Does a Civil Engineer actually get to build a bridge, or do they just draw the blue-prints?
The short answer to your question is that that civil engineers are typically involved in REVIEW and SUPERVISION of bridge construction, but they do not typically phyically build the bridge. Contractors build bridges. Here’s a more detailed answer. There are actually several disciplines within Civil Engineering. They include, but are not limited to structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, water resources engineers and construction engineers. Bridges are typically designed by structural engineers (superstructures), geotechnical engineers (foundations), and water resources engineers (hydraulics concerns). Other disciplines such as environmental engineers, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers address concerns within those disciplines. Once the bridge construction starts, a construction management firm is typically hired to perform inspections and supervision of construction processes performed by the contractor who builds the bridge. The construction management firm typically
