Civil engineering projects – 5 main types

Projects that involve both the construction or renovation of a structure or an alteration of part of the environment are considered part of civil engineering. These projects are quite diverse and can be done anywhere in the world, which is why there are so many disciplines that each civil engineer can focus on during their career.

Some civil engineers will focus on a discipline that is quite popular, while others will secure themselves within a niche that is less popular.  The bonus of a civil engineer focusing on niches that are less popular is the fact that they will quickly become the experts within that field and they will be highly sought after for the work that they do.

Here are 5 types of civil engineering projects:

1. Water engineering

Water engineering is one of the most popular civil engineering projects at the moment, because everyone needs water to survive.  Therefore, it is the job of every civil engineer to determine how natural waterways work and how we can utilize those methods effectively to either direct water or store it for the future.

Currently, most civil engineers in this field are focused on flooding areas, groundwater concerns, and the areas where coastal water is present.  Their knowledge will hopefully lead them to share the best ways for everyone to conserve water now and in the future.

2. Construction and management engineering

Construction and management engineering projects entail the work that is presently being done on bridges, roads, railways, and even buildings. The goal for every civil engineer working on any of these projects is to build them efficiently, so that they can be safe, environmentally friendly, and sustainable for the future.

Once the construction on these items is completed, the civil engineers are responsible for creating a plan that entails how everything will be maintained, operated, and even refurbished in the future.

3. Structural engineering

A few civil engineers specialize in structural engineering, which is why they earned their degree as a structural engineer.  They spend their time designing and analyzing the construction of buildings, towers, bridges, dams, and other similar structures.  These projects take time to design and construct, because they need to be built in a way that will keep them safe, reliable, economical, and sustainable for the long term.

Of course, they should also be quite visually appealing since hundreds or thousands of people will be looking at these items all the time.  These types of projects take a lot of additional skills, especially math and physics, because that is the only way the civil engineers can ensure that each one is sturdy enough for heavy loads or stable enough for use.

4. Geotechnical engineering

The projects that are included within geotechnical engineering include those that interact with the ground.  These civil engineers spend a lot of time looking at the quality of the soil and determining what it is full of, so that they know what they need to do for the project to be successful.  These projects normally include bridges, railways, roads, and tunnels, but the limits are endless, as there is no end of what can be built near the ground.

Since no two areas of ground are the same, and the fact that the ground at one job site might not even be the same in two different areas, civil engineers that specialize in these projects have a difficult job.  However, it is those qualities that normally create excitement within these workers, as it is the soil and what it contains that caused them to choose this line of work.

5. Transport engineering

Transport engineering is another popular type of civil engineering at the moment, because everyone in the world wants to travel, or at least be able to get from one place to another. The projects that are considered part of transport engineering include the planning, design, and operation of any large transportation system.

Whether it is an airport, train station, bus station, or some type of water transportation, civil engineers in this field do it all.  These workers need to ensure that each one of these methods of transportation meets or even exceeds the current standards, especially when it comes to safety and sustainability.

Currently, those who specialize in transport engineering are working hard to keep emissions low and decrease the energy needed for these modes of transportation to work.

These five types of civil engineering may look similar, but each one has unique features that make them quite different from all the others. While all civil engineers can work on any of these projects, most of them will find a specialty that they prefer and will choose to hone their skills within that specialty alone.