Civil Engineering

If you are interested in the construction of public works then maybe you could focus on civil engineering construction for your dissertation. Whether it is public bridges, sewers or railways, this could make for a fascinating dissertation! Take a look at some suggestions below:

Example civil engineering dissertation topic 1:

Infrastructural civil engineering construction projects within the UK: Time for legislative change?

The process of planning, commissioning and completing major infrastructural civil engineering construction projects within the UK is a lengthy process. Hampered by Nimbyism and the need for individual planning consents, this paper argues that a slim-lined process of facilitation is needed for projects such as the HS2 link or the proposed fourth crossing at Dartford. In so doing this paper further argues that the infrastructural and societal benefits of such construction projects far outweigh the negatives and that accordingly the views and needs of the majority should, in such cases of construction, outweigh the criticism of the few. Accordingly, it is proposed that for infrastructural developments in excess of £20 billion (the HS2 is estimated at £32bn) usual planning regulations should not apply and that rather central government should be empowered, by statute, to declare that such developments will be constructed along the path that the supreme legislative power of the UK dictates.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Devine-Wright, P. (2011). ‘Public engagement with large-scale renewable energy technologies: Breaking the cycle of NIMBYism’, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, Vol. 2, pp. 19-26.
• Marshall, T. (2011). ‘Reforming the process for infrastructure planning in the UK/England 1990-2010’, Town Planning Review, Vol. 82(4), pp. 441-467.
• Vickerman, R. (2007). ‘Cost-benefit analysis and large-scale infrastructure projects: State of the art and challenges’, Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, Vol. 34(4), pp. 598-610.