Civil Engineering is one of the oldest main branches of engineering. It is the study of constructing structures such as roads, airports, bridges, canals, tunnels, wastewater systems, etc. To become a civil engineer, one must acquire a degree in the same. The main goal of this field of study is to design structures that are functional, efficient, and durable. This field also has a lot of subdisciplines that range from structural, environmental, water resources, geotechnical, transportation, construction, and other various civil engineering services.
Most civil engineers take up practice immediately after graduating since this field requires quite a lot of practical work experience. However some engineers develop a specialty based on their interests and customer requirements. There are a variety of job titles associated with civil engineering, which include project management, urban engineering, permitting and licensing engineer, civil design engineer, etc.
Civil engineering services are abundant in the construction industry. A civil engineer is a person who has expertise in infrastructure construction and operation. They mostly work on the technical aspect of structure design, whether it’s designing roadways or airports. Now, that we know about what a civil engineer does, we must also know about the places where one works at. Some civil engineers work for government-led agencies, while others work for private organizations. During the planning phase of a project, one would mostly find civil engineers working in office settings. However, once the implementation of the said project begins, they are mostly on construction sites making sure all the plans and structural details are made accurately on site. Civil engineers also work with the military services, as structures are constantly being made when the troops are going from place to place. Architects and Civil Engineers usually work together, even though both areas require different fields of study and expertise. Surveying is also a skill that is used by civil engineers, but one has to get a separate license for that as well.
Civil engineering services
Civil engineering services provided by a civil engineer can vary. However, there are a few services that civil engineers most commonly provide. Some of those include:
Structural Engineer
The main responsibility of a civil engineer is to design structurally stable buildings, by calculating the number of materials, and load that goes into a building.
Quantity surveyor
A civil engineer is also responsible for calculating the quantity of materials required to make the structure and the total cost estimate of the entire project.
Consultant
A civil engineer is also hired to give professional advice on projects. In this role, every aspect of the building construction process goes through him to get approval.
Safety planner
A civil engineer also must make sure that all the safety requirements are followed during the construction of the building. This includes following proper building permission rules and taking all kinds of safety measures for the workers as well. These are just a few general services provided by civil engineers. However, there are a few responsibilities of a civil engineer that are followed everywhere in this world which are as follows.
Drawing & Designing
A civil engineer must prepare the drawing of the structure that they are involved in. This also includes the preparation of the activity management chart of the site.
Tender Preparation
The construction drawings are then used in the Tender document prepared by the civil engineer, which becomes a part of the contract. The terms of the contract are also prepared, known as the Specification. This also includes the calculation of the quantity of materials and the total cost estimate according to the market rates.
Construction Drawing
Detailed construction drawings are prepared by the engineer that can be issued on-site and according to which the contractor shall construct the structure.
Site Supervision
This includes planning, coordinating, progress monitoring, quality control, etc. The engineer is supposed to arrange meetings at regular time intervals with the contractor to discuss the progress and obstacles of the project. They are also responsible for the maintenance of the quality of work done on-site.
Bills check
The checking of bills that are issued during the construction of the project, must be thoroughly checked by the engineer such that the budget of the project is maintained.
