Young man studying civil engineering

The Path to Becoming a Civil Engineer

It can seem daunting to pursue a new career, especially one as ambitious as becoming a civil engineer. Whether you’re a student planning for your future or an adult thinking about making a career change, you may have no idea what you need to do to realize your dream of becoming an engineer. Achieving this goal […] Read More

Civil engineer on a construction site

What Do Civil Engineers Do, Exactly?

Most people have heard the term civil engineer, yet few know exactly what these highly-trained professionals do. Among other things, they’re the heroes who design, build, and maintain bridges, roads, and utility infrastructure. In this article, we’ll explore: What it takes to become a civil engineer Their origin story The training required and some of […] Read More

Nesting Seagulls on a concrete structure. Seagulls are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Know the Laws: Bridge Work and Disturbing Nesting Birds

Bridges are large, highly-engineered and complex structures. One thing that can bring a bridge-related inspection, construction project, or utility installation to a halt: A bird nesting in the wrong place at the wrong time. For almost a century, hundreds of bird species have been protected by federal and state governments and Native American tribes. These […] Read More

Weight limit on a bridge

What Makes a Bridge Structurally Deficient?

The Brooklyn Bridge is structurally deficient. Should you cross it? Whether crossing big, famous spans or small local bridges, this is a question drivers often deal with these days. That’s because almost one out of 10 bridges in the United States has been declared structurally deficient. Not only that, the average age of bridges in […] Read More

Cable stayed bridge design

How it Works: Engineering Bridges to Handle Stress

Bridges are generally thought of as static structures. The truth is that they actually act more like dynamic, living beings. They constantly change, responding to different loads, weather patterns, and other types of stress in order to function. In some cases, much like a person undergoing a trauma, bridges must “react” to extremely stressful events […] Read More