I---introduction to civil engineering

IntroductiontoCivilEngineeringOutlineDefinitionofCivilEngineeringDifferentFieldsofCivilEngineeringDiscussionDefinitionAmericanSocietyofCivilEngineeringdefinesCivilEngineeringastheprofessioninwhichaknowledgeofthemathematicalandphysicalsciencesgainedbystudy,experienceandpracticeisappliedwithjudgementtodevelopwaystoutilizeeconomicallythematerialsandforcesofnaturefortheprogressivewell-beingofman.ScopeofDifferentFieldsofCivilEngineering(i)Surveying(ii)BuildingMaterials(iii)ConstructionTechnology(iv)StructuralEngineering(v)GeotechnicalEngineering(vi)Hydraulics(vii)WaterResourcesandIrrigationEngineering(viii)TransportationEngineering(ix)EnvironmentalEngineeringand(x)Townplanning(i)SurveyingSurveyingisthescienceofmapmaking.Tostartanydevelopmentactivityinanareatherelativepositionsofvariousobjectsinthehorizontalandverticaldirectionsarerequired.(i)SurveyingEarlier,theconventionalinstrumentslikechain,tapeandlevellinginstrumentswereused.Inthiselectronicera,modernequipmentslikedistancemetersandtotalstationsareusedtogetmoreaccurateresultseasily.Themoderntechnologieslikephotogrammetryandremotesensinghavemadesurveyingeasier.Level(forelevation)EDM(fordistance)Totalstationforangleanddistance(ii)BuildingMaterialsTraditionalbuildingmaterials:stones,bricks,timber,lime,cement,sandandtiles(瓦片)Improvedqualityofbuildingsbysteel,aluminium,glass,glazedtiles(瓷砖),plasterofparis(石膏板),paints（涂料）andvarnishes（油漆）.(ii)BuildingMaterialsThemixtureofcement,sandandcrushedstoneswithwaterisknownasconcrete.Theuseofconcretewithsteelbarsplacedinappropriatepositionhashelpedinbuildingstronganddurabletallstructures.ThecompositematerialofconcreteandsteeliscalledreinforcedcementconcretewhichispopularlyknownasR.CC.(iii)ConstructionTechnologyConstructionisthemajoractivityofcivilengineeringwhichiscontinuouslyimproving.Aslandcostisgoingupthereisdemandfortallstructuresinurbanareaswhileinruralareasneedisforlowcostconstructions.(iv)StructuralEngineeringLoadactingonastructureisultimatelytransferredtoground.Indoingso,variouscomponentsofthestructurearesubjectedtointernalstresses.(iv)StructuralEngineeringForexample,inabuilding,loadactingonaslabistransferredbyslabtogroundthroughbeams,columnsandfootings.AssessingtheinternalstressesinthecomponentsofastructureisknownasStructuralAnalysisandfindingthesuitablesizeofthestructuralcomponentisknownasdesignofstructure.(v)GeotechnicalEngineeringSoilpropertychangesfromplacetoplace.Eveninthesameplaceitmaynotbeuniformatvariousdepths.Thesoilpropertymayvaryfromseasontoseasonduetovariationinmoisturecontent.(v)GeotechnicalEngineeringTheloadfromthestructureistobesafelytransferredtosoil.Forthis,safebearingcapacityofthesoilistobeproperlyassessed.ThisbranchofstudyinCivilEngineeringiscalledasGeotechnicalEngineering.(v)GeotechnicalEngineeringApartfromfindingsafebearingcapacityforfoundationofbuildings,geotechnicalengineeringinvolvesvariousstudiesrequiredforthedesignofpavements,tunnels,earthdams,canalsandearthretainingstructures.Itinvolvesstudyofgroundimprovementtechniquesalso.(vi)HydraulicsWaterisanimportantneedforalllivingbeings.StudyofmechanicsofwateranditsflowcharacteristicsisanotherimportantfieldinCivilEngineeringanditisknownashydraulics.vii)WaterResourcesandIrrigationEngineeringWateristobesuppliedtoagriculturefieldandfordrinkingpurposes.Hencesuitablewaterresourcesaretobeidentifiedandwateristobestored.Identifying,planningandbuildingwaterretainingstructuresliketanks(贮水池)anddamsandcarryingstoredwatertofieldsisknownaswaterresourcesandirrigationengineering.(viii)TransportationEngineeringProvidinggoodandeconomicalroadsisanimportantdutyofcivilengineers.Itinvolvesdesignofbasecourses,suitablesurfacefinishes,crossdrainageworks,roadintersections,culverts,bridges,tunnelsetc.(viii)TransportationEngineeringCarryingouttrafficsurvey,design,constructionandmaintenanceofroads,bridges,railway,harbourandairportsisknownastransportationengineering.(ix)EnvironmentalEngineeringProperdistributionofwatertoruralareas,townsandcitiesanddisposalofwastewaterandsolidwasteareanotherfieldofcivilengineering.Industrializationandincreaseinvehiculartrafficarecreatingairpollutionproblems.Environmentalengineeringwhiletacklingalltheseproblemsprovideshealthyenvironmenttopublic.(x)ArchitectureandTownPlanningAestheticallygoodstructuresarerequired.Townsandcitiesaretobeplannedproperly.ThisfieldofengineeringhasgrownconsiderablyandhasbecomeacourseseparatefromCivilEngineering.DiscussionAsastudentmajoringincivilengineeringEnglish,whatshouldyoulearn?Whatwillbeyourroleinthecivilengineeringworld?