【正文】
ily employ several engineers whose work is coordinated by a system engineer who is in charge of the entire project. In many cases, engineers from other disciplines are involved. In a dam project, for example, electrical and mechanical engineers work on the design of the powerhouse and its equipment. In other cases, civil engineers are assigned to work on a project in another field。 in the space program, for instance, civil engineers were necessary in the design and construction of such structures as launching pads and rocket storage facilities. Throughout any given project, civil engineers make extensive use of puters. Computes are used to design the project’s various elements (puteraided design, or CAD) and to manger it. Computers are a necessity for the modern civil engineer because they permit the engineer to efficiently handle the large quantities of data needed in determining the best way to construct a project. Structural engineering In this specialty, civil engineers plan and design structures of all types, including bridges dams, power plants, supports for equipment, special structures for offshore projects, the United States space program, transmission towers, giant astronomical and radio telescopes, and many other kinds of projects. Using puters, structural engineers determine the forces a structure must resist, its own weight, wind and hurricane forces temperature changes that expand or contract construction materials, and earthquakes. They also determine the bination of appropriate materials: steel, concrete, plastic, stone, asphalt, brick, aluminum, or other construction materials. Water resources engineering Civil engineers in this specialty deal with all aspects of the physical control of water. Their projects help prevent floods, supply water for cities and for irrigation, manage and control rivers and water runoff, and maintain beaches and other waterfront facilities. In addition, they design and maintain harbors, canals, and locks, build huge hydroelectric dams and smaller dams and water impoundments of all kinds, help design offshore structures, and determine the location of structures affecting navigation. 3 Geotechnical engineering Civil engineers who specialize in this filed analyze the properties of soils and rocks that support structures and affect structural behavior. They evaluate and work to minimize the potential settlement of buildings and other structures that stems from the pressure of their weight on the earth. These engineers also evaluate and determine how to strengthen the stability of slopes and how to protect structures against earthquakes and the effects of groundwater. Environmental engineering In this branch of engineering, civil engineers design, build, and supervise systems to provide safe drinking water and to prevent and control pollution of water supplies, both on the surface and underground. They also design, build, and supervise projects to control or eliminate pollution of the land and air. These engineers build water and wastewaters treatment plants, and design air scrubbers