Structural and civil engineering are two disciplines in the engineering field that are quite similar to each other. Both engineering types are responsible for making sure construction projects are safe, stable and cost-effective. However, they hold vital differences that make them distinct from each other.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Civil engineers typically are involved in the overall supervision of a construction site and are focused on how the construction projects will impact the environment. Structural engineers, on the other hand, are usually tasked with looking at the effect of various conditions of the infrastructure of the construction project. 
The major differences between the disciplines include the following:

• Civil engineering is a broad subject that includes structural engineering. Structural engineering is a subject under civil engineering at the undergraduate level.
• ​Structural engineers analyze the effect of temperature and wind fluctuations on tall buildings and other structures. Civil engineers work strictly on research, environmental factors and or design and may act as supervisors at a construction site.

All structural engineers are civil engineers. However, not all civil engineers are structural engineers. Despite their similarities or differences, both civil and structural engineers must be familiar with the laws and regulations in the places where they work.

Get More Details
​
For more details about civil engineering in Santa Rosa, contact the civil engineering and land planning firm of Atterbury & Associates today. Our team of experts applies best management practices by working closely with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies. We provide design, consulting, and planning services utilizing the most innovate mechanisms in the industry. Make sure to like us on Facebook, find us on Google+, and subscribe to our blog.

The relationship between Architecture and Civil Engineering is important for communicating and coordinating the safety and quality of the project. While the professions are similar, they have different perspectives and priorities. 

Aspects of the Relationship

Architecture specializes in spatial functionality and aesthetics of designing and developing infrastructure projects. The functionality, creativity, and feel of structures is the focus. Civil Engineering concentrates on the structural elements, emphasizing the feasibility of the construction project, strength of materials, and safety. Other distinctions between Civil Engineering and Architecture include:

• Shared leadership. While Architects and Civil Engineers work together to design a construction project, the Architect takes the lead on design, while the Civil Engineer concentrates on the physics involved in the development project.
• Blending aesthetics with safety. An Architect enhances the interior and exterior appeal of the structure, while the Civil Engineer determines strategies to ensure that the aesthetic materials are stable and safe.
• Design and work quality. The Architect designs for placement, dwelling space, facility arrangement, room, lighting, and ventilation, whereas the Civil Engineer designs to support the Architectural features, plans the ancillary components to support the development,  supervise the construction, and implement the design.
• Project design and construction. While the Architect creates the aesthetic design of the project, the Civil Engineer produces it based on load calculation, foundations, grading, drainage, and utilities.

Both Architects and Civil Engineers are involved in preparing and creating a project and work together throughout the development process. They rely on the support of each other to complete the project successfully.

Discover More Today

For more details about the importance of the relationship between civil engineering and architecture, contact Atterbury & Associates today at 707-433-0134. Like us on Facebook, find us on Google+, and subscribe to our blog.

Wells provide a multitude of resources and conveniences, making them a top priority for many landowners to install. While the benefits are many, there are also problems that can occur if the well drilling isn’t completed correctly. Here are some of the most important guidelines to keep in mind before you add a well to your property in Sonoma County.

1. Location Approval

The location of your well must comply with County and State requirements. In order to prevent contamination and leakage, you’ll need to ensure that your well is nowhere near the following sources:

• Septic systems
• Sites for solid waste disposal
• Ponds designated for sewage
• Storm sewers and industrial waste sites
• Feedlots and stable areas
• Areas where fertilizer and pesticides are stored and prepared

These guidelines are in place to prevent contamination to your water as well as surrounding structures. Additional sources to avoid and the proper distances can be found here.

2. Permit Completion

Permits must be completely and accurately filled out. Information should include details such as the proposed location’s elevation as well as a site plan. The distances to possible pollution sites, such as those listed above, also need to be listed on the permit application.

3. Contractor Licensing

Unproperly dug wells sometimes fail to keep contaminants out. It is necessary to hire a sufficiently licensed contractor to complete any well drilling, modifications or destruction in Sonoma County. In order to remain fully compliant with all laws, you must confirm that your proposed contractor has this license before any work is done. 

Atterbury & Associates provides land planning and a variety of other civil engineering services. Start learning how to get the most out of your development property by contacting our office us at 707-433-0134.

St. Patrick's Day is a great time to gather around with family and friends and celebrate. Why stay inside and go through the hassle of having a party yourself? There's way too much preparation and cleanup involved. Instead, head out to the Healdsburg St. Patrick’s Day Parade for a morning of fun. 

The Details

Make the best out of this St. Patrick's Day by rounding up your family and friends and heading out to Healdsburg Avenue for a free celebration on Tuesday, March 17th. Here is the typical agenda for the Healdsburg St Patrick’s Day Parade:

• Early festivities begin at approximately 6:00 am at the B&B Lounge, 1239 Healdsburg Avenue.
• Get your hair (and beard) colored green by Rotarians and support the fight against Polio at approximately 6:30 am at Costeaux French Bakery, 417 Healdsburg Avenue.
• Parade begins at approximately 7 am at Sanderson Ford, 453 Healdsburg Avenue.
• Corned beef and cabbage may be served at the B&B Lounge after the parade.

Come On Out!
​
Don’t miss the Healdsburg St. Patrick’s Day Parade! This is an opportunity to celebrate your local community and Irish culture. All of us at Atterbury and Associates in Healdsburg, California invite you, your friends, and your family to come out and enjoy this fun local event.

For information on hiring us to assist you with your commercial or residential engineering project, call us at 707.433.0134. Be sure to like us on Facebook, join our Google+ page, and subscribe to our blog.

Planning, developing and executing a commercial project is a job too large for any one person.  There are so many different aspects that experts from various fields need to be involved in to successfully complete the venture. One of the most important consultants for any project is a civil engineering professional. These consultants are trained to consider factors that may be affected or need to be addressed before construction can even begin. There are many different services that a civil engineer can offer.

Comprehensive Planning

The area of your project determines the types of permits you’ll need and the standards you’ll be required to follow. For instance, projects in Sonoma County may need to consider one or more of the following standards, depending on their area and project type.

• Zoning Ordinance
• Sonoma County General Plan
• Grading Ordinance
• Well & Septic Standards
• California Coastal Commission
• State Agencies
• Building Codes
• And more…

Having a civil engineering professional on your team will provide the experience of someone who understands these guidelines and knows how to complete a commercial project while still following the designated plan.

Agency Permitting

Another aspect of project planning that can be confusing is the necessary permits and processes for obtaining them. There are often more required than you would expect, making it vital to have someone on hand who knows how to efficiently navigate the legal side of construction. 

Site Design

In addition to obtaining necessary permits and determining which adjustments will need to be made to satisfy each plan for the specified area, experts in civil engineering are also able to contribute to site design. Their past experiences allow them to offer options for compliance and creatively come up with a solution that will satisfy the reviewing committee as well as government regulation.

As you prepare to undertake the task of planning and executing a commercial project, consider hiring an expert in the civil engineering field to determine legal compliance and safety. For more information on Civil Engineering and the roles they play, contact Atterbury & Associates today at 707.433.0134, “like” us on Facebook, find us Google+ and subscribe to our blog.                            

Sound Civil Engineering Equals Proper Vineyard Development
Most vintners agree that a good wine does not happen by accident.  Although terroir and even a certain amount of luck may go into the winemaking process, careful planning of the land on which the grapes are grown is the first and most crucial step in the production process. To this end, civil engineering firms play an integral role in ensuring that a parcel of land is suitable for grape harvest, and that the vineyard development is designed to appropriately address stormwater and prevent erosion and sediment from entering waterways. 

Civil Engineering and Vineyards
In Sonoma County, new vineyards or existing vineyards to be replanted are subject to the Sonoma County Grading, Drainage, and Vineyard and Orchard Site Development Ordinance, or VESCO as it is commonly referred to. VESCO requires that strict agricultural best management practices for erosion and sediment control be adhered to.  As such, the services of reputable civil engineering firms are sought out by vineyard developers in the region to provide grading and drainage solutions for potential vineyards and to establish effective erosion and sediment control plans.  Atterbury and Associates has extensive experience with VESCO and has been involved with many projects in Sonoma County. 

Know Before You Grow
Not only is professional land planning for vineyard development required by VESCO, it is also good for the regions environment and waterways.   At Atterbury & Associates, Inc., we feel that the vineyard design step is one of the most important in the long winemaking process.   For more information on how we can help you with your vineyard development and other civil engineering and land use needs, give our office a call at (707) 433-0134 or contact us via our Website. While you’re there, be sure to subscribe to our blog and to like us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Wildfires have long been a feature of the ecosystem in California, and the local plant life has evolved to survive and even thrive in the wake of some low-intensity fires. However, more intense blazes can destroy critical groundcover and long-established plants, and can put the landscape at risk of even greater damage from soil erosion and hydrophobic soil.  

Hydrophobic Soil and Erosion

Not only will a fire destroy the trees, vines, shrubs, grasses and litter layer that bind the soil together and disperse rainwater evenly throughout the terrain, but the intense heat can also coat the soil in a waxy substance that actively repels water and increases runoff. The danger of soil erosion is greatest when: 

• The litter layer has burned off, leaving the ground bare. 
• The canopy has burned away.
• The fire was intense.
• Slopes are steep.
• Rainfall is extreme (El Nino conditions). 
• Soil appears to no longer absorb moisture.

​
Landowners who act quickly can protect their property from post-fire soil erosion. Effective erosion control measures include slash spreading, mulching and seeding, and installing log terraces, straw bales, waterbars or fiber rolls.

​Professional Assistance
​
Our team of experienced civil engineers can assist landowners in creating a plan for erosion control. To learn more, contact us at 707-433-0134, or find us on Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to our blog.

Groundwater is a significant consideration for any construction or engineering undertaking. Water tables can affect both the settling of a structure’s foundation and the action of the soil surrounding the building. Since natural groundwater reserves are a valuable resource to many public and private concerns, the preliminary analysis of any land development project must include a thorough examination of the groundwater systems present in the prospective build site. Our team has worked on many important engineering projects throughout Sonoma County. 

Consequences of Poor Groundwater Studies
A thorough analysis of a potential build site is an essential part of project development. In addition to studying the character of soil and other geologic features, groundwater systems must also be carefully inspected. Failing to do so can have some complex outcomes that are potentially expensive and difficult to fix. For example:

• Individual sources of groundwater can be contaminated when disrupted by build activities.
• Aquifers already affected by abstraction are further disrupted.
• The contamination or disruption of groundwater resources affects agricultural, industrial, and commercial activities.
• Environmental features that rely on the presence and action of ground water systems are significantly disturbed.
• Structure foundations placed below the water table may require basement drainage systems and other solutions to cope with the presence of water.

Groundwater Does Not Have to Be a Problem
Traditionally, groundwater has been regarded as an obstacle that engineering solutions were required to solve. While strategies such as the creation of aquifer cut-off walls and the use of water removal pumps are still important, early identification of the presence of groundwater and the potential obstacles presented by it allow for more effective problem solving. 
​
​Your Engineering Partner
Atterbury & Associates excels at developing the reports required for effective build planning. Contact us today to discuss your next project.