Engineers play a very vital role in the world of building and constructing things. And in these careers of engineers, there are many different kinds. We will be focusing today on two sorts of engineering fields. One is civil engineering and the other is structural engineering. In this piece of reading, we will be specifying their differences and also some similarities in different aspects.
What is the Difference Between Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering?
Civil Engineering and Structural Engineering have several differences. Sources of main differences between structural engineering and civil engineering are definition, education, type of work, jobs, etc.
In the following table, the main differences between Civil Engineering and Structural Engineering are given:
| Aspects | Civil Engineering | Structural Engineering | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Definition | In civil engineering, the engineers do the job of dealing with the planning of design, construction, and as well as maintenance. | In structural engineering, the engineers mainly focus only on the structural aspects of a building or any man-made structures. |
| 2 | Education | Civil engineering is a four-year bachelor’s course that is offered as the first degree in universities. There is no master's or Ph.D. level course in civil engineering. | Structural engineering is later on a course that is taken up by civil engineers. In the field of civil engineering, master's and Ph.D. level courses are offered. But you will not find it as a first-degree bachelor’s course in university. |
| 3 | Type of work | Civil engineers mainly focus on the design and planning of a thing that is being constructed. They work along and under structural engineers at a particular site of work. | Structural engineers also do some work in designing and planning. But their main job is to look after the strength of the structure of a particular thing. They analyze how different structures will support a particular aspect. Furthermore, they also do the job of inspecting materials that will be used during the construction of a particular structure. |
| 4 | Jobs | Civil engineers will do the job of designing roads, bridges, buildings, railways, sewerage systems, airports, dams, canals, and pipelines. They will be working along with structural engineers by their side. | Structural engineers do all the jobslisted by staying along the side of civil engineers and they mainly focus on structural elements such as columns, beams, girders, beam-column connections, shear walls, trusses, rafters, or support systems. They ensure that the thing that is being designed and constructed is strong, stable, and consistent. |
To sum up, if you are wondering whether to get yourself a civil engineer or a structural engineer to work for you, then the answer is that you will need both of them. As you have seen by reading the details above, both of the individuals have their own different tasks to accomplish at a construction site. They both work together and also do the job of completing each other with the support of their back.
Lastly, it has been cleared previously as well that a civil engineer will do the job of designing, planning, and also work under a structural engineer. Whereas a structural engineer will make sure that the thing that you have invested money in stays stable and strong for as long as possible by ensuring proper material with high quality is used.