Which Subjects Can I Study In High School To Become A Civil Engineer?

Are you wondering which subjects you can study in high school to become a Civil Engineer? If yes, then this informative article is for you. You will be given detailed information about which subjects you can study in high school to become a Civil Engineer.

Who Is A Civil Engineer?

A civil engineer designs and oversees the construction of public works, such as roads, bridges, dams, tunnels, buildings, airports, water and sewage systems, and other large infrastructure projects.

What Does A Civil Engineer Do?

Civil engineers often specialize in one area, such as transportation (roads, airports, railways), environmental (flood barriers, turbines), geotechnical (mining and earthworks), maritime (ports and sea defences), or structural (dams, pipelines, offshore platforms).

As a civil engineer you could be:

• Assisting with site investigations
• Assessing the worth and potential risks of projects
• Developing blueprints using computer-aided design (CAD)
• Liaising with architects, subcontractors, consultants, co-workers and clients
• Ensuring projects meeting legal requirements and health and safety standards
• Resolving design and development problems
• Managing budgets and other project resources
• Attending public meetings to discuss projects
• Using computer modelling software to analyse surveys and mapping data
• Preparing project bids and reports
• Assessing a project’s environmental impact and potential risk
• Monitoring project progress and ensuring it meets legal and health and safety requirements
• Working on-site in all weathers or in an office.

Types Of Civil Engineers

The list of civil engineering disciplines is ever expanding and even some of these subdisciplines have categories within them as well.

1. Structural Engineers

Structural engineers are involved in the design, analysis, and maintenance of structures like buildings and bridges. These structures are designed to fit budget requirements and strength loading and capacity factors from various sources.

They must consider the conditions that their structure will endure, including loads from people and vehicles as well as environmental loads such as wind and snow.

Structural engineers can be involved in many other types of civil engineering projects as well, as many works on designing telecom towers, tunnels, retaining walls, and more. Anywhere a structure needs to be built to resist loads, chances are there’s a structural engineer involved.

2. Geotechnical Engineers

Geotechnical engineers utilize their understanding of soil strength and structural design to design foundations, analyze pavement strengths and depths, assist in the design of dams, tunnels, embankments, levees, mines, and more.

Their understanding of soil, its strength, how it behaves under stress and when it’s saturated are important to virtually any construction project. Their foundation design can even span beyond buildings and into things such as cranes, platforms, and more.

The field of geotechnical engineering is constantly changing and many formulae and calculations that are used today weren’t around as little as 40 or 50 years ago.

3. Environmental Engineers

Environmental engineers are tasked with analyzing and avoiding potential environmental risks.

They are tasked with helping to protect preserved areas of nature and keep building sites, water sources, and air free of pollution and environmental detriment.

Environmental engineers must have a strong core understanding of science and math, including hydrology and drainage as well as air science.

4. Water Engineers

Water engineers might have some overlap with environmental engineers in that both can assist in keeping waterways and water sources clean, but water engineers are more focused on developing water distribution systems, water treatment systems, and waterways that are clean and efficient.

Furthermore, they assess the impacts and how to avoid flooding, keeping groundwater sources protected and clean, and mitigating soil erosion impacts in many areas, including along riverbanks and roadsides.

These engineers should have a strong comprehension of fluid dynamics, drainage, and environmental principles.

5. Construction Engineers

Construction engineers are generally on-site engineers at construction projects that ensure quality and best management practices when constructing any project.

They are generally employed by contracting companies who do the building for consulting or design-build companies.

They are needed for any construction project and thus they have the potential to see a wide range of projects unfold before them.

Construction Engineers are responsible for ensuring that a project is constructed safely and that there are no red flags that arise during construction.

6. Transportation Engineers

Transportation engineers have a wide range of responsibilities and are tasked with the design and maintenance of railroads, roadways, ports, airports, and any other system that accommodates passengers or commerce for transportation.

Beyond design, planning is an important aspect in determining the most effective routes and modes of transportation for a given area.

They can also analyze traffic and crash data to develop transportation systems that are safe and efficient. It’s their job to identify the transportation needs of a city, state, or country, and provide for those needs in a way that is safe, efficient, and cost-effective.

High School Subjects To Become A Civil Engineer

• Mathematics
• English Language
• Physics
• Geography

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