Civil engineers design, construct, and maintain the infrastructure that supports our physical and natural worlds—the roads and bridges that we travel on, the foundations upon which our buildings are built, and the dams and retaining walls that prevent water and earthen materials from flooding our towns.
Architectural engineers work with civil engineers, architects, and owners to design, build, and build the operations of buildings to be efficient with materials, use less energy, have healthier indoor environments, and improve sustainability. Environmental engineers develop solutions to control contaminants, manage sewage and other waste, and improve the quality of water that we drink and the air that we breathe in pursuit of making our environment more sustainable.
Specifically, in this closing topic of Unit 1, students will learn how civil, architectural, and environmental engineering is fundamental and a part of their everyday lives through the intersection in one of our greatest engineering marvels, bridges. These structures, though thousands of years old, still are one of modern society's, and by extension, any urban society's most important means of transporting people, goods and services via roads and rail.
Designing bridges in urban areas can present multiple challenges that are not as common in more rural settings. Urban bridges are often constructed in locations with limited setback to other properties or buildings; are often required to carry a high volume of arterial or collector street traffic; are often critical to maintaining access to a business, residential development or other facility that is significant to the community; and often involve some level of aesthetic enhancement to better align with a city’s urban development plan. In the eyes of the public, successfully addressing each of these considerations may be the difference between the success or failure of a project.
Bridges obviously serve multiple functions but the primary purpose is to traverse a terrain obstacle to get goods and/or people across to the other side. Bridges are often viewed as an indicator of progress in technical capability, engineering skills as well as a symbol of economic potential of a particular city, region or a country. Often, this is the reason why many urban bridges become the most important infrastructure in some cities. As architectural objects and engineering feats, they directly reflect the technical achievements and aesthetical values of their time, as well as the socio-cultural and economic context of their construction.
Recognize the role of civil, architectural, and environmental engineers in designing, constructing, and maintaining our built and natural environments
Engage in engineering design processes for buildings and bridges using common materials and examine the performance of structures
Understand how to assess the performance of civil engineering projects, like bridges