Ain't a Civil Engineer A Person who builds Bridges? 1

• Mar 11, 2001

1
• #2

Taro

Structural

Nov 29, 2000

713

US

Bridge design is one small subset of civil engineering. Civil engineering is a broad umbrella of disciplines that covers the design of all the infrastructure that makes modern civilization possible. Among the branches of civil engineering are:

structural (includng bridge design)
environmental
geotechnical
transportation
water resources

The term civil engineering was coined in the 18th century to distinguish this type of engineering from military engineering.

 

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• Mar 15, 2001

• #3

Taro

Structural

Nov 29, 2000

713

US

I should add that although Civil Engineering encompasses many subdisciplines as listed above, in current U.S. practice the term Civil Engineer is most often applied to someone who does not specialize in any of the subdisciplines. So a Civil Engineer is often someone who does grading, drainage, utility layout, etc. Specialists in Structural Engineering prefer to call themselves Structural Engineers, specialists in Geotechnical Engineering prefer the term Geotechnical Engineer, etc.

 

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• Mar 15, 2001

• #4

Ginger

New member

May 8, 1999

284

GB

To quote the old "motto" of the Institution Of Civil Engineers "Civil Engineers are those who harness the power of nature for the benefit of mankind".

One of my favourite quotes as to the benefit to society that we civil engineers hold in our power comes from the late great Owen Williams who once said "An engineer will do for a shilling what any fool can do for a pound". Although one may read this the wrong way, I feel that this pretty much hits the nail on the head. Andy Machon

 

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• Mar 16, 2001

• #5

Qshake

Structural

Jul 12, 2000

2,672

US

Ginger, that old saying translated for the US has always been: An engineer does for a dollar what any old farmer can do for two.

I guess those expression with some truth to them find national and international longevity!

 

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• Mar 18, 2001

• #6

Rednyx

Civil/Environmental

Feb 22, 2001

42

JP

well as far as the Question that the one who builds Bridges is a Civil Engineer or not is that U can say that its just like a simple Doctor can not perform a Heart Surgery a heart surgean n a whole lot of staf is reqd same is with building a bridge is , one needs a Struc Engr, Soil Engr. etc who all are the specialized fields of Civil Engr.
Regards
Rednyx

 

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