Civil engineering here refers to groundworks, roads and hydraulic engineering: the branch of construction that designs, builds and maintains public works. In Dutch this field is known as GWW (grond-, weg- en waterbouw).
Characteristics
The field brings together earthworks, road building, and hydraulic engineering, with structures such as roads, bridges, viaducts, dikes, canals, locks, tunnels, and sewers, plus dredging. This sets it apart from building construction, which focuses on houses and other buildings. Typical of the sector are its large scale, work in the public space, and the close relationship with soil, water, and infrastructure.
Applications
Clients are often public authorities, such as national road and water agencies, provinces, municipalities, and water boards, who commission the construction and maintenance of infrastructure through tenders. The work ranges from designing and building a new road or tunnel to maintaining dikes and managing sewer networks. Earthworks, foundation layers, and water management are recurring elements throughout.
Related terms
- infrastructure
- groundworks
- road building
- hydraulic engineering
- building construction
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