THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND HIS DUTIES

SCOPE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

• Civil engineering is the oldest branch of engineering which is growing right from the stone age of
civilization.
• It is defined as the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and physical sciences
gained by study, experience and practice is applied with judgment to develop ways to utilize
economically the materials and forces of the nature for the progressive well-being of man.
FIELD OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND THEIR SCOPE
• Civil engineering may be divided into the following fields:
• (i) Building materials
• (ii) Building construction
• (iii) Structural engineering
• (iv) Geotechnical engineering
• (v) Hydraulics, water resources and irrigation engineering
• (vi) Water supply and sanitary engineering
• (vii) Environmental engineering
• (viii) Transportation engineering
• (ix) Surveying
• (x) Estimation and specification
• (xi) Management techniques
Building materials
• Shelter is the basic need of civilized society. Stones, bricks, timber and lime concrete are the
traditional materials used for the construction of houses and other buildings.
• The invention of cement and concrete has pro divided durable buildings.
• Reinforced concrete which is composite construction of steel and concrete has helped in building
large structure.
• Steel, aluminum, glass, plastics, glazed tiles, plaster of Paris, linoleum, paints and varnishes have
improved the quality of buildings.
• Improved versions of many building materials keep on appearing in the market regularly.
• A civil engineer has to make use of all these materials judiciously.
Building construction
• Fast rate of urbanization and increase in the cost of land has forced to go for the vertical growth of
buildings.
• In metropolitan cities, 25 storey buildings are becoming common.
• Even in small towns 3 to 4 storey buildings have become common.
• This requirement has brought in new building technologies.
• Continuous research and development in construction technology is going on to see that huge
investment in building is utilized at the earliest.
• Low cost housing is the need of the day to make poor people afford their own houses.
• Civil engineers have to look into the problems of rural areas and urban poor people also.
Structural engineering
• Before building a structure, it should be analyzed and designed to decide about its size to resist the
possible forces coming on it.
• The structure should be safe and at the same time its components should be as small as possible.
• Up to mid-sixties lot of improvements were seen in the classical methods of analysis. Need of tall
structures and improvements in computers gave rise to matrix method and finite element method of
analysis.
• Requirement of large column free structures gave rise to analysis and design of shell roofs (curved
surfaces), geodetic towers and tension structures
• Disasters due to earthquakes have made civil engineers to study earthquake forces and build
earthquake resistant structures. It needs the knowledge of structural dynamics.
• Hence, there is need for studying mathematical optimization techniques. All these aspects of
analysis and design fall under structural engineering field.
• A civil engineer has to not only give a safe structure but he has to give an economical
structure also.
Geotechnical Engineering
• All structures have to finally transfer the load acting on them to soil safely.
• Soil property changes from place to place. Even in the same place it may not be uniform at
different depth and in different seasons.
• Hence, a civil engineer has to properly investigate soil and decide about the safe load that
can be spread on the soil.
 • Apart from finding safe bearing capacity for foundation of buildings, geotechnical
engineering involves various studies required for the design of pavements, tunnels, earthen
dam, canals and earth retaining structures. It involves study of ground improvement
techniques also.
Hydraulics, Water Resources and Irrigation Engineering
• Water is an important need for all living beings.
• Study of mechanics of water and its flow characteristics is another important field in civil
engineering and it is known as hydraulics.
• Requirement of water in cities for domestic purpose and for industries is continuously increasing.
• Rural areas need water for agricultural field also.
• Hence civil engineers have to look for new water resources and for storing them.
• This branch of civil engineering is known as water resources engineering. Water stored in
reservoirs by building bunds and dams should be brought to agricultural fields through canals and
distributaries. Study connected with this aspect is known as irrigation engineering.
Water Supply and Sanitary Engineering
• When water is required for drinking purpose it should be purified and made potable. Purification of
water and the technology involved in taking it to the houses is known as water supply engineering.
• Waste water and solid waste should be treated and disposed so that they do not create health
hazard. This branch of civil engineering is known as sanitary engineering
Environmental Engineering
• Apart from tackling solid and waste water disposal civil engineers have to tackle air pollution
problem also. Due to industrialization air pollution is becoming a major problem.
• It is estimated that for every tone of cement produced one tone of CO2 is released to environment.
• Vehicles also produce lot of CO2.
• Hence environmental engineering is emerging as an important field of study in civil engineering
Transportation Engineering
• Transportation facility is another important need. Providing good and economical road links is
an important duty of civil engineers.
• It involves design and construction of base courses, suitable, surface finishes, cross drainage
works, intersections, culverts, bridges and tunnels etc.
• Railways is another important long-way transport facility. Design, construction and maintenance of
railway lines are parts of transportation engineering.
 • Globalization has resulted into requirement of airports and harbors.
• For proper planning of these transport facilities, traffic survey is to be carried out. Carrying out
traffic survey and then planning, designing, construction and maintenance of roads, railways,
bridges, tunnels, airports and harbors is known as transportation engineering.
Surveying
• For planning all developmental activities, proper maps are required.
• The science of map making is known as surveying.
• Survey maps provide the relative positions of various objects of the area in the horizontal as well
as vertical directions.
• Earlier conventional instruments like chain, tape, compasses, theodolites and levels were used for
various measurements in surveying.
• In this electronic era the modern equipment like electronic distance meters and total stations are
used for measurements.
• Modern technology like remote sensing has made surveying vast area in a short period possible.
Estimation and Specification
• Civil engineers have to prepare estimation and detailed specifications for each and every
work to be taken up.
Management Techniques
• Civil engineers must manage, men, materials and equipment efficiently. Since huge funds
are to be handled in civil engineering projects, a civil engineer must know the basics in
financial management and legal obligations.
• Knowledge of management techniques is an asset to practicing civil engineer.
ROLE OF CIVIL ENGINEER IN SOCIETY
• A civil engineer has to conceive, plan, estimate, get approval, create and maintain all civil
engineering activities.
• Civil engineer has very important role in the development of the following infrastructure:
• (i) Measure and map the earth’s surface.
• (ii) Plan new townships and extension of existing towns.
• (iii) Build the suitable structures for the rural and urban areas for various utilities.
• (iv) Build tanks and dams to exploit water resources.
• (v) Build river navigation and flood control projects.
 • (vi) Build canals and distributaries to take water to agricultural fields.
• (vii) Purify and supply water to the needy areas like houses, schools, offices etc.
• (viii) Provide and maintain communication systems like roads, railways, harbors and airports.
• (ix) Devise systems for control and efficient flow of traffic.
• (x) Provide and maintain solid and waste water disposal system.
• (xi) Monitor land, water and air pollution and take measures to control them.
• Fast growing industrialization has put heavy responsibilities on civil engineers to preserve and
protect environment.

CIVIL ENGINEER ETHICS AND ITS DEFINITION

If the code serves as a road map to ethical conduct, it is a road map that can only serve its purpose when it
is examined and its contents are understood. While space limitations preclude publishing the code here in
its entirety, the following article lists the current code's fundamental canons and summarizes the ethical
issues and principles informing them.
1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public and shall strive to
comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of their professional
duties.
-Under this canon an engineer is expected not only to protect the public in his or her own work but also to
take action if he or she has knowledge that any other person's actions may undermine the public welfare, a
requirement that may include reporting such actions to a government authority with the power to act on
behalf of the public.
2. Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.
-for example, the requirement to take work only when qualified by education or experience to carry out the
work, this canon means that an engineer may not seal an engineering plan or document unless that
document has been prepared or reviewed under his or her supervisory control.
3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
-This canon considers the many ways in which an engineer may share his or her expertise with the public
and reflects principles that underlie many other provisions of the code.
4. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or
trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
-Engineers may not use confidential information in a way that is detrimental to an employer's or client's
interests, may not take part in decisions as a public servant for services involving their own private practice,
and are obliged to notify their employers before availing themselves of outside employment opportunities or
engaging in work that may give rise to a conflict of interest.
5. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and shall not
compete unfairly with others.
-An important point to remember here is that this canon does not restrict competition among engineers per
se, only methods by which an engineer may attempt to gain an unfair advantage over his or her
competitors. Such unfair practices include bestowing gifts or gratuities to obtain work, falsely portraying
one's qualifications and credentials, taking credit for the work of another, and maliciously criticizing the work
of another.
6. Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity, and dignity
of the engineering profession and shall act with zero tolerance for bribery, fraud, and corruption.
-It promotes transparency and scrupulous control of funds and prohibits engineers from knowingly
participating in fraudulent or dishonest practices.
7. Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers, and shall
provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers under their supervision.
-The final canon is unique in that its focus is on professional growth rather than professional conduct.
Engineers are encouraged to continue honing their skills, to share their knowledge by, for example,
attending conferences and seminars, and to support the development of engineer employees by providing
them with an environment that encourages professional growth and licensure.

COURTESY IN THE WORKPLACE

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
In business, the relationship you build are critical. Establishing good rapport is significant if you want to
progress your professional future, take on new clients, impress your boss, or close that final sale.
It is important that you make a good first impression! Being courteous is essential when meeting someone
new, because the average person only takes 7 seconds to make their first impression to someone.
A person who is kind & polite is normally a well-liked member of society.
“Courtesy is part of being Professional”
1. Treat people with politeness, respect, and kindness.

2. Encourage coworkers to express opinions and ideas.

3. Listen to what others have to say before expressing your viewpoint. Never speak over, butt in, or cut off
another person. Listen! And stop formulating rebuttals and responses in your mind when you need to focus
on listening to other person.

4. Use peoples’ ideas to change or improve work.

5. Never insult people, use name calling, disparage or put down people or their ideas.
6. Be aware of your body language, the tone of voice, and your demeanor and expression in all of your
interactions at work.
7. Improve your own ability to interact with coworkers and bosses in a way that emphasizes the knowledge
you have gained from your awareness of people and your emotional intelligence.
8. Treat people the same no matter their race, gender, size, age. Implement policies and procedures
consistently, so people feel that they are treated fairly and equally.
9. Include all coworkers in meeting, trainings, & events. While not every person can participate, do not
marginalize, exclude or leave any one person out. Provide an equal opportunity for employees to
participate in committees, task forces, or continuous improvement teams.
DUTIES OF CLIENT AND EMPLOYEES
A client can decide to end a contract for services at any time and for no particular reason, even if the
provider of services is doing a good job. However, to do this, the client must follow certain rules:
Client must act in good faith:
This means that he can't end the contract just to needlessly harm the provider of services. A client who
ends a contract abusively might have to pay the provider of services damages.
Client usually has to pay the provider of services for the following:
1. The work performed (e.g., the number of hours already worked)
2. The expenses incurred (e.g., equipment rental costs)
3. Materials used that can't be removed by the provider of services (e.g.,. metal parts welded to the
body of a car being repaired) or that can't be used for something else (e.g., motorcycle parts that
can only be used for a very rare model.
4. Losses suffered by the provider of services due to the cancellation of the contract.
The employer's 'duty of care' means that your employees must, as far as practicable:
• Provide and maintain workplaces, plant and systems of work so that you and other workers are not
exposed to hazards;
• Provide information about the hazards and risks from your job;
• Provide you with instruction, training (including an induction) and supervision so you are able to
work safely;
• Consult and co-operate with safety and health representatives (if any) and employees about safety
and health;
• Where it is not practicable to avoid the presence of hazards, provide adequate personal protective
clothing and equipment without any cost to you; and
• Ensure your safety and health in relation to plant and hazardous substances at the workplace so
you are not exposed to hazards.
 CODE OF COURTESY
COURTESY
According to Merriam- Webster:
• Polite behavior that shows respect for other people.
• Provided for free.
PROFESSIONAL COURTESY

Generally, refers to a philosophy of particular professional behavior or etiquette which is extended between
members of the same profession.
The concept of professional courtesy s believed to have originated within the ancient practice of medicine
by where physicians provided services to other physicians without charge.
Responsibilities of engineers (Baum, 1983):
1. Recognize the right of each individual potentially affected by a project to participate to an appropriate
degree in the making of decisions concerning that project
2. Do everything in their power to provide complete, accurate, and understandable information to all
potentially affected parties