The way we think about civil engineering has changed a great deal over the years. When civil engineers first arrived on the scene, they were mostly men and they used big iron desks and punch-drums to build structures. They then worked with steam shovels and big machines to pour concrete. Slowly, as technology advanced, these civil engineers started using computers to design structures and then used those computers to build civil engineering concepts that could be brought to reality. As the use of computers and technology advanced even further, so too have the civil engineering practices and ethics of civil engineers.
A civil engineer is not just using technology to get a job. They are also using math to create theories and then test those theories. One of the biggest debates in civil engineering is the debate between civil and computer engineering. This is not only a debate about which type of engineer should do the work, but it is also a debate that should influence the decisions that are made by civil engineers everywhere.
For all intents and purposes, civil engineering is "the" civil engineering. This is because it deals with the integrity of the physical structures and it is the one responsible for ensuring that those structures stay standing. Therefore, it behooves all civil engineers to be very good at what they do. The same holds true for computer civil engineering. Not only must an engineer be very good at designing computer software programs, but they also must know how to analyze those software programs and ensure that they are robust and will work when they are being used.
In order to be successful, civil engineers must know the basics of civil engineering. This means that they understand building analysis, stability rating, wind loads, soil resistance, and pressure calculations. Those three topics alone can take an engineer literally hours to learn. Then, they have to apply those concepts to the actual world and use them to decide how to design buildings, structures, bridges, tunnels, and so on.
Computer engineering is a little bit different. Rather than designing actual physical objects, computer engineers create virtual objects. However, the two differ when it comes to what they are designing. Civil engineers create physical structures and civil engineers determine the functionality of those structures. While computer engineers may create the physical components of the object - such as the frame, the walls, and the ceiling - they determine how that object will function within its environment and how it will be used.
Civil engineers must also be familiar with the various programming languages that are being used in computer programs. These languages allow computer programmers to efficiently and accurately model the behavior of the real world. In turn, civil engineers must be able to interpret those programs and use them in their own building designs. Civil engineers must also be familiar with the hardware that is being used in computer programs, which includes computers, hard drives, memory cards, and other electronic devices. They must know how to troubleshoot these electronic components and how to fix problems that arise in them.
There are a variety of differences when it comes to the knowledge base of computer and civil engineering students. However, both schools share some core information and understanding about how and why civil engineering and computer programs work. At the end of the day, both fields produce structures that we all use every day, whether it's a bridge a skyscraper, or a new computer system.
The field of civil engineering has made great advancements in recent years with the invention of such technologies as 3D modeling, computer aided design, and computer aided manufacturing. These advancements have brought about a new awareness among civil engineers as to what is required to design and build practical structures. However, civil engineers are still required to learn the skills of a builder in order to build anything. It is up to the individual student to learn these skills and then put them into practice in order to successfully complete their course of studies. A student who doesn't have these fundamental skills will not be able to learn how to properly construct a useful structure. For this reason, it is very important that each student understand the differences between civil engineering and computer engineering and choose the right path for their future.
