 Tennessee Valley Authority civil engineers monitoring water flow on a scale model ofTellico Dam | |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Names | Civil engineer |
Occupation type | Profession |
Activity sectors | Design and management ofstructures,transportation systems,infrastructure |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Technical knowledge, management skills, mathematical analysis |
Acivil engineer is a person who practicescivil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operatinginfrastructure while protecting the public andenvironmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructure that may have been neglected.
Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines because it deals with constructed environment[1] 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.[2]
The term "civilengineer" was established byJohn Smeaton in 1750 to contrast engineers working on civil projects with themilitary engineers,[3][4] who worked onarmaments and defenses. Over time, varioussub-disciplines of civil engineering have become recognized[5] and much of military engineering has been absorbed by civil engineering.[6] Other engineering practices became recognized as independent engineering disciplines, includingchemical engineering,mechanical engineering, andelectrical engineering.
In some places, a civil engineer may performland surveying; in others, surveying is limited toconstruction surveying, unless an additional qualification is obtained.
Civil engineers usually practice in a particular specialty, such asconstruction engineering,geotechnical engineering,structural engineering,land development,transportation engineering,hydraulic engineering,sanitary engineering, andenvironmental engineering. A civil engineer 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.[7] Some civil engineers, particularly those working for government agencies, may practice across multiple specializations, particularly when involved incritical infrastructure development or maintenance.
Civil engineers generally work in 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.[8] Many spend time outdoors at construction sites so that they can monitor operations or solve problems onsite.[2] The job 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 inmathematics and thephysical sciences; this degree is typically abachelor's degree, though many civil engineers study further to obtainmaster's,engineer,doctoral andpost doctoral degrees. In many countries, civil engineers are subject tolicensure. In some jurisdictions with mandatory licensing, people who do not obtain a license may not call themselves "civil engineers".
In Belgium,Civil Engineer (abbreviatedIr.) (French:Ingénieur Civil,Dutch:Burgerlijk Ingenieur) is a legally protected title applicable to graduates of the five-year engineering course of one of the sixuniversities and the Royal Military Academy. Their speciality can be all fields of engineering:civil,structural,electrical,mechanical,chemical,physics and evencomputer science.[9] This use of 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 strongmathematical andscientific base and is more theoretical in approach than the practical orientedindustrial engineer (Ing.) educated in a five-year program at apolytechnic. Traditionally, students were required to pass an entranceexam on mathematics to start civil engineering studies. This exam was abolished in 2004 for theFlemish Community, but is still organised in theFrench Community.
 | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Civil engineer" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(April 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
InScandinavian countries, "civil engineer" (civilingenjör in Swedish;sivilingeniør in Norwegian;civilingeniør in Danish) is afirst professional degree, approximately equivalent toMaster of Science in Engineering, and a protected title granted to students by selectedinstitutes 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 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 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, ormellaningenjör in Swedish;høgskoleingeniør in Norwegian;diplomingeniør in Danish) is roughly equivalent to aBachelor 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 aprofessional degree. Today (2009) this is starting to change due to theBologna process.
A Scandinaviancivilingenjör will in international contexts commonly use the title of "Master of Science in Engineering" and will occasionally wear an engineeringclass ring. At theNorwegian Institute of Technology (now theNorwegian University of Science and Technology), the tradition with anNTH Ring goes back to 1914, before the Canadianiron ring.
InSpain, acivil engineering degree can be obtained after four years of study in the various branches of mathematics, physics, mechanics, etc. The earned degree is calledGrado en Ingeniería Civil. Further studies at agraduate school include master's and doctoral degrees.
Before the current situation, that is, before the implementation ofBologna Process in 2010, a degree in civil engineering in Spain could be obtained after three to six years of study and was divided into two main degrees. In the first case, the earned degree was calledIngeniero 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 calledIngeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (often shortened toIngeniero de Caminos orICCP), that literally means "Highways, Canals and Harbors Engineer", though civil engineers in Spain practice in 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 theEscuela Especial de Ingenieros de Caminos y Canales (now calledEscuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos), established in 1802 in Madrid, followed by theEscuela Especial de Ayudantes de Obras Públicas (now calledEscuela Universitaria de Ingeniería Técnica de Obras Públicas de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid), founded in 1854 in Madrid. Both schools now belong to theTechnical 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, the environment, transportation, urbanism, etc.Mechanical andElectrical engineering tasks are included under theIndustrial engineering degree.
A chartered civil engineer (known as certified or professional engineer in other countries) is a member of theInstitution 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 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[citation needed] 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 manypolytechnic tertiary schools give out separate degrees for each field of study. Typically study ingeology,geodesy,structural engineering andurban engineering allows a person to obtain a degree inconstruction engineering.Mechanical engineering,automotive engineering,hydraulics and even sometimesmetallurgy are fields in a degree in "Machinery Engineering".Computer sciences,control engineering andelectrical engineering are fields in a degree in electrical engineering, whilesecurity,safety,environmental engineering,transportation,hydrology andmeteorology are in 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 the public to be licensed by the state.[10] Licensure is obtained by meeting specified education, examination, and work experience requirements. Specific requirements vary by state.
Typically, licensed engineers must graduate from anABET-accredited university or college engineering program with a minimum of bachelor's degree,[11] pass theFundamentals of Engineering exam (FE), obtain several years of engineering experience under the supervision of a licensed engineer, then pass thePrinciples 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.[11]
The ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide.[12] 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.[13]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 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.
Media related toCivil engineers at Wikimedia Commons
