The importance of services and engineering disciplines
Our complex world continues to prosper. It continues to grow and change. The world as we know and enjoy it is the way it is in part thanks to engineers and the services they provide for us to enjoy. When we cross bridges, flush the toilet, run a lawn mower, or enjoy the convenience of driving our car, thank an engineer. The branches of engineering stretch far and wide. The multiple concentrations and extensions of engineering services allow us to enjoy the benefits that we do in society.
Civil engineering is of paramount importance in allowing society to combine growth, functionality and natural environments. The designs, construction and maintenance provided by civil engineers allow us to use the land without exploiting it. Within civil engineering there are several sub-disciplines. Each brings a unique twist to the discipline and helps transform the environment.
Geotechnical engineering explores the use of raw materials sourced from the Earth and how the use of the resources will affect the environment and the project as a whole. As the name implies, they deal primarily with the geological resources within the site of a civil engineering project. They explore, extract and process raw materials and provide analysis and recommendations based on the information collected. For example, when they do topographic surveys, they often do a soil analysis. If soil testing finds substances within the soil that could be hazardous if they seep into a water supply, the project may be moved to another parcel of land.
Structural engineering is a division of civil engineering that deals with problems that arise with the support of structures. They ensure that a structure is stable for the environment in which it is built. In California, buildings are built with a solid structure to prevent major disasters during earthquakes. Structural engineering services also provide buildings to withstand incredible winds, weather-related events, and different types of architectural engineering.
Transportation engineering ensures the safety of people and goods when they are transported by road, waterways, rail systems, and also by air. This includes things we take for granted, like traffic lights and the way they turn off. Engineering services allow us to enjoy a safe trip, without too much congestion and without bumping into each other. They also provide rail security and aviation security to enable safe travel and design programs to enable tracking.
Environmental engineering applies to improving, maintaining and protecting the environment in and around which we are building. The services they provide are designed around the ecosystem. Sanitary engineering, hydraulic engineering and municipal engineering are applied. Working together, these engineering services help protect our environment and allow the environment and society to design a habitat for all the living and non-living resources within it.
Civil engineering services are just one of many that allow our society to function the way it does. Engineers design, implement, maintain, and provide the analysis to keep us safe and moving forward. Engineering services enable the function of everyday life and provide solutions for mishaps that arise.