Civil Engineering  

Something for Everyone!

A very common problem among incoming college freshmen is indecision with regards to a major or focus of study. Civil engineering is a field that ultimately deals with the design and construction of America’s infrastructure. Civil engineers are, in essence, responsible for building civilization.

Civil Engineering can be broken down into four main subdivisions:

Environmental and Hydraulic Engineering:  Give Mother Nature a hug!

          Environmental engineering is perfect for anyone who cares about nature and the environment.  Interested individuals will be on the forefront of creating and enforcing pollution limits and controls for businesses.  The safe interaction between industry and nature is critical and will undoubtedly affect the condition of our planet.  Hydraulic engineering is the part of environmental engineering that deals with providing clean water for communities.  Environmental engineering is all about keeping the planet clean and people healthy.

Interests:

-         the environment

-         chemistry                                                               

-         fluid mechanics

-         public service

Responsibilities:

-         control air pollution

-         control water pollution

-         design and manage water / wastewater

treatment facilities and distribution networks

Transportation Engineering:  The road to success!

          Have you ever been caught in a traffic jam and wondered why?  Transportation engineers fix these congestion problems related to traffic flow and many others by conducting traffic analyses on existing roads.  In addition, transportation engineers may perform economic benefit calculations or design roadways and intersections.  These professionals even deal with the design and construction of operations at facilities such as airports, railroads, subways, ports and harbors.  Transportation engineering possesses many possibilities, that is, many roads to take, and is considered one of the most diverse branches of civil engineering.

Interests:

-         planes, trains, automobiles…

-         economics

-         city planning

-         public service

Responsibilities:

-         study traffic patterns

-         examine project costs and benefits

-         design, maintain, and improve

roads / railroads / waterways

          -   set up airport perimeters

Structural Engineering:  Building the Future

          Perhaps the most well-known and visible area of civil engineering is structural engineering.  Bridges that span thousands of feet and buildings that seem to touch the sky are all products of this mighty discipline.  A structure is any system of components which supports a load.  Structures are a vital part of our society.  We live and work in them everyday.  And if they are built well, a structure will serve many generations in years to come.

Interests:

-         physics

-         architecture

-         construction

Responsibilities:

-         design and modify structures

-   analyze structure behavior

          -   make sure structures are safe

Geotechnical Engineering:  Get down and dirty!

          In cities where man-made wonders rule the land it is easy to forget that everything is merely sitting on the surface of the earth.  Anyone with an understanding of geology knows that the earth is a very complex system.  Land features vary from one location to another.  There are endless types of soil and rocks which can occur in a just as many formations.   Structures must be secured to the earth in order to work.  The geotechnical engineer works with the earth to provide a suitable site for construction.  With the massive equipment available today, geotechnical engineers can literally move the earth.

Interests:

-         geology

-         construction

-         landscaping

Responsibilities:

-         sample and test soil

          -   improve soil conditions

-   control drainage

-   design foundations

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Website by:

Chad Morrison & John Regan

Undergraduate students in Civil Engineering Program at University of Rhode Island

Joe Piecuch

Undergraduate student in Computer Science Program at University of Rhode Island

WRT 104, Prof. Kelley, 3-10-05

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Sources:

Davis, Mackenzie.  Introduction to Environmental Engineering.  McGraw Hill.  Boston.  1998. 

Fricker, Jon.  Fundamentals of Transportation Engineering. Prentice-Hall.  New Jersey.  2004.

Hibbeller, R.C.  Structural Analysis.  Prentice Hall.  New Jersey.  2002.

Hwang, Ned.  Hydraulic Engineering Systems.  Prentice-Hall.  New Jersey.  1996.

Murthy, V.N.S.  Geotechnical Engineering.  Marcel Dekker, Inc.  New York.  2003.

Picture Sources:

Beauregard, Hank.  Hank Beauregard Motorsports.  3/9/05.  <http://hank.beauregard.com/friends/Chief_Joseph_Dam_large.jpg>

ChipleyOnline.com. 3/9/05.  <http://www.chipleyonline.com>

College of Business: University of Missouri.  3/9/05.  <http://www.business.missouri.edu/zou/Pics/China/shanghai-highway.jpg>

DirtBrothers.org  <http://www.dirtbrothers.org/latest/2001/apr01/odirt.JPG>

Massachusetts Port Authority.   3/9/05.  <http://www.massport.com>

Miskin Scraper Works, Inc. < http://www.miskin.com/Compactor/Compactor-Ford.jpg>

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  3/9/05. <http://www.dec.state.ny.us/>

Oklahoma Department of Transportation.  <http://www.okladot.state.ok.us>

Worthington Memory.  3/9/05.  <http://www.worthington.org/>

<http://www.bergoiata.org/fe/ponts2/coastal_highway.jpg>