civil engineering

Engineering is a term applied to the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences, gained by study, experience, and practice, is applied to the efficient use of the materials and forces of nature. Engineers are the ones who have received professional training in pure and applied science.Before the middle of the 18th century, large-scale construction work was usually placed in the hands of military engineers. Military engineering involved such work as the preparation of topographical maps, the location, design, and construction of roads and bridges; and the building of forts and docks; see Military Engineering below. In the 18th century, however, the term civil engineering came into use to describe engineering work that was performed by civilians for nonmilitary purposes.   

Branches of civil engineering

Civil engineering is the broadest of the engineering fields. Civil engineering focuses on the infrastructure of the world which include Water works, Sewers, Dams, Power Plants, Transmission Towers/Lines, Railroads, Highways, Bridges, Tunnels, Irrigation Canals, River Navigation, Shipping Canals, Traffic Control, Mass Transit, Airport Runways, Terminals, Industrial Plant Buildings, Skyscrapers, etc. Among the important subdivisions of the field are construction engineering, irrigation engineering, transportation engineering, soils and foundation engineering, geodetic engineering, hydraulic engineering, and coastal and ocean engineering.

Civil engineers build the world infrastructure. In doing so, they quietly shape the history of nations around the world. Most people can not imagine life without the many contributions of civil engineers to the public’s health, safety and standard of living. Only by exploring civil engineering’s influence in shaping the world we know today, can we creatively envision the progress of our tomorrows.

BRANCHES IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

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  1. Buildings
     
  2. Bridge Engineering
  3. Concrete Engineering
  4. Highway engineering
  5. Hydraulics
  6. Marine Engineering
  7. Piles Engineering
  8. Prestress Engineering
  9. Soil Engineering
  10. Steelworks
  11. Surveying
  12. Timber Engineering

Career in Civil Engineering

Civil engineering entails improving and maintaining the built and natural environments to enhance the quality of life for present and future generations. Civil engineering makes a region habitable.

Civil engineers design and supervise the construction of the essential structures that are often taken for granted in our daily lives. Examples are water supply systems, which include dams and major pipelines; transportation systems such as roads, railways, airports and harbours; and structures such as bridges, sports stadiums, office blocks and convention centres.

Calculations have to be done to determine the optimum dimensions of facilities. Detailed drawings with written specifications have to be made to ensure that the projects are constructed according to appropriate quality and standard requirements, and that the costs involved are reasonable.

During construction, civil engineers and their teams ensure that the projects are built as designed. They also manage the plant and manpower, and ensure that projects are completed within budget and on time. They must also solve problems such as pollution, traffic congestion, energy needs, water supplies and provision of infrastructure for community settlements. This field requires people who are mathematically inclined, can make decisions, can delegate, can control assignments, think logically and work systematically.

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• Department Of CIvil Engineering

The Department of Civil Engineering has been in existence since the inception of IIT Madras in 1959 and has grown into a full fledged department with specialisations in all the major areas of Civil Engineering. The departmental activities embrace Planning, Design, Construction and Management. The academic programmes, B. Tech., M.Tech., M.S. and Ph.D., of the Civil Engineering department at IIT Madras are some of the best in the country and the world. Many of the faculty members have received advanced degrees and/or training from reputed institutions in India, Germany, UK., USA, Canada, Japan and Netherlands. Many of our alumni hold prestigious positions in leading academic institutions, industry and government in different countries all over the world. The activities of the department are carried out under five different divisions as follows:

• Building Technology and Construction Management (BTCM)
• Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (EWRE)
• Geotechnical Engineering (GT)
• Structural Engineering (ST)
• Transportation Engineering (TR)