The practice of Civil Engineering is extremely diverse, involving technical, legal, business & practical skills. It consists of various specializations like Structural Engineering, Project Management, Geotechnical Engineering and Surveying. The ability to combine skills in all these areas will contribute significantly to the success of a civil engineer.
To provide an overview of factors which are relevant to the successful practice of structural engineering, we have to look at the role of a structural engineer, understanding the needs and objectives of a client, the difficulties and conditions faced on site and the constraints put down by the Architect. A structural designer is capable of calculating different loads and stresses acting on a structure and designing the structure to resist there forces. For tall buildings, towers, tunnels, roads, marine structures, bridges and even space stations, structural designers are called upon to provide their expertise to ensure the stability of the structures.