ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES
THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DESCRIBED ABOVE OFTEN REQUIRE ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING FOR EXAMPLE, FREQUENTLY REQUIRES SERVICES SUCH AS TAKING SOIL
AND ROCK BORINGS, EXCAVATING TEST PITS SAMPLING, AND IDENTIFYING SOIL AND EARTH MATERIALS,
FIELD AND LABORATORY TEST AND GEOGRAPHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS. THE
ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICEES IN GENERAL CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE MAY INVOLVE DRAFTING,
LAND AND CONSTRUCTION SURVEYING, AND OTHER DATA GATHERING ACTIVITIES FOR SPECIALIZED
PURPOSES. ALTHOUGH PERSONS WHO ARE NOT CIVIL ENGINEERS SOMETIMES ACCOMPLISH SOME OF
THESE TASKS, THE PROCUREMENT OF ADEQUATE AND CORRECT DATA USUALLY REQUIRES
PROFESSIONAL CIVIL ENGINEERING JUDGEMENT AND GUIDANCE. SINCE SOUNDNESS OF ANY
ENGINEERING DECISION IS DEPENDENT UPON THE ACCURACY AND SUITABILITY OF DATA OBTAINED IN
FIELD AND LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS THESE SUPPORTING SERVICES MUST BE UNDER THE
GUIDANCE OF THE CIVIL ENGINEER WHOSE DECISIONS WILL BE BASED UPON THOSE DATA.
ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES ARE IMPORTANT IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. LIKE IN GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING THEY WOULD NEED SUPPORT SERVICES IN TAKING SOIL AND ROCK BORINGS, EXCAVATING
TEST PITS SAMPLING, AND IDENTIFYING SOIL AND EARTH MATERIALS, FIELD, AND LABORATORY TEST
AND GEOGRAPHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS. IN GENERAL CIVIL ENGINEERING THERE
ARE ALSO SUPPORT SERVICES SUCH AS DRAFTING, LAND AND CONSTRUCTION SURVEYING, AND OTHER
DATA-GATHERING ACTIVITIES FOR SPECIALIZED PURPOSES. WHILE NON- ENGINEERS MAY PERFORM
THESE TASKS, THE ACCURACY AND SUITABILITY OF THE DATA OBTAINED DURING FIELD AND
LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS ARE CRITICAL. THEREFORE, THESE SUPPORTING SERVICES MUST BE DONE
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A CIVIL ENGINEER. THEIR DECISIONS ARE BASED UPON THE DATA COLLECTED
DURING THESE CRITICAL PROCESSES.