Civil Engineering

About 8 Different Subsets

1. Structures
2. Water Resources
3. Transportation (includes Traffic)
4. Urban Planning
5. Environmental Engineering
6. Surveying (Geomatics)
7. Construction
8. Geotechnical (Soils)
Structural Engineering
Structural materials include...
1. Steel
2. Reinforced concrete
3. Masonry (brick)
4. Wood
Structural Engineers design:
Bridges
Dams
Tanks
Retaining walls
Buildings
Tunnels
Power plants
Structural Engrs often work w/ Architects and Contractors
California Structural Engrs must design for
seismic forces
Large Scale Projects include...
Aqueducts
Reservoirs
Dams
Smaller scale projects include
Pipeline and valve design
Water wells
Water treatment
Pumping systems
California aqueduct, Central Valley
Water Resources
Flood Control
Hydroelectric Projects
Glen Canyon Dam, Page, Arizona
Concerned with:
Safe and efficient movement of both people and goods
Projects include:
Highways, Streets, Roads
Harbors and Ports
Mass Transit Systems
Airports
Transportation
Railroads
Traffic Engineering:
Light timing, traffic flow
Most Urban Planners do not have Civil Engineering backgrounds
Most Urban Planning projects involve Civil Engineering
projects: Buildings, roads, bridges
Urban Planning Projects include
Housing density
Greenspace (parks) planning
Traffic flow
Urban Planning
World Trade Center Design Finalists
Roundabout, Santa Barbara
Has evolved into its own separate branch of engineering at
many universities
HSU: Environmental Resources Engineering
Responsible for controlling, preventing, and eliminating air,
water, and land pollution
Sewage treatment
Occasionally grouped with Mechanical Engineering, more
commonly associated with Civil Engineering
Waste water treatment
Projects might include:
Air quality control
Environmental Engineering
Recycling
Californias MTBE
dilemma (Methyl-
Tertiary-Butyl-Ether)
At one time, Land Surveying was a required course for all
engineering majors; Today, it is an elective for Civil Engrs
Equipment includes theodolites, transits, levels, Philadelphia
rods, surveyors chains.
Photogrammetry & aerial photography
Responsible for mapping out construction sites, locating existing
landmarks, establishing boundary lines between properties.
Construction staking
Projects might include:
Constructing topographic maps
Surveying (Geomatics)
Estimating construction costs
Architects (often head the project)
Usually responsible for construction projects from start to finish,
including:
Supervising construction
Determining equipment and
personnel needs
A typical construction project may involve
Construction
Civil Engineers, including Structural & Construction
Mechanical Engineers
Electrical Engineers
Landscape Architects Planners
Contractors: (Responsible for actual construction)
Foundation design
Soil Testing
Also known as Soils Engineering, involved in:
Landslide abatement
Retaining Walls
Geotextiles
Geotechnical Engineering
Coordination with Structural Engineers
in large building construction