Driver Trett Digest Issue 26 - Flipbook - Page 15
DIGEST | ISSUE 26
In the 1980s, anybody who needed a hole bored could
have found a somewhat insulting listing within the
London Yellow Pages as: “Boring: see civil engineers”
Thankfully this has now been changed and the ICE
definition has also been updated. Turning to the modern
day, I asked ChatGPT:
“Civil engineering is a branch of engineering
that deals with the design, construction, and
maintenance of the infrastructure that we use
every day. This includes buildings, roads, bridges,
airports, dams, water supply and sewage systems,
and other communal facilities. Civil engineers
use technical and analytical skills to plan, design
and construct these structures in a way that can
enhance public safety, promote longevity, and
minimise environmental impact. Their expertise is
also required to evaluate and manage potential risks
and contingencies associated with natural disasters
and other emergencies.”
Given all the above, I would make two points:
Firstly, in broad terms, there seems to be something of
an overlap with structural engineering. Traditionally, of
course, there are close linkages. In my view, structural
engineering is a specialised branch of civil engineering
that focuses on designing and analysing structures
such as buildings, bridges, and other constructions
to ensure their safety, stability, and durability. To me,
the main difference between the two is that structural
engineering focuses on the design and analysis of
structures, while civil engineering encompasses a
wider range of disciplines; combining sustainability,
resilience, safety and security, and involving the
planning, design, construction, and maintenance of
infrastructure. Civil engineering is everything you see,
and much you don’t see, that has been built around us
and the kinds of things we take for granted but would
find life very hard to live without. It is the profession of
planning, designing, and executing works that serve
society such as roads, railways, airports, ports, schools,
offices, hospitals, water, sewage systems, power supply
and other infrastructure.
The second point is that none of the above descriptions
provide any guidance as to what technical disciplines
are covered within civil engineering. This highlights
further uncertainty in identifying precisely what skills a
civil engineer possesses, and the misconception that all
civil engineers possess the same knowledge.
With such a broad description, it possibly explains why
civil engineers do not always come from a conventional
engineering background of having mainly studied maths
and physics – with many having come from backgrounds
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