WHAT IS ENGINEERING?

In general, engineering is a science that deals with design, construction and operation of
structures, machines, engines and other devices. Engineer is a person who has received
technical education and has a basic knowledge of other engineering fields, because most
engineering problems are complex and interrelated. There exist the following main branches
of engineering:

CIVIL ENGINEERING.
Civil engineering deals with the design of large buildings, roads, bridges, dams, canals,
railway lines, airports, tunnels and other constructions. A civil engineer must have a
thorough knowledge of the properties and mechanics of construction materials, the
mechanics of structures and soils, and of hydraulics and fluid mechanics. Among the main
subdivisions in this field are construction engineering , transports engineering and hydraulic
engineering.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING .
Engineers in this field design, test, build, and operate machinery of all types. The field is
divided into:
machine-tools, mechanisms, materials, hydraulics and pneumatics heat as applied to
engines, work and energy, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. A mechanical engineer
must be trained in mechanics and hydraulics, metallurgy and machine design. A mechanical
engineer designs not only the machines that make products but the products themselves.

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING.

This is the widest field of engineering, concerned with systems and devices that use electric
power and signals. Among the most important subjects in the field are electric power and
machinery, electronic circuits, control systems, computer design, superconductors, solid-
state electronics, robotics, lasers, radar, consumer electronics, and fibre optics.
Electrical engineering can be divided into four main branches: electric power and machinery,
electronics, communications and control, and computers.
Electric Power and Machinery.
Engineers working in this field design and operate systems for generating, transmitting, and
distributing electric power. Several important developments appeared in this field. One of
these is the ability to transmit power at extremely high voltages in both the direct current
(DC) and alternating current (AC) modes, reducing power losses. Another is the real-time
control of power generation, transmission and distribution, using computers.

ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING .
Electronic engineering deals with the research, design and application of circuits and
devices used in the transmission and processing of information.
The revolution in electronics is the trend towards integrating electronic devices on a single
tiny chip of silicon or some other semiconductive material. Much of the research in
electronics is directed towards creating even smaller chips, faster switching of components,
and three-dimensional integrated circuits.
Communications and Control
Engineers in this field work on control systems and communication systems that are used
widely in aircraft and ships, in power transmission and distribution, in automated
manufacturing and robotics.
Major developments in this field are the replacement of analogue systems with digital
systems and copper cables with fibre optics (optical fibres). Digital systems lower electrical
noise. Fibre optics lowers interference, has large carrying capacity, and is extremely light
and inexpensive to manufacture.

COMPUTERS ENGINEERING
Computer engineering is now the most rapidly growing field. Computer engineers design
and manufacture memory systems, central processing units and peripheral devices. Major
developments in this field are microminiaturization (design of Very Large Scale Integration
(VLSI) chips) and new computer architectures. Using VLSI, engineers try to place greater
numbers of circuit elements onto smaller chips. Another trend is towards increasing the
speed of computer operations through the use of parallel processors and superconducting
materials.

AERONAUTICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Aeronautics deals with the whole field of design, manufacture, maintenance, testing, and
use of aircraft for both civil and military purposes. It involves the knowledge of aerodynamics,
structural design, propulsion engines, navigation, communication, and oilier related areas.
Aerospace engineering is closely connected with aeronautics, but is concerned with the
flight of vehicles in space, beyond the earth's atmosphere, and includes the study and
development of rocket engines, artificial satellites, and spacecraft for the exploration of outer
space.

NAVAL ENGINEERING
Naval architects are engineers who design and supervise construction of ships. Ships must
be designed and built so that they are safe, stable, strong, and fast enough to perform the
type of work intended for them. A naval architect must be familiar with the variety of
techniques of modern shipbuilding.
Marine engineering is a specialized branch of mechanical engineering devoted to the design
and operation of systems, both mechanical and electrical, needed to propel a ship.
Engineers in this field develop diesel engines and steam turbines that provide enough power
to move the ship at the required speed.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
This branch of engineering is concerned with the design, construction, and management of
factories in which the essential processes consist of chemical reactions. The task of the
chemical engineer is to select and specify the design that will best meet the particular
requirements of production and the most appropriate equipment for the new applications.
NUCLEAR ENGINEERING .
This branch of engineering is concerned with the design and construction of nuclear
reactors. In addition to designing nuclear reactors that yield specified amounts of power,
nuclear engineers develop the special materials necessary to withstand the high
temperatures and radioactivity. Nuclear engineers also develop methods to shield people
from the harmful radiation produced by nuclear reactors.

SAFETY ENGINEERING .
This field of engineering has as its object the prevention of accidents. Safety engineers
develop methods and procedures to safeguard workers of hazardous occupations. They
also assist in designing machinery, factories, ships, and roads, suggesting alterations and
improvements to reduce accidents.

CIVIL ENGINEERING

Building the Future

Civil engineers have one of the world's most important jobs: they build our quality of life.
With creativity and technical skill, civil engineers plan, design, construct and operate the
facilities essential to modern life, ranging from bridges and highway systems to water
treatment plants and energy-efficient buildings.

Civil engineers are problem solvers, meeting the challenges of pollution, traffic congestion,
drinking water and energy needs, urban redevelopment and community planning.
As the technological revolution expands, as the world's population increases, and as
environmental concerns mount, civil engineering skills will be needed throughout the world.
Whatever area you choose, be it design, construction, research, planning, teaching or
management, civil engineering offers you a wide range of career choices. And there is no
limit to the personal satisfaction you will feel from helping to make our world a better place
to live.
There are seven major, interrelated areas of civil engineering:
1_________________________________
These engineers face the challenge of designing structures that support their own weight
and the loads they carry, and that resist extreme forces from wind, earthquakes, bombings,
temperature and others. Bridges, buildings, amusement park rides and many other kinds of
projects are included within this speciality. Structural engineers develop appropriate
combinations of steel, concrete, timber, plastic and new exotic materials. They also plan and
design, and visit project sites to make sure work is done properly.

2_________________________________
The skills of these engineers have become increasingly important as we protect our fragile
resources.
Environmental engineers translate physical, chemical and biological processes into systems
to destroy toxic substances, remove pollutants from water, reduce nonhazardous solid
waste volumes, eliminate contaminants from the air and develop groundwater supplies.
Environmental engineers are called upon to resolve the problems of providing safe drinking
water, cleaning up contaminated sites with hazardous materials, disposing of wastewater
and managing solid wastes.
3_________________________________
This area of engineering is required in all aspects of civil engineering because most projects
are supported by the ground. Engineers in this speciality may develop projects below the
ground, such as tunnels, foundations and offshore platforms. They analyze the properties
of soil and rock that support and affect the behavior of
these structures. They evaluate potential settlements of buildings, the stability of slopes and
fills, the seepage of ground water and the effects of earthquakes. They investigate rocks
and soils at a project site and determine the best way to support a structure in the ground.
They also take part in the design and construction of dams,
embankments and retaining walls.
4_________________________________
Water is essential to our lives, and water resources engineers deal with the physical control
of water. They work with others to prevent floods, supply water for cities, industry and
agriculture, to protect beaches or to manage and redirect rivers. They design, construct and
maintain hydroelectric power facilities, canals, dams, pipelines, pumping stations, locks,
seaport facilities or even waterslides.
5_________________________________
The quality of a community is directly related to the quality of its transportation system.
Transportation engineers work to move people, goods and materials safely and efficiently.
They find ways to meet our ever-increasing travel needs on land, air and sea. They design,
construct and maintain all types of transportation facilities,
including airports, highways, railroads, mass transit systems and ports. An important part of
transportation engineering is upgrading our transportation capability by improving traffic
control and mass transit systems, and by introducing highspeed trains, people movers and
other intermodal transportation methods.
6_________________________________
The construction phase of a project represents the first tangible result of a design. Using
technical and management skills, construction engineers turn designs into reality on time
and within budget. They apply their knowledge of construction methods and equipment,
along with the principles of financing, planning and
managing, to turn the designs of other engineers into successful facilities.
7_________________________________
Planners are concerned with the full development of a community. They analyze a variety
of information to coordinate projects, such as projecting street patterns, identifying park and
recreation areas, and determining areas for industrial and residential growth. They employ
their technical and people skills to co-ordinate with
other authorities to integrate freeways, airports and other related facilities.

Find in the text:

a- Types of projects conducted by Structural Engineers: ……….
b- Problems solved by Environmental Engineers: …………..
c- Activities conducted by Geotechnical Engineers: …………
d- Problems solved by Water-Resources Engineers: ………
e- Transportation projects conducted by Transportation Engineers: ……
f- Skills used by Construction Engineers: …….
g- Types of projects conducted by Urban & Community Planning Engineers: ……