History of Civil Engineering - Vocabulary Flashcards

A 30-item vocabulary set covering key people, structures, innovations, and institutions from the History of Civil Engineering notes.

Civil engineering

The professional discipline focused on the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and built environment, including roads, bridges, dams, buildings, railways, and public works.

Sub-disciplines of Civil Engineering

Branches within the field that specialize in particular areas such as structures, water resources, geotechnical, transportation, and environmental engineering.

Imhotep

The first documented engineer; built the tomb/amid for King Djoser at Saqqara and advanced building with shaped stones.

Pyramids of Egypt

Early large-scale stone structures (circa 2700–2500 BC), among the first major civil engineering projects.

Qanat water management system

Ancient underground canal network for water supply, older than 3000 years and longer than 71 km.

Archimedes' Principle

Buoyancy principle discovered by Archimedes explaining why objects float or sink.

Archimedes' screw

A screw device used historically to lift water, attributed to Archimedes.

Vitruvius

Roman architect and author of De Architectura, a foundational treatise on architecture and engineering.

De Architectura

Vitruvius's treatise guiding building projects and educating engineers (circa 1st century BC/AD).

Parthenon

Athens temple designed by Iktinos (447–438 BC), a landmark in ancient architectural engineering.

Appian Way

Roman road built circa 312 BC, a prime example of ancient transportation engineering.

Great Wall of China

Massive fortification begun around 220 BC under Meng T'ien and Shi Huang Ti, a monumental engineering project.

Machu Picchu

Inca city in the Andes (c. 1450) with running water, drainage, and advanced stonework; considered an engineering marvel.

Sennacherib's Aqueduct at Jerwan

Ancient aqueduct built in 691 BC for water conveyance in Mesopotamia.

Li Ping's irrigation projects

Ancient Chinese irrigation works (~220 BC) illustrating water management engineering.

Julius Caesar's Bridge over the Rhine

Roman bridge across the Rhine built in 55 BC as part of Roman engineering.

Pons Fabricius

Roman stone arch bridge near Rome; example of ancient bridge engineering.

Pont du Gard

Roman aqueduct near Nimes, France, completed around 19 BC; a monumental water conduit.

Hohokam irrigation system

Irrigation network of the Hohokam in the Salt River area, Arizona, around 600 AD.

Friesland dykes

Early dykes defending against high water in Friesland, the Netherlands, circa 1000 AD.

El Camino Real

The Royal Road network (Eastern and Western branches) used from the 1500s.

John Smeaton

First to call himself a civil engineer; designed Eddystone Lighthouse (1756–59); founded the Smeatonian Society (1771).

Eddystone Lighthouse

Lighthouse designed by John Smeaton, noted for its interlocking masonry.

Institution of Civil Engineers

Founded in London in 1818; Royal Charter in 1828; professional body for civil engineers.

Norwich University

First private US college to teach civil engineering, founded in 1819 by Alden Partridge.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

US institution founded in 1824; offered the first civil engineering courses in 1835.

Nora Stanton Blatch

First woman in the United States to earn a civil engineering degree (Cornell, 1905).

Maestro de Obras

Spanish colonial term for master builder/foreman; indicative of era when Filipino civil engineers were unlikely.

Intramuros

Walled city of Manila established by Spaniards; center of government buildings and engineering works.

San Sebastian Church

Steel church in Manila (built 1888 onward) with Belgian steel parts and Eiffel influence.