Urban Engineering: Concepts and Challenges

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to explain the concepts of urban engineering and to highlight some of the challenges faced by this discipline. The overall idea is to describe how urban engineering relates to other areas of engineering expertise, particularly within the context of civil engineering. To do this we have drawn mainly on our own professional and academic experience, fleshed out by an examination of the relevant literature available both in Brazil and further afield. At the outset it should be said that most of our observations focus on the city of São Paulo where our present professional concerns lie. However, in future works we hope to extend our approach beyond the confines of São Paulo in an effort to broaden and improve our understanding of the concepts underlying urban engineering as a necessary prelude to enable us to supply useful guidance for researchers, experts and students keen to work alongside the engineering professionals currently employed in our cities.