Computing in Civil Engineering: Current Trends and Future Directions

This paper describes a study to investigate the need for, the usage of, and the teaching of computing technologies to civil engineering students. The investigation first comprised a survey of the computer facilities and programs offered in civil engineering departments in the United States and, secondly, a survey of graduates of Georgia Tech's Civil Engineering School concerning their needs for computer skills as practicing civil engineers. These surveys show that computing facilities and instruction within civil engineering programs are underfunded and understaffed. The graduates echoed this sentiment, preferring to have additional computing instruction beyond what is presently offered and access to more and better equipment. The graduates felt these items are necessary to better deal with computing issues pertaining to their jobs. The report concludes with a discussion of possible courses of action for improvements to computing instruction and facilities offered to students. The report acknowledges that students and professors in civil engineering programs have a wide diversity of computing experience. Education of both faculty and students may be necessary to improve the desired level of computer literacy needed by civil engineers in the 21st century.