what is civil construction?
Civil construction is the creation of infrastructure involving anything to do with water, earth, or transport.
It is a branch of Civil Engineering involved with the maintenance, design, and construction of environments such as roads, railways, buildings, water reservoirs, subdivisions, airports, bridges, sewer systems, tunnels, and dams.
The civil construction industry consists of the individuals and companies involved in the planning, creation, and designing of our infrastructure.
Civil construction truly shapes the world around us, and with the new technology that is increasing productivity, civil construction projects can now be done with a quicker schedule.
It's responsible for the majority of structures we use that isn't privately owned.
Everything from massive bridges for transportation to walkway construction and wastewater treatment centers to dams, the civil field encompasses some of the most essential building projects that are completed in our world each year.
The sector truly helps humans get where they want to be in addition to what they need.
In the article below, we will take a closer look a Civil Construction.
Table of Contents
- What is Civil Construction
- Role of Civil Engineers
- Work performed in the Civil Construction Industry
- Projects in Civil Construction?
- Future of Civil Construction
What Is Civil Construction?
Civil projects are usually classified under the umbrella of civil engineering instead of being considered a branch of construction.
This is because of the need for extensive planning and coordination between a variety of engineers and design specialists before any construction can begin.
Civil construction is often defined as a branch of Civil Engineering involved with the maintenance, design, and development of both natural and physically built environments.
Civil construction companies do more than build structures.
They also manage natural and existing environments like water reservoirs, hillsides, and mountain ridges, in addition to other areas that interface with human-made infrastructure.
Contractors bidding on civil projects need to know about grading, erosion control, access rights, public impact, legal regulations, and much more so they can understand what's involved in any given request.
If a civil construction company can't handle every step themselves, they have to be able to subcontract the additional steps properly.
Role of Civil Engineers
Civil engineers are the people in charge of managing construction projects.
Among other things, they are responsible for making the design of the project they are assigned.
Whether it is a transport project, a water or sewerage system project, or more, they take the lead.
Civil Engineers plan, design, and then test the structures before they are ready to be used by the public.
Their work starts at designing the architectural drawings, choosing material for the project, and then working on the design.
They not only think about the structure but also how the construction of the project will affect its surroundings.
They have to be sure they produce an economical, safe, and environmentally stable structure for each of their projects.
Civil engineers can choose from many areas of specialization.
They can choose the fields of municipal engineering, chief civil engineering, structural engineering, construction engineering, water supply distribution engineering, or even transport engineering.
Civil engineers are also required to handle some activities related to site preparation, including excavation, grading large projects, and even earth moving.
They also have to evaluate and monitor the projects and are responsible for ensuring the quality of materials and project structures.
Work performed in the Civil Construction Industry
There are many tasks performed in the industry, including the planning, creation, and maintenance of public infrastructure.
Anything that will make the lives of people easier.
Common work includes:
- Adhering to the guidelines created by the government, local bodies, and clients when planning, creating and maintaining infrastructure
- Tendering the contracts and hiring contractors
- Creating cost estimates and contracts
- Creating infrastructure plans and having these approved by governing bodies and local authorities
- Studying, evaluating, and investigating the land and building sites suitable for the possible creation of infrastructure
- Liaising with governments, clients, and other professionals
- Supervising and monitoring the construction of the infrastructure to ensure it matches the plan
Projects in civil construction
Civil construction often involves structures like city halls or public libraries, but can also take design and construction to another level.
Some of the larger projects handled by the civil sector include:
- Earthwork projects like capping landfills, reshaping flood-prone areas, and building new levees
- Bridges, from basic roadway crossings to massive bridges
- Canals and river stabilization or widening projects for both shipping and recreational goals
- Wastewater treatment plants, holding tanks, settlement ponds, and other essential processing structures
- Railroads, including tracks for light rail, high-speed, and streetcar systems growing in popularity
- Airports, ports, and other major transportation hubs
- Dams and corresponding reservoir tanks or lakes, including systems designed for power generation
- Roadways, ranging from simple-level residential streets to complex overpasses and tunnels
Future of Civil Construction
It is expected that civil engineers will experience significant growth in employment opportunities heading into 2021 and 2022.
Check out our article, New Trends In the Construction Industry, to learn more about how the construction industry is evolving.
More and more engineers will be needed for managing and rebuilding projects like roads, dams, and other buildings.
As your Single Source Solution, see how we can help with your Civil Construction Project.
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