Do you ever felt that everything you see has been built around us is, the output of civil engineers’ enterprise?
Yes, CIVIL ENGINEERING is the field that deals with the design and construction of public works, such as dams, bridges, roads, canals, sewerage systems, pipelines, railways, and other large infrastructure projects. It is one of the oldest branch of engineering, since when people started living in permanent settlements and started shaping their environments according to their needs.
The history of civil engineering is linked to the knowledge of structures, material science, geography, geology, soil, hydrology, environment, mechanics, and other fields. Early engineers built walls, roads, bridges, dams, and embankments; they dug wells. As the group of people started living together in towns and cities their needs increased, these population needed reliable sources of clean water, the ways to dispose of waste, a network of streets and roadways to trade and commerce.
Civil engineering is the oldest engineering after military engineering. It is traditionally broken down into several subdivisions. Civil engineering covers all levels; in the public sector from municipal through to national governments, and in the private sector from individual home owners through to international companies.
Here is a quick sneak peek of what streams you can choose with CIVIL ENGINEERING:
Coastal Engineering:
Coastal engineering is a division of civil engineering which involves the management and maintenance of coastal areas with an emphasis on protection against flooding and erosion along the shoreline; improvement of navigation channels and harbors; improvement of coastal recreation; and management of pollution in nearby marine environments. This means knowledge in the areas of oceanography and marine geology is required to gain an understanding of the interactions between the salt water and the coastal structures.
Transportation Engineering:
Transportation engineering is a
branch of civil engineering that is involved in the planning, design,
operation, and maintenance of safe and efficient transportation systems such as
roadways, railways, waterways and intermodal operations. The operation and
maintenance of these transportation systems are also part of the responsibilities
of a transportation engineer along with an understanding of traffic control
systems.
Construction Engineering:
Construction engineering deals with the planning and management of the construction of structures such as highways, bridges, airports, rail roads, buildings, dams, reservoirs, and other construction processes. It requires knowledge of engineering and management principles and business procedures, economics, and human behaviour. Here engineers engage in the design of structures temporary, cost estimating, planning and scheduling, materials procurement, selection of equipment, and cost control.
Structural Engineering:
It is a special division within
the field of civil engineering that focuses on the framework of structures, and
on designing those structures to withstand the stresses and pressures of their
environment and remain stable and secure throughout their use, like by making
sure that buildings don't fall down and bridges don't collapse. An
understanding of building physics and statics are required along with the local
building design codes to work in the discipline.
Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering is the
branch of civil engineering that is concerned with protecting the public from
the adverse effect of the environment, such as pollution, as well as improving
environmental quality. It includes the responsibilities of minimizing or
preventing harmful contaminants from being released into the surrounding
environment. The knowledge of basic chemistry and biology is required along
with the processes that can reduce and eliminate their release.
Earthquake Engineering:
Earthquake engineering is a
multi-phased divison of civil engineering that ranges from the description of
earthquake sources, to characterization of site effects and structural
response, and to description of measures of seismic protection. This requires
the study of earth sciences as well as the design and construction of
structures to withstand earthquakes. Additionally, locating the source of
earthquakes along with understanding how a structure responds to an earthquake
is also part of the job description. Research tasks in earthquake engineering
include occurrence modeling of the frequency of earthquakes, geophysical
modeling, ground motion modeling, and more.
Geotechnical Engineering:
Geotechnical engineering deals
with the analysis, design, and construction of foundations, slopes, retaining
structures, embankments, tunnels, levees, wharves, landfills, and other systems
that are made of or are supported by soil or rock. This means knowledge of
geology is required along with an understanding of the properties of clay,
silt, rock, snow, and sand are highly important. Geotechnology plays a crucial
role in all civil engineering projects built on or in the ground, and it is
vital for the assessment of natural hazards such as earthquakes, liquefaction,
sinkholes, rock falls, and landslides.
Water Resources Engineering:
Water resource engineering is concerned with the structures and processes related to water supplies for human consumption. It also includes the planning and management of facilities that are constructed for these tasks like making canals for irrigation and sewers for drainage and to avoid water logging, and all other issues related to the usage and control of water. This means an understanding of the basic water processes is required so a clean supply of water can be used for drinking and living.
Municipal and Urban Engineering:
Municipal and urban engineering is concerned with the design of basic municipal infrastructures such as streets, sidewalks, sewers, street lighting, and solid waste management. It can also include the improvement of waste collection and bus service network. Also, designing and maintaining public parks and underground utility lines are also part of the discipline.
Wondering why there are only some listed above?
Well, there are hundreds of domains and sub-domains in civil and we will be here reading all day long if we choose to. I think these are the main domains among the remaining ones and there are several sub-domains to these, which we are going to cover slowly and briefly very soon. Till then, keep learning and keep finding your best carrier option.