The document provides an overview of the construction industry, including its activities and stakeholders. It describes construction as the building of large immobile structures using materials, equipment, labor, and drawings at a construction site. The construction industry encompasses projects like buildings, public works, and industrial structures. It has unique characteristics such as the physical nature of structures, varied demand depending on government and economic factors, and involvement of many parties. The document outlines common construction activities and roles of stakeholders like clients, craft workers, technicians, professionals and managers in the industry.

1. Overview of the
construction industry
LE HOAI NAM
SUBJECT:
PROFESSIONAL
ENGLISH - ENGLISH
FOR CIVIL
ENGINEERING

2. Table of content
 Short reading
 Overview of the construction industry
 The construction industry
 Construction activities
 Stakeholders in construction
 Exercises

3. SHORT READING

4. Short reading – Special
terms
Engineering: The practical application of the findings or
theoretical science so that they can be put to work for the benefit
of mankind. An engineer is a member of the engineering
profession, although this term is also used to refer to someone
who operates or maintains certain kinds of equipment – a railroad
locomotive engineer, for example. In the latter context, the
person referred to is a technician rather than a professional
engineer.
Profession: An occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering,
that requires specialized education at the university level.
Empirical information: Information that based on observation
and experience rather than theoretical knowledge

5. Short reading – Special terms
Civil Engineering: The branch of engineering that deals with the design and construction of structures
that are intended to be stationary such as buildings, dams, and bridges. Among its subdivisions are
structural engineering, dealing with permanent structures; hydraulic engineering, dealing with the
flow of water and other fluids; and environmental/ sanitary engineering, dealing with water supply,
water purification, and sewer systems, as well as urban planning and design.
Mechanical Engineering: the branch of engineering that deals with machines and their uses
Mining and metallurgy: The branch of engineering that deals with extracting metal ores from the
earth and refining them.
Chemical Engineering: The branch of engineering that deals with processes involving reactions
among the elements, the basic natural substances. Petroleum engineering is a subdivision which
deals specifically with processes involving petroleum.
Electrical and Electronic Engineering: The branch of engineering that deals with the effects and
processes that result from the behavior of tiny particles of matter called electrons.

6. Short reading – Special terms
Nuclear Engineering: A modern branch of engineering that deals with the processes that result
from breaking up some particles of matter.
Aqueduct: A structure that is used for transporting water over long distances.
Stress: Physical pressure or other forces exerted on an object. The force of gravity, the natural
pull of the earth, for example, is one of the stresses that acts on an object.

7. OVERVIEW OF
THE
CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY

8. 1. The construction industry
Questions: 1, What is construction? 2, What is the construction
industry? Why is it unique?

9. 1.1.
Construction
 According to study.com:
Construction comes from the word 'construct,' which means
'to build.' Building a sand castle, a fort out of pillows, or a
house of cards are all examples of constructing something. In
engineering terms, construction is usually associated with
large structures like houses, railways, and power plants.

10. 1.1.
Construction
“Construction” can be defined as the progress using
materials, machines or portable plants, based on a detailed
design, performing works to create an immobile structure at
a certain location.
So, to perform construction activities, we need:
+ Materials
+ Equipment
+ Labors
+ Drawings (results of design processes)
All activities are implemented at a certain location, we call
this location as “Construction site”

11. 1.1. Construction
“Construction” differs from “to construct”, “to build”?
“Construction” means the creation
of large structures such as houses,
railways and power plants.

12. 1.2. The
construction
industry
 According to constructionsite-resource.org: “The
Construction Industry is involved in the activity of the
construction of buildings or civil engineering projects and the
maintenance and repair of existing structures.”
 According to the Designing Buildings Wiki
(https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/UK_constructio
n_industry):
“The definition of the construction industry is extended as a
very diverse industry that includes activities ranging from
mining, quarrying and forestry to the construction of
infrastructure and buildings, the manufacture and supply of
products, as well as maintenance, operation and disposal.”

13. 1.2. The construction
industry
Almost all construction projects can be broadly categorized
into one of three types of projects:
+ buildings and houses (residential homes and commercial
skyscrapers)
+ public works (roads, railways, water and waste water
distribution and purification systems, damns, and bridges.)
+ industrial-type structures (refineries, pipelines, power
utilities, manufacturing plants, and telecommunication
infrastructure.)

14. 1.3.
Characteristics
of the
construction
industry
The physical nature of the product:
+ Large, heavy and expensive
+ Required over a wide geographical area
+ Customer tailored
+ A large part of components manufactured elsewhere

15. 1.3.
Characteristics
of the
construction
industry
The ultimate use of the product is:
+ As a mean to further production
+ As an addition to or improvement of the infrastructure of
the economy (e.g., roads)
+ As a social investment (e.g., hospitals)
+ As an investment for direct enjoyment (e.g. housing)

16. 1.3.
Characteristics
of the
construction
industry
The demand for the product is:
+ Determined differently for different types of products
+ Largely dependent on governmental policy
+ Largely dependent on economy cycles

17. 1.3.
Characteristics
of the
construction
industry
Many parties are involved in the process:
+ Owner
+ Architect
+ Contractor
+ Subcontractors
+ Materials and equipment suppliers
+ Regulatory agencies
+ etc.

18. 1.3.
Characteristics
of the
construction
industry
The price determination is a discrete process for each project
and for each piece of work subcontracted (bidding or
negotiations)
Human resources: Growing shortage of skilled workers due
to:
+ 4D Industry Perception (dull, dirty, demanding, and
dangerous)
+ Aging workforce
+ Absence of apparent technology
+ Requirement to travel

19. 1.3. Characteristics of the construction
industry
In summary, the industry is unique in several respects:
(According to Dr Ibrahim Assakkaf (2018) – Construction
Equipment and Methods )
+ Constructors (contractors) strive very hard to work
themselves out of a job. The faster and better they perform,
the sooner they will be looking for another project to build.
+ The products of construction are usually one of a kind
facilities, individually designed and built
+ Construction is inherently a dangerous occupation,
involving large and costly construction equipment.

20. CONSTRUCTION
ACTIVITIES

21. 2. Construction activities - According to
constructionsite-resources.org
GENERAL
CONSTRUCTION AND
DEMOLITION
CONSTRUCTION
REPAIR AND
MAINTENANCE
INSTALLATION OF
FIXTURES AND
FITTINGS (E.G.
ELECTRICAL,
PLUMBING)
BUILDING
COMPLETION (E.G.
PLASTERING,
GLAZING AND
PAINTING)

22. 2. Construction
activities -
According to
Health and
Safety Authority
 Construction (xây dựng)
 Alterations (sửa đổi)
 Converting (chuyển đổi)
 Fitting-out (trang bị)
 Commissioning (nghiệm thu)
 Renovating (cải tạo)
 Repairing (sửa chữa)
 Upkeep (bảo dưỡng)

23. 2. Construction
activities -
According to
Health and
Safety Authority
 Decorating (sự trang trí)
 Maintaining (bảo trì)
 De-commissioning (dỡ bỏ)
 Demolishing (phá dỡ)
 Dismantling (tháo dỡ)
 Assembling (lắp ráp)

24. 2. Construction activities - According
to Health and Safety Authority –
Structures:
 Building
 Railway line or siding (đường sắt)
 Tramway line (đường tàu điện)
 Dock (Cảng, bến thuyền)
 Harbor (cảng)

25. 2. Construction activities -
According to Health and Safety
Authority – Structures:
 Underground or overground cables
(cáp ngầm hoặc cáp nổi)
 Aqueduct (đường ống dẫn nước,
cống)
 Sewer (Cống thoát nước)
 Sewage works (Hệ thống thoát nước
thải)
 Gasholder (Bể chứa khí)
 Road
 Airfield (sân bay)
 Sea defense works (công trình bảo vệ
bờ biển)

26. 2. Construction activities -
According to Health and Safety
Authority – Structures:
 River works (Công trình chỉnh dòng sông)
 Drainage works (Công trình thoát nước)
 Earthworks (Công tác đất)
 Lagoon (đầm phá)
 Dam (đập)

27. 2. Construction activities -
According to Health and Safety
Authority – Structures:
 Wall (tường)
 Caisson (giếng chìm)
 Mast (trụ, cột cao)
 Tower (tháp)
 Pylon (cột , trụ cầu)
 Underground tank (bể ngầm)

28. ROLES IN
CONSTRUCTION

29. 3.1. CLIENT
It is the client who drives the whole process of construction
as they are the party who wants the building/project
constructing. They commission the building and provide the
finance either by using their own money or money from the
banks or investors.
The client can be classed as either
+ Public
+ Private

30. 3.1. CLIENT
 Public
This relates to work carried out for:
+ The Government and its departments
+ Local Authorities

31. 3.1. CLIENT
 Private
+ Individual
+ Companies
+ Institutions
+ Utility companies
+ Housing associations

32. 3.1. CLIENT
The barriers between the two are becoming more blurred in
that contractors and the government is now carrying out
work in partnership under the Private Finance Initiative
The requirement for new construction is influenced by a
number of factors, these are affected by Government
through its policies, which determine the availability, cost of
finance and the state of the economy;

33. 3.2. Other roles
Craft roles
Technical roles
Professional and managerial roles

34. 3.2. 1. Craft
roles
The craft industry covers a whole range of
different trades including:
Wood occupations e.g. Site Joiner, Shop
fitter, Wood Machinist
Exterior occupations e.g. Bricklayer, General
Construction Operative
Interior occupations e.g. Painter and
Decorator, Ceiling Fixer
Specialist occupations e.g. Thatcher (thợ
lợp), Roofer, Scaffolder
Plant occupations e.g. Plant Mechanic, Plant
Operator

35. 3.2.2. Technical
roles
Technical jobs in the sector range from:
 Estimator;
 buyer;
 building technician;
 roofing technician;
 architectural technician;

36. 3.2.2. Technical
roles
Technical jobs in the sector range from:
 civil engineering technicians;
 Computer Aided Design operative;
 construction technician; plant technician;
 roofing technician;
 site engineer;
 and site inspector.

37. 3.2.3. Professional and managerial roles
 Design e.g. Architects, Structural Engineer, Geospatial Modeller
 Surveying e.g. Quantity Surveyor, Building Surveyor, Hydrographic Surveyor
 Management e.g. Construction Manager, Project Manager, Site Supervisor
 Planning e.g. Planner, Facilities Manager, Town Planner
Professional and managerial jobs in the sector range from: senior executive, business
process manager, construction manager, civil engineer, town planner, mechanical
engineer, architect, surveyor, project manager, structural engineer, geospatial modeller,
facilities manager.

38. 3.1. Professional
in the
construction
industry
 Bricklayer (thợ nề)
 Carpenter (thợ mộc)
 Concrete finisher (thợ bê tông)
 Electrician (thợ điện)
 Glazier (thợ kính)
 Ground worker (thợ làm công tác giải phóng mặt
bằng)
 Labourer (lao động thủ công)

39. 3.1. Professional
in the
construction
industry
 Painter and decorator (thợ sơn và thợ trang trí)
 Plant operator (Thợ điều khiển máy)
 Plasterer (Thợ làm thạch cao)
 Plumber (Thợ sửa ống nước: cung cấp, nối, sửa chữa
đường ống nước, hoặc thợ hàn chì đường ống)
 Pipefitter (Thợ nước: lắp đặt, lắp ráp, bảo trì, sửa
chữa đường ống nước)
 Roofer (Thợ lợp mái)
 Steel fixer (Thợ sửa thép, gia công thép)
 Steel erector (thợ lắp ráp kết cấu thép)
 Welder (Thợ hàn)

40. Exercises

41. THANKS THE END