ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge

Civil engineering is like building sandcastles, except with really big sandcastles. The civil engineering body of knowledge is a big book of all the things that civil engineers need to know in order to build things like bridges and buildings that are safe and sturdy.

Just like how you need to learn how to use different tools to make different shapes in your sandcastle, civil engineers need to learn about all the different resources and techniques they can use to create strong structures. These resources could be anything from different types of steel to different types of concrete.

Civil engineers also need to learn about how to work with the land they have available. Do they need to build a bridge over a river? They need to learn about the water and how it flows so that the bridge is safe and doesn't get swept away. Do they need to build a skyscraper in a city? They need to think about how the soil is under the building so that it doesn't sink or tilt over.

The civil engineering body of knowledge also teaches civil engineers about safety. Just like how you have to keep away from the edge of your sandcastle or else it might collapse, civil engineers have to make sure they follow all sorts of safety rules and regulations to make sure that their structures are safe for everyone who uses them.

Overall, the civil engineering body of knowledge is a big book that teaches civil engineers about all the different things they need to know in order to build safe and strong structures. It's like a guidebook that they can use to make sure that everything they build is the best it can be!