Most students have an idea of what constitutes a civil engineering failure.
The Connection between Civil Engineering and Nature Civil engineering, unlike other engineering disciplines, exists at the interface of structure with Nature. Consider electrical, chemical and mechanical engineering by contrast. Each can exist in a highly structured, oversimplified and artificial environment absent natural functions. It is a definition that, although crafted 200 years ago, remains relevant for some engineers today. That is, that Nature was something to be conquered and controlled.