Civil Engineering Laws, Ethics and Contract

Name of Student: ANDOYAN, HARVEY R. Course: BSCE

Assignment for: CE 14 Semester: First Semester-A.Y. 2021-2022
Activity No. 2 Instructor: ENGR. NENITA M. ABARADO

What is an engineer? What is a professional engineer?

Engineers are problem solvers. They are those professionals who focuses on the

invention of new products or technologies, innovation, discovering new ways or processes to

make life easier and safer. Engineers are responsible for designing machines or providing

maintenance to such machines, development, analyzing data’s and presenting them in an

understandable way. Engineers are professionals who works in divers’ fields. What we have

accomplished till now are because of the research and development of these professionals.

Engineers are present even on the late era. For example, are the pyramid of Giza that is one

of the wonders of the world. Its cubical triangle is so perfect that only an expert to building

structure could design it. The invention of the electricity, airplane, train and vehicles and

many others are the works of famous engineer’s ad inventors.

A Professional Engineer is an engineer licensed by a state board of registration to

practice engineering. The professional engineer license is the engineering professions

highest standard of competence, a symbol of achievement and assurance of quality. To a

client, it means you have got the credentials to earn their trust. To an employer, it signals

your ability to take on a higher level of responsibility. To become a licensed civil engineer,

one must complete a four-year college degree, work under a professional engineer for at

least four years, pass two intensive competency exams and earn a license from their state’s

licensure board. There are many advantages of being professional engineer rather than an

engineer. For example, only a licensed engineer may prepare, sign and seal, an submit

engineering plan and drawings to a public authority. Licensure for engineers in government

has become significant on today’s society.

What are the practices of civil engineering?

Civil engineering is a diver’s field that consists of many practices. Civil engineering

industry is about solving problems through designing, constructing, managing and

maintaining the infrastructure that plays a vital role in the development of the society. This

includes buildings, bridges, roads, airports dams, sewage systems, flood mitigation and

many others. These are some of the civil engineering practices:

 Construction Engineering - manage and oversee the entire construction. Evaluates

logistical operations, reviewing contracts and coordinating contractors. They are

involved in the planning, building, transportation of materials, and development of the

construction.

 Environmental Engineering – this discipline concentrates on creating ways to

conserve highly populated areas and preventing pollution from effecting the natural

environment. Environmental engineers conduct detailed analysis on a wide range of

environmental problems and develop solutions to the issues. Some of the task they

are responsible for.

 Transportation Engineering - Transport engineering continues to be one of the most

pivotal civil engineering disciplines. Engineers in this sector design, construct and

maintain all forms of public transportation systems across the world, including roads,

railways, ports and airports. Their aims are to improve the overall traffic movement,

reduce traffic congestion and minimize the risk of accidents from happening. This can

be achieved by either designing a completely new system, or by altering an existing

one.

 Geotechnical Engineering - Specialists who work in this field study and analyse the

rock and soil of the area where a civil structure is either currently standing or is

planned to be used for construction sometime in the future. These engineers must
 have vast knowledge of soil science, material science as well as the mechanics and

hydraulics involved in safely designing a range of structures and buildings.

 Water Resources Engineering - Water resources engineers strive to improve the

quality and quantity of water resources in a specified area. They design and

construct hydraulic structures (typically dams, canals and water distribution systems)

that collect and manage water as a natural resource. This area of engineering adopts

principles of hydrology, meteorology and resource management (among other

elements), so extensive knowledge is required.

 Structural Engineering - Structural engineering involves studying and analyzing the

design of bridges, flyovers, marine structures and other buildings. These engineers

are responsible for ensuring these buildings aren’t just aesthetically pleasing, but

also safe, durable and serviceable. This requires the identification of the loads, forces

and stress which might act upon a structure.

What are the key skills required for civil engineers?

 Creativity and flexibility – Engineers are known to design under constraint, but that

doesn’t mean the creative aspect of their design must suffer. Applying engineering

principles to develop solutions in a built environment requires a certain level of

creativity. Civil engineers are skilled in creating elegant solutions while working with

limitations like the sires of consumers, laws of nature, and local statues.

 Communication skills – civil engineers need the ability to communicate effectively

where there should be no room for vagueness and confusion. Engineering is a highly

technical industry with complex principles, complicated systems, and hifalutin

jargons. It is important that civil engineers are able to discuss ideas clearly with

various audiences, not just with fellow civil engineers and scientists, but with ordinary

people as well. Civil engineers must be able to listen and take into account ideas

from other people.

  Technical skills – A good civil engineer knows his mathematics and physics

especially when identifying and solving engineering problems. In addition, civil

engineers trained to be skilled in design techniques and working with maps,

drawing’s and models. More than adequate knowledge in computer-aided design

software is required. They need to be able to predict possible problems in the future

and be able to find ways to solve them.

 Project management – When problems arise, it is not unusual for the people involved

in a project to look up to the engineer for guidance and resolution. It is necessary that

the civil engineer is able to step up to the task and manage a diverse team of

professionals. Civil engineers also need to evaluate the work of others and ensure

their work follow applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

 Critical thinking – Civil engineers often encounter complex problems and need to finf

efficient solutions. Since engineering is a profession full of problem solving, almost

every task needs to be approached with an analytical mind. The solution must be

precise enough to meet all of the requirements with minimal risks during the

construction process. Civil engineers need to be firm and smart in making

economical decisions.

Identify client-civil engineer relationship and give examples.

“Civil engineers shall conduct themselves in a highly professional manner and

faithfully serve their clients and employers”. You work for a consulting engineer that has

been asked to work with an architect to inspect and report on an empty mill building with a

view to possibly refurbishing it. The mill turns out to be derelict, with most of its roof

collapsed, and walls in very bad condition with loose stonework which could easily detach

and fall. Therefore, you inspect it externally only and from an access platform. The mill

immediately adjoins the towpath of a canal, which is used by local people for walks and

cycling. It is unethical for the structural engineer to produce a report for your client which
sets out the bad condition of the building. Include in your report that the building is

dangerous, must be securely fenced-off and that the tow-path is unsafe and access along it

should be stopped. As a structural engineer you have a duty of care to the public if you see a

dangerous situation that could affect the public. Therefore, the right thing to do would be to

produce a report for your client which sets out the bad condition of the building. Include in

your report that the building is dangerous, must be securely fenced-off and that the tow-path

is unsafe and access along it should be stopped.

Identify some of the major difficulties facing civil engineering professionals in the

performance of their profession.

Construction Sites are real challenges for everyone. A civil engineer is a key person

that leads paper drawing into real physical things. There are many predictable as well as

unwelcome and unpredictable problems in the site.

 Health and Safety Problems - There are just so many potential hazards on

construction sites, which is why the industry has one of the highest percentages of

deaths and lost time injuries! Incidents can cause sites to be immediately shut down

and investigated. Rules are different for different jurisdictions, health and safety is the

largest risk when managing a construction site. As a result, there will be a health and

safety plan which must be adhered to at all times. Due to excessive emission of

fugitive dust, some serious health concerns may arise for the workforce and people

around a construction site. It definitely impacts the workforce’s productivity, thus, the

cost of construction.

 Environmental Problems - Environmental hazards can also get sites closed down

until remedial action is taken. This includes contamination, sediment runoff, natural

disasters. These result from the underlying site conditions, weather, natural

disasters, and damage to site controls. Fugitive dust emission certainly adds up to air
 pollution, and the chemical used for its elimination isn’t also usually environment-

friendly. So with every construction, civil engineers have the challenge to prevent it

from becoming hazardous to the environment.

 Contractual Disputes - These can arise for a number of reasons, including variations

to the work, damage to property onsite, payment claims, defects in workmanship, etc.

It is therefore extremely important for everyone involved to understand everything in

the contract before signing and undertaking any work. As a civil engineer you likely

have the responsibility of drafting the contract, and making sure work is undertaken

accordingly. You will need to approve any variations to the contract and resolve any

issues that arise.

 Government Regulatory Compliance - In addition to the above-mentioned

challenges, there are government regulations for site approval, material,

transportation, etc. These regulations also have clauses for workforce health &

environment

REFERENCES:

https://www.bmrsolutions.co.uk/what-are-the-different-types-of-civil-engineering/

https://www.constructionplacements.com/civil-engineering-problems/

https://www.istructe.org/resources/guidance/example-ethical-scenarios/

https://www.careeraddict.com/top-10-skills-needed-for-a-job-in-civil-engineering

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Date submitted/time: September 29, 2021/ 8pm

Signature: