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CivilEngineeringCivilengineering,theoldestoftheengineeringspecialties,istheplanning,design,construction,andmanagementofthebuiltenvironment.Thisenvironmentincludesallstructuresbuiltaccordingtoscientificprinciples,fromirrigationanddrainagesystemstorocket-launchingfacilities.Civilengineersbuildroads,bridges,tunnels,dams,harbors,powerplants,waterandsewagesystems,hospitals,schools,masstransit,andotherpublicfacilitiesessentialtomodernsocietyandlargepopulationconcentrations.Theyalsobuildprivatelyownedfacilitiessuchasairports,railroads,pipelines,skyscrapers,andotherlargestructuresdesignedforindustrial,commercial,orresidentialuse.Inaddition,civilengineersplan,design,andbuildcompletecitiesandtowns,andmorerecentlyhavebeenplanninganddesigningspaceplatformstohouseself-containedcommunities.ThewordcivilderivesfromtheLatinforcitizen.In1782,EnglishmanJohnSmeatonusedthetermtodifferentiatehisnonmilitaryengineeringworkfromthatofthemilitaryengineerswhopredominatedatthetime.Sincethen,thetermcivilengineeringhasoftenbeenusedtorefertoengineerswhobuildpublicfacilities,althoughthefieldismuchbroaderScope.Becauseitissobroad,civilengineeringissubdividedintoanumberoftechnicalspecialties.Dependingonthetypeofproject,theskillsofmanykindsofcivilengineerspecialistsmaybeneeded.Whenaprojectbegins,thesiteissurveyedandmappedbycivilengineerswholocateutilityplacement—water,sewer,andpowerlines.Geotechnicalspecialistsperformsoilexperimentstodetermineiftheearthcanbeartheweightoftheproject.Environmentalspecialistsstudytheproject’simpactonthelocalarea:thepotentialforairandgroundwaterpollution,theproject’simpactonlocalanimalandplantlife,andhowtheprojectcanbedesignedtomeetgovernmentrequirementsaimedatprotectingtheenvironment.Transportationspecialistsdeterminewhatkindoffacilitiesareneededtoeasetheburdenonlocalroadsandothertransportationnetworksthatwillresultfromthecompletedproject.Meanwhile,structuralspecialistsusepreliminarydatatomakedetaileddesigns,plans,andspecificationsfortheproject.Supervisingandcoordinatingtheworkofthesecivilengineerspecialists,frombeginningtoendoftheproject,aretheconstructionmanagementspecialists.Basedoninformationsuppliesbytheotherspecialists,constructionmanagementcivilengineersestimatequantitiesandcostsofmaterialsandlabor,scheduleallwork,ordermaterialsandequipmentforthejob,hirecontractorsandsubcontractors,andperformothersupervisoryworktoensuretheprojectiscompletedontimeandasspecified.Throughoutanygivenproject,civilengineersmakeextensiveuseofcomputers.Computersareusedtodesigntheproject’svariouselements(computer-aideddesign,orCAD)andtomanageit.Computersarenecessityforthemoderncivilengineerbecausetheypermittheengineertoefficientlyhandlethelargequantitiesofdataneededindeterminingthebestwaytoconstructaproject.Structuralengineering.Inthisspecialty,civilengineersplananddesignstructuresofalltypes,includingbridge,dams,powerplants,supportsforequipment,specialstructuresforoffshoreprojects,theUnitedStatesspaceprogram,transmissiontowers,giantastronomicalandradiotelescopes,andmanyotherkindsofprojects.Usingcomputers,structuralengineersdeterminetheforcesastructuremustresist:itsownweight,windandhurricaneforces,temperaturechangesthatexpandorcontractconstructionmaterials,andearthquakes.Theyalsodeterminethecombinationofappropriatematerials:steel,concrete,plastic,asphalt,brick,aluminum,orotherconstructionmaterials.Waterresourcesengineering.Civilengineersinthisspecialtydealwithallaspectsofthephysicalcontrolofwater.Theirprojectshelppreventfloods,supplywaterforcitiesandforirrigation,manageandcontrolriversandwaterrunoff,andmaintainbeachesandotherwaterfrontfacilities.Inaddition,theydesignandmaintainharbors,canals,andlocks,buildhugehydroelectricdamsandsmallerdamsandwaterimpoundmentsofallkinds,helpdesignoffshorestructures,anddeterminethelocationofstructuresaffectingnavigation.Geotechnicalengineering.Civilengineerswhospecializeinthisfieldanalyzethepropertiesofsoilsandrocksthatsupportstructuresandaffectstructuralbehavior.Theyevaluateandworktominimizethepotentialsettlementofbuildingsandotherstructuresthatstemsfromthepressureoftheirweightontheearth.Theseengineersalsoevaluateanddeterminehowtostrengthenthestabilityofslopesandfillsandhowtoprotectstructuresagainstearthquakesandtheeffectsofgroundwater.Environmentalengineering.Inthisbranchofengineering,civilengineersdesign,buildandsupervisesystemstoprovidesafedrinkingwaterandtopreventandcontrolpollutionofwatersupplies,bothonthesurfaceandunderground.Theyalsodesign,build,andsuperviseprojectstocontroloreliminatepollutionofthelandandair.Theseengineersbuildwaterandwastewatertreatmentplants,anddesignairscrubbersandotherdevicestominimizeoreliminateairpollutioncausedbyindustrialprocesses,incineration,orothersmoke-producingactivities.Theyalsoworktocontroltoxicandhazardouswastesthroughtheconstructionofspecialdumpsitesortheneutralizingoftoxicandhazardoussubstances.Inaddition,theengineersdesignandmanagesanitarylandfillstopreventpollutionofsurroundingland.Transportationengineering.Civilengineersworkinginthisspecialtybuildfacilitie