Technical English and

terminology
ChaptEr I

INTRODUCTION

A.AHMED-CHAOUCH
1- What is Civil Engineering :
Civil engineering is the oldest and most diverse field of engineering.
Thousands of years ago, ancient civil engineers built pyramids in
Egypt, aqueducts in the Roman Empire, and the Great Wall of China—
objects that still remain standing to this very day.
From the pyramids of Egypt to the exploration of space, civil engineers
have always faced the challenges of the future -advancing civilization
and building our quality of life.

 In the Past :
Engineering has developed from observations of the ways natural and
constructed systems react and from the development of empirical
equations that provide bases for design.
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In fact, engineering was once divided into only two fields -- military
and civil.
Civil engineering is still an umbrella field comprised of many related
specialties.
 In the Present :
In modern usage, Civil engineering affects many of our daily activities:
the buildings we live in and work in, the transportation facilities we
use, the water we drink, and the drainage and sewage systems that are
necessary to our health and well-being.
Civil engineering is a broad field of engineering that deals with the
planning, construction, and maintenance of fixed structures, or public
works, as they are related to earth, water, or civilization and their
processes.
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Civil Engineering is a composite of many specific disciplines that
include :
- Structural Engineering : design structures such as buildings and
bridges to withstand forces from gravity, people, equipment, wind,
and earthquakes.
- Geotechnical Engineering : evaluate rock and soil conditions to design
tunnels, foundations, embankments, slopes, and excavations.
- Transportation Engineers plan and design streets, highways, railroads,
airports, canals, ports, and subways. They make sure transportation
facilities can handle increased volumes of vehicles and passengers in
the future.
- Environmental Engineering : help protect our health and safety by
purifying drinking water, treating wastewater, and designing landfills
for the disposal of solid waste.
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- Water Resource Engineering : are responsible for the flow of water
through canals, and aqueducts. The also design dams and levees that
provide hydroelectric power, flood control, and reservoirs for water
supply.
- Construction Engineering : develop schedules and cost estimates to
complete projects on time and within budget and inspect the quality
of constructed materials. They get to create the designs of architects
and engineers.
In some countries and institutions another field is included in civil
engineering.
- Urban Planning : concerned with the full development of a
community. Analyzing a variety of information will help you
coordinate projects, such as projecting street patterns, identifying
park and recreation areas, and determining areas for industrial and
residential growth. 5
2- What is an Engineer :
Ingenious means “Clever person” in Latin.
Engineer cleverly uses the available natural resources for the benefit of
mankind.
Engineer Provides comfort to mankind and makes life comfortable.
Basically, an engineer is a person that works as a professional problem-
solver. Engineers use math and science along with lots of other skills to
find practical solutions to problems that help to benefit society in
general.
People that are engineers help to make a difference in the world and are
essential to everyone's health, happiness, and safety.
Engineers are creative individuals that help shape the future
by designing, creating, building, improving, and inventing things.
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3- What is a Civil Engineer :
A civil engineer is a type of engineer that designs and builds public
infrastructure projects—things like airports, bridges, buildings, canals,
dams, landfills, levees, pipelines, roads, sewers, subways, tunnels, and
water supply systems.
- Airports : ‫ ﻣﻄﺎرات‬Aéroports
- Bridges : ‫ ﺟﺴﻮر‬Ponts
- Buildings : ‫ ﻣﺒﻨﻲ‬Bâtiments
- Canals : ‫ ﻗﻨﻮات‬Canaux
- Dams : ‫ ﺳﺪود‬Barrages
- Landfills : ‫ ﻣﻔﺮﻏﺔ )ﻣﺪاﻓﻦ( اﻟﻨﻔﺎﯾﺎت‬Décharges
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- Levees : (‫ ﺳﺪود)ﺣﻮاﺟﺰ ﺑﺤﺮﯾﺔ أو وادﯾﺔ‬Digues
- Pipelines : ‫ أﻧﺎﺑﯿﺐ‬Pipelines
- Roads : ‫ طﺮق‬Routes
- Sewers : ‫ ﻣﺠﺎري‬Egouts
- Subways : ‫ ﻣﺘﺮو‬Métros
- Tunnels : ‫ أﻧﻔﺎق‬Tunnels
- Water supply systems :‫ أﻧﻈﻤﺔ إﻣﺪادت اﻟﻤﯿﺎه‬Systèmes d'approvisionnement
en eau
 What do engineers need to know :
Based on the 1995 Civil Engineering Education Conference of the
American Society of Civil Engineers, the following areas were
identified as fundamental elements which should be incorporated into
Undergraduate engineering education (ASCE 1995) : 8
1- A global vision and approach to problem identification and problem
solving in areas such as infrastructure, environment, facilities, and
systems.
2- A basic management knowledge base in areas such as business,
resources, personnel management, communication skills, costs and
value judgments, and time management.
3- A solid foundation in personal and inter-personal attributes ethics.
4- An involvement with engineering practice as the formal education
evolves.
3- Who do Civil Engineers works for ?
Civil engineers can work for :
- The project owner P.O means the owner of the work and/or sponsor
of work (Government, communities, public companies), which
performs the procurement (money).
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The project owner missions is then :
 Designing the project, if himself is an architect or an engineer-
architect (otherwise this role is given to a design office of architects
or engineers which represents the project leader “or the project
supervisor”).

 Developing the technical specifications (TS) and inspecting the right

execution of the works by consulting a building design inspection
office (in Algeria this office is represented by the National Organism
of Technical Inspection of Building).
 Playing a role of interface or the connection between, the design
office, the building inspection office and the construction firms
enrolled (“or” who are enrolled) to perform the works.

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- The Project Manager P.M (or lead consultant) is a physical or moral
person (company, administration, etc.) guarantor of the technical
performance of the solutions.
The project Manager missions is then :
 In private or public businesses, he has a duty of a designer and
advisor for the benefit of the project owner (but no more than this).
 It is like any designer office, responsible of the design; however the
trend is to conduct consultations on the basis of a call for tender on
performance where the knowledge of the contractor is valued, the
specifications leaving a significant flexibility in the choice of
technical responses.

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 When the project is complicated, it may be necessary to contact
several contractors (provision of services, subcontracting) with the
endorsement of the P.O. The P.M or the Design office ensures their
coordination; It (or he) ensures the consistency (or convenience) of
the execution of the works and their compatibility. It (or he)
coordinates the activities of the contractors by guaranteeing the
technical quality, the respect of the deadlines established by the P.O
and minimizing the risks.

 The ME or BET is responsible for the technical quality of the

solution, it must make the most of the technical possibilities. Before
any contract is received, it must make the necessary checks according
to a previously defined methodology: pre-receptions on site and
validation in regular service.

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- Construction Company include construction companies that build
new projects or make repairs to existing infrastructure.
 A construction company is an organization which undertakes to carry
out work for the project owner; it is chosen and retained following a
call for tenders notice.
 The construction company is also defined as “the company
exercising, with recognized competence, one or more of the
specialties of construction, which ensures the delivery of a work, all
functions and techniques assembled, consistent and completion status
for a price, with performance and within a period determined by a
contract”.
- Technical construction inspection body C.T.C (Technical control
body for public works C.T.T.P) The technical control of
construction aims to prevent technical hazards likely to lead to
disasters, and to verify compliance with the rules of the art in
construction. 13
 The technical controller writes opinions on works during the
following phases :
 Design : establishment of the Initial Technical Control Report (RICT)
which summarizes the opinions established on the design documents
(technical specifications, architect's plans, geotechnical study, thermal
study, etc.).
 Execution: study of execution plans, calculation notes, technical
sheets of materials, certificates, etc. And after : site visits and
inspection of the works carried out.
 Final checks: establishment of the Final Technical Inspection Report
(RFCT) which brings together all the notices established during the
work and not having been lifted upon receipt.
- Colleges and Universities have professors and engineers that do
research or teach classes to students that want to become civil
engineers. 14
4- Details of the different missions of Civil Engineer :
 Structural Engineering :
 As a structural engineer, you will face the challenge of analyzing and
designing structures to ensure that they safely perform their
purpose.
 They must support their own weight and resist dynamic
environmental loads such as hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, and
floods.
 Stadiums, arenas, skyscrapers, offshore oil structures, space
platforms, amusement park rides, bridges, office buildings, and
homes are a few of the many types of projects in which structural
engineers are involved.
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 Geotechnical Engineering :
 Almost all the facilities that make up our infrastructure are in, on, or
with earth materials, and geotechnical engineering is the discipline
that deals with applications of technology to solve these problems.
 Examples of facilities in the earth are tunnels, deep foundations, and
pipelines. Highway pavements and many buildings are supported on
the earth.
 Transportation Engineering :
 Because the quality of a community is directly related to the quality
of its transportation system, your function as a transportation engineer
will be to move people, goods, and materials safely and efficiently.
 You will design, construct, and maintain all types of facilities,
including highways, railroads, airfields, and ports.
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 Environmental Engineering :
 Environmental engineers translate physical, chemical, and biological
processes into systems to remove pollutants from water, reduce non-
hazardous solid waste volumes, eliminate contaminants from the air,
and develop groundwater supplies.
 In this field, you might be called upon to resolve problems of
providing safe drinking water, cleaning up sites contaminated with
hazardous materials, cleaning up and preventing air pollution, treating
wastewater, and managing solid wastes.
 Water Resources :
 Water is essential to our lives, and as a water resources engineer, you
will deal with issues concerning the quality and quantity of water.
 You will work to prevent floods, to supply water for cities, industry
and irrigation, to treat wastewater, to protect beaches, or to manage
and redirect rivers. 17
 Construction Engineering :
 The construction phase of a project represents the first tangible result
of a design.
 Using your technical and management skills, you will help turn
designs into reality -- on time and within budget.
 You will apply your knowledge of construction methods and
equipment, along with principles of financing, planning, and
managing, to turn the designs of other engineers into successful
facilities.
 Urban Planning :
 As a professional in this area, you will be concerned with the full
development of a community.
 Analyzing a variety of information will help you coordinate projects,
such as projecting street patterns, identifying park and recreation
areas, and determining areas for industrial and residential growth. 18