1. Context and specificities of civil engineering

1.1 Scope of coverage

Civil engineering (CE) covers a vast field. It ranges from materials and structures and their behavior to road safety, transport and the environment. Virtually every profession is covered, from the most imposing, such as earthworks and the construction of major structures, to the most specialized, when it comes to diagnostics, maintenance, upkeep, monitoring, instrumentation and decision-making tools. Against this varied backdrop, the development of standardization and the quality demanded in terms of infrastructure construction and service levels mean that the measurement and control techniques available to managers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. As a result, they are able to gain a better understanding of the structures for which they are responsible,...