Expert: Arshad Khan - 4/3/2010

Question
QUESTION: hi..im a newly licensed civil engineer in the Philippines..im about 23 and still an amateur in the business.. What depresses me is the future of civil eng'g as it stands now.. civil engineering, to me, is reduced to mere routinary activities and management.. unlike mechanical or chemical eng'g, the future for expansion and discovery seems dim..should a youngster  like me be interested in irrigation or ,say, environmental  eng'g, i would be bound by the restrictions of technicalities and  inexperience- which i think oppresses talent and fair opportunity..add to that the low job opportunities for us youngsters. As an expert and experienced in the field of civil eng'g, what do advice would you give to a far-fetched  ambitious visionary as myself? many thanks

ANSWER: Hi Nords,

I would not paint such a pessimistic picture- Civil Engineering is a fantastic career, with lots of opportunities around the world in different aspects of it. You are just starting your career and no doubt will have ups and downs, but have perseverence, get some experience behind you and then you will really enjoy the work ahead.

As for which subjects to follow- this depends on your interests, but in the beginning accept whatever work experience you can get, even if some of it is voluntary/community work.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thankx... a diagonal crack appears on the tension side of a column just above the floor slab...the structure is one storey.. since the crack is virtually vertical, i suppose the crack extends to the footing below.. the crack is about half( or a fourth) an inch.. how do you repair a single column w/o incurring much dmage...?? my far-fetched suggestion is that you destroy the damaged part and cast it anew whilst supporting the structure.... watz ur advice? tnx agen

Answer
Hi Nords,

You have not indicated whether this is a new or old construction. If it is old, vertical cracks normally are formed due to corrossion of the main rebar. If that is the case, the best option is to remove the cracked/spalled concrete (you can put some props as temporary support), scabble the good concrete to expose the aggregate, then use a bonding agent before apply fresh sand/cement mortar.

If it is new construction, the cracks may be due to poor concrete mix, poor curing or lack of concrete cover.