CE 416

Lec 3 – The Practice in the Civil Engineering

The Practice in the Civil Engineering

Engineering is a profession of practice.

Civil engineers need a range of skills to aid their practice,
from understanding health and safety, the ability to lead
teams, to the ability to understand detailed contracts.
Civil engineers are responsible for the well-being of the
entire population via water treatment, wastewater
treatment, air pollution control, road design, and design of
dams/buildings/bridges.
 Some interesting thoughts on civil engineering by Bugliarello (1994)
include:

 Civil engineering is “the modification of nature to create and

improve human habitats.”
 Civil engineers work toward an ideal that is “a standard of
perfection, beauty, or moral and physical excellence, especially as
an aim of attainment or realization.”
 Civil engineers strive to “match deep functionality with aesthetics in
every manifestation of the profession.” Engineers should be mindful
that there is a “moral compact between the engineer and world
society.”
 “Professional engineers should work for the welfare of the public.
They are responsible for observing societal needs, and often have
the position and resources to improve society. As professionals,
engineers are expected to set examples in the work field and to
establish themselves as assets to society.” T.D. Oates, 1993

 Engineers must obey contract law in their contractual relationships

with other parties. In cases where an engineer's work fails, they may
be subject to the law of tort of negligence, and in extreme cases,
criminal charges.[1] An engineer's work must also comply with
numerous other rules and regulations such as building
codes and environmental law.
Client-Engineer Relationship

 Customers want to work with engineers who provide excellent service by

respecting their time and needs. However, manufacturing challenges, constant
innovations, and changes to the industry can be a barrier to excellent customer
service. Here are five ways we work with clients to make sure we keep these
relationships strong. (From Pres of Engineering Management Institute)
 1. Maintain an Open Mind
 2. Develop Clear, Concise Communication
 3. Share Information
 4. Treating your Clients as Individuals
 5. Exceed the Client’s Expectations

 https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/5-steps-to-building-and-
maintaining-client-relationships/
1. Maintain an Open Mind

 Healthy collaboration
 Genuinely listen to their input and trust their expertise
 Your expertise is why the client hired you, and it is OK to respectfully push
back on something that won’t benefit the project you are working on

2. Develop Clear, Concise Communication

 Engineers should avoid over-communicating with clients
 Always tell your clients that you are available to discuss a project or ideas
 Tell your clients that you have an interest in their ideas
3. Share Information
 Share information that will help them understand what you do
 Explain to your client during each step of the project what you did, why you did it,
and how you came to the decision
4. Treating your Clients as Individuals
 always be professional in nature
 If your clients feel heard and respected while receiving excellent work, they will be
more likely to return with future projects and even refer new clients.
 Every client communicates differently, so take the time to nurture and understand
the professional relationship you are trying to grow.
5. Exceed the Client’s Expectations
 Not going over budget or time frame and not overpromising
 Set reasonable expectations and stick to those expectations
 This will also lead to client referrals, resulting in even more growth of your engineering
firm
Civil Engineering Services
 Services provided by Civil Engineers can be grouped into seven broad
categories:
A. Consultations, research, investigations, and reports.
B. Design services for construction projects.
C. Construction services.
D. Special services for construction projects.
E. Engineering support services.
F. Academic services.
What are the Roles & Responsibilities of a
Civil Engineer?
 Assess Construction Site – Civil engineers have to assess and do a complete feasibility study
of the construction site. They have to consider many factors, including the impact on
nature and the surrounding environment, and plan accordingly.
 Planning the construction – Civil engineers have to plan out the whole construction
process beforehand. This has to be a systematic process to facilitate the smooth flow of
work. Every step has to be meticulously planned.
 Budgets – If the budget already has been set for the work, it is the job of the civil engineer
to make sure all the construction happens within the budget. If the budget has not been
set, the civil engineer, along with the planner, will take into account the raw materials
required, machinery & equipment costs, labour required for the project, and set the
budget and deadlines accordingly.
 Oversee the Construction – The biggest responsibility of a civil engineer is to oversee the
construction. They have to be there to see the construction being done in phases set by
them. They also check the quality during construction.
 Final Inspection – Before the project can be termed complete, civil engineers have to do a
thorough final inspection of the construction. Once the structure is deemed safe, they
prepare a report and label the construction as complete.
 https://presidencyuniversity.in/what-are-the-roles-responsibilities-of-a-civil-engineer/
Key Skills Required for Civil Engineering
So, if you are interested in civil engineering, here are the skills that you will need to
have:-
 Planning and organizing skills as they are the initial steps in a civil engineer’s
work.
 Strong technical, math, and science skills as they are an integral part of the
construction.
 Construction work is rife with problems as it involves people, products, and
machinery. So, when problems arise you have to be good at sorting them.
 Your team managing and leadership skills will help you manage the various
professionals you are working with, and the workers working for you.
 You also need to have good budgeting skills.
 Meeting deadlines is important as missing any can be a costly affair.
 You also need to know the government and local municipal laws of the area
you will be working in.
Selection of a Civil Engineer
 The selection and engagement of a Civil Engineer is one of the most
important decisions to be made during the development of an engineering
project.
 No two Civil Engineers have the same training, experience, capabilities,
personnel, workloads and particular abilities.
 Selection of the most qualified Civil Engineer for a specific project will result
in a well-planned and designed, economical and successful project
 Selection of a Civil Engineer
The primary move for a client in selecting an engineer is to define the scope of
works in a project. The client should establish administrative policy and criteria for
the selection of qualified Civi Engineers for particular projects. The client
determines performance requirements. The following are factors in the selection
process
 Reputation of the civil engineer as referred by the previous clients.
 Validity of registration from PRC.
 Qualifications and expertise in performing services.
 Possession of financial and business resources to accomplish the assignment.
 CLIENT'S SELECTION COMMITTEE

 In big organizations, the person designated to select the civil engineer

should be familiar with the project requirements and should be free from
pressure - internal or external.
 The committee should comprise of three individuals, one of which is a
professional civil engineer. The individuals should demonstrate objectivity.
Additionally, at least one should be thoroughly familiar with civil
engineering practices.
QUALIFICATION-BASED SELECTION
(QBS) PROCEDURE
 Qualifications-based selection (QBS) (sometimes called “quality-based
selection”) is one of the most common methods of selecting the right
engineers/ architect for the project. In particular, institutions, corporations or
public agencies (sometimes represented by a committee) use this method.
QBS is a system that chooses on the basis of professional qualifications and
competence. This procedure will provide your project with the best-
qualified engineer/architect with whom you can develop a professional
relationship.
 By invitation or by public notice, state the general nature of the project, the
service required, and request statements of qualifications and experience
from Civil Engineers who appear to be capable of meeting the project
requirements.
-Thank You-