4 answers
1
Question
Asked
1700 views
What is the toughest part of being a civil engineer?
I aspire to be a civil engineer and work on projects to aids cities and peoples water access and housing. #civil #engineering
Login to comment
4 answers
Updated
Peter’s Answer
If you like the idea of engineering because you've been good at science and math, you may want to think about the difference between a lab or a machine shop (precise work under controlled conditions, with opportunities to keep trying until it works) versus a construction site and potentially a hostile environment (where there are many things that have to be done right the first time, and many things that are subject to rare but extreme risks).
When I was working on my first major project after getting my bachelor's in CivE, involving construction of a radically innovative processing unit at a chemical plant, there were large uncertainties about what we would find when we started excavating for the foundations; there were also major complexities in estimating the loads of massive equipment being placed (unconventionally) on the second floor rather than the ground floor of a structure. At one point, I recall saying "In other words, the first things we need to know are the last things we'll be able to find out." This wound up as a sign on the wall of our primary design contractor.
Another distinctive feature of civil engineering projects is long time lines from concept to construction. In my next major project, we were looking at building islands some distance off shore in the Arctic Ocean. The project only made sense at certain price levels of various commodities, and those prices depended on technology developments and even geopolitical considerations with huge variations across different scenarios.
I and a co-worker spent one afternoon roughing out conceptual designs for alternatives of what would be worth building, over the next two years, depending on things that might take a decade or more to become known, all to decide whether to tell an onsite crew to make another test that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to perform, while they were charging us $20,000 a day to wait for our instructions. If that sounds like fun, then this could be your thing. If not, then perhaps not.
Consider whether you would rather work on unique projects with high risks in remote or exotic locations, or would prefer to work on more "vanilla" projects in more ordinary places.
Consider whether you would rather work for the owner of the project, reviewing but not performing the raw engineering and construction work, or whether you would rather work for the (usually) contractor that has to bid for the hands-on opportunity but takes less of the risk.
Recognize that if you are OK with building bridges, highways and office buildings, that's "just" Civil Engineering, while working on more innovative and challenging (and higher-paying) projects requires also knowing more about MechE, OceanE, EE (due to exotic active structures and their control systems) and project economics.
When I was working on my first major project after getting my bachelor's in CivE, involving construction of a radically innovative processing unit at a chemical plant, there were large uncertainties about what we would find when we started excavating for the foundations; there were also major complexities in estimating the loads of massive equipment being placed (unconventionally) on the second floor rather than the ground floor of a structure. At one point, I recall saying "In other words, the first things we need to know are the last things we'll be able to find out." This wound up as a sign on the wall of our primary design contractor.
Another distinctive feature of civil engineering projects is long time lines from concept to construction. In my next major project, we were looking at building islands some distance off shore in the Arctic Ocean. The project only made sense at certain price levels of various commodities, and those prices depended on technology developments and even geopolitical considerations with huge variations across different scenarios.
I and a co-worker spent one afternoon roughing out conceptual designs for alternatives of what would be worth building, over the next two years, depending on things that might take a decade or more to become known, all to decide whether to tell an onsite crew to make another test that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to perform, while they were charging us $20,000 a day to wait for our instructions. If that sounds like fun, then this could be your thing. If not, then perhaps not.
Peter recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Mark’s Answer
Hi May!
As I read your question I was thinking about just how tough some projects can be... I mean think about things that were built 100 years ago and now, it's breaking down. Pipes rust, levees collapse, the list goes on.
I didn't see this one coming, but as I researched your question it made a lot of sense. The toughest thing is dealing with people! Dealing with people you work with and different cultures is one thing, but dealing with the public can be tough. It's basically impossible to make everyone happy and that has to be the toughest thing to achieve.
Good luck!
Mark
As I read your question I was thinking about just how tough some projects can be... I mean think about things that were built 100 years ago and now, it's breaking down. Pipes rust, levees collapse, the list goes on.
I didn't see this one coming, but as I researched your question it made a lot of sense. The toughest thing is dealing with people! Dealing with people you work with and different cultures is one thing, but dealing with the public can be tough. It's basically impossible to make everyone happy and that has to be the toughest thing to achieve.
Good luck!
Mark
Updated
Mathew’s Answer
Great question! When I read it, I think about two different angles - firstly, the difficulties in doing the job itself, and secondly, the impact a career in civil engineering can have on your life more broadly. Taking each in turn:
Firstly - the toughest facet of civil engineering is also one of the best things about it - that the results of your efforts have to manifest in physical, visible structures or assets. For example, as a designer, your calculations and drawings have to actually be built and survive in the physical world! This means there's nowhere to hide - an incorrect calculation or drawing may mean that the structure or asset can't be built, or fails in operation. Similarly, as a site engineer, trying to build the thing - you have to deal on a day-to-day basis with the real, physical practicalities of building stuff.
But, whilst this principle creates tough challenges, it's also the beauty of civil engineering. At the end of a day's, week's, month's or year's work, you'll be able to actually see and touch the results of your work. This is not the same for many other professions!
Secondly, regarding the impact on your life - again I would say there are two sides to they story here. To work on interesting, exciting, large scale projects will probably require you to travel for work, to different parts of the country, region, or globe, potentially spending time away from your family, or uprooting them every few years as you change projects. But for many, the prospect of travel is also an exciting one, and can be part of a fulfilling career and life.
Good luck with whatever career you pursue!
Firstly - the toughest facet of civil engineering is also one of the best things about it - that the results of your efforts have to manifest in physical, visible structures or assets. For example, as a designer, your calculations and drawings have to actually be built and survive in the physical world! This means there's nowhere to hide - an incorrect calculation or drawing may mean that the structure or asset can't be built, or fails in operation. Similarly, as a site engineer, trying to build the thing - you have to deal on a day-to-day basis with the real, physical practicalities of building stuff.
But, whilst this principle creates tough challenges, it's also the beauty of civil engineering. At the end of a day's, week's, month's or year's work, you'll be able to actually see and touch the results of your work. This is not the same for many other professions!
Secondly, regarding the impact on your life - again I would say there are two sides to they story here. To work on interesting, exciting, large scale projects will probably require you to travel for work, to different parts of the country, region, or globe, potentially spending time away from your family, or uprooting them every few years as you change projects. But for many, the prospect of travel is also an exciting one, and can be part of a fulfilling career and life.
Good luck with whatever career you pursue!
Updated
Brayden’s Answer
Hello!
You ask a good question because I dont think many people think about the challenges that they are going to face once they get into their occupation. Most people simply complete their studies and then go out and try and find a job, never thinking about the potential projects or challenges that they face for years to come. While Im not a civil engineer I am in the engineering filed and I would say the biggest challenges that we all face is time. While time is a pretty broad topic the biggest challenges that I see at my work is simply not having enough time in the day, week, month, etc. to finish projects in the allotted time. As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic our society is very fragile and small hiccups here and there can cause major problems down the road and its affects are still being seen today. We see this today in contracts being unable to get the supplies and materials that they need in order to finish the job. Lumber is a items that has tripled in price since the pandemic because of lack of lumberman and the fact that everyone is building. People are now working from home more than ever and because of that more people are making renovations to their home to make it more comfortable for them to work remote. These events begin this avalanche affect where projects are now weeks behind of schedule because of lack of supplies and people and its only getting worse.
The only real solution for something like this is time management and management as a while to priortize tasks and to be always thinking head looking for problems that may arise down the road.
Hopefully this helps!
You ask a good question because I dont think many people think about the challenges that they are going to face once they get into their occupation. Most people simply complete their studies and then go out and try and find a job, never thinking about the potential projects or challenges that they face for years to come. While Im not a civil engineer I am in the engineering filed and I would say the biggest challenges that we all face is time. While time is a pretty broad topic the biggest challenges that I see at my work is simply not having enough time in the day, week, month, etc. to finish projects in the allotted time. As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic our society is very fragile and small hiccups here and there can cause major problems down the road and its affects are still being seen today. We see this today in contracts being unable to get the supplies and materials that they need in order to finish the job. Lumber is a items that has tripled in price since the pandemic because of lack of lumberman and the fact that everyone is building. People are now working from home more than ever and because of that more people are making renovations to their home to make it more comfortable for them to work remote. These events begin this avalanche affect where projects are now weeks behind of schedule because of lack of supplies and people and its only getting worse.
The only real solution for something like this is time management and management as a while to priortize tasks and to be always thinking head looking for problems that may arise down the road.
Hopefully this helps!