Construction engineering is one of many types of engineering disciplines and has become a popular field with the proliferation of oil and gas projects worldwide. Engineers take specialist courses at university to understand the demands and technical principles of creating or renovating a large-scale structure. Many people’s safety is at stake and millions of dollars are invested in these projects which include public highways, dams, transportation centers, and oil or gas extraction sites.

Some Potential Construction Engineering Projects

Engineers in this discipline are behind the renovation of old airports and train stations which have fallen behind in terms of public safety, communication, and other aspects of build quality. In some cases, they simply require upgrading; in others they have become damaged. These are huge buildings that need to be modernized or repaired without loss of structural stability.

Designs for retrofit projects seem at first to be dedicated to surface changes, rewiring, some new doors and windows, and a bit of new plumbing. In fact many large-scale renovation projects must also address concerns that dig deeper to the foundations of a structure, load capacity, or a growing number of consumers. Construction engineers research the potential problems with an older building, make their recommendations then take appropriate action. Sometimes they will recommend demolition or adding a new building to handle the increasing number of people who use a facility road, etc.

Construction from Scratch

Potential clients are given the opportunity to see if a firm has experience with the projects they are hoping to initiate. Read their portfolios online and visit the sites indicated there for a close-up quality inspection. Bridges and roads fall within the purview of construction engineers. There are hundreds of thousands of people relying on the expertise of trained individuals to create roadways and bridges safely while professionals are also under pressure to meet deadlines and work within a budget.

Public Buildings and Structures

Most of the designs men and women of this profession get involved are open to the public or the general public relies on these buildings in some way. People are going to work on train lines construction engineers have developed. House holders and businesses rely on water and sewage systems they have constructed. The safety standards and expectations in this field reflect the enormous responsibility given to a team responsible for building a water treatment facility or a hydro-electric dam. Environmental pressures also factor into choices made in the design of a project and how it is carried out. Besides legal expectations, a company’s reputation is also dependent on public views of their practices; their use of environmentally friendly methods and materials, for instance.

Working in Construction Engineering

The nature of this field is so demanding that only the very best applicants will be considered. A high standard is required of graduates from university programs. Companies hire interns from graduate programs so new recruits can continue learning while also using skills they have acquired academically. This balance of doing and learning provides the ideal way to grow as a professional. Civil engineering is another term for construction engineering: there are lots of accredited university programs offered around North America.

Resume of Work

Construction companies provide links to details of their recently completed projects on their websites so that applicants can see what they could be getting involved with. If this career interests you, browse pictures and descriptions of what a company had to do. Let the images and ideas inspire you to join a rewarding, demanding, and diverse field.

Given the ever-increasing price of building construction and materials, it is not surprising that the pole buildings Illinois residents are used to seeing on the farm are finding new uses in urban areas. Once used almost exclusively as barns and equipment sheds, the construction method now is being used for building banks, churches, schools, restaurants, retail shops, and even homes.

The reason for the increased interest in pole buildings is simple. The building technique itself is considered simple, using less material and enabling rapid, more affordable, construction.

Pole building framing is an adaptation of traditional timber framing construction, which was much more labor-intensive. It uses steel columns or wooden or poles of four to 12 inches in diameter that are buried three feet or more into the ground or a concrete slab foundation, where the load of the building is transferred.

While the pole provides the vertical support for the building, girts attached to the pole provide the horizontal support. The finished structure then can have most any type of facade attached to the exterior, allowing it the versatility to have the right appearance for almost any use.

This type of construction allows pole buildings to be built without interior walls, so they are perfect for use as picnic shelters, equipment shed, or farm animal housing. Storage still is a major function for pole buildings, though modern techniques and insulation have allowed the construction system to branch out into other uses.

In more recent times, post frame construction has turned to the use of pressure-treated timbers that are squared off rather than rounded, as in earlier days. At first, poles for the buildings could be tree trunks or utility poles.

As agriculture became more mechanized, pole barns were a quick way to provide sturdy, spacious buildings for farm equipment as well as supplies and animals. Many of these pole buildings that were constructed in the beginning of the trend in the 1930s still can be found on farms in the region because of their sturdy construction.

The secret of pole building construction is in the girts to which the cross beams and panels are attached for horizontal structural soundness. In essence, the girt will support the panel, while the panel stabilizes the girt. Vertically, the pole or column will support the girt, and the girt will then stabilize the pole. Girts typically are placed two feet apart on the outside of the posts. They can be placed between the posts to provide for thicker insulation or for other interior wall applications.

As people began moving into pole buildings and using them as offices and homes, insulation became a priority. This is where post frame construction can truly be a cost-effective method of construction. Because the posts are set farther apart than in standard building techniques, they allow more space for insulation, making the buildings more energy efficient and cheaper to operate.

The international building code for pole buildings is specific while allowing for regional requirements. These state-specific additions are designed to ensure that the structures will stand up to typical local weather conditions, such as tropical storms in the South and gales and hail in the northern climes.

In some counties, for example, building codes will designate snow load requirements for each town and each level of elevation. Wind speed requirements can be determined by local conditions combined with the type of exposure the building will experience.

Once the decision is made to build a post frame structure, the next step is finding a contractor that is experienced in this type of construction. One way to determine which of those contractors is the most dedicated to the system is by identifying the professional organizations it belongs to, such as the National Frame Building Association.