Overview

Civil engineering involves the application of engineering ideas and formulas to build structures that may include, bridges, highways, railroads, buildings, water plants, airports, sewage plants, landfills, and commercial site developement.

Types of Civil Engineering

• Site engineering consists of shaping the land for the purpose of constructing buildings and other facilities. The practice of site engineering does not involve the design of the building itself, but rather the design of the ground, drainage, parking lots, and storm ponds that surround the structure.
  
• Structural engineering involves the application of engineering formulas and ideas in the practice of designing structures. These engineers design structures that involves load calculations such as required for bridges, buildings, footings, and drainage structures.
  
• Land surveying consists of the process of gathering measurements from the field and converting this information into a graphical representation of this information. Surveys are required for the engineer to design structures. The survey consists of the boundary lines of the property that the structure is to be built upon. The survey may also consist of topographical information that includes elevation of the land as well as existing utilities, buildings, roads, trees, and other man-made and natural features upon, above, and below the surface of the land. Engineering surveyors are responsible for staking the engineer's design. This consists of placing stakes in the ground that shows location of the structures to be built. It also may include adding stakes to show the amount of dirt to be removed (cut) or the amount of dirt to be placed (fill).
  
• Transportation engineering.