A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health , as well as improving existing infrastructure that may have been neglected.
40-710: Arthur Vierendeel (10 April 1852 – 8 November 1940) was a civil engineer born in Leuven , Belgium. He had a career as a university professor, and civil engineer. The structure known as the Vierendeel truss is named after him. He obtained an MSc in construction and mining engineering in 1874 at the Université catholique de Louvain , after which he worked as an engineer for the company Nicaise et Delcuve in La Louvière , Belgium. In 1885 he became Director for
80-514: A civil engineering degree can be obtained after four years of study in the various branches of mathematics, physics, mechanics, etc. The earned degree is called Grado en Ingeniería Civil . Further studies at a graduate school include master's and doctoral degrees. Before the current situation, that is, before the implementation of Bologna Process in 2010, a degree in civil engineering in Spain could be obtained after three to six years of study and
120-470: A category of their own, typically each with their own degrees, either in separate university faculties or at polytechnic schools. In the United States, civil engineers are typically employed by municipalities, construction firms, consulting engineering firms, architect/engineer firms, the military, state governments, and the federal government. Each state requires engineers who offer their services to
160-457: A civil engineer may perform land surveying ; in others, surveying is limited to construction surveying , unless an additional qualification is obtained. Civil engineers usually practice in a particular specialty, such as construction engineering , geotechnical engineering , structural engineering , land development , transportation engineering , hydraulic engineering , sanitary engineering , and environmental engineering . A civil engineer
200-707: A five-year program at a polytechnic . Traditionally, students were required to pass an entrance exam on mathematics to start civil engineering studies. This exam was abolished in 2004 for the Flemish Community , but is still organised in the French Community . In Scandinavian countries, "civil engineer" ( civilingenjör in Swedish; sivilingeniør in Norwegian; civilingeniør in Danish)
240-565: A license may not call themselves "civil engineers". In Belgium, Civil Engineer (abbreviated Ir. ) ( French : Ingénieur Civil , Dutch : Burgerlijk Ingenieur ) is a legally protected title applicable to graduates of the five-year engineering course of one of the six universities and the Royal Military Academy. Their speciality can be all fields of engineering: civil , structural , electrical , mechanical , chemical , physics and even computer science . This use of
280-409: A lieu de recourir à la formule mathématique. (When constructing in metal the dimensions must be determined a priori by aesthetic considerations and only afterwards should mathematical formulas be used) As of 2011 the castellated beam and cellular beam are in common use in construction for roof and floor support - both are open web structures without diagonal trusses; vierendeel truss type analysis
320-440: A person to obtain a degree in construction engineering . Mechanical engineering , automotive engineering , hydraulics and even sometimes metallurgy are fields in a degree in "Machinery Engineering". Computer sciences , control engineering and electrical engineering are fields in a degree in electrical engineering, while security , safety , environmental engineering , transportation , hydrology and meteorology are in
360-530: A regular university from their military counterparts. Today the degree spans over all fields within engineering, including civil engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, and electronics engineering, among others. There is generally a slight difference between a Master of Science in Engineering degree and the Scandinavian civil engineer degree, the latter's programme having closer ties with
400-407: A variety of locations and conditions. Much of a civil engineer's work is dealing with non-engineers or others from different technical disciplines, so training should give skills preparing future civil engineers in organizational relationships between parties to projects, cost and time. Many spend time outdoors at construction sites so that they can monitor operations or solve problems onsite. The job
440-485: Is a first professional degree , approximately equivalent to Master of Science in Engineering , and a protected title granted to students by selected institutes of technology . As in English, the word has its origin in the distinction between civilian and military engineers; before the start of the 19th century only military engineers existed, and the prefix "civil" was a way to separate those who had studied engineering in
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#1732775359771480-507: Is concerned with determining the right design for these structures and looking after the construction process so that the longevity of these structures is guaranteed after completion. These structures should also be satisfactory for the public in terms of comfort. Some civil engineers, particularly those working for government agencies, may practice across multiple specializations, particularly when involved in critical infrastructure development or maintenance. Civil engineers generally work in
520-481: Is roughly equivalent to a Bachelor of Science in Scandinavia, to become a "civil engineer" one often has had to do up to one extra year of overlapping studies compared to attaining a B.Sc./M.Sc. combination. This is because the higher educational system is not fully adapted to the international standard graduation system, since it is treated as a professional degree . Today (2009) this is starting to change due to
560-590: Is the application of technology and scientific principles to the planning, functional design, operation and management of facilities for any mode of transportation to provide for the safe, efficient, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally compatible movement of people and goods transport. The planning aspects of transportation engineering relate to elements of urban planning , and involve technical forecasting decisions and political factors. Technical forecasting of passenger travel usually involves an urban transportation planning model , requiring
600-630: Is typically a blend of in-office and on-location work depending on the focus of each engineer. Most engineers work full-time. In most countries, a civil engineer will have graduated from a post-secondary school with a degree in civil engineering, which requires a strong background in mathematics and the physical sciences ; this degree is typically a bachelor's degree , though many civil engineers study further to obtain master's , engineer , doctoral and post doctoral degrees. In many countries, civil engineers are subject to licensure . In some jurisdictions with mandatory licensing, people who do not obtain
640-523: Is used to understand and predict failure modes, which include vierendeel truss type failures. Civil engineer Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines because it deals with constructed environment including planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems. The term "civil engineer "
680-659: The Bologna process . A Scandinavian civilingenjör will in international contexts commonly use the title of "Master of Science in Engineering" and will occasionally wear an engineering class ring . At the Norwegian Institute of Technology (now the Norwegian University of Science and Technology ), the tradition with an NTH Ring goes back to 1914, before the Canadian iron ring . In Spain ,
720-723: The Escuela Especial de Ayudantes de Obras Públicas (now called Escuela Universitaria de Ingeniería Técnica de Obras Públicas de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid ), founded in 1854 in Madrid. Both schools now belong to the Technical University of Madrid . In Spain, a civil engineer has the technical and legal ability to design projects of any branch, so any Spanish civil engineer can oversee projects about structures, buildings (except residential structures which are reserved for architects), foundations, hydraulics,
760-756: The Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors. The description "civil engineer" is not restricted to members of any particular professional organisation although "chartered civil engineer" is. In many Eastern European countries, civil engineering does not exist as a distinct degree or profession but its various sub-professions are often studied in separate university faculties and performed as separate professions, whether they are taught in civilian universities or military engineering academies. Even many polytechnic tertiary schools give out separate degrees for each field of study. Typically study in geology , geodesy , structural engineering and urban engineering allows
800-609: The Ministry of Public Works in West Flanders, and four years afterward also achieved the post of Professor of Construction, Material Strength, and Structural Engineering at the Université catholique de Louvain . The idea of a bridge without trusses came to him in 1895; the design later became known as a Vierendeel bridge . For the 1897 World Fair at Brussels he built a 31.5m span bridge at his own expense and loaded to show
840-700: The civil engineering profession worldwide. Official members of the ASCE must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited civil engineering program and be a licensed professional engineer or have five years responsible charge of engineering experience. Most civil engineers join this organization to be updated of current news, projects, and methods (such as sustainability) related to civil engineering as well as contribute their expertise and knowledge to other civil engineers and students obtaining their civil engineering degree. The ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers) founded in 1818, represents, as of 2008, more than 80,000 members of
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#1732775359771880-895: The civil engineering profession worldwide. Its commercial arm, Thomas Telford Ltd, provides training, recruitment, publishing and contract services. Founded in 1887, the CSCE (Canadian Society for Civil Engineering) represents members of the Canadian civil engineering profession. Official members of the CSCE must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited civil engineering program. Most civil engineers join this organization to be updated of current news, projects, and methods (such as sustainability) related to civil engineering; as well as contribute their expertise and knowledge to other civil engineers and students obtaining their civil engineering degree. Local sections frequently host events such as seminars, tours, and courses. Transportation engineering Transportation engineering or transport engineering
920-710: The correlation between measurement and his numerical analysis. His work, Cours de stabilité des constructions (1889) was an important reference during more than half a century. His first bridge was built in Avelgem in 1902, crossing the Scheldt river. The construction of this bridge became famous through the Stijn Streuvels book De Teloorgang van de Waterhoek . He retired as director of public works in West Flanders in 1927, and as Professor at Leuven Catholic University in 1936. He died in 1940. The Vierendeel truss
960-512: The design, construction, and operation of railroads and mass transit systems that use a fixed guideway (such as light rail or monorails ). Typical tasks include: Railway engineers work to build a cleaner and safer transportation network by reinvesting and revitalizing the rail system to meet future demands. In the United States, railway engineers work with elected officials in Washington, D.C., on rail transportation issues to make sure that
1000-772: The engineer create business models to complete accurate forecasts of the future conditions of the system. Operations and management involve traffic engineering , so that vehicles move smoothly on the road or track. Older techniques include signs , signals , markings , and tolling . Newer technologies involve intelligent transportation systems , including advanced traveler information systems (such as variable message signs ), advanced traffic control systems (such as ramp meters ), and vehicle infrastructure integration . Human factors are an aspect of transportation engineering, particularly concerning driver-vehicle interface and user interface of road signs, signals, and markings. Engineers in this specialization: Railway engineers handle
1040-550: The environment, transportation, urbanism, etc. Mechanical and Electrical engineering tasks are included under the Industrial engineering degree. A chartered civil engineer (known as certified or professional engineer in other countries) is a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers , and has also passed membership exams. However, a non-chartered civil engineer may be a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers or
1080-450: The estimation of trip generation , trip distribution , mode choice , and route assignment . More sophisticated forecasting can include other aspects of traveler decisions, including auto ownership, trip chaining (the decision to link individual trips together in a tour) and the choice of residential or business location (known as land use forecasting ). Passenger trips are the focus of transportation engineering because they often represent
1120-590: The facility has), determining the materials and thickness used in pavement designing the geometry (vertical and horizontal alignment) of the roadway (or track). Before any planning occurs an engineer must take what is known as an inventory of the area or, if it is appropriate, the previous system in place. This inventory or database must include information on population, land use, economic activity, transportation facilities and services, travel patterns and volumes, laws and ordinances, regional financial resources, and community values and expectations. These inventories help
1160-431: The impacts and demands of aircraft in their design of airport facilities. These engineers must use the analysis of predominant wind direction to determine runway orientation, determine the size of runway border and safety areas, different wing tip to wing tip clearances for all gates and must designate the clear zones in the entire port. The Civil Engineering Department, consisting of Civil and Structural Engineers, undertakes
1200-464: The industry's demands. A civil engineer is the better-known of the two; still, the area of expertise remains obfuscated for most of the public. A noteworthy difference is the mandatory courses in mathematics and physics, regardless of the equivalent master's degree, e.g. computer science. Although a "college engineer" ( högskoleingenjör, diplomingenjör, or mellaningenjör in Swedish; høgskoleingeniør in Norwegian; diplomingeniør in Danish)
1240-492: The peak of demand on any transportation system. A review of descriptions of the scope of various committees indicates that while facility planning and design continue to be the core of the transportation engineering field, such areas as operations planning, logistics, network analysis, financing, and policy analysis are also important, particularly to those working in highway and urban transportation. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) list online
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1280-493: The public to be licensed by the state. Licensure is obtained by meeting specified education, examination, and work experience requirements. Specific requirements vary by state. Typically, licensed engineers must graduate from an ABET -accredited university or college engineering program with a minimum of bachelor's degree, pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam (FE), obtain several years of engineering experience under
1320-402: The rail system meets the country's transportation needs. Railroad engineers can also move into the specialized field of train dispatching which focuses on train movement control. Port and harbor engineers handle the design, construction, and operation of ports, harbors, canals, and other maritime facilities. Airport engineers design and construct airports. Airport engineers must account for
1360-438: The safety protocols, geometric design requirements, and signal timing. Transportation engineering, primarily involves planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of transportation facilities. The facilities support air, highway, railroad, pipeline, water, and even space transportation. The design aspects of transportation engineering include the sizing of transportation facilities (how many lanes or how much capacity
1400-435: The same fields as civil engineers do elsewhere. This degree is equivalent to a Master of Civil Engineering and is obtained after five or six years of study depending on the school granting the title. The first Spanish Civil Engineering School was the Escuela Especial de Ingenieros de Caminos y Canales (now called Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos ), established in 1802 in Madrid, followed by
1440-509: The supervision of a licensed engineer, then pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam . After completing these steps and the granting of licensure by a state board, engineers may use the title "Professional Engineer" or PE in advertising and documents. Most states have implemented mandatory continuing education requirements to maintain a license. The ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) represents more than 150,000 members of
1480-492: The title may cause confusion to the English speaker as the Belgian "civil" engineer can have a speciality other than civil engineering. In fact, Belgians use the adjective "civil" in the sense of "civilian", as opposed to military engineers. The formation of the civil engineer has a strong mathematical and scientific base and is more theoretical in approach than the practical oriented industrial engineer ( Ing. ) educated in
1520-521: Was divided into two main degrees. In the first case, the earned degree was called Ingeniero Técnico de Obras Públicas ( ITOP ), literally translated as "Public Works Engineer" obtained after three years of study and equivalent to a Bachelor of Civil Engineering. In the second case, the academic degree was called Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (often shortened to Ingeniero de Caminos or ICCP ), that literally means "Highways, Canals and Harbors Engineer", though civil engineers in Spain practice in
1560-513: Was established by John Smeaton in 1750 to contrast engineers working on civil projects with the military engineers , who worked on armaments and defenses. Over time, various sub-disciplines of civil engineering have become recognized and much of military engineering has been absorbed by civil engineering. Other engineering practices became recognized as independent engineering disciplines, including chemical engineering , mechanical engineering , and electrical engineering . In some places,
1600-608: Was used in Belgium, particularly on the Belgian railways. Discussions in the journal Der Eisenbau concerning the pros and cons of the Vierendeel truss led to the development of deformational modelling of structures - necessary for mathematical analysis of Vierendeel trusses. He emphasised an importance of aesthetics over pure engineering: Pour les constructions métalliques les dimensions doivent être déterminées à priori par des considérations esthétiques et qu’après seulement il y
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