Technology in the late 19th century.

Practicing engineers[edit]

In most countries, a bachelor's degree in engineering represents the first step towards professional certification, and a professional body certifies the degree program. After completing a certified degree program, the engineer must satisfy a range of requirements including work experience and exam requirements before being certified. Once certified, the engineer is designated as a professional engineer (in the United States, Canada and South Africa), a chartered engineer (in most Commonwealth countries), a chartered professional engineer (in Australia and New Zealand), or a European engineer (in most countries of the European Union). There are international agreements between relevant professional bodies to allow engineers to practice across national borders.

The benefits of certification vary depending upon location. For example, in the United States and Canada, "only a licensed professional engineer may prepare, sign and seal, and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal engineering work for public and private clients."[20] This requirement is enforced under provincial law such as the Engineers Act in Quebec.[21] No such legislation has been enacted in other countries including the United Kingdom. In Australia, state licensing of engineers is limited to the state of Queensland. Almost all certifying bodies maintain a code of ethics which all members must abide by.[22]

Engineers must obey contract law in their contractual relationships with other parties. In cases where an engineer's work fails, they may be subject to the law of tort of negligence, and in extreme cases, criminal charges.[23] An engineer's work must also comply with numerous other rules and regulations such as building codes and environmental law.

Sub-disciplines[edit]

The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge in Japan, currently the world's second-longest suspension span.

There are a number of sub-disciplines within the broad field of civil engineering. General civil engineers work closely with surveyors and specialized civil engineers to design grading, drainage, pavement, water supply, sewer service, dams, electric and communications supply. General civil engineering is also referred to as site engineering, a branch of civil engineering that primarily focuses on converting a tract of land from one usage to another. Site engineers spend time visiting project sites, meeting with stakeholders, and preparing construction plans. Civil engineers apply the principles of geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering and construction engineering to residential, commercial, industrial and public works projects of all sizes and levels of construction.

Coastal engineering[edit]

Oosterscheldekering, a storm surge barrier in the Netherlands.

Coastal engineering is concerned with managing coastal areas. In some jurisdictions, the terms sea defense and coastal protection mean defense against flooding and erosion, respectively. Coastal defense is the more traditional term, but coastal management has become popular as well.

Construction engineering[edit]

Construction engineering involves planning and execution, transportation of materials, site development based on hydraulic, environmental, structural and geotechnical engineering. As construction firms tend to have higher business risk than other types of civil engineering firms do, construction engineers often engage in more business-like transactions, for example, drafting and reviewing contracts, evaluating logistical operations, and monitoring prices of supplies.

Earthquake engineering[edit]

Earthquake engineering involves designing structures to withstand hazardous earthquake exposures. Earthquake engineering is a sub-discipline of structural engineering. The main objectives of earthquake engineering are[24] to understand interaction of structures on the shaky ground; foresee the consequences of possible earthquakes; and design, construct and maintain structures to perform at earthquake in compliance with building codes.

Environmental engineering[edit]

Creek contaminated with water pollution

Environmental engineering is the contemporary term for sanitary engineering, though sanitary engineering traditionally had not included much of the hazardous waste management and environmental remediation work covered by environmental engineering. Public health engineering and environmental health engineering are other terms being used.

Environmental engineering deals with treatment of chemical, biological, or thermal wastes, purification of water and air, and remediation of contaminated sites after waste disposal or accidental contamination. Among the topics covered by environmental engineering are pollutant transport, water purification, waste water treatment, air pollution, solid waste treatment, recycling, and hazardous waste management. Environmental engineers administer pollution reduction, green engineering, and industrial ecology. Environmental engineers also compile information on environmental consequences of proposed actions.

Forensic engineering[edit]

Forensic engineering is the investigation of materials, products, structures or components that fail or do not operate or function as intended, causing personal injury or damage to property. The consequences of failure are dealt with by the law of product liability. The field also deals with retracing processes and procedures leading to accidents in operation of vehicles or machinery. The subject is applied most commonly in civil law cases, although it may be of use in criminal law cases. Generally the purpose of a Forensic engineering investigation is to locate cause or causes of failure with a view to improve performance or life of a component, or to assist a court in determining the facts of an accident. It can also involve investigation of intellectual property claims, especially patents.

Geotechnical engineering[edit]

A phase diagram of soil indicating the weights and volumes of air, soil, water, and voids.

Geotechnical engineering studies rock and soil supporting civil engineering systems. Knowledge from the field of soil science, materials science, mechanics, and hydraulics is applied to safely and economically design foundations, retaining walls, and other structures. Environmental efforts to protect groundwater and safely maintain landfills have spawned a new area of research called geo-environmental engineering.[25][26]

Identification of soil properties presents challenges to geotechnical engineers. Boundary conditions are often well defined in other branches of civil engineering, but unlike steel or concrete, the material properties and behavior of soil are difficult to predict due to its variability and limitation on investigation. Furthermore, soil exhibits nonlinear (stress-dependent) strength, stiffness, and dilatancy (volume change associated with application of shear stress), making studying soil mechanics all the more difficult.[25] Geotechnical engineers frequently work with professional geologists, Geological Engineering professionals and soil scientists.[27]

Materials science and engineering[edit]

Materials science is closely related to civil engineering. It studies fundamental characteristics of materials, and deals with ceramics such as concrete and mix asphalt concrete, strong metals such as aluminum and steel, and thermosetting polymers including polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and carbon fibers.

Materials engineering involves protection and prevention (paints and finishes). Alloying combines two types of metals to produce another metal with desired properties. It incorporates elements of applied physics and chemistry. With recent media attention on nanoscience and nanotechnology, materials engineering has been at the forefront of academic research. It is also an important part of forensic engineering and failure analysis.

Site development and planning[edit]

Plan draft of proposed mixed-use site

Site development, also known as site planning, is focused on the planning and development potential of a site as well as addressing possible impacts from permitting issues and environmental challenges.[28]

Structural engineering[edit]

Burj Khalifa animation of construction process
Shallow foundation construction example

Structural engineering is concerned with the structural design and structural analysis of buildings, bridges, towers, flyovers (overpasses), tunnels, off shore structures like oil and gas fields in the sea, aerostructure and other structures. This involves identifying the loads which act upon a structure and the forces and stresses which arise within that structure due to those loads, and then designing the structure to successfully support and resist those loads. The loads can be self weight of the structures, other dead load, live loads, moving (wheel) load, wind load, earthquake load, load from temperature change etc. The structural engineer must design structures to be safe for their users and to successfully fulfill the function they are designed for (to be serviceable). Due to the nature of some loading conditions, sub-disciplines within structural engineering have emerged, including wind engineering and earthquake engineering.[29]

Design considerations will include strength, stiffness, and stability of the structure when subjected to loads which may be static, such as furniture or self-weight, or dynamic, such as wind, seismic, crowd or vehicle loads, or transitory, such as temporary construction loads or impact. Other considerations include cost, constructibility, safety, aesthetics and sustainability.

Surveying[edit]

Surveying is the process by which a surveyor measures certain dimensions that occur on or near the surface of the Earth. Surveying equipment such as levels and theodolites are used for accurate measurement of angular deviation, horizontal, vertical and slope distances. With computerisation, electronic distance measurement (EDM), total stations, GPS surveying and laser scanning have to a large extent supplanted traditional instruments. Data collected by survey measurement is converted into a graphical representation of the Earth's surface in the form of a map. This information is then used by civil engineers, contractors and realtors to design from, build on, and trade, respectively. Elements of a structure must be sized and positioned in relation to each other and to site boundaries and adjacent structures.

Although surveying is a distinct profession with separate qualifications and licensing arrangements, civil engineers are trained in the basics of surveying and mapping, as well as geographic information systems. Surveyors also lay out the routes of railways, tramway tracks, highways, roads, pipelines and streets as well as position other infrastructure, such as harbors, before construction.

Land surveying

In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth countries land surveying is considered to be a separate and distinct profession. Land surveyors are not considered to be engineers, and have their own professional associations and licensing requirements. The services of a licensed land surveyor are generally required for boundary surveys (to establish the boundaries of a parcel using its legal description) and subdivision plans (a plot or map based on a survey of a parcel of land, with boundary lines drawn inside the larger parcel to indicate the creation of new boundary lines and roads), both of which are generally referred to as Cadastral surveying.

BLM cadastral survey marker from 1992 in San Xavier, Arizona.
Construction surveying

Construction surveying is generally performed by specialized technicians. Unlike land surveyors, the resulting plan does not have legal status. Construction surveyors perform the following tasks:

  • Surveying existing conditions of the future work site, including topography, existing buildings and infrastructure, and underground infrastructure when possible;
  • "lay-out" or "setting-out": placing reference points and markers that will guide the construction of new structures such as roads or buildings;
  • Verifying the location of structures during construction;
  • As-Built surveying: a survey conducted at the end of the construction project to verify that the work authorized was completed to the specifications set on plans.

Transportation engineering[edit]

Transportation engineering is concerned with moving people and goods efficiently, safely, and in a manner conducive to a vibrant community. This involves specifying, designing, constructing, and maintaining transportation infrastructure which includes streets, canals, highways, rail systems, airports, ports, and mass transit. It includes areas such as transportation design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, some aspects of urban engineering, queueing theory, pavement engineering, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), and infrastructure management.

Municipal or urban engineering[edit]

The engineering of this roundabout in Bristol, England, attempts to make traffic flow free-moving
Lake Chapultepec

Municipal engineering is concerned with municipal infrastructure. This involves specifying, designing, constructing, and maintaining streets, sidewalks, water supply networks, sewers, street lighting, municipal solid waste management and disposal, storage depots for various bulk materials used for maintenance and public works (salt, sand, etc.), public parks and cycling infrastructure. In the case of underground utility networks, it may also include the civil portion (conduits and access chambers) of the local distribution networks of electrical and telecommunications services. It can also include the optimization of waste collection and bus service networks. Some of these disciplines overlap with other civil engineering specialties, however municipal engineering focuses on the coordination of these infrastructure networks and services, as they are often built simultaneously, and managed by the same municipal authority. Municipal engineers may also design the site civil works for large buildings, industrial plants or campuses (i.e. access roads, parking lots, potable water supply, treatment or pretreatment of waste water, site drainage, etc.)

Water resources engineering[edit]

Hoover Dam

Water resources engineering is concerned with the collection and management of water (as a natural resource). As a discipline it therefore combines elements of hydrology, environmental science, meteorology, conservation, and resource management. This area of civil engineering relates to the prediction and management of both the quality and the quantity of water in both underground (aquifers) and above ground (lakes, rivers, and streams) resources. Water resource engineers analyze and model very small to very large areas of the earth to predict the amount and content of water as it flows into, through, or out of a facility. Although the actual design of the facility may be left to other engineers.

Hydraulic engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water. This area of civil engineering is intimately related to the design of pipelines, water supply network, drainage facilities (including bridges, dams, channels, culverts, levees, storm sewers), and canals. Hydraulic engineers design these facilities using the concepts of fluid pressure, fluid statics, fluid dynamics, and hydraulics, among others.

The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland

Civil engineering systems[edit]

Civil engineering systems is a discipline that promotes the use of systems thinking to manage complexity and change in civil engineering within its wider public context. It posits that the proper development of civil engineering infrastructure requires a holistic, coherent understanding of the relationships between all of the important factors that contribute to successful projects while at the same time emphasizing the importance of attention to technical detail. Its purpose is to help integrate the entire civil engineering project life cycle from conception, through planning, designing, making, operating to decommissioning.[30][31]

See also[edit]

Associations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "History and Heritage of Civil Engineering". ASCE. Archived from the original on 16 February 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  2. ^ "What is Civil Engineering". Institution of Civil Engineers. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  3. ^ a b "What is Civil Engineering?". The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. Archived from the original on 12 August 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  4. ^ a b "Civil engineering". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  5. ^ "Working in the Public Sector Versus Private Sector for Civil Engineering Professionals". The Civil Engineering Podcast. Engineering Management Institute. 5 June 2019.
  6. ^ Baveystock, Nick (8 August 2013). "So what does a civil engineer do, exactly?". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  7. ^ Saouma, Victor E. "Lecture Notes in Structural Engineering" (PDF). University of Colorado. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2007.
  8. ^ Colebrook, Henry Thomas (1817). Algebra: with Arithmetic and mensuration. London.
  9. ^ Murray, Peter (1986). The Architecture of the Italian Renaissance. Knopf Doubleday. ISBN 0-8052-1082-2.[page needed]
  10. ^ Mays, L. (2010). Ancient Water Technologies. Springer. p. 4. ISBN 978-90-481-8631-0.
  11. ^ a b Oakes, William C.; Leone, Les L.; Gunn, Craig J. (2001). Engineering Your Future. Great Lakes Press. ISBN 978-1-881018-57-5.
  12. ^ Dirección General de Obras Públicas Spain (1856). Memoria sobre el estado de las obras públicas en España en 1856 presentada al excmo. sr. Ministro de Fomento por la Dirección General de Obras Públicas. Madrid: National Press.
  13. ^ "Our history". Institution of Civil Engineers. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  14. ^ "Institution of Civil Engineers' website". Retrieved 26 December 2007.
  15. ^ "Norwich University Legacy Website". Archived from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  16. ^ Griggs, Francis E Jr. "Amos Eaton was Right!". Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, Vol. 123, No. 1, January 1997, pp. 30–34.
  17. ^ "RPI Timeline". Archived from the original on 2 July 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2007.
  18. ^ "Nora Stanton Blatch Barney". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  19. ^ ,"Cite Postgrad". Archived from the original on 6 November 2008.
  20. ^ "Why Should You Get Licensed?". National Society of Professional Engineers. Archived from the original on 4 June 2005. Retrieved 11 August 2007.
  21. ^ "Engineers Act". Quebec Statutes and Regulations (CanLII). Archived from the original on 5 October 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2007.
  22. ^ "Ethics Codes and Guidelines". Online Ethics Center. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2007.
  23. ^ "Singapore's Circle Line criminal trial started". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  24. ^ Chen, W-F; Scawthorn, C. (2003), "Chapter 2", Earthquake Engineering Handbook, CRC Press, ISBN 0-8493-0068-1
  25. ^ a b Mitchell, James Kenneth (1993). Fundamentals of Soil Behavior (2nd ed.). John Wiley and Sons. pp. 1–2.
  26. ^ Shroff, Arvind V.; Shah, Dhananjay L. (2003). Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Taylor & Francis. pp. 1–2.
  27. ^ "Geotechnical/Geological Engineering" (PDF). Professional Careers in the Mineral Industry. The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  28. ^ "Site Development and Planning". Nobis Group. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  29. ^ Narayanan, R; Beeby, A (2003). Introduction to Design for Civil Engineers. London: Spon.
  30. ^ Labi, Samuel (2014). Introduction to Civil Engineering Systems: A Systems Perspective to the Development of Civil Engineering Facilities. John Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-53063-4.
  31. ^ Blockley, David; Godfrey, Patrick (2017). Doing it Differently: Systems for Rethinking Infrastructure (2nd ed.). London: ICE Publications. ISBN 978-0-7277-6082-1.

Further reading[edit]

  • Blockley, David (2014). Structural Engineering: a very short introduction. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-967193-9.
  • Chen, W.F.; Liew, J.Y. Richard, eds. (2002). The Civil Engineering Handbook. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8493-0958-8.
  • Muir Wood, David (2012). Civil Engineering: a very short introduction. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-957863-4.
  • Ricketts, Jonathan T.; Loftin, M. Kent; Merritt, Frederick S., eds. (2004). Standard handbook for civil engineers (5 ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-136473-7.

External links[edit]