CE Laws, Ethics and Contracts
Lesson 4.
CIVIL ENGINEERING PROFESSION:
A PEOPLE SERVING PROFESSION
Civil Engineering
Civil engineering focuses on the infrastructure of
the world: Water works, Sewers, Dams, Power Plants,
Transmission Towers/Lines, Railroads, Highways, Bridges,
Tunnels, Irrigation Canals, River Navigation, Shipping Canals,
Traffic Control, Mass Transit, Airport Runways, Terminals,
Industrial Plant Buildings, Skyscrapers, etc.
 is a professional engineering discipline that deals with
the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical
and naturally built environment, including works such as
roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewerage systems,
pipelines, and railways
 is considered the second-oldest engineering discipline
after military engineering
 Includes the conception, design construction and
management of all types of structures.
 Also deals with “Transportation system” for goods &
people.
 It controls the environment for maintenance and
improves quality of life.
 Broadest field of engineering trade.
Military Engineering, the art and practice of designing and
building military works and of building and maintaining lines
of military transport and communications. Military
engineering is the oldest of the engineering skills and was the
precursor of the profession of civil engineering.
Civil Engineering History
❑ Engineering has been an aspect of life since the
beginnings of human existence.
❑ The earliest practice of civil engineering may have
commenced between 4000 and 2000 BC in ancient Egypt,
the Indus Valley Civilization, and Mesopotamia (ancient
Iraq) when humans started to abandon a nomadic
existence, creating a need for the construction of shelter.
❑ Until modern times there was no clear distinction
between civil engineering and architecture, and the term
engineer and architect were mainly geographical variations
referring to the same person, often used interchangeably.
❑ The construction of Pyramids in Egypt (circa 2700-2500
BC) might be considered the first instances of large
structure constructions.
❑ Around 2550 BC, Imhotep, the first documented
engineer, built a famous stepped pyramid for King Djoser
located at Saqqara Necropolis.
❑ In ancient it was used as surveying for flood prediction.
❑ John Smeaton was the first Civil Engineer in 1761.
❑ “Seven Wonders of the World“ are all feats of civil
engineering.
John Smeaton
➢ was a British civil engineer responsible for the design of
bridges, canals, harbours and lighthouses
❑ In the beginning, Civil Engineering included all engineers
that did not practice military engineering; said to have
begun in 18th century France
❑ Statistics says that – ‘Civil Engineers saved more lives
than all the doctors’ in the history by development of clean
water & sanitation system.
❑ Henry H. White, first KY Civil Engineering Graduate from
Bacon (Georgetown) College in 1840
❑ Fall of 1886, “State College” (UK) established civil
engineering degree
❑ John Wesley Gunn of Lexington received first Civil
Engineering degree from A & M College (UK) in 1890
Philippine Civil Engineering:
 In 1928 a group of civil engineers from the government
sector formed the Philippine Society of Civil Engineers
(PSCE) which was the first civil engineering organization in
the Philippines with Engr. Marcial Kasilag as its first
president.
 Engr. Kasilag thereupon received the honor of holding
PRC Registration Number 1 for Civil Engineers. He then
occupied a high-ranking position in the government and the
early members of PSCE were government engineers.
 On August 2, 1935, Act Number 4211 was enacted –
permitting underaged persons to take the board exam on
condition that they will not practice their profession until
they attained the required age of 21.
 The Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE) was
formed from a group of civil engineers in the private sector
with Engr. Enrique Sto. Tomas Cortes as its first president.
The PACE being the most active than the PSCE led to the
transfer of many PSCE members to PACE.
 On June 17, 1950, the Architects (Philippine Institute of
Architects) prepared and lobbied the passing of the first
Architect’s law (RA 545) while the Civil Engineers (Philippine
Association of Civil Engineers), the Civil Engineering law (RA
544, through the efforts of PACE President Alberto
Guevarra) was also passed the same year.
 In 1961, The Association of Structural Engineers of the
Philippines (ASEP) was founded.
 In 1971, PACE President Engr. Cesar A. Caliwara, exerted
a serious effort in merging the two organizations. Leaders of
PACE and PSCE negotiated, and talked about the choice of
name. Some concerns were raised such as formal
accounting and turnover of assets and liabilities,
accreditation of bonafide members and election rules for
the first officers which were sooner resolved.
 On June 1973, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued
Presidential Decree 223, creating the Professional
Regulation Commission (PRC) regulating all professions and
accrediting only one organization to represent each
profession.

Civil Engineers
Civil Engineer is one who:
 Build the structure that meet function, looks, cost and
reliability specification.
 Solve regional pollution or environmental issues.
 Gives new direction to the world through his
incredible ideas and innovative construction.
 Plan design and supervise construction of
transportation system, water system and communication
networks.
Civil Engineering Process
o Planning : Find problem areas that need improvement
and set the criteria for the design. Gather input from the
public.
o Design : Draw plans to show how the problem is going
to be fixed.
o Construction : Follow the plans from design to build the
solution to the problem.
o Operation/Maintenance : Fix small problems before
they become big ones
o Repair and Maintenance*
o Rehabilitation : To fix something back to original
condition.
Civil Engineering Specialties
• Construction Management / Materials
• Environmental/ Energy
• Geotechnical
• Structural
• Surveying/Transportation
• Hydraulics/Water Resources
1. Construction Engineers
- Design formwork, scaffolding, lifting apparatus, etc.
- Management of construction resources: labor,
materials, equipment, money and time.
2. Environmental Engineers
- Apply fluid mechanics, biology and chemistry to the
design and operation of environmental control systems,
e.g., municipal and industrial wastewater systems.
- Model and monitor the movement and behavior of
water pollutants in natural waters.
3. Geotechnical Engineers
- Analyze soil and rock that affect the behavior of
structures, pavements, underground facilities, and
containment structures for solid and liquid wastes.
- Design foundations, retaining walls, roadway cuts, etc.
- Field and laboratory work along with design.
4. Structural Engineers
- Design and analyze all man-made objects whose
primary function is load resistance: buildings, bridges,
aircraft, transmission towers, radar domes and antennas,
drilling platforms, etc.
- Must also consider the economics, esthetics and social
implications of their creations.
5. Transportation Engineers
- Analyze movement of persons and goods.
- Plan, design, construct, maintain and operate various
transportation modes (e.g., highway, railway, air, water, etc.)
- Design traffic management systems.
6. Hydraulic Engineers
- Analyze and design systems to transport liquids.
- Small and large systems of pipes as well as engineered
and natural channels.
- Hydraulic machinery such as pumps and turbines,
hydraulic controls such as valves and weirs, and hydraulic
structures such as dams and spillways.
7. Water Resources Engineers
- Develop, use and manage world’s water resources.
- Design water distribution systems, wells, reservoirs,
canals, locks and dams, port facilities and flood control
systems.
- Analyze the impact of other engineering projects on
the natural hydrologic system.
*stream restoration
8. Materials Engineers
- Design, analyze, and construct materials such as:
Steel, Concrete, Masonry, Asphalt, Composites
9. Surveyors
- Precisely locate and layout engineering projects.
- GIS (Geographic Information Systems), GPS (Global
Positioning Systems), and lasers distance measurement
devices.
- Maps and aerial photos.
7 Wonders of Civil Engineering
1. WORLD TRADE CENTER, NEW YORK
➢ Also known as WTC or Twin Towers
➢ Was a complex of seven buildings in Manhattan in
New York City before attack at Sep. 11, 2001
2. TOUR EIFFEL, PARIS
➢ It is an iron tower built beside Seine River in Paris.
➢ One of the most recognizable structures in the
world.
➢ A global icon of France
3. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING, NEW YORK
➢ It is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in New York
City.
➢ Was the tallest building for more than forty years,
from its completion in 1931.
➢ After the destruction of World Trade Center in 2001,
it again became the tallest building in New York City.
4. STATUE OF LIBERTY, NEW YORK
➢ Liberty Enlightening the World, commonly known as
Statue of Liberty.
➢ Was presented to the United States by the people of
France in 1886.
5. METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK
➢ It has permanent collection containing more than
two million work of arts.
➢ The main building, often referred to simply as “the
Met,” is one of the largest galleries.

6. GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, SAN FRANCISCO
➢ Golden Gate Bridge construction commenced on
January 5, 1933.
➢ One of the longest suspension bridges in the world.
➢ The bridge consists of two towers of 746 feet this
makes 191 feet higher than the Washington
Monument.
7. BURJ AL ARAB, DUBAI
➢ The Burj Al Arab, known as Tower of the Arabs.
➢ It is the fourth tallest (321 m) hotel in the world.
➢ The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m
out from Jumeirah beach
Lesson 5
CLASSIFICATION OF
ENGINEERING SERVICES
Engineering Services
- means any service or creative work, the adequate
performance of which requires engineering education,
training and experience in the application of special
knowledge of the mathematical, physical and engineering
sciences to such services.
It includes:
1. Consultation, Research, Investigations and Reports
2. Design services for construction projects
3. Construction services
4. Special Services for construction projects
5. Engineering Support services
6. Academic Services
7. Service as Employee
List of Engineering Services pursuant to RA 544
❑ Consultation, design, preparation of plans, specifications,
estimates.
❑ Installation and supervision of the construction of
streets, bridges, highways, railroads, airports and hangars,
port works, canals, river and shore improvements,
lighthouses and dry docks; buildings, fixed structures for
irrigation, flood protection, drainage, water supply and
sewerage works; demolition of permanent structures; and
tunnels.
1. CONSULTATION, RESEARCH, INVESTIGATION & REPORTS
✓ These services deal primarily with collecting,
interpreting, and reporting information, together with
formulating conclusions and making recommendations.
1.1. Preliminary and Feasibility Investigations and Reports
- They may focus on alternatives analysis, environmental
impact, sustainable development, operating costs, life-cycle
costs, financing considerations, and expected revenues as
bases for conclusions and recommendations regarding the
advisability of undertaking a project.
1.2. Planning Studies
- These services include the broad areas of developing
master plans for long-range capital improvement programs;
preparation of land development plans, urban plans, and
regional plans; and the investigation of environmental
conditions and preparation of environmental impact
studies, with subsequent planning to improve or maintain
existing conditions. Such planning often requires
coordination of the work of engineering and other
disciplines.
1.3. Appraisals, Valuations and Rate Studies
- These services may include investigations and analyses of
existing conditions; estimates of capital and operating costs,
overhead costs, and financing costs; and forecasts of
revenues for property development or for the
recommendation of prospective utility rates.
1.4. Assistance in Financial Matters
- The scope of services may include an evaluation of
capabilities of existing and proposed facilities to meet
present and projected future needs, statements of probable
construction costs, and an estimate of annual revenue
requirements, as well as a determination of appropriate
rates to provide this income. The consultant also may act as
the responsible agent to certify that certain terms and
conditions of the bond issues are carried out.
1.5. Materials Engineering and Equipment Tests
- These services include tests of materials and equipment
under established codes and standards, specialized
examination of equipment and materials used in
construction and industry, and other inspections and
monitoring required by the clients.
1.6. Direct Personal Services
- This includes services such as assistance in preparing for
legal proceedings, appearances before courts or
commissions to render expert opinions and conclusions,
and investigation of technical matters in which specialized
engineering knowledge, experience, and judgment are
required.
1.7. Research and Development
- Research is a specialized investigation and gathering of
data from existing resources or through laboratory works
and processes related to the purpose and object of the
research. Includes:
(a) Development of new construction materials and
methods from concept to commercialization.
(b) Improvement of construction materials and methods
through exhaustive studies to reduce total construction cost
and improve quality
1.8. Special Services
- These services can vary to suit special needs of the client
and can include such diverse activities as:
Value engineering
Appraisal and valuation
Load testing
Environmental evaluations
Traffic engineering
Forensic engineering for structural and other failures
Operational assistance
Materials process design
Pilot studies
Computer modeling
Safety engineering
Topographic, sounding and boundary survey engineering
Toxic and hazardous waste evaluation
Permit and application services
Sales and marketing services
Expert witness
Representation of municipal or private entities in project proposed for
privatization
2. DESIGN SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Six Standard Phases of a Construction Project
2.1. Study and Report Phase
- This phase involves determination of project scope and
economic and technical evaluation of feasible alternatives.
The services performed during this phase may include:
1. Reviewing available data and consulting with the client to
clarify and define the client’s requirements for the project
2. Advising the client as to the necessity of providing or
obtaining from other additional data or services and assisting
the client in obtaining such data and services. These additional
services may include photogrammetry, reconnaissance surveys
property surveys, topographic surveys, geotechnical
investigation and consultation, seismicity studies, computation
of hydrological data, traffic studies, materials engineering,
assembly of zoning deed and other restrictive land use
information and environmental assessments and impact
statements
3. Identifying and analyzing requirements of governmental
authorities having jurisdiction to approve the design of the
project and participating in consultation with such authorities.
4. Providing analyses of the clients needs, planning surveys,
comparative evaluations of prospective sites and solutions
5. Providing a general economic analysis of the client’s
requirements applicable to various alternatives.
6. Preparing a report and presenting alternatives solutions
available to the client with the civil engineer’s findings and
recommendations. The report may contain schematic layouts,
sketches, conceptual design criteria with appropriate exhibits
to indicate clearly the considerations involved (including
applicable requirements of governmental authorities having
jurisdiction) and the civil engineers conception opinion of
probable costs for the project.
2.2. Preliminary Design Phase
- This phase involves the establishment of the general size
and scope of the project and its location on the selected
site. The preliminary design services may include:
1. Consulting with the client, reviewing preliminary reports,
clarifying and defining the project requirement, reviewing
available data, and discussing general scheduling, conferences
may also be required with approving and regulatory
governmental agencies and applicable utilities.
2. Advising the client as to whether additional data or services
of the type described under the study and report phase above
are required and assisting the client in obtaining such data and
services
3. Preparing preliminary design documents consisting of final
design criteria, preliminary drawings, outline specifications,
and written description of the project
4. Preparing revised estimates of probable total project costs
5. Providing periodic status reports
2.3. Final Design Phase
- This phase of project development is usually undertaken
only after the client has approved the preliminary design
phase material The basic services for the final design phase
may include:
1. Preparing construction drawings and specifications showing
the character and extent of the project based on the accepted
preliminary design documents.
2. Preparing and furnishing to the client a revised estimate of
probable total project costs based on the final drawings and
specifications
3. Furnishing the necessary engineering data and assisting in
the application for regulatory permits from local, or national
authorities. This is distinguished from and does not include
detailed applications and supporting documents for
government grants-in-aid or planning grants that would be
furnished as additional services described later in this section.
4. Preparing basic documents related to construction contracts
for review and approval by the clients (and the client’s legal
and other advisors). These may include contract agreement
forms, general conditions and supplementary conditions,
invitations to bid, instructions to bidders, insurance and boding
requirements, and other contract-related documents
5. Furnishing to the client specified number of copies of
drawings, specifications and other contract documents.
6. Providing final design and construction services for design-
build contracts. The engineer generally serves as a
subcontractor to a general contractor during the initial
planning and design phase. Services provided by the engineer
may extend through the construction phase, as appropriate
7. Providing periodic status reports.
2.4. Bidding or Negotiating Phase
- Services under this phase may include:
1. Assisting the client in advertising for and obtaining bids or
negotiating proposals for each separate prime construction
contract, maintaining a record of prospective bidders to whom
bidding documents have been issued, attending pre-bid
conferences, and receiving and processing deposits for bidding
documents.
2. Issuing addenda as appropriate to interpret, clarify, expand
or amend the bidding documents.
3. Assisting the client in determining the qualifications and
acceptability of prospective contractors, subcontractors and
materials suppliers.
4. Consulting with and advising the client as to the
acceptability of alternative materials and equipment proposed
by the prospective constructors when substitution prior to the
award of contracts us allowed by eh bidding documents.
5. Attending the bid opening, preparing bid tabulation sheets
and providing assistance to the client in evaluating bids or
proposals and in assembling and awarding contracts for
construction, materials, equipment and services.
2.5. Construction Phase
- Services under this phase involve consulting with and
advising the client during construction and are usually those
associated with service as the client’s representative. Most
civil engineers are not willing to assume the responsibilities
associated with construction phase services without
providing resident project representative services at the
site. Construction phase services may include:
1. Reviewing for compliance with design concepts, shop and
erection drawing submitted by the constructor.
2. Reviewing laboratory, shop, and mill test reports on
materials and equipment.
3. Visiting the project site at appropriate intervals as
construction proceeds to observe and report on the progress
and the quality of the executed work
 4. Providing services during construction by a full-time resident
project representative, and by supporting staff as required, to
enable construction to be accomplished in conformance to the
construction drawings, specifications, and other contract
documents
5. Issuing instructions from the client to the contractors,
issuing necessary interpretations and clarifications of contract
documents, preparing change orders, requiring special
inspections and testing of the work, and making
recommendations as to acceptability of the work
6. Making recommendations to the client on corrective actions
or contractual measures that may be exercised by the owner.
7. Preparing sketches required to resolve problems due to
actual field conditions encountered.
8. Determining amounts of progress payments due, based or
degree of completion of the work, and recommending
issuance of such payments by the client.
9. Observing and assisting performance tests and initial
operations of the project.
10. preparing record drawings from information submitted by
the contractor.
11. Making a final inspection and reporting on completion of
the project, including recommendations concerning final
payments to contractors and release of retained percentages.
2.6. Operation Phase
At the completion of construction, the civil engineer
may as a basic service, assist in the start-up of project
operations.
The civil engineer may be commissioned to prepare a
manual for both operation and maintenance requirements,
and may also provide assistance in adjusting and balancing
equipment, identifying deficiencies and assisting in
obtaining corrections, and performing inspections prior to
the end of the project warranty period.
The civil engineer may assist in operator training,
setting up job classifications and salaries, organizing the
purchase of supplies developing charts for recording
operational data, and observing and reporting on project
operations.
3. CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
A Civil Engineer can be employed as a:
 Construction Engineer
 Resident Civil Engineer
 Project Manager
 Quality Control Engineer
 Cost Engineer
Construction engineering involves planning and
execution, transportation of materials, site development
based on hydraulic, environmental, structural and
geotechnical engineering.
As construction firms tend to have higher business risk
than other types of civil engineering firms do, construction
engineers often engage in more business-like transactions,
for example, drafting and reviewing contracts, evaluating
logistical operations, and monitoring prices of supplies.
Residential Civil Engineer
 Create and hand out schedules for construction
staff working in the field
 Calculate the quantity of material, supplies and
equipment needed for each individual project
 Perform continuous evaluation on trends and
ensure that preventative maintenance is managed
at each stage of the project
Project Manager
The project manager is accountable for the success or
failure of a project. Typical responsibilities of a project
manager include:
 Planning, Executing, and Closing Projects —
defining the project, building its comprehensive
work plan, and managing to the budget
 Managing Teams — facilitating commitment and
productivity, removing obstacles, and motivating
team members
 Managing Expectations — aligning projects to
business goals, managing stakeholders, and
communicating project status, milestones, and
unexpected difficulties effectively
Other roles:
Quality control engineer
 Test the quality of the materials used
 Reviewing and implementing production
checkpoints and standards
Cost engineer
 Devoted to the management of project cost
 Budget, plan and monitor investment projects
 They seek the optimum balance between cost,
quality and time requirements.
Construction Contracting
Support technical employee in the project
Philippine Contractor Accreditation Board
Need to first have a license on PCAB to be able to conduct
Construction Contracting. This is under the RA 4566,
Contractor’s License Law.
RA 4566, Contractor’s License Law
 R.A. 4566 as amended by P.D. No. 1746 provides that no
contractor (including sub-contractor and specialty
contractor) shall engage in the business of contracting
without first having secured a PCAB license to conduct
business.
 It is an offense to engage in contracting business without
a license first being obtained.
 The purpose of the Contractors License Law (R.A. 4566)
is to ensure, for the safety of the public, that only qualified
and reliable contractors are allowed to undertake
construction in the country. The law also aims to promote
for the benefit of the public and private sectors and for the
national interest, the orderly growth of the contracting
sector and the upgrading of construction capability.
 The law was enacted in 1965 to ensure for the safety of
the public that only qualified and reliable contractors are
allowed to undertake construction in the country, meaning
those obtaining the Philippine Contractors Accreditation
Board (PCAB) License.

4. SPECIAL SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
 Value engineering : Systematic method to improve
the “value” of goods or products and services by using an
examination of function.
 Appraisal and valuation : A person undertaken a
prescribed education and training in this field to ensure that
they take into account all features and issues relating to a
particular property.
 Load testing : Is the process of putting demand on a
software system or computing device and measuring its
response.
 Environmental evaluations : Process of estimating
and evaluating significant short-term and long-term effects
of a program or project on the quality of its location’s
environment. It also includes identifying ways to minimize,
mitigate, or eliminate these effects and/or compensate for
their impact.
 Traffic engineering : Traffic Engineers are engineers
who are focused on studying the traffic flow. They observe
how the traffic goes and study on it in order to reduce
traffic.
 Forensic engineering for structural and other
failures : Engineering investigation and determination of
the causes of structural failures of buildings, bridges and
other constructed facilities, as well as rendering opinions
and giving testimony in judicial proceedings, often referred
to as Forensic Structural Engineering.
 Operational assistance : Operations management
refers to the administration of business practices to create
the highest level of efficiency possible within an
organization. It is concerned with converting materials and
labor.
 Materials process design : Is the design of processes
for desired physical and/or chemical transformation of
materials. Process design is central to chemical engineering,
and it can be considered to be the summit of that field,
bringing together all of the field’s components.
 Pilot studies : Pilot project or pilot experiment is a
small scale preliminary study conducted in order to
evaluate feasibility, time, cost, adverse events, and effect
size (statistical variability) in an attempt to predict an
appropriate sample size and improve upon the study design
prior to performance
 Computer modeling : A computer-based model is a
computer program that is designed to simulate what might
or what did happen in a situation. They are used in many
ways including astronomy, economics and sciences such as
physics and biology.
 Safety engineering : Are special types of engineers
who are designed to ensure each person are safe in order
for the company to have low or 0 hazard.
 Topographic, sounding and boundary survey
engineering : Surveying or land surveying is the technique,
profession, and science of determining the terrestrial or
three-dimensional position of points and the distances and
angles between them.
 Toxic and hazardous waste evaluation
 Permit and application services
 Sales and marketing services : Sales and marketing
services is a specialty in which they are the ones in charge
of selling a product and at the same time having a good
income for the company. They are the ones who manage
the income of the company.
 Expert witness : A person who is permitted to testify
at a trial because of special knowledge or proficiency in a
particular field that is relevant to the case.
 Representation of municipal or private entities in
project proposed for privatization : Is the transfer of
ownership of property or businesses from a government to
a privately owned entity. The transition from a publicly
traded and owned company to a company which is privately
owned and no longer trades publicly on a stock exchange.
5. ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES
- are services that further helps the construction.
Example: Geotechnical Engineering
General Civil Engineering Support Services may involve:
▪ Drafting
▪ Land and construction surveying
▪ Civil estimating
▪ Inspection services
✓ Civil Engineering judgment and guidance for adequate
and correct data
✓ The validity or security of any engineering decision will
always depend on the accuracy and suitability of data
obtained.
6. ACADEMIC SERVICES
- Involve full or part time teaching or training of future
professionals
- Upgrading of knowledge and skills of fellow professionals.
Academic services may include:
1. Teaching of civil engineering courses in engineering
universities/ colleges on part/full time basis.
2. Lecturing in civil engineering courses designed by the
Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers for practicing
engineers who want to obtain CPD (Continuing Professional
Development) credits.
3. Conducting tutorials/refresher courses on civil
engineering concepts and related subjects.
4. Serving as a Resource Speaker in Technical Session.
5. Writing technical articles and pamphlets.