The History and Importance of Civil Engineering

850 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Role of civil engineering in the modern world

Anon, a prolific writer, once wrote, ”I am an Engineer, I serve mankind, by making dreams come true”(Bennett). Engineers make dreams come true by creating magnificent structures that amaze even the most impractical people. The hard work and dedication of engineers can be easily seen by opening a window and viewing the structures that adorn the earth. The structures that civil engineers design and build define the culture of a society and help to keep pace with a constantly changing world.

Bridges, highways, drinking water- just a few necessities to the modern world, made possible by engineers throughout history, specifically civil engineers. Tracing back to 4000 BC, civil engineering has revolutionized the lifestyles of the world population. In ancient times skilled workers called artisans carried out most construction. These artisans accomplished their engineering feats by the use of only manual labor. Without the use of the specialized equipment used today, simple projects could take up to years to finish. Although labor time was great, the determined engineers never ceased to create the structures that defined the essence of their society. The Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China are great examples of achievements by engineers that symbolize the heart of their civilizations. The Roman engineers play a critical role in the health of their people with the development of aqueducts, bridges, and dams. Each empire throughout history give today’s world an essential structure that help the modern world to survive (Stonecyper).

Civil engineers today perform duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction of buildings, structures, and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harb...

... middle of paper ...

...lt that.”

Works Cited

Basta, Nicholas. Opportunities in Engineering Careers. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

151-161. Print.

Bennett, Richard, Price, Rob, et al. "Engineering Quotes." UK Civil Engineering Limited, Online

Posting to Info 4 Engineering. Web. 23 Jan. 2012.

CareerZone."Civil Engineers." New York State Department of Labor, 20 Feb 2009 . Web.

CNN Money. Dickler, Jessica, Lee Anne C., and Swiatek Greg. "Best jobs for fast

growth." (2011): n.pag.. Web. 23 Jan 2012.

Cortese, Anthony. "The Role of Engineers in Creating an Environmentally Sustainable

Future." (1998): n. page. Web. 23 Jan. 2012.

Hall, James. E-mail Interview. 25-1-2012.

Project Partners. "Salary Range for Civil Engineering .". N.p., 2010. Web. 26 Jan 2012.

Stonecyper, Lamar. "History of Civil Engineering." 3 February 2011: n. page. Web. 23 Jan. 2012.

Show More
Related

  • Bible: The Book of Daniel

    2250 Words  | 5 Pages

    Web. The Web. The Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Jones, Barry A.

    Read More

  • The Interactions of Nationalism and Building Style

    1220 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, the success of the building schemes relied on the construction methods and innovations that are now attributed as bei...

    Read More

  • Water: The Catalyst of Development In Ancient Civilizations

    1232 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...of ancient civilizations. Water was such an important resource that the earliest laws made were not over land rights but rather of water rights. The ancient legal codes reflect the need for water regulation to settle disputes regarding its supply and distribution. Technological development was also closely related with water as new water transporting technique and machinery were developed to accommodate for water needs. The digging of ditches and canal benefitted the economy by allowing the irrigation of massive crop fields which led to a surplus of resources. These waterworks project required a massive labor force which shows how cities unified and worked together to accomplish such tasks. In conclusion, the need to obtain a steady supply of water has affected the development of ancient civilizations in many aspects and it continues to influence our society today.

    Read More

  • Roman Engineering

    618 Words  | 2 Pages

    The engineering discoveries of ancient Rome have played a key role in the history of architecture and engineering. Many of Rome’s roadways, bridges, and aqueducts have been in use from the first century until the twentieth century. Many American buildings have used the Roman dome. Several major structures from early Rome still stand, including the Collosseum. These remnants of feats of Roman engineering stand as a monument to the ability of ancient Roman builders.

    Read More

  • My Family: My Grandfather is My Hero

    554 Words  | 2 Pages

    To a person walking down the street in downtown Indianapolis, he may be a hero because of his occupation, a civil engineer. What can a civil engineer do that is so heroic? For one, he designs the cities’ sewage system. People in the city cannot comprehend how vital it is to constitute a correctly piped sewage system. His designs transfer the cities’ waste to a safe place, so it can decompose in peace, and not endanger our health or our environment. He is not only protecting the Earth from harmful materials, he is also keeping our water clean a...

    Read More

  • Code Of Ethics In A Civilized Society

    1764 Words  | 4 Pages

    As members of this profession, engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all people. Accordingly, the services provided by engineers require honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be dedicated to the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. Engineers must perform under a standard of professional behavior that requires adherence to the highest principles of ethical conduct. (National Society of Professional Engineers) All buildings are designed by engineers all over the world. Before workers build the building, engineers have to calculate numbers accurate. If any mistakes made, there would have a big issue. So as engineers, people have the most lumbersome responsibilities to give all humans a safe harbor. So teamwork is absolutely important at this moment. The power of one person is limited, but teamwork makes a big difference. In the team, team members need to respect, listen to each other’s advices so that they can have more ideas to build the building better. They all have the same responsibilities to the society. They build good buildings not only benefit for other people, but also they enjoy the good environment. When engineers design the house, they need to think about questions from an overall view. As a good citizen, the person needs to do some contributions to protect the

    Read More

  • Roman Aqueduct Essay

    828 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Aqueduct, while not an invention of the Romans, was made effective and marvels of the engineering world. Some of the techniques of the aqueducts are still used by modern engineers. Roman aqueducts were immense feats of engineering and architecture

    Read More

  • Engineering Ethics

    1654 Words  | 4 Pages

    Strubel, T. ‘The Civil Engineer of 2025 – Ethics Come First’. Available from: www.asce.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147489600, Accessed 30.11.2010

    Read More

  • Architectural Engineering

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    Like all engineers, architectural engineers apply the theories and principles of science and mathematics to research and develop economical solutions to technical problems. Their work is the link between scientific discoveries and commercial applications. Engineers design products, machinery to build those products, factories in which those products are made, and the systems that ensure the quality of the product and efficiency of the workforce and manufacturing process. Engineers design, plan, and supervise the construction of buildings, highways, and transit systems. They develop new materials that both improve the performance of products and help implement advances in technology. Engineering knowledge is applied to improving many things, including the quality of health care, the safety of food products, and the efficient operation of financial systems.

    Read More

  • Civil Engineering Challenges Essay

    1460 Words  | 3 Pages

    The civil engineering field is about gathering and interpreting data, being able to give technical presentations to colleagues, team work to design and build a project, projects range from the design and construction of dams, bridges, buildings, roads, and water supply systems. In most cases the works of engineers are admired and sought after. Engineers play an important role in the development and improvement of a society. Yet, like other technical and non-engineering careers the civil engineers also face issues, for example, regarding ethics, high energy building consumption, increased soil and coastal erosion, inadequate water quality, traffic congestion, and some poor infrastructures resilience to disasters. Another example is that unfortunately in the United Kingdom, the civil engineering industry is highly fragmented with 93% of companies having 14 or fewer employees which is not always a great idea, as written by John Miles in Civil Engineering Informatics. There is also a need to implement new professional and educational approaches to new challenges and new implications that are needed for the twenty-first century society. This paper will introduce and explain five different issues that civil engineers are currently facing and elaborate about how these challenges interrelate to each other.

    Read More

  • Electrical Engineering: An Essay On Electrical Engineering

    1012 Words  | 3 Pages

    Civil engineering is a very demanding yet fulfilling career, as the engineer is able to work on a project from its inception right to its completion. When you drive over a bridge, see a building, fly out of an airport, or visit a museum, a civil engineer has had a major part in that

    Read More

  • Contributions of Ancient Civilizations

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ovements on the arch and the dome. Also, they built roads, bridges, harbors, and aqueducts, which they were most famous for. Aqueducts were a revolutionary invention that carried water from the hills to the cities. Even today, the principal of the aqueducts enables many urban areas to have water. The lasting contributions of the Roman Empire have helped to shape modern living.

    Read More

  • Civil Engineering

    1849 Words  | 4 Pages

    Chua, Ian Y. H. Civil and Structural Engineering Resource Web. 29 Jan. 2000. 2 Mar.

    Read More

  • Essay On Civil Engineering

    1080 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today's society we can't imagine our infrastructures without the help of civil engineers. It all started with the ancient civilizations. It started off with the Egyptians and the Mayans. In this essay I will discuss the history of civil engineering ,famous engineers and the prospects of engineering in the future years.

    Read More

  • A Brief History of Engineering

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    Engineering has been around since the early ages of man. The wheel was thanks to primitive engineering, as was the light bulb and telephone. Engineering has served many developing countries and helped those in need. For example, prosthetic arms serve those without necessary limbs, the WaterWheel-created by Wello- aids people in developing countries as they carry large amounts of water.

    Read More

More about The History and Importance of Civil Engineering

Open Document