Civil Engineers! by John Glenn

Author:John Glenn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: National Highlights Inc
Published: 2016-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

The information gathered by surveying engineers using a theodolite provides the raw materials for other engineers creating a plan for a new work or project site.

Builders use lasers to measure how much deeper a pile moves with each deafening whack of the pile driver’s hammer. An engineer must keep track of how far down a pile is driven. He must also make sure each pile is driven into the ground at exactly the right spot.

Taking Measurements

Many of the tools used in civil engineering projects are huge machines, but some of the most important are small measuring devices. For a civil engineer, a small incorrect measurement can result in disaster. That’s why a lot of time and energy is spent taking and double-checking measurements and calculations.

Even where the ground looks flat, there are slight differences, slopes, and curves. So engineers must survey the land before building on it. They will use special equipment to measure the ground surface and discover the distances between geographic features, the angles of slopes, and other information.

A theodolite is a surveying tool that has helped engineers take measurements for many years. A civil engineer mounts a theodolite on a tripod and points it at a target. A rotating telescope in the theodolite captures high-quality images and takes precise measurements of distances and horizontal and vertical angles. In the past, engineers used theodolites to take measurements, which they would then write down with pen and paper and use for calculations. Modern theodolites are digital. They often include laser pointers, tilt sensors, and other helpful features.

Using satellites to take measurements has been a game changer for civil engineers, who often work on projects in hard-to-reach places. GPS, or the Global Positioning System, uses a system of satellites orbiting above Earth to determine the exact locations of receivers below. Engineers can place GPS receivers on their equipment to track work progress and to make sure materials are put in the right spot. In the 1990s, GPS coordinates were used during the making of the Channel Tunnel, which runs beneath the English Channel and links England and France. GPS allowed engineers to take precise measurements to ensure that the English and French digging teams (which started from opposite sides) would meet up in the middle, and that the tunnel would line up as planned.

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