Civil/Structural Engineering

Civil engineers build real cities, from roads and bridges to tunnels, public buildings, and sewer systems. Projects have three phases: preconstruction planning, implementation, and infrastructure maintenance. The preconstruction phase involves surveying land, reviewing plans, assessing funding and needs, then making decisions about schedule, materials, and staffing. Most work is done indoors during this phase. Implementation is when construction begins, and many civil engineers spend considerable time on-site reviewing progress and coordinating all construction. One engineer said, "Sometimes you live out there for two or three days at a time." Problems must be solved on the spot, and civil engineers are the only ones with the knowledge and responsibility to do so. Infrastructure maintenance, which includes stress-tests, evaluations, and on-going support, takes place after construction is finished. Civil engineers move back to their offices to wrap up all paperwork and make all final adjustments to the project. Then it is time to start the process again. Civil engineers work hard. Hours can be long, government funding cuts can destroy a project, deadlines are firm, and weather can throw projects off schedule. If the timetable degenerates, an engineer has to overcome scheduling obstacles with ingenuity. Nearly all our surveys mentioned creativity as the first or second-most important trait a civil engineer can have. About half of all civil engineers are employed by federal, state, or local governments, which means they must be ready for bureaucratic delays, political stalls, and lots and lots of paperwork. Though civil engineers don't know where or when their next project will be, this doesn't seem to faze them. "Projects can last up to ten years, so it's not exactly like you're moving every week," said one engineer we spoke with. Satisfaction is strong; most wouldn't trade their occupation for any other.

Structural engineers are employed primarily by government agencies responsible for inspecting construction projects for safety and adherence to local and federal building standards. Structural engineers work with people in related professions, such as electricians and drywallers, to obtain information about construction sites and about these workers' roles in any project. SEs don't mind that some see them as the police of the construction industry; most enjoy making sure that structures are safe and sound. "If we don't do our job, everyone pays," wrote one SE, who noted that people just assume the places they live, play, and work are all safe. Without the work that a structural engineer does, all of these assumptions "would come crumbling down. " Much of the structural engineer's job takes place on-site, often outdoors, at the various stages of construction of public and private projects. SEs often work closely with construction managers and have to be careful to avoid forming relationships that could cloud their professional judgment. "They all want to be your friend so you'll help them out," one SE wrote, "but you can't be." The structural integrity of a building is based on sound engineering principles and the use of high-quality materials; no amount of amicability can keep a building standing without those things. Many noted that construction managers will argue for the integrity of their constructions when they do not meet building codes. Structural engineers have to be above reproach at their jobs; too much is at stake for everyone involved. An unusual aspect of being a structural engineer is that an engineer has to understand the timing of construction projects better than the construction manager himself. This is because random inspections and unsupervised tours through the construction site are critical to keeping builders honest and the public safe. If a structural engineer conducts these inspections at a time when construction is stalled, insignificant, or complete, he cannot tell whether the work was done properly without tearing down the building. "You've got to know when a company is most likely to have problems and watch them like a hawk," wrote one, claiming that structural engineers are so in tune with tomfoolery in the industry that an interview, offsite, with the construction manager can tell them whether the job is being done correctly or not. Not all agreed on using ESP to assess construction managers. They did agree that structural engineers have to have a keen eye for detail and a comprehensive understanding of building standards and materials and that their job is a difficult, important, and rewarding one.

For free calculations go to the Calculator page. The calculators should be used with caution. Many of these calculators are not verified and are only intended to provide for a starting point in performing a design calculations. All final design calculations should be performed using verified and validated programs or calculators that have documented evidence of the verification and validation.

The following links have been reviewed and approved to be the best civil/structural engineering information available on the internet, so please enjoy and if you have a better link of civil/structural engineering information, email it to SiteManager@i-edainc.com .

Civil Engineering Virtual Library
Georgia Institute of Technology hosts this index which includes universities, organizations, government agencies, and commercial sites.

American Society of Civil Engineers
Organization and membership information. Publications information includes employment classifieds.

CivilEngineeringJobs.Com
Posts job openings for civil engineers in fields including construction, research and water resources. Submit a resume and get the newsletter.

Engineering Software Center
Browse the company database and find civil engineering software specifications by category or keyword. Join in a discussion and read reviews.

ICE - Civil Engineering Resources
Cornell University offers Internet Connections for Engineering, a list of links to organizations, companies and research centers.

Civil Engineering Virtual Exposition
Discover civil engineering news and publications, view exhibition booths, and find info for concrete, geotechnical, road, and water engineering.

Civil Engineering Research Foundation
Learn about the organization's goals, research projects, events, publications and technology centers.

CE News Online
Monthly magazine offers news, features, opinions and advice to civil engineers. Search article abstracts, find contacts, or check events.

Civil Engineering Scholarly Societies
Catalogues Web pages and gopher servers maintained by or for scholarly societies across the world.

Civil & Structural Engineering ResourceWeb
Engineer from the Singapore Housing & Development Board furnishes a large links to resources on the web, including universities and software.

Civil Engineering Conference and Exposition 2000
Get details about the annual meeting's program, events, exhibits, registration procedure and Seattle location.

Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering
Published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Examine the table of contents, order a subscription, or read the mission statement.

Canadian Society for Civil Engineering
Presents committee reports, membership information and publications from this professional body.

Institution of Civil Engineers
Organization with international membership offers meeting announcements, a publications catalog, a FAQ and membership information.

Bridgesite Offers news and histories of bridge engineering and construction. Visit the book store, take the quiz, or check the job announcements.
Build It & Bust It Place for engineers to use those skills, offering the opportunity to build, test and review designs through the use of a Java applet.
Bunau-Varilla, Philippe Jean - MSN Encarta Contains a description of the Paris-born engineer's role in the construction of the Panama Canal.
Civil & Structural Engineering ResourceWeb Engineer from the Singapore Housing & Development Board furnishes a large links to resources on the web, including universities and software.
Civil Engineering Virtual Exposition Discover civil engineering news and publications, view exhibition booths, and find info for concrete, geotechnical, road, and water engineering.
Civil Engineering Virtual Library Georgia Institute of Technology hosts this index which includes universities, organizations, government agencies, and commercial sites.
Eiffel Tower Equation A math challenge based on the calculations of Gustave Eiffel, the structral engineer who designed Paris' Eiffel Tower.
ICE - Civil Engineering Resources Cornell University offers Internet Connections for Engineering, a list of links to organizations, companies and research centers.
iCivilEngineer Search this resource to find technological reports, research data and questionnaires related to the field of engineering. Browse popular topics.
Information Technology in Construction Offered by the Univ. of Ljubljana in Slovenia, this directory features links to bibliographies, research projects and software.
Live! - Civil Engineering Publications Students of civil engineering can find full-text articles and trial publications with the help of links posted by the LookSmart Live! community.
Lund University - The Civil Engineer's Mega Bookmark Collection of resources features links to professional organizations, mailing lists, universities, research tips and building codes.
MSN Encarta - Artesian Well Find a definition of the type of well where pressure at the bottom forces water up to ground level.
MSN Encarta - Canal General guide to the canal waterway, including details on construction and history.
MSN Encarta - Flood Control Check out the causes and attempts to lessen the impact of flooding. Includes ancient history and modern legislation.
NOVA Online - Super Bridge Based on an episode of the PBS television series, this Web site offers a bridge-building game, a teacher's guide and engineering links.
Roebling, John A. - MSN Encarta Offers a brief profile of the 19th-century civil engineer who designed the Brooklyn Bridge.
SC Solutions Bridge Engineering Resources Pointers to bridge engineering events, government agencies, universities, associations, companies and software.
Traffic Control - MSN Encarta Introduces this field of engineering concerned with the efficient flow of vehicles and the elimination of road hazards.
Virtual Engineer Information network for engineers features jokes, a library, a mailing list and a directory of building products.
World Lecture Hall - Civil and Industrial Engineering Find links to faculties worldwide who are using the Web to deliver civil engineering lecture notes and course materials.
Bricsnet.com Information for architects and construction engineers. With technical guides, product forums, events listings, and classifieds.
Urban Icons - Leaning Tower of Pisa Extensive site on famous Italian landmark, with news, information, history, links, image gallery, and proposals for remedial engineering.

CE News Online
Monthly magazine offers news, features, opinions and advice to civil engineers. Search article abstracts, find contacts, or check events.

Civil Engineering - ASCE
Scan the table of contents, read abstracts, and explore the archives of this magazine published by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Anbar Civil Engineering Journal Coverage List
Explore links to civil engineering and building science journals, provided by an international abstracting and database service.

Building Research and Information
Read the journal's mission statement, request a free sample copy, or check the event calendar for upcoming conferences.

Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering
Browse instructions for authors, find out how to order a subscription, or review the publication's editorial policy.

Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics
Check a list of upcoming conferences, submit the subscription form, or read a summary of the journal's contents.

Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Browse the table of contents, find job announcements, order a subscription, or check the event calendar.

Engineering Structures
Order a subscription to this journal for earthquake, wind and ocean engineering research.

Journal of Architectural Engineering
Click on "Aim & Scope" to order a subscription, read abstracts, or check submission guidelines for authors.

Journal of Bridge Engineering
Contains submission information for authors, a mission statement, subscription rates and a table of contents.

Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering
Published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Examine the table of contents, order a subscription, or read the mission statement.

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Take a look at the current issue's table of contents, and read abstracts. Published by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Abstracts from a journal of the American Society of Civil Engineers, indexed by author, reviewer and subject.

Journal of Structural Engineering
Find the table of contents, a mission statement, subscription fees and author submission guidelines.

Journal of Transportation Engineering
Explains how to order a subscription, and briefly describes the journal's content. Published by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Structural Design of Tall Buildings
Lists the topics covered by this journal from John Wiley & Sons, and provides a subscription form.

Engineering Job Source
Find out about two free weekly publications, the Michigan Engineering Job Source and Illinois Engineering Job Source.

ICE - Civil Engineering Resources
Cornell University offers Internet Connections for Engineering, a list of links to organizations, companies and research centers.

Internet Connections for Engineering
Offers links to resources related to chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics.

National Engineering Search
Employment consultant specializing in software, mechanical and electrical engineering.

Structural Engineering Institute Describes the courses and publications offered by this American Society of Civil Engineers research group.
Kungl Tekniska Hogskolan - Dept. Structural Engineering Presents lists of the department's publications, and describes the research projects. Located in Stockholm.
Int'l Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering Submit the membership application, review programs and registration guidelines for upcoming conferences, or order publications.
Journal of Structural Engineering Find the table of contents, a mission statement, subscription fees and author submission guidelines.
Nat'l Council of Structural Engineering Associations Browse articles and news releases, check the event calendar, join a discussion forum, or get membership information.
Civil & Structural Engineering ResourceWeb Engineer from the Singapore Housing & Development Board furnishes a large links to resources on the web, including universities and software.
Structural Control & Earthquake Eng. Laboratory Watch videos of Washington University's structural engineering experiments, review benchmark studies, or scan project descriptions.
KAPA Limited Contains a history of this architectural design and structural engineering firm, as well as details about services and an email contact.
Applied Technology Council California-based nonprofit corporation serving the structural engineering profession offers products, services and training workshops.
American Consulting Engineers Provides everything necessary to achieve clients' goals by offering transportation, environmental, civil, and structural engineering services.

Company Profile

EDA, Incorporated provides quality-engineering services on time, on schedule and within budget. EDA, Inc. is able to do this by performing the work correctly the first time. We accept the most challenging problems and look forward to working with the client as a team member. EDA believes that the client should be an active participant in the work process to ensure that the product is commensurate with client expectations and is delivered within schedule and budget constraints.

EDA, Inc. belongs to the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Society of Instrument Control Engineers, Society of Professional Engineers (ISA) and the American Nuclear Society (ANS).

For more information on EDA, Incorporated services, please contact Client Service Manager at:

Company Profile

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