Skills required for a civil engineer Quantity estimation This is one of the basic necessity in formation of a strong base of a civil engineer. This skill plays an important role in shaping an engineer. For any kind of project firstly a tentative quantity is to be calculated by an engineer to commence the work […]

What are the basic skills of Civil Engineers? — Civil Daily Innovations

Skills required for a civil engineer

Quantity estimation

This is one of the basic necessity in formation of a strong base of a civil engineer. This skill plays an important role in shaping an engineer. For any kind of project firstly a tentative quantity is to be calculated by an engineer to commence the work for filling a tender document for the upcoming projects.

What is quantity estimation? The importance of quantity estimation

 Quantity estimation is a sub branch of civil engineering which involves calculation of quantities of various materials used (or to be used) in the upcoming projects. The materials include  basic materials (Steel, Cement, Coarse aggregates, Fine aggregates, Admixtures) and the materials other than these include waterproofing materials, finishing materials, plumbing materials etc.

Before commencement of any of the civil engineering work an approximate estimation of quantity is done to get an idea of how much material is to be required and when the materials are to be bought for the different purposes. The whole cost of the project is based on quantity estimation.

Uses of quantity estimation

Quantity estimation gives us the approximate amount of materials required in a project. This value varies anywhere between +- (5-10%). If the materials are getting used beyond such limit it is an indication that the material are either getting wasted too much or there are some malpractices (robbing the materials and then selling it outside, by labours or guards etc) going on the work site.

Reading the drawing

One of the basic needs for becoming a capable civil engineer is the ability to read and understand the drawings. The drawings include architectural Drawing, Structural drawing, Electrical Layout, Plumbing layout, Fire fighting layout etc.

Importance of reading and understanding the drawings

The first step to know about an on-going project lies in the drawings of the project. When an engineer visits any new project, his first duty is to read the drawings to get a good overview about the project. Understanding the drawing is also important as it gives an idea about which materials are used at which place. This eventually helps an engineer in calculation of quantities of the specified objects. There are different types of plans available on the site they are named as follows:

1. Setting Out Plan
2. General Layout Plan
3. Architectural drawing
4. Elevation Drawings
5. Centreline Plan
6. Electrical Layout plan

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