Maritime and hydraulic engineering
Harbour construction and shipbuilding are ancient arts. For many developing countries today the establishment of a large, efficient harbour is an early imperative, to serve as the inlet for industrial plant and needed raw materials and the outlet for finished goods. In developed countries the expansion of world trade, the use of larger ships, and the increase in total tonnage call for more rapid and efficient handling. Deeper berths and alongside-handling equipment (for example, for ore) and navigation improvements are the responsibility of the civil engineer.
The development of water supplies was a feature of the earliest civilizations, and the demand for water continues to rise today. In developed countries the demand is for industrial and domestic consumption, but in many parts of the world—e.g., the Indus basin—vast schemes are under construction, mainly for irrigation to help satisfy the food demand, and are often combined with hydroelectric power generation to promote industrial development.
Dams today are among the largest construction works, and design development is promoted by bodies like the International Commission on Large Dams. The design of large impounding dams in places with population centres close by requires the utmost in safety engineering, with emphasis on soil mechanics and stress analysis. Most governments exercise statutory control of engineers qualified to design and inspect dams.