Transcript Civil Engineering - Center for STEM Education

What is a Civil Engineer?
 The oldest branch of the profession of engineering
 Designing, planning or managing construction of
the buildings, roads, water and electric lines, etc…
 Preserve our environment by assisting in the
cleaning up of existing pollution and planning ways to
reduce future pollution of our air, land and water
Types of Civil Engineers
 Environmental- apply scientific theories and
principles to minimize our impact on the
environment. They provide safe water, protect the
environment and habitat, manage waste and ensure
sustainable development
 Geotechnical- deals with soil, rock and underground
water, and their relation to design, construction and
operation of engineering projects
Types of Civil Engineers
 Environmental- minimize human impact on the
environment. They provide safe water, protect the
environment and habitat, manage waste and ensure
sustainable development. Environmental clean-ups
(oil spills, contamination, toxic chemicals).
Types of Civil Engineers
 Geotechnical – the study of the behavior of the earth
soils and bedrock. Investigation of surface and subsurface conditions and materials – determine stability,
chemical properties, and structural capacity
 Where can we put tall buildings? How deep to the
bedrock, the load-bearing part of the foundation?
Types of Civil Engineers
 Structural- design buildings to be stable structures
under different loads – people weight, machinery,
earthquakes, wind, snow, etc.
 How temperatures expand and contract bridges
 How much load a bridge/building can safely hold
Types of Civil Engineers
 Transportation- concerned with the planning,
design, construction, operation and maintenance of
the infrastructure associated with cars, bikes, buses,
trucks, airplanes, boats, and PEDESTRIANS!
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Xf3wXRfbc
Let’s meet some Civil Engineers
 Click here for video:
http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/phy03_vid_bbc
ivilengin/
Shaking Table Activity
Shaking Table Activity
Discussion Questions
1. What kinds of problems do civil engineers solve?
2. In the video segment, notice that the beams in the
building extended from one column to another. The
boy used his arm as a beam, but it was not supported
at the other (the hand) end. What did this mean
about his shoulder? How would things change for him
if he put his hand on a second column?
3. Have you ever observed a building under
construction? What parts could you see?
Bibliography
 http://whatiscivilengineering.csce.ca/civil1.htm
 http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/phy03.sci.p
hys.mfe.bbcivilengin/