From the ancient pyramids of Egypt to the complex Roman road networks to the Great

Wall of China, humans have long sought to build momentous structures to show our
dominance on the planet. All these amazing feats couldn’t have been possible without an
adept knowledge of the basic principles of physics and mathematics. Little wonder civil
engineering is regarded as one of the oldest engineering disciplines, second only to
military engineering.

In this post, we’re going to explore what makes civil engineering important to human
society; how it shaped human civilizations, and how it continues to influence our lives in
more profound ways.

What Is Civil Engineering?

Civil engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the design, construction, and
maintenance of the physical and natural environment; including public works like roads,
dams, sewage systems, bridges, airports, railways, pipelines, and structural components
of buildings.

Roles or Civil Engineers

Civil engineers make use of the principles of civil engineering to design the many
structures we see around us. They are responsible for planning and overseeing different
construction efforts and applying civil engineering principles to ensure that constructed
structures are safe and sturdy.

Assessment

A civil engineer is responsible for analyzing the factors regards a construction project;
including land feasibility, and the processes required to complete the job.

Preparation

After the situation has been analyzed in the planning phase, the civil engineer then
prepares a detailed report that highlights all factors that must be considered before
construction commences.

Planning

The civil engineer creates a concrete construction plan, ensuring that all regulations,
guidelines, and laws are adhered to.

Monitoring
During the construction phase, the civil engineer meticulously follows the project from
start to finish. He or she also makes the necessary changes along the way. They also
make sure the safety features of the project are maintained.

The Importance of Civil Engineering

Human civilization rests on the staunch back of civil engineering. Here’s are some of the
aspects of human society that would be impossible without civil engineering.

Construction

Construction engineering involves the planning and execution, transportation of

materials, site development based on hydraulic, environmental, structural, and
geotechnical engineering. Anytime you see tunnels, airports, railroads, skyscrapers,
dams, utilities, telecommunication lines, and many more, just know that without civil
engineering, they’ll all be impossible. Civil engineers apply complex engineering
principles that ensure those structures stand.

Environment Preservation

Our actions have led to massive pollution on our planet. Environmental engineering is a
sub-discipline of civil engineering that deals with the treatment of chemical, biological or
thermal waste, and the purification of water and air. Environmental engineers administer
pollution reduction, industrial ecology, and green engineering. They help us understand
the consequences of our actions on the environment.

Urban Development

Urban centers are known for their municipal infrastructure. From sidewalks to water
supply networks, street lighting, sewer system, waste management systems, civil
engineers are responsible for all of that. Civil engineering plays a crucial role in the
development of underground utility networks, the distribution of electrical and
telecommunication networks, bus service networks, and more.

Water Resources Management

Water resource engineering, a sub-discipline of civil engineering, is concerned with the

collection and management of water resources. It also involves the prediction and
management of both the quantity and quality of aquifers and surface waters like rivers,
lakes, etc. This area of civil engineering finds useful applications in the construction of
dams, water pipeline networks, and more.

Transportation Networks
Transportation engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering that concerns itself
with the efficient, conducive, and safe movement of goods and people from one point to
another. This involves the design, construction, and maintenance of streets, rail systems,
airports, mass transit, canals, and more. We all have civil engineering to thank for that.

Coastal Protection

When it comes to managing coastal areas, it cannot be done without the principles of
civil engineering. It helps in designing defense mechanisms against flooding and erosion.

Material science

Many of the world’s civilization depends on materials like ceramics, concrete, asphalt,
strong metals like steel and aluminum, thermosetting polymers. Material science is
closely linked to civil engineering and it attempts to understand the fundamental
properties of these important materials. Moreover, this sub-discipline has been at the
forefront of nanoscience and nanotechnology, materials that will continue to have a
greater impact in the future.

Understanding Earthquakes

The complex structures that cover our landscape have to be able to withstand forces
from within the earth. Thanks to earthquake engineering, we can understand the
interaction of structures to shaky grounds. This ensures that structures are built to
perform well in the event of an earthquake.

Surveying

Surveying is the process of analyzing and recording the characteristics of land areas span
to help design a plan or map for construction. Surveyors lay out the routes of highways,
railways, pipelines, roads, streets, and the position of other infrastructures like harbor
before construction commences.

Others

Civil engineering is also important in many other fields like geotechnical engineering,
forensic engineering, and structural engineering. In short, a large part of our day-to-day
life can be traced to civil engineering.

Conclusion

From the water we drink to the pavement we drive on to the buildings we reside in, the
work of civil engineers surrounds us all. Complex transport systems connect points
within a community. Road, air, sea, and rail networks span the entire globe – thanks to
the hands of civil engineers. Civil engineering makes trade, travel, the exchange of ideas
and information, healthcare, education, industry, and more possible.

Over the past few decades, our electricity demand has skyrocketed and it will continue.
Civil engineers will be at the forefront of developing structures that consume as little
energy as possible. As the world population surges, civil engineers will be responsible for
building structures that will support us all.

Without civil engineering, it’s hard to imagine how the world we live in would look like,
but we can be certain that marvelous man-made structures that fill our landscape will be
absent. And as it stands, civil engineering will continue to play a role in human
civilizations far into the future.

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