Basics: Introduction to Civil Infrastructure
Infrastructure may be defined as the fundamental foundation or essential framework of an
organization or system. In the context of civil and environmental engineering, infrastructure refers
to the system of public works within a country, state, region, or municipality.
While our infrastructure deteriorates, population growth and rapid urbanization worldwide have
placed increasing stress on the planet’s resources. Fifty years ago we were using just half of the
earth’s bio capacity. Today, humanity’s demand on the earth’s resources - our ecological footprint
exceeds the planet’s capacity by 30 percent - that is, we need 1.3 planets to meet our demands and
we have just one! This will worsen in the due course as the world’s population grows, creating
unprecedented demands for food, water, energy, and infrastructure.
Infrastructure strategies to meet this challenge include increased water recycling,
reclamation, and conservation; improved energy efficiency using enhanced
conservation measures; reduced dependence on fossil fuels, particularly petroleum; and
more energy and materials from renewable sources. We build infrastructure for the long
haul; it defines our communities and lasts for generations. Our current infrastructure,
which has served us well, was designed and constructed using conventional standards
and technologies without considering the need for sustainability, now a critical need for
the 21st century.
The public assumes that infrastructure will always be there, and that the services it
provides will always be adequate. Unfortunately, repairing and replacing infrastructure
using conventional technologies will perpetuate a legacy of inefficiency that will last for
generations.
Delivering sustainable infrastructure is the new challenge for the next generation of engineers.
Infrastructure components are parts of larger systems whose efficiency and effectiveness depend on
smooth integration. It also requires that we define and communicate values that are difficult to
describe and even more difficult to quantify.
Two criteria determine if an infrastructure project will contribute to sustainability.
The first is: Did we do things right? For example, did we push the boundaries by seeking
opportunities to improve sustainable performance? Did we raise the bar in sustainability
by going beyond first-cost thinking to total life-cycle costing and to designing for
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efficiency, resiliency, and reuse? Did we achieve what was reasonable within the realm of
technical feasibility and acceptable business risk?
The second is: Did we do the right thing? Did we consider how the project aligns with the
principles of sustainability, and how it will impact future generations? Is the
infrastructure project seen as fair and equitable? Does it align with community goals,
account for community issues, and make good use of community resources? Does the project
create knowledge and advance our understanding of sustainability?
Major infrastructure sectors (termed the built environment) are provided in the following list,
with the first nine sectors comprising the civil infrastructure:
1. Transportation systems (roads, highways, railroads, bridges, tunnels, canals, locks, ports,
airports, mass transit, and waterways)
2. Structures (including buildings, bridges, dams, and levees)
3. Water supply and treatment systems
4. Wastewater treatment and conveyance systems
5. Solid waste management systems (collection, reuse, recycling, and disposal of wastes)
6. Hazardous waste management systems
7. Stormwater management systems
8. Parks, schools, and other government facilities
9. Energy systems (power production, transmission, and distribution)
10. Communications systems (telephone, computer, etc.)
Much of the infrastructure we use is invisible to the public due to being buried below ground,
or is virtually invisible given that we are so used to seeing it every day. It has been said that,
‘‘our infrastructure is like our stomachs—when working properly, we don’t even realize it’s there.’’
This is largely true as society often takes the infrastructure for granted. Unfortunately, this often leads
to neglect. For example, people assume that the bridges they cross daily will support traffic
loads and that safe and abundant water will be supplied from their bathroom faucet. Society
also tends to assume that the bridge and the faucet will continue to meet their needs indefinitely with
minimal care and attention. And day after day, this is indeed the case. However, infrastructure
components and systems do fail, sometimes with catastrophic consequences and always with
consequences that have far-reaching effects.