UPDATED 1/22/21
In today’s day and age, the technology and services that we have available to us allow most of us to have quite comfortable lifestyles. And yet, even in the first world powerhouse that is the United States, there is plenty of work to do for improved infrastructures and the country’s wellbeing in general. In most cases, the funding and technology is available to make those improvements, and yet there always seems to be a snag to prevent taking those necessary steps to better the community, be it red tape and politics, distracted citizens and lawmakers alike, or an inherent disagreement between those in power and the everyday common citizen.
Whatever the case may be, it is well past time that we collectively take a step back to see the bigger picture, and then carry on to take the appropriate steps to get some important things done.
A nationwide state of deterioration
Sure, there are affluent neighborhoods and communities that function like a well-oiled machine, where each individual and sector are properly looked after and taken care of. However on a larger scale, taking into consideration the entire country, there is much that is left wanting.
The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, or the EPA, has determined that over the course of the next 20 years, there will need to be almost $335 billion invested into drinking water utilities to bring everyone up to a reasonable level of sustainability. You need look no further than the water crisis in Flint, Michigan or the concerns with the pipeline at Standing Rock, North Dakota for proof of that.
Take a look at the roads. Over half of the interstate highways are already at 70% capacity, and almost 25% are nearly busting at the seams, operating at over 95% capacity.
Dams are no better. Of all of the dam failures that have occurred since 1874, more than 33% have failed in the last ten years alone.
By the end of the current decade, each and every major container port in the country is predicted to be handling twice the amount of volume they were designed to handle, or even more than that.
Sewer systems across the country are old, outdated, and not heading towards improvement any time soon. Each year, faulty and aging systems spill around 1.26 trillion gallons of untreated, raw sewage.
It is time to wake up to the fact that things need to start getting better. It is time to take action, instead of standing by as essentially the country itself deteriorates.
How can civil engineer services help to turn things around?
Civil engineer services will play a big role in improving the country’s infrastructure. The knowledge is there, the technology is there, and there should be more of a push for the effort to be there. Civil engineer services, backed with the right funding, support, and awareness can start rebuilding the broken systems that plague the nation. While civil engineering structural design and transportation planning are important, helping people to understand some of the inner workings of the processes can lead to the necessary push and support that is needed to get things done. One major component of civil engineer services is the application of LIDAR surveying and photogrammetry.
What’s that?
- LIDAR surveying
LIDAR was originally used to describe a method combining light and radar, as the name suggests, though the name has also come to be an acronym for Light Imaging, Detection, And Ranging. This method of surveying uses the latest advancements in technology to measure distances, lighting up a target to be measured using a laser. - Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is similar to LIDAR surveying, as it is applied to measuring distances and planning. The process involves taking at least two two-dimensional pictures and uses them to produce three-dimensional models for measurements.
Both of these methods are useful components of infrastructure analysis and planning.
Civil engineering plays a big part in the comforts and necessities we enjoy on a daily basis. It is only logical that it will be a major factor in rebuilding the aging and outdated systems in our country.
The moment you choose to learn civil engineering, you are engaging yourself in a professional engineering sector that entails maintaining the physical and naturally built surrounding and dealing with the design construction. Activities related to civil engineering include public works like roads, canals, bridges, dams, airports, pipelines, sewerage systems, and railways and structural components of a building.
What do you need to become a civil engineer?
There are several steps to take to become a civil engineer—the first is acquiring a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Be sure to undertake an internship in the discipline as well as choosing an area of specialty. Becoming an engineer demands the passing of the required exams to obtain certification. From there, look for an entry job and start your career as a civil engineer.
What are the application of civil engineering in daily life?
There are various things civil engineers do such as playing a significant role in planning, designing, and constructing several structures used in our day to day lives. For instance, with the help of this kind of engineer, we enjoy services such as transportation engineering, hydrology, surveying, and mapping—structural and environmental engineering and seismology.
