THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND

HIS DUTIES
GROUP 8
 SCOPE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
• Civil engineering is the oldest branch of
engineering which is growing right from the
stone age of civilization.
• It is define as the profession in which a
knowledge of the mathematical and physical
sciences gained by study, experience and
practice is applied with judgment to develop
ways to utilize economically the materials and
forces of the nature for the progressive well
being of man.
 FIELD OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND
THEIR SCOPE
• Civil engineering may be divided into the
following fields:
• (i) Building materials
• (ii) Building construction
• (iii) Structural engineering
• (iv) Geotechnical engineering
• (v) Hydraulics, water resources and irrigation
engineering
• (vi) Water supply and sanitary engineering
• (vii) Environmental engineering
• (viii) Transportation engineering
• (ix) Surveying
• (x) Estimation and specification
• (xi) Management techniques
 Building materials

• Shelter is the basic need of civilized society.

Stones, bricks, timber and lime concrete are
the traditional materials used for the
construction of houses and other buildings.
• The invention of cement and concrete has
pro divided durable buildings.
• Reinforced concrete which is composite
construction of steel and concrete has
helped in building large structure.
• Steel, aluminum, glass, plastics, glazed tiles,
plaster of Paris, linoleum, paints and
varnishes have improved the quality of
buildings.
• Improved versions of many building
materials keep on appearing in the market
regularly.
• A civil engineer has to make use of all these
materials judiciously.
 Building construction
• Fast rate of urbanization and increase in the
cost of land has forced to go for the vertical
growth of buildings.
• In metropolitan cities, 25 storey buildings
are becoming common.
• Even in small towns 3 to 4 storey buildings
have become common.
• This requirement has brought in new
building technologies.
• Continuous research and development
in construction technology is going on
to see that huge investment in building
is utilized at the earliest.
• Low cost housing is the need of the
day to make poor people afford their
own houses.
• Civil engineers have to look into the
problems of rural areas and urban
poor people also.
 Structural engineering
• Before building a structure, it should be
analyzed and designed to decide about its size
to resist the possible forces coming on it.
• The structure should be safe and at the same
time its components should be as small as
possible.
• Up to mid sixties lot of improvements were
seen in the classical methods of analysis. Need
of tall structures and improvements in
computers gave rise to matrix method and finite
element method of analysis.
• Requirement of large column free structures
gave rise to analysis and design of shell roofs
(curved surfaces), geodetic towers and
tension structures
• Disasters due to earthquakes have made
civil engineers to study earthquake forces
and build earthquake resistant structures. It
needs the knowledge of structural dynamics.
• Hence, there is need for studying
mathematical optimization techniques. All
these aspects of analysis and design fall
under structural engineering field.
• A civil engineer has to not only give a safe
structure but he has to give an economical
structure also.
 Geotechnical Engineering
• All structures have to finally transfer the
load acting on them to soil safely.
• Soil property changes from place to place.
Even in the same place it may not be
uniform at different depth and in different
seasons.
• Hence, a civil engineer has to properly
investigate soil and decide about the safe
load that can be spread on the soil.
• Apart from finding safe bearing capacity for
foundation of buildings, geotechnical
engineering involves various studies
required for the design of pavements,
tunnels, earthen dam, canals and earth
retaining structures. It involves study of
ground improvement techniques also.
 Hydraulics, Water Resources and
Irrigation Engineering
• Water is an important need for all living
beings.
• Study of mechanics of water and its flow
characteristics is another important field in
civil engineering and it is known as
hydraulics.
• Requirement of water in cities for domestic
purpose and for industries is continuously
increasing.
• Rural areas need water for agricultural field
also.
• Hence civil engineers have to look for new
water resources and for storing them.
• This branch of civil engineering is known as
water resources engineering. Water stored
in reservoirs by building bunds and dams
should be brought to agricultural fields
through canals and distributaries. Study
connected with this aspect is known as
irrigation engineering.
Water Supply and Sanitary Engineering
• When water is required for drinking purpose
it should be purified and made potable.
Purification of water and the technology
involved in taking it to the houses is known
as water supply engineering.
• Waste water and solid waste should be
treated and disposed so that they do not
create health hazard. This branch of civil
engineering is known as sanitary
engineering
 Environmental Engineering
• Apart from tackling solid and waste water
disposal civil engineers have to tackle air
pollution problem also. Due to
industrialization air pollution is becoming a
major problem.
• It is estimated that for every tone of cement
produced one tone of CO2 is released to
environment.
• Vehicles also produce lot of CO2.
• Hence environmental engineering is emerging
as an important field of study in civil
engineering
 Transportation Engineering
• Transportation facility is another important
need. Providing good and economical road
links is an important duty of civil engineers.
• It involves design and construction of base
courses, suitable, surface finishes, cross
drainage works, intersections, culverts,
bridges and tunnels etc.
• Railways is another important long-way
transport facility. Design, construction and
maintenance of railway lines are parts of
transportation engineering.
• Globalization has resulted into requirement
of airports and harbors.
• For proper planning of these transport
facilities, traffic survey is to be carried out.
Carrying out traffic survey and then
planning, designing, construction and
maintenance of roads, railways, bridges,
tunnels, airports and harbors is known as
transportation engineering.
 Surveying
• For planning all developmental activities,
proper maps are required.
• The science of map making is known as
surveying.
• Survey maps provide the relative positions
of various objects of the area in the
horizontal as well as vertical directions.
• Earlier conventional instruments like chain,
tape, compasses, theodolites and levels
were used for various measurements in
surveying.
• In this electronic era the modern equipment
like electronic distance meters and total
stations are used for measurements.
• Modern technology like remote sensing has
made surveying vast area in a short period
possible.
Estimation and Specification
• Civil engineers have to prepare estimation
and detailed specifications for each and
every work to be taken up.
 Management Techniques
• Civil engineers must manage, men,
materials and equipment efficiently. Since
huge funds are to be handled in civil
engineering projects, a civil engineer must
know the basics in financial management
and legal obligations.
• Knowledge of management techniques is an
asset to practicing civil engineer.
 ROLE OF CIVIL ENGINEER IN SOCIETY
• A civil engineer has to conceive, plan,
estimate, get approval, create and maintain
all civil engineering activities.
• Civil engineer has very important role in the
development of the following infrastructure:
• (i) Measure and map the earth’s surface.
• (ii) Plan new townships and extension of
existing towns.
• (iii) Build the suitable structures for the rural
and urban areas for various utilities.
• (iv) Build tanks and dams to exploit water
resources.
• (v) Build river navigation and flood control
projects.
• (vi) Build canals and distributaries to take
water to agricultural fields.
• (vii) Purify and supply water to the needy
areas like houses, schools, offices etc.
• (viii) Provide and maintain communication
systems like roads, railways, harbors and
airports.
• (ix) Devise systems for control and efficient
flow of traffic.
• (x) Provide and maintain solid and waste
water disposal system.
• (xi) Monitor land, water and air pollution
and take measures to control them.
• Fast growing industrialization has put heavy
responsibilities on civil engineers to preserve
and protect environment.
CIVIL ENGINEER ETHICS
AND ITS DEFINITION
If the code serves as a road map to ethical
conduct, it is a road map that can only
serve its purpose when it is examined and
its contents are understood. While space
limitations preclude publishing the code
here in its entirety, the following article
lists the current code's fundamental
canons and summarizes the ethical issues
and principles informing them.
1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of
the public and shall strive to comply with the principles of sustainable
development in the performance of their professional duties.
-Under this canon an engineer is expected not only to protect the public
in his or her own work but also to take action if he or she has knowledge
that any other person's actions may undermine the public welfare, a
requirement that may include reporting such actions to a government
authority with the power to act on behalf of the public.

2. Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.

-for example, the requirement to take work only when qualified by
education or experience to carry out the work, this canon means
that an engineer may not seal an engineering plan or document
unless that document has been prepared or reviewed under his or
her supervisory control.

3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and

truthful manner.
-This canon considers the many ways in which an engineer may share his or
her expertise with the public and reflects principles that underlie many
other provisions of the code.
4. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful
agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
-Engineers may not use confidential information in a way that is detrimental to
an employer's or client's interests, may not take part in decisions as a public
servant for services involving their own private practice, and are obliged to
notify their employers before availing themselves of outside employment
opportunities or engaging in work that may give rise to a conflict of interest.

5. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and
shall not compete unfairly with others.
-An important point to remember here is that this canon does not restrict
competition among engineers per se, only methods by which an engineer may
attempt to gain an unfair advantage over his or her competitors. Such unfair
practices include bestowing gifts or gratuities to obtain work, falsely portraying
one's qualifications and credentials, taking credit for the work of another, and
maliciously criticizing the work of another.

6. Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity,
and dignity of the engineering profession and shall act with zero tolerance for bribery,
fraud, and corruption.
-It promotes transparency and scrupulous control of funds and prohibits engineers
from knowingly participating in fraudulent or dishonest practices.
7. Engineers shall continue their professional development
throughout their careers, and shall provide opportunities for the
professional development of those engineers under their
supervision.
-The final canon is unique in that its focus is on professional growth
rather than professional conduct. Engineers are encouraged to
continue honing their skills, to share their knowledge by, for
example, attending conferences and seminars, and to support the
development of engineer employees by providing them with an
environment that encourages professional growth and licensure.
COURTESY IN THE WORKPLACE
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
In business, the relationship you build are critical.
Establishing good rapport is significant if you want to
progress your professional future , take on new clients,
impress your boss, or close that final sale.

It is important that you make a good first impression! Being

courteous is essential when meeting someone new, because
the average person only takes 7 seconds to make their first
impression to someone.

A person who is kind & polite is normally a well-liked

member of society.

“Courtesy is part of being Professional”

1. Treat people with politeness, respect, and kindness.

2. Encourage coworkers to express opinions and ideas.

3. Listen to what others have to say before expressing

your viewpoint. Never speak over, butt in, or cut off
another person. Listen! And stop formulating rebuttals
and responses in your mind when you need to focus
on listening to other person.

4. Use peoples’ ideas to change or improve work.

5. Never insult people, use name calling, disparage or

put down people or their ideas.
6. Be aware of your body language, the tone of voice, and
your demeanor and expression in all of your interactions at
work.

7. Improve your own ability to interact with coworkers and

bosses in a way that emphasizes the knowledge you have
gained from your awareness of people and your emotional
intelligence.

8. Treat people the same no matter their race, gender, size,

age. Implement policies and procedures consistently, so
people feel that they are treated fairly and equally.

9. Include all coworkers in meeting, trainings, & events.

While not every person can participate, do not marginalize,
exclude or leave any one person out. Provide an equal
opportunity for employees to participate in committees,
task forces, or continuous improvement teams.
DUTIES OF CLIENT AND EMPLOYEES
A client can decide to end a contract for services at any
time and for no particular reason, even if the provider of
services is doing a good job. However, to do this, the
client must follow certain rules:
Client must act in good faith:
This means that he can't end the contract just to needlessly
harm the provider of services. A client who ends a contract
abusively might have to pay the provider of services damages.

Client usually has to pay the provider of services for

the following:
1. The work performed (e.g., the number of hours already worked)
2. The expenses incurred (e.g., equipment rental costs)
3. Materials used that can't be removed by the provider of services (e.g.,.
metal parts welded to the body of a car being repaired) or that can't be
used for something else (e.g., motorcycle parts that can only be used for a
very rare model.
4. Losses suffered by the provider of services due to the cancellation of the
contract.
Your employer has a responsibility to provide and maintain, as far
as practicable, a safe working environment, under section 19(1) of
the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984. This is called the
employer's 'duty of care' and it applies regardless of the terms or type
of your employment and includes casual workers.

The employer's 'duty of care' to their employees includes protecting

you from both physical hazards (for example, slippery floors, heavy
loads, unguarded machinery and hazardous substances) and
'psychosocial' workplace hazards (for example, workplace bullying,
violence and aggression).

A worker is anyone working for or under the control of contractor on a

construction site. Examples of workers includes: Plumbers,
Electricians, Scaffolders, Painters, Decorators, Steel Erectors and
Labourers, as long as Supervisors like Foremen.
The employer's 'duty of care' means that your employees must,
as far as practicable:
• Provide and maintain workplaces, plant and systems of work
so that you and other workers are not exposed to hazards;
• Provide information about the hazards and risks from your
job;
• Provide you with instruction, training (including an induction)
and supervision so you are able to work safely;
• Consult and co-operate with safety and health representatives
(if any) and employees about safety and health;
• Where it is not practicable to avoid the presence of hazards,
provide adequate personal protective clothing and
equipment without any cost to you; and
• Ensure your safety and health in relation to plant and
hazardous substances at the workplace so you are not exposed
to hazards.
CODE OF COURTESY
COURTESY
According to Merriam- Webster:
• Polite behavior that shows
respect for other people.
• Provided for free.
PROFESSIONAL COURTESY
Generally refers to a philosophy of
particular professional behavior or
etiquette which is extended between
members of the same profession.
The concept of professional
courtesy s believed to have originated
within the ancient practice of medicine
by where physicians provided services to
other physicians without charge.
PROFESSIONAL COURTESY

Responsibilities of engineers (Baum, 1983):

1. Recognize the right of each individual
potentially affected by a project to
participate to an appropriate degree in the
making of decisions concerning that
project
2. Do everything in their power to provide
complete, accurate, and understandable
information to all potentially affected
parties
THANK YOU! 