What is Civil Engineering?
As told by researchers of a dissertation help firm, civil engineering is the oldest branch of engineering. It deals with the building and construction work. It is the combination of physical and scientific principles and mathematics. It includes knowledge about geography, mechanics, structure, environment, material science, hydrology, soils and geology.
Role and Responsibilities of a Civil Engineer:
Civil engineers are responsible for planning, designing, budgeting, overseeing construction, managing, execution, and maintenance of structures like building, roads, bridges, dams, etc. they make survey reports and then analyze them before planning and designing, estimate the cost, test the soil for determining the suitability and strength of foundations, and test the building materials.
Sub-Disciplines of Civil Engineering:
Civil engineering is a very broad discipline which has many sub-fields like; Construction Engineering & Management, Transportation Engineering, Water Resource Management, geotechnical engineering, Surveying, Building & Architectural Engineering, Urban & Regional Planning, Water Resources Engineering & Management, Coastal engineering, earthquake engineering, forensic engineering, civil engineering systems, Geological Engineering and Environmental Engineering.
- Coastal Engineering: Coastal engineering deals with coastal areas management and sea defense (protection against flood and erosion).
- Construction engineering: Construction engineering deals with the planning and execution, development of sites on the basis of hydraulic, environmental, structural and geotechnical engineering.
- Earthquake engineering: Earthquake engineering is the subfield of structural engineering which deals with the designing of structures to sustain in hazardous earthquake exposures.
- Environmental engineering: Environmental engineering also known as sanitary engineering deals with the management of chemical, biological, or thermal wastes, distillation of air and water, and after waste disposal mediation of unclean sites.
- Forensic engineering: Forensic engineering involves examination of those structures, materials and products that fail to operate.
- Geotechnical engineering: Geotechnical engineering deals with the study of rocks and soil to check the sustainability of soil for supporting civil engineering activities.
- Material science engineering: Material science engineering deals with the examination of materials involved in construction. It also involves prevention and protection.
- Transportation engineering: Transportation engineering deals with the designing and construction of streets, highways, canals, railways, and airports.
- Municipal and urban engineering: Municipal and urban engineering deals with infrastructure of municipal including streets, parks, water supply network, waste management, street lightning etc. water resource engineering deals with the collection and management of water and water resources.
- Water resources engineering: Water resources engineering as a sub-field of civil engineering is a combination of hydrology, environmental science, meteorology, conservation, and resource management.
- Civil engineering systems: Civil engineering systems refer to the use of systems based thinking for managing the complexity and change in civil engineering.
Eligibility Criteria:
To become a civil engineer one needs an academic degree in civil engineering of three to five years duration. The degree awarded after the completion is called bachelor of engineering. Generally a bachelor’s degree offers prosperous students with industry accredited qualification. However some universities also offer postgraduate degrees and courses in Civil engineering as well.
Careers in Civil Engineering:
After getting a degree one can start a career as civil engineer and could be promoted up to the Project manager profile. This field offers diverse professional and educational opportunities. A civil engineer can start a career in both the public and private sectors. He can work in planning, design, construction, research, and education. Civil engineers can easily find jobs in Contractors and consultants companies, Highways agencies, Buildings and construction companies, Bridges industry, Coastal and marine industries, Energy and power plant industries, Airports industry, Tunneling industry, Railway industry, Geotechnical companies, Environmental industry and Water and public health companies.
Skills Required for Becoming a Civil Engineer:
A civil engineer must have commercial knowledge, awareness and abilities of working well within a team environment. He must have strong mathematical, IT and scientific skills, critical thinking and analyzing ability, problem solving skills, budgeting and time management skills, strong negotiation and communication skills for managing the projects. He should have relevant knowledge about legislation.