Civil Engineering Orientation & History – Lecture Review

These flashcards cover the BSCE curriculum structure, program objectives, outcomes, course details, legal scope, historical milestones from ancient to modern times, and contemporary innovations in civil engineering.

How many years does the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) program last at the University of San Agustin?

Four years.

Name the five specialization tracks available in the BSCE curriculum.

1) Construction Engineering and Management, 2) Geotechnical Engineering, 3) Structural Engineering, 4) Transportation Engineering, and 5) Water Resources Engineering.

Which specialization track is currently offered by the University of San Agustin?

Construction Engineering and Management.

Within 3–5 years after graduation, what professional society are BSCE graduates expected to actively join and lead according to the Program Educational Objectives (PEOs)?

The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Inc. (PICE) and other civil engineering professional organizations.

PEO #1 states that graduates should be "practicing civil engineers with strong values."

Augustinian.

Which Program Outcome (PO) focuses on the ability to apply mathematics and science to solve complex civil engineering problems?

PO (a).

Which Program Outcome emphasizes lifelong learning?

PO (i) – "recognize the need for, and engage in life-long learning."

What course code at the University of San Agustin introduces students to ethics, responsibility, and professionalism in civil engineering?

CE 151 – Civil Engineering Orientation.

List any two of the four Course Outcomes for CE 151.

Examples: (1) Understand the history of Civil Engineering and the profession; (2) Familiarize with the practices of Civil Engineers in relation to their interaction with society.

Define Civil Engineering in one sentence.

It is the professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment (e.g., roads, bridges, canals, dams, etc.).

RA 544 is commonly referred to as what law in the Philippines?

The Civil Engineering Law.

According to RA 544, name three types of projects included in the scope of civil engineering practice.

Any three of: streets/highways, bridges, airports/hangars, canals, river and shore improvements, lighthouses/drydocks, water-supply systems, sewerage works, buildings, tunnels, etc.

Give three academic programs considered allied to BSCE.

Examples: Architecture, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Geodetic Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Management Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Sanitary Engineering.

In ancient Mesopotamia, what type of monumental stepped structure showcased early civil-engineering prowess?

Ziggurats.

Which ancient civilization built the Great Pyramid of Giza using ramps and levers around 2580–2560 BC?

Ancient Egypt.

What urban planning features made the Indus Valley city of Mohenjo-Daro notable?

Grid street layouts, advanced drainage systems, and standardized fired-brick construction.

Which structural form perfected by Ancient Greek engineers allowed larger spans in bridges and aqueducts?

The arch.

Name two hallmark civil-engineering achievements of Ancient Rome.

Extensive road networks (~50,000 miles by 200 AD) and gravity-fed aqueducts (e.g., Aqua Appia, Aqua Claudia).

What innovative construction material did Romans pioneer that enabled domes like the Pantheon?

Concrete.

Which 18th-century French school (founded 1747) is considered the first dedicated civil-engineering institution?

École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées.

Who formed the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers in 1771 and is often called the first self-proclaimed civil engineer?

John Smeaton.

In what year was the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) founded in London?

1818.

Which U.S. institution awarded the first civil-engineering degree in 1835?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).

Who was the first woman to receive a civil-engineering degree in the United States (Cornell University, 1905)?

Nora Stanton Blatch.

What modern digital tool creates detailed 3-D models to coordinate architects, engineers, and contractors throughout a project’s lifecycle?

Building Information Modeling (BIM).

Describe a Digital Twin in civil-engineering terms.

A virtual replica of a physical asset that uses real-time sensor data for monitoring and predictive maintenance.

What type of innovative concrete can autonomously repair its own cracks?

Self-healing concrete.

State one way robotics is transforming modern construction.

Examples: Robots performing bricklaying and site inspections, or wearable exoskeletons reducing worker injury risk.

What construction method involves off-site fabrication of components for rapid on-site assembly?

Modular construction and prefabrication.

Which U.S. organization commonly accredits civil-engineering programs to ensure quality standards?

ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology).