Civil engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and natural infrastructure. It includes the planning, designing, supervising, constructing, and maintaining of highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, canals, dams, sewage treatment plants, water supply networks, power plants, and other such facilities. Civil engineers are also responsible for the safety and security of these structures.
The field of civil engineering has a long and rich history. Some of the earliest examples of civil engineering can be found in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Great Pyramids of Giza and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are two famous examples from this period. In ancient Greece, the city of Athens was renowned for its complex system of aqueducts that supplied fresh water to its citizens. The Roman Empire was also home to many great feats of civil engineering such as the Colosseum and the aqueducts that supplied Rome with water.
During the Middle Ages, much advancement was made in civil engineering due to advances in mathematics and physics. Archimedes is considered one of the most important figures in this period for his work on hydrostatics and hydraulics. Leonardo da Vinci also made contributions to civil engineering with his designs for bridges and other structures.
The Industrial Revolution saw a great increase in population which led to a need for more housing and better transportation systems. This led to many new innovations in civil engineering such as iron-clad ships designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and suspension bridges designed by John Roebling. The 20th century brought even more advances in civil engineering with skyscrapers such as those designed by Gustave Eiffel becoming increasingly common sights in cities around the world