History of Civil Engineering

Educational and Institutional History

Introduction to the Topic:

Civil Engineering has been an aspect of life since the beginnings of human
existence. It is difficult to determine the history of emergence and beginning of
civil engineering, however, that the history of civil engineering is a mirror of the
history of human beings on this earth.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the session, the students should be able to learn the educational and
institutional history of civil engineering.

EDUCATION
• In the 18th century, the term 'civil engineering' was coined to incorporate
all things civilian as opposed to military engineering.
• The first engineering school, The National School of Bridges and Highways
(École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées), in France, was opened in 1747.
 • The first self-proclaimed civil engineer was John Smeaton who constructed
the Eddystone Lighthouse.

John Smeaton was an English engineer and a physicist, famously known as the
‘Father of Civil Engineering’. He designed the new Eddystone Lighthouse, also
known as Smeaton’s Tower, off the coast of Plymouth, after it was destroyed by a
fire in December 1755. He gained most of his training and scientific knowledge
through reading and attending the meetings of Royal Society of London. He
constructed bridges, canals and harbors in addition to his works of mechanical
engineering. Through his dedication and genuine efforts, his every project emerged
as a masterpiece, a passionate work of art. He transformed the work of
engineering, which was considered as a handicraft work, to a scientific process of
experimenting and devising mechanisms in architectural work.

• The first private college to teach Civil Engineering in the United States was
Norwich University founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge.
INSTITUTION
• In 1818, the world’s first engineering society, the Institution of Civil
Engineers (ICE) was founded in London.

• In 1820 the eminent engineer Thomas Telford became ICE's first president.
The institution received a Royal Charter in 1828, formally recognizing civil
engineering as a profession. Its charter defined civil engineering as: “Civil
engineering is the application of physical and scientific principles, and its
history is intricately linked to advances in understanding of physics and
mathematics throughout history. Because civil engineering is a wide
ranging profession, including several separate specialized sub-disciplines,
its history is linked to knowledge of structures, material science,
geography, geology, soil, hydrology, environment, mechanics and other
fields.”