introduction to civil engineering - notes

1. Introduction to Civil Engineering
Unit - 1 – Introduction to Civil Engineering
Model Answers to the University Exam questions
1) What is the role of Civil Engineer in construction of residential building from first stage up to completion?
OR Explain the role of Civil Engineer in various construction activities.
Answer: -
Civil Engineer has key role in construction of building/project ranging from Pre-Planning stage,
Planning stage, project execution stage to Post Completion stage. He is the person who initiates the
activities of any work, or building work, be it house, a factory or any major project. He has to perform
moreover of below mentioned roles: -
a) He has to decide the type of building to be constructed.
b) Perform data collection through research, investigation and survey of land and materials.
c) Prepares Plans, necessary Drawings, Maps etc required for getting Approval from government
authorities and for execution of various activities required for completion of project.
d) Analyses the structure/structural components and designs them, considering available
materials, techniques and skills.
e) Carries out experimental proto-type models, provides solution of various types of problems
faced in various works.
f) Estimates quantities of materials required for the project, lays down specifications for
construction activities Invites tenders and processes contracts of the project.
g) Guides the planning and execution of different activities/works of project.
h) Monitors all the activities involved in project in a coordinated manner.
i) Supervises and controls the quality of materials used and workmanship in project.
j) Completes the project as per the specifications and standards.
k) After completion of project carries day to day upkeep or maintenance of completed projects to
keep them in good condition.
l) And, He is responsible for the risks / success of the work / project undertaken by him.
m) In short Civil Engineer plays central role in all construction activities.
2) “Civil Engineering is very much relevant to other branches of engineering”, explain the statement. OR
How Civil Engineering is relevant to other branches of Engineering? OR Describe the relevance of Civil
Engineering to other branches. OR What is the relevance of Civil Engineering to other branches?
Answer: -
Engineering is an art which converts natural resources effectively and economically in useful
facilities using acquired knowledge. In recent decades engineering field has been diversified in many
branches. Civil engineering being oldest and as it has usefulness to all the other branches of engineering it
is termed as mother branch of Engineering. Role of Civil engineering in development of some of other
branches of Engineering mentioned below will explain the importance and relevance of Civil Engineering to
these branches: -
a) Mechanical Engineering: -
i. Planning, Design, Construction and maintenance of Factory Buildings.
ii. Foundation design, Construction and maintenance for installation of machinery.
b) Electrical Engineering
i. Design, Alignment and erection of transmission towers
ii. Design and erection of power house
c) Telecommunication Engineering
i. Fixing location, Designing and Erection of Transmission and Receiving towers.
d) Chemical Engineering
i. Planning, Design, Construction and maintenance of Chemical Plant.
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2. Introduction to Civil Engineering
ii. Design, Construction and Maintenance of chemical storage plants / Silos etc.
iii. Provision of water supply to plant for processing.
iv. Planning, Design, Construction and Maintenance of Waste water treatment plant.
e) Metallurgical Engineering
i. Location, Design, Construction and Maintenance of Furnace.
f) Offshore Engineering
i. Planning, Design, Construction and Maintenance of Ports, Harbors.
ii. Construction of Jetties and Break-water.
g) Aeronautical Engineering
i. Planning, Design, Construction and Maintenance of Control Tower, Runway, Terminal
Building, Hangars (Sheds for parking and maintenance of airplanes).
h) Automobile Engineering
i. Planning, Design, Construction and Maintenance of Automotive factory building.
ii. Planning, Design, Construction and Maintenance of Workshop for service Centers of
vehicles.
3) Enlist and discuss the scope of various sub-branches of Civil Engineering.
Answer: -
Civil Engineering is Oldest and pioneering branch of engineering. It is closely and directly related to
fulfill the primary needs and wants of human being. Hence it has very wide scope. In order to satisfy the
needs and wants of human beings effectively and economically, it has been subdivided in to various
Disciplines / Branches. Some of the Branches of Civil Engineering and their scope are mentioned below: -
a) Structural Engineering: -It deals with
i. The Analysis, Design and Method of construction of structures.
ii. Enlisting and arranging various elements of structure.
iii. Determining magnitude, direction and nature of forces acting on the structural elements.
iv. Analyzing the effect of these forces on the structural elements and on structure as whole.
v. Designing the structure for safety, serviceability and Economy.
vi. Supervising the execution work with selected and approved materials for construction.
b) Geo-technical Engineering: -It deals with
i. The study of properties of soil.
ii. The study of behavior of soil under loading and changing ground water conditions.
iii. Analyzing and deciding type of foundation for structure.
iv. Helps in designing the pavements for highways, earthen dams and retaining walls etc.
c) Fluid Mechanics: -
i. It deals with the properties and behavior of different fluids, at rest or in motion.
ii. Its sub-branch Hydraulics deals with water.
iii. It helps in designing the hydraulic structures such as dams, spillways, Regulators, Penstocks
etc.
iv. It helps in designing machines which use hydraulic energy such as centrifugal pumps, turbines
etc.
v. It helps to study flow of various fluids in pipes, channels etc.
d) Foundation Engineering: -
i. It deals with planning, design and construction of various types of foundations.
ii. It deals with the selection of type of foundation for different types of soils e.g. Black Cotton
Soil, Silt soil, sand, rocks etc.
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3. Introduction to Civil Engineering
e) Transportation Engineering: -
i. It deals with the transportation of men and materials through a good network of
communication. Transportation engineering has different sub-branches depending upon mode
of transportation as mentioned below.
ii. Highway Engineering: - It deals with the planning, designing and construction of roads. E.g.
National Highways, State highways, District roads etc.
iii. Bridge Engineering: - It deals with design, construction and maintenance of bridges, culverts
etc.
iv. Railway Engineering: - It deals with construction of railway tracks such as Broad gauge, Meter
Gauge, and Narrow Gauge etc.
v. Harbour Engineering: - It deals with design and construction of docks, ports and harbour etc.
vi. Airway: - It deals with the design, construction and maintenance of run-ways, control towers,
Terminal buildings, hangars etc.
f) Environmental Engineering: -
i. It deals with the water supply to household, commercial premises and Industries along with
disposal of waste water after proper treatment.
ii. It deals with deciding the location for collection of water for treatment and supply.
iii. It deals with planning, designing and construction of water treatment plants and supply
potable (safe to drink) water to the public.
iv. It deals with treatment of waste water, solid wastes, toxic wastes and their disposal.
v. It deals with improvement and protection of the environment
g) Irrigation Engineering: -
i. It deals with the supply of water to cultivate land.
ii. It deals with storing of water by construction of dams, reservoirs.
iii. It deals with supply of water by construction of canals, headworks, distribution of channels for
cultivating land.
h) Surveying, Leveling and Remote Sensing: -
i. Surveying is fundamental sub-branch of civil engineering.
ii. Surveying deals with determining the relative positions of points on the surface of the earth.
iii. Leveling is an art of determining the relative height of the points on the surface of the earth.
iv. Remote sensing uses the technique of getting the data of an area by taking aerial photographs.
i) Construction Management: -
i. It deals with the planning, monitoring and controlling of various activities involved in
construction of projects.
ii. It deals with the method of construction of projects.
iii. It deals with the Appraisal of the projects.
iv. It deals with the management of materials required for the project.
4) Explain about general scope of Civil Engineering in today’s world.
Answer: - Civil engineering is oldest branch of engineering. It deals with fulfillment of needs and wants of
human being. General scope of Civil engineering being very wide, we can only mention some of the points
in the scope. Scope of Civil Engineering includes
a) Providing shelter: - The aim is to provide home where man lives and relaxes. In today’s world
population density is increasing day by day. In order to make human life better, living conditions need
to be better. With limited available space of land, Bunglows, Apartment buildings, sky-scrapers are the
answer for it.
b) Water supply: - The aim is to provide potable (safe to drink) water to the people and industries.
c) Providing work spaces: - The aim is to provide buildings for installation of machinery, industry, power
stations, mills and factories etc.
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4. Introduction to Civil Engineering
d) Providing Recreational places: - The aim is to provide recreational facilities for the public. IT includes
gardens, auditoriums, cinema theatres and sports grounds etc.
e) Providing Transportation / Communication facilities: - The aim is to provide facilities like roads,
railways, bridges, aerodromes, sea-ports, docks etc. for transportation of man and materials.
f) Providing Irrigation facilities: - The aim is to provide water for cultivating land in every season by
construction of dams, spillways and canals etc.
g) Providing Electricity Generation Facilities: - Today we cannot imagine world without electricity. To
generate electricity Civil Engineer has to construct hydro electric Power stations, construct Nuclear
power plants and thermal power plants etc.
In short Civil Engineering is involved in all the activities of human beings. It therefore has very wide
scope and application.
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