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Civil Engineering / Public Works
University, Engineering and Architecture
Design and construction of infrastructure: roads, bridges, dams, and buildings. Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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What you need to know
Read the full theory →Definition, history, and training of civil engineering
- Definition: Application of calculus, mechanics, hydraulics, and physics to civil infrastructure.
- Antiquity: It is the oldest engineering discipline after military engineering.
- Subdisciplines: Includes areas such as geotechnical, structural, transportation, hydraulics, urban planning, and environmental.
- Work environment: Public sector (municipal/governmental) and private sector (consultancy/large corporations).
- Historical origin: Practices initiated between 4000 and 2000 BC in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
- Ancient milestone: Pyramids of Egypt (2700-2500 BC) as the first large-scale constructions.
- Hydraulic milestone: Water management system in Iran with more than 3000 years of history and 71 km in length.
- Reference civilization: The Romans were pioneers in road networks, aqueducts, and sewage systems.
- Etymology: Term coined in the 18th century to differentiate from military engineering.
- Educational milestone: École nationale des ponts et chaussées founded in 1747 (Paris).
- First civil engineer: John Smeaton (Eddystone Lighthouse).
- Professional society: Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers founded in 1771.
- Spain: Escuela Oficial del Cuerpo de Ingenieros de Caminos (Official School of the Corps of Civil Engineers) founded in 1802 by Agustín de Betancourt.
- Mexico: First specialized research institute (pre-1857) and teaching at the Academia de San Carlos in 1857.
Training, certification, and fields of application of Civil Engineering
- Duration of the Civil Engineering degree: 4 to 5 years
- Degree requirement to access Master's and PhD
- Professional certification: requires work experience and an examination in most countries
- Designations: Professional, Chartered, or European Engineer depending on the region
- Spain: access to practice and professional registration without additional requirements after graduation
- Signature and seal restriction: mandatory in the USA and Canada (e.g., Quebec)
- Liability: breach of the code of ethics can lead to charges of negligence
- Spain: 4-year Bachelor's degree (240 ECTS) and 1-2 year Master's degree (66-120 ECTS)
- Latin America: Civil Engineering degree with a duration of 5 to 6 years
- Transport infrastructure: includes airports, highways, railways, ports, and bridges
- Hydraulic works: includes sewerage, canals, hydroelectric plants, treatment plants, and dams
- Key structures: embankments, tunnels, footings, piers, beams, and abutments
- Small-scale works: foundations, water systems (ETAP/EDAR), and urban development
Functions, sub-disciplines, and phases of civil engineering projects
- Functions: urban transport, logistics, urban planning, waste, and safety/quality
- Site engineering: focus on land-use transformation
- Specialties: leveling, drainage, paving, water, sewerage, dams, electricity, and communications
- Required data: topographic, hydrological, and statistical
- Pre-feasibility stage: analysis of multiple solutions and selection of 2 or 3 options
- Decision criteria: difficulty, cost, and environmental impact
- Technical-economic feasibility stage: determination of costs, schedules, cash flow, and environmental impacts
- Final design stage: earthworks execution and construction of structures (piles, footings, beams, etc.)
Definition, branches, and dynamics of Civil Engineering
- Civil Engineering: design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure
- Objectives: safety, functionality, sustainability, and environmental protection
- Origin of works: detection by the Administration or political plans
- Auction process: the Administration chooses the cheapest option that meets requirements
- Execution: the site engineers are usually not the same as the design engineers
- Subcontracting: allows multiple companies and engineering teams on the same site
- Modifications: can occur due to unpredictable terrain, administrative changes, or coordination of works
- Routine tasks: the engineer acts primarily in supervision and concrete decisions
- Main branches: structural, geotechnical, hydraulic, transportation, construction, environmental, urban planning, materials, and seismic engineering
- Related areas: systems engineering, civil engineering electronics (civionica), and mechatronics
Flashcard preview (6 of 20)
- 01
Civil engineering is the engineering discipline that employs knowledge of calculus, mechanics, hydraulics, and [____].
physics
- 02
After military engineering, what is the oldest engineering discipline?
Civil engineering
- 03
In which century was the term 'civil engineering' coined to differentiate it from military engineering?
18th Century
- 04
What is the oldest civil engineering school in the world (founded in 1747)?
École nationale des ponts et chaussées (Paris)
- 05
Who was the first self-proclaimed civil engineer?
John Smeaton
- 06
In Spain, how many years does the Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering last and how many ECTS does it provide?
4 years and 240 ECTS.
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