What is Civil engineer: Definition and 27 Discussions

A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructure that may have been neglected.
Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines because it deals with constructed environment including planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.The term "civil engineer" was established by John Smeaton in 1750 to contrast engineers working on civil projects with the military engineers, who worked on armaments and defenses. Over time, various sub-disciplines of civil engineering have become recognized and much of military engineering has been absorbed by civil engineering. Other engineering practices became recognized as independent engineering disciplines, including chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering.
In some places, a civil engineer may perform land surveying; in others, surveying is limited to construction surveying, unless an additional qualification is obtained.

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  1. ZurraMath

    Please check my solutions -- Mass being pulled with an angled rope

    A block of mass M = 4 kg is pulled by a force F = 100 N forming an angle of 60 degrees with themhorizontal plane with friction coefficient 0.3. Determine the work of force F, friction force and normal force.
  2. NSNS

    How to find maximum load on steel sqare tube

    how to find a maximum load on a steel square tube that has one fixed end to the wall and another end is hanging free. suppose the beam is 2230 mm long and the load is applied on the beam on the free end w= 1040 mm. but there also a steel square tube that welded to the middle of the beam and...
  3. K

    What are the important things to consider when building a house?

    Summary:: What is the important thing to consider a factor for build a house ? I am a civil engineering student and I have a question about What is the important thing to consider a factor for build a house ?
  4. no_drama_llama_77

    Dampers and energy dissipation

    "What is a tuned mass damper" by practical engineering From 6:36 to 7:07How does the energy of the pendulum tuned mass damper (PTMD) dissipate energy back into the building? Intuitively, it seems like it's momentum or resonance, where the PTMD is in phase with the motion of the building and thus...
  5. Kaitlyn M

    Programs Help deciding between civil engineering and physics

    Hello! So I am trying to decide what to do for my masters and would like some advice. I'm in Architecture as a major and physics as a minor currently, and want to master in either engineering physics or civil engineering. I find both very interesting and am pretty open to what I do after school...
  6. J

    Calculating Rod Strength: Help with Oak Rod Homework Problem

    Homework Statement An example in my problem set (homework help) An oak rod is hung from a rigid support. The rod has a diameter = 12 mm, length = 9 m, and a catch plate at its base. a) The maximum mass of a weight that each rod can support. b) The minimum mass of a weight that will break the...
  7. W

    Sound propagation with altitude/height

    Let's say we have a 3 floor/level building , and someone is making noise outside, i.e: Playing guitar, given that all the building has the same sound isolation everywhere, what can you say about the sound propagation? we have 2 cases a) when windows opened b) when windows closed Will the...
  8. Suraj alexander

    How to Solve Support Reaction (Virtual Work) (Past Paper)?

    Hey guys, I was revising using some past papers for my structural mechanic module when I realized that I don't know how to do this problem: https://physicsforums-bernhardtmediall.netdna-ssl.com/data/attachments/83/83930-3dbc2a331721a2497ccdff8c950df951.jpg If it was for the deflection of node...
  9. Suraj alexander

    How to Solve Support Reaction (Virtual Work)?

    Hey guys, I was revising using some past papers for my structural mechanic module when I realized that I don't know how to do this problem: https://physicsforums-bernhardtmediall.netdna-ssl.com/data/attachments/83/83583-240450b2eac78c09f31d35a531383268.jpg If it was for the deflection of node...
  10. C

    [Fluid mechanics] Navier-Stokes and Hagen-Poiseuille

    Can the Hagen-Poiseuille equation be used for a vertical flow in the water tab or any flow that has circular cross-sections with varying diameters? If not, how can the Navier-Stokes equations or any other equations be used to describe a viscous incompressible free-falling vertical jet?
  11. M

    Should a civil engineer learn solidworks?

    Hi, I am in school majoring in civil engineering. Would it be worth it to practice using solidworks as well as autoCAD? or would that be a waste of time?
  12. P

    Engineering Engineering Career Survey Questions: Insights from Professionals

    Good evening, forum members... I'm currently enrolled in an Engineering class in my school and I'm considering engineering as one of my career pathways, but I would like to know the good, the bad, and the prospects of an engineering career before making a decision. I'm also interested to know...
  13. R

    I am a Civil engineer, and I want to study something else need advice

    Hi guys hope all of you are doing well. I am a 24 year old guy, I recently graduated with my Bachelors in civil engineering. I have been working in Construction logistics and as a building permit reviewer for the local municipality for about 2 years. I find civil engineering a nice field to work...
  14. Z

    Engineering Can Mechanical Engineers work with Civil Engineer jobs?

    Hello. I am currently a mechanical engineering major. I am drawn to the mechanical engineering major because I like physics, all science really, and I believe this degree will teach me a lot about how devices/machines/physical objects work as well as how to build/manipulate the world around...
  15. S

    How often does a civil engineer use vectors?

    Title says it, I was discussing this today with my buddy in physics lecture today. We just moved onto kinetic energy and universal gravitation and they seem to do the same thing a lot better and more efficient. As a civil engineering major, when will I ever use vectors in my line of work?
  16. D

    Engineering Career as a Civil Engineer, or as a Physician

    Hello everyone, I am relatively new to this forum. My name is Domn, I am seventeen, and will be graduating from a community college this June with my AA, and my high school diploma. During my two years at junior college I took a lot of math classes, and am currently in Calculus 2. My math...
  17. T

    Engineering Linking physics interest with civil engineer [2 out of 1]

    Dear friends, I am completing my bachelors in engineering in civil engineering this year. I always had a inclination towards physics from childhood but followed the most usual path of engineering due to family. Now, my plan is to go into a field which is similar to physics or requires...
  18. A

    Civil Engineer, chemistry is recommended but not required

    My question is do I need to be exceptionally well in chemistry 12 university level course when going to university next year. I am planning to go into civil engineering next year in university; It deals with structural and transportation systems? All advice is appreciated.
  19. T

    Engineering Civil Engineer wanting to pursue a PhD in physics or astrophysics

    Hi everybody, I'm in somewhat of a career conundrum. I'm 24, I've graduated from the University of Maryland in May of 2010 with a BS in Civil Engineering. I've been working for the past year for a fairly prestigious engineering firm, and while I do like my work, I've come to decide over the...
  20. F

    Civil Engineer needs help getting head round a graph

    Hi, new to the forum, although i have read some posts before. I am in the process of completing a structural mechanics report based upon buckling of a slender column. In the brief they asked us to plot a graph of Critical Buckling Load derived from Euler's Buckling Theory and actual (all...
  21. A

    Engineering Why are so many civil engineer unhappy ?

    I talked to some civil engineers who has bee practicing more than 10 years. Most of them seemed unhappy with their job... , except this one guy who has done a lot of design. Is this same in other civil engineering related companies or firm ? BTW: they all recommend me taht I study...
  22. K

    Schools Cousin wants to be a civil engineer but local university problems

    Hey my cousin wanted to be a civil engineer instead of an electrical. He got his electrical engineer at Carleton University http://www.carleton.ca/ . Anyway, when he asked them if any of his credits would transfer to civil engineer, they said "no" because and that he would have to do a civil...
  23. L

    Engineering Need to interview a Civil Engineer

    1. What made you choose this type of engineering? 2. What type of equipment do you work with on a day to day basis? 3. What is your educational back ground? 4. What is your favorite part of the job? 5. What is you least favorite part of the job? 6. Do you need a...
  24. S

    Architect verses Civil Engineer

    What's the difference between an architect and civil engineer. WHo has harder work?
  25. J

    Civil Engineer + Architects = ?

    Hello I am a sophmore Civil student and I was thinking about talking to some small architectural firms in my area about possible internships or workstudy options. How do you think they will react? I chose Civil Engineering because I felt like it would allow me a wide range of...
  26. P

    Answer to 'What is a Civil Engineer?'

    Just wanted to share this tidbit since the Civil Eng forum died of loneliness. (quote by Patricia Galloway, from her acceptance speech in becoming the 1st woman president of ASCE at the 2003 Civil Engineering Conference and Exposition held in Nashville Tennessee, 11/15/03) The "most...
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