FANTASTIC WAYS A CIVIL ENGINEERING JOB COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Anyone who has recently completed a relevant course at college or university might consider becoming a civil engineer in the near future. We’re going to highlight all the main benefits of choosing that career path today in the hope of encouraging more of you to get involved. There are so many good things that could happen in your life if you secure a position at one of the world’s top engineering firms. Don’t take our word for it though. We spoke to some people currently working in that profession to find out which aspects of their job provide the best experience. Our findings are listed below.

TRAVELLING THE WORLD

Many civil engineering companies win contractions in various different countries. That means employees can find themselves travelling the world on a yearly basis. Sometimes your stay abroad might be for a few days; other times it could be for a few months. Ultris at The Madison and similar communities have been set up to give people in your position somewhere to stay. While they were originally designed as military settlements, many of them now welcome business travelers too.

EARNING A STABLE WAGE

It is entirely possible for any company to go bust in the current economy. However, only a few engineering firms have felt the full force of the global recession. That is because those companies often work on a without borders. Whenever work drops off in certain locations, they simply apply for contracts elsewhere. One of the main plus points of working as a civil engineer is that you will have a stable source of income for life. Even if the worst happens and your employer experiences financial trouble, there are plenty of other firms you can contact.

GETTING JOB SATISFACTION

Working as a civil engineer could mean you undertake all manner of different tasks. Your problem-solving skills have to be excellent to build a good reputation in that industry. In some roles, you might find yourself helping to deal with the plans for a new airport or railway. In others, it is possible that you will oversee the construction of irrigation systems and even power plants. So, you’re life will never become boring, and you should experience a varied working day.

MAKING NEW CONTACTS

One of the best things about working abroad and undertaking significant construction jobs is that you will have to work closely with other team members. That means you could make friends with different people from all walks of life. Broadening your horizons in that manner is a good idea if you want to become a well-rounded individual. Sometimes we find that spending time with people from other cultures can help to increase understanding. Who knows? You might even meet your future life partner while spending time away with the company.

It should be obvious now that a career in civil engineering is fantastic if you don’t have too many family commitments. Of course, there are many relevant companies that only operate in the US, and so travelling abroad is not essential. However, it’s a brilliant way to see the world while getting paid.

Clasification OF Surveying

Surveying may be classified on the basis of nature of the survey field, object of survey, instruments used and the methods employed.

1. CLASSIFICATION BASED ON NATURE OF SURVEY FIELD

This basis survey may be classified as land survey, marine or hydraulic survey and astronomical survey.

LAND SURVEY

It involves measurement of various objects on land. This type of survey may be further classified as given below:

(a) Topographic Survey: It is meant for plotting natural features like rivers, lakes, forests and hills as well as man made features like roads, railways, towns, villages and canals.

(b) Cadestal Survey: It is for marking the boundaries of municipalities, villages, talukas, districts, states etc. The survey made to mark properties of individuals also come under this category.

(c) City Survey: The survey made in connection with the construction of streets, water supply and sewage lines fall under this category.

MARINE OR HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEY

Survey conducted to find depth of water at various points in bodies of water like sea, river and lakes fall under this category. Finding depth of water at specified points is known as sounding.

ASTRONOMICAL SURVEY

Observations made to heavenly bodies like sun, stars etc., to locate absolute positions of points on the earth and for the purpose of calculating local time is known as astronomical survey.

2. CLASSIFICATION BASED ON OBJECT OF SURVEY

On the basis of object of survey the classification can be as engineering survey, military survey, mines survey, geological survey and archeological survey.
(a) Engineering Survey: The objective of this type of survey is to collect data for designing civil engineering projects like roads, railways, irrigation, water supply and sewage disposals. These surveys are further sub-divided into: Reconnaissance Survey for determining feasibility and estimation of the scheme. Preliminary Survey for collecting more information to estimate the cost of the project, and Location Survey to set the work on the ground.

(b) Military Survey: This survey is meant for working out plans of strategic importance.

(c) Mines Survey: This is used for exploring mineral wealth.

(d) Geological Survey: This survey is for finding different strata in the earth’s crust.

(e) Archeological Survey: This survey is for unearthing relics of antiquity.

3.  CLASSIFICATION BASED ON INSTRUMENTS USED

Based on the instruments used, surveying may be classified as:

(i) Chain survey
(ii) Compass survey
(iii) Plane table survey
(iv) Theodolite survey
(v) Tacheometric survey
(vi) Modern survey using electronic distance meters and total station
(vii) Photographic and Aerial survey

The survey is taught to civil engineering students mainly based on this classification.

4. CLASSIFICATION BASED ON METHODS EMPLOYED

On this basis surveying is classified as triangulation and traversing.

(i) Triangulation: In this method control points are established through a network of triangles.
(ii) Traversing: In this scheme of establishing control points consists of a series of connected points established through linear and angular measurements. If the last line meets the starting point it is called as closed traverse. If it does not meet, it is known as open traverse.

Structural Elements For Typical Bridges

1. FOUNDATION

Foundation is required to support the bridge towers, portal frames or piers. Usual foundation methods such as H-pile, pipe-pile, borepile or precast concrete pile can be used for such purpose.

2. BRIDGE TOWER

This is the vertical supporting structure only for cable suspension or cable-stayed bridges. The tower is usually construction in high-strength concrete using in-situ method. Mechanical climb form is most efficient for casting the bridge tower. In some cases, the tower can be constructed in a structural frame type.

3. PIER

Pier is the vertical supporting structure for usual spanned bridges. Pier is more suitable for bridge with maximum width of deck up to about 8m (2 traffic lanes). Usually bridge pier is constructed using in-situ method with large panel formwork.

4. PORTAL FRAME

A portal usually consists on two piers on each side with cross beam in between to support the deck. In this case the width of deck can be up to 20m (6 traffic lanes). In some situations the height of a portal frame can be up to 50m from ground. Climb form can be used in this high headroom cases. The erection of a complicated falsework system to support the portal construction is usually involved.

5. BRIDGE DECK

Bridge deck  is the horizontal part of a bridge that support pedestrian or traffic activities.

6. BRIDGE ANCHOR

Bridge anchor is required only for suspension or cable-stay bridges to resist the pull from the suspension cable or counter-span of the bridge. Bridge anchor can be of gravity type using great mass for the counter-balancing, or using ground anchors for the same purpose.

7. SUSPENSION CABLE

Suspension cable is applicable for suspension and cable-stayed bridges for the hanging, support or counter-balancing of the bridge deck.

 Different methods to form the deck of bridges

1. Balanced cantilever method
2. Construct in-situ
3. Construct using precast beam
4. Construct using precast girder section and erected by a launching machine (viaduct)
5. Construct using incremental launching method

WHAT IS CIVIL ENGINEERING?

Civil Engineering is a branch of engineering that encompasses the conception, design, construction, and management of residential and commercial buildings and structures, water supply facilities, and transportation systems for goods and people, as well as control of the environment for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of life. Civil engineering includes planning and design professionals in both the public and private sectors, contractors, builders, educators, and researchers.

The civil engineer holds the safety, health, and welfare of the public paramount. Civil engineering projects and systems should conform to governmental regulations and statutes; should be built economically to function properly with a minimum of maintenance and repair while withstanding anticipated usage and weather; and should conserve energy and allow hazard-free construction while providing healthful, safe, and environmentally sound utilization by society.

Civil engineers play a major role in developing workable solutions to construct, renovate, repair, maintain, and upgrade infrastructure. The infrastructure includes roads, mass transit, railroads, bridges, airports, storage buildings, terminals, communication and control towers, water supply and treatment systems, storm water control systems, waste water collection, treatment and disposal systems, as well as living and working areas, recreational buildings, and ancillary structures for civil and civic needs. Without a well-maintained and functioning infrastructure, the urban area cannot stay healthy, grow, and prosper.

Because the desired objectives are so broad and encompass an orderly progression of interrelated components and information to arrive at the visually pleasing, environmentally satisfactory, and energy-frugal end point, civil engineering projects are actually systems requiring the skills and inputs of many diverse technical specialties, all of which are subsets of the overall civil engineering profession.

Some of the subsets that civil engineers can specialize in include photogrammetry, surveying, mapping, community and urban planning, and waste management and risk assessment. Various engineering areas that civil engineers can specialize in include geotechnical, construction, structural, environmental, water resources, and transportation engineering.