页眉内容1页脚内容CivilEngineeringCivilengineering,theoldestoftheengineeringspecialties,istheplanning,design,construction,andmanagementofthebuiltenvironment.Thisenvironmentincludesallstructuresbuiltaccordingtoscientificprinciples,fromirrigationanddrainagesystemstorocket-launchingfacilities.Civilengineersbuildroads,bridges,tunnels,dams,harbors,powerplants,waterandsewagesystems,hospitals,schools,masstransit,andotherpublicfacilitiesessentialtomodernsocietyandlargepopulationconcentrations.Theyalsobuildprivatelyownedfacilitiessuchasalrports,railroads,pipelines,skyscrapers,andotherlargestructuresdesignedforindustrial,commercial,orresidentialuse.Scope.Becauseitissobroad,civilengineeringissubdividedintoanumberoftechnicalspecialties.Dependingonthetypeofproject,theskillsofmanykindsofcivilengineerspecialistsmaybeneeded.Whenaprojectbegins,thesiteissurveyedandmappedbycivilengineerswholocateutilityplacement--water,sewer,andpowerlines.Geotechniealspecialistsperformsoilexperimentstodetermineiftheearthcanbeartheweightoftheproject.Environmentalspecialistsstudytheproject'simpactonthelocalarea:thepotentialforairandgroundwaterpollution,theproject'simpactonlocalanimalandplantlife,andhowtheprojectcanbedesignedtomeetgovernmentrequirementsaimedatprotectingtheenvironment.Transportationspecialistsdeterminewhatkindoffacilitiesareneededtoeasetheburdenonlocalroadsandothertransportationnetworksthatwillresultfromthecompletedproject.Meanwhile,structuralspecialistsusepreliminarydatatomakedetaileddesigns,plans,andspecificationsfortheproject.Supervisingandcoordinatingtheworkofthesecivilengineerspecialists,frombeginningtoendoftheproject,aretheconstructionmanagementspecialists.Basedoninformationsuppliedbytheotherspecialists,constructionmanagementcivilengineersestimatequantitiesandcostsofmaterialsandlabor,scheduleallwork,ordermaterialsandequipmentforthejob,hirecontractorsandsubcontractors,andperformothersupervisoryworktoensuretheprojectiscompletedontimeandasspecified.Throughoutanygivenproject,civilengineersmakeextensiveuseofcomputers.Computersareusedtodesigntheproject'svarious页眉内容2页脚内容elements(computer-aideddesign,orCAD)andtomanageit.Computersareanecessityforthemoderncivilengineerbecausetheypermittheengineertoefficientlyhandlethelargequantitiesofdataneededindeterminingthebestwaytoconstructaproject.Structuralengineering.In.thisspeciality,civilengineersplanandOesignstructuresofalltypes,includingbridges,dams,powerplants,supportsforequipment,specialstructuresforoffshoreprojects,theUnitedStatesspaceprogram,transmissiontowers,giantastronomicalandradiotelescopes,andmanyotherkindsofprojects.Usingcomputers,structuralengineersdeterminetheforcesastructuremustresist:itsownweight,windandhurricaneforces,temperaturechangesthatexpandorcontractconstructionmaterials,andearthquakes.Theyalsodeterminethecombinationofappropriatematerials:steel,concrete,plastic,stone,asphalt,brick,aluminum,orotherconstructionmaterials.Waterresourcesengineering.Civilengineersinthisspecialtydealwithallaspectsofthephysicalcontrolofwater.Theirprojectshelppreventfloods,supplywaterforcitiesandforirrigation,manageandcontrolriversandwaterrunoff,andmaintainbeachesandotherwaterfrontfacilities.Inaddition,theydesignandmaintainharbors,canals,andlocks,buildhugehydroelectricdamsandsmallerdamsandwaterimpoundmentsofallkinds,helpdesignoffshorestructures,andd...
