Research Guides: Civil & Environmental Engineering: Government Information, Statistics, & Standards

Engineering Data

Engineering Data Repositories and Open Science Compliance: A Guide for Engineering Faculty and Librarians
A list of engineering data repositories evaluated according to the National Science and Technology Council "Desirable Characteristics of Data Repositories for Federally Funded Research", in association with the article "Engineering Data Repositories and Open Science Compliance: A Guide for Engineering Faculty and Librarians" presented at ASEE 2024 Conference.

Government Information

Selective California and Federal Government sources are listed here. Please contact a librarian for assistance in identifying resources from other states, countries and international agencies. Please also consult the California Government Information Subject Guide and the Federal Government Resources Subject Guide.

ASTM SEDL (Standards & Engineering Digital Library)
ASTM, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, is a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of international voluntary consensus standards. SEDL includes 12,200 active ASTM standards used around the world to improve product quality, enhance safety, facilitate market access & trade, & build consumer confidence. Also, there are 28,500 historical & withdrawn standards, plus 12,300 Redlined Standards (PDF documents that provide change marks to compare changes between an active standard & the prior version) included where revisions were made. There are nearly 100 categories of standards with the largest number in the categories of Construction, Metals, Paint & Related Coatings, Petroleum, Plastics, Environmental, Rubber, Steel, Textiles, & Electronics; new areas that reflect 3D Imaging standards, Additive Manufacturing & Medical Device Standards.
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The SEDL requires that all users click through and accepts the terms of the license. While ASTM is best known for it’s standards, SEDL also includes nearly every other ASTM publication, including 1500+ books and 60,000+ papers and chapters dating back to 1932.

In addition to the standards, three main collections of publications compose the books, journals and papers of the SEDL, and the CDL Shared Cataloging or SCP unit will be processing individual bibliographic records at the source level for the following content that will be noted in Melvyl and local opacs:
1. Peer reviewed conference proceedings/Special Technical Publications (STPs)
2. Journals – ASTM issues the following titles:
a. Geotechnical Testing Journal
b. Journal of Testing and Evaluation
c. Journal of ASTM International
d. Journal of Forensic Sciences Backfile from 972-2005
e. Journal of Cement, Concrete and Aggregates (CCA) – historical issues
f. Journal of Composites Technology and Research (JCTR) – historical issues
3. Manuals, Monographs and Data Series Library – basically an eBook collection
California Department of Water Resources
This state agency operates and maintains the State Water Project, including the California Aqueduct.
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It also provides dam safety and flood control services, assists local water districts in water management and conservation activities, promotes recreational opportunities, and plans for future statewide water needs.
California Water Atlas
online edition of original 1979 volume also found at
Langson Reference G1526.C3 C3 1979 c.2
Country Maps
Country maps paired with Landsat images.
Data USA
Data USA is a comprehensive website and visualization engine of public US Government data and includes Viz Builder, and data about most sectors, industries, business, population/census, education, social indicators with allowances for maps and visualizations.
DOE Green Energy
This new site launched on Earth Day 2010 is designed to ease access to green energy R&D information for use by researchers, scientists, educators, students and the general public. Researchers can use the DOE Green Energy portal to speed scientific discovery and innovation; business and industry can use the R&D to stimulate economic growth related to renewable energy.
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DOE Green Energy contains both current and historical research, including bibliographic citations, technical reports and patent information on different types of renewable energy resources and energy conservation. Subject areas include but are not limited to solar, wind, bioenergy, hydroelectric, geothermal, tidal and wave power, and energy storage.
Earthquake Information (US Geological Survey)
Real-time & historical maps and lists of recent and significant past earthquakes, information on earthquake hazards and preparedness, earthquake FAQs, educational materials. Links to useful geological and educational sites.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Department of Energy's energy efficiency department, offers tips for buying appliances, remodeling, and more.
Environmental Data Explorer
This is the authoritative source for datasets used by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Outlook partners. The database contains more than 500 different variables as national, regional, and global statistics or as geospatial datasets (maps), covering such themes as fresh water, population, forests, emissions, climate, disasters, health, and GDP. This site allows users to create maps, graphs, or data tables, or to download the data in different formats.
EPA Publications
Search Environmental Protection Agency publications across all of their web sites.
Global Environment
The UNEP Knowledge Repository is a resource for global environmental issues, including climate change, disasters and conflicts, ecosystem management, environmental governance, chemicals and waste, and resource efficiency. There is not a data section, but a search for "dataset" within this site links to more than 7,000 sources for data, including Gender-Environment Datasets with Broadest Country Coverage, which is available at http://web.unep.org/ggeo/resources/data-sources. This repository contains maps for Sustainable Development Goal synergies, region, or theme.
Global Gender and Environment
The Global Gender and Environment Outlook is a collaborative project between UNEP and strategic partners to bring gender issues to the heart of environmental assessment and decision making. To date, 17 indicators pull from available UN data, separated by gender, on environment and sustainable development issues.
IRS
Offers information on energy efficiency tax credits, such as the Existing Home Retrofit Tax Credit (available in 2009-10) and Wind, Solar, Geothermal and Fuel Cell Tax Credit (available trough 20016), for home remodels.
Mapping Reference Tools
Resources compiled by the Western Association of Map Libraries (WAML) about a range of mapping, cartographic elements including soil surveys for all states, etc.
National Technical Reports Library (NTRL)*
This new database offers the most complete access to fulltext NTIS reports and is growing all the time. With over 2 Million Reports and over 500,000 in fulltext PDFs. The more recent reports tend to be the ones available in PDF. Check the language of the report and the length of it before printing. Recommend using the Advanced Search option.
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If report is unavailable in fulltext, check MELVYL by title and series or with a librarian to make sure that it is not available via ILL from another campus before you elect to order it.
NTIS Database Online*
National Technical Information Service provides full descriptive summaries of more than 2.2 million documents and other materials NTIS has received from U.S. Government agencies since 1964.
NTRL - see National Technical Reports Library
Orange County Surveys
Annual surveys that summarize a variety of issues important to like and work in Orange County, California.
SimplyAnalytics*
STAT-USA*
Business, economic and trade data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Includes National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) and its foreign market research reports.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
Also can be found in LL, Latest in Ref, HA 202 .U5.
Statistical Abstract of the World
Science Library (SL) Ref, HA 154 .S69 1997
Statistical Universe*
Statistical lets you find all statistics issued by the U.S. government back to 1973.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Envirofacts Data Warehouse
This site lets you view environmental information by ZIP code, city, or county. Data relating to water include permits, violations, and more for a particular area.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Water
Provides links and information on water relating to laws and regulations, funding, grants, databases and software, as well as water quality models, mapping, and data systems.
U.S. Geological Survey: Water Resources of the United States
A website created by the USGS containing links to data, maps, software, publications, glossaries, and weather information related to water resources in the United States.
U.S. State Maps
Includes a raised relief map, elevation map, rivers map, political map and raods/cities map. These link to our state and city satellite images, waterfalls map, state high points map and more.
U.S Environmental Protection Agency - Ground Water and Drinking Water
United States Geological Survey (USGS) -Water Data for the Nation
Contains water data collected by the USGS at over 1.5 million sites. Includes coverage of all 50 states is included as well as the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
United States Geological Survey - Water Resources of California
US Building Footprints
“This dataset contains 125,192,184 computer generated building footprints in all 50 US states. This data is freely available for download and use
USGS National Earthquake Information Center
Provides the most complete and current information on earthquakes. Data indexed in database format.
USGS Selected Water Resources Abstracts*
This database is a collection of United States Geological Survey abstracts on the subject of water resources, dating from approximately 1977 onward and compiled from several sources.
USGS SPARROW
SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes) model was developed to estimate the origin and fate of contaminants in streams, based on regional water quality monitoring data.
Water Data Reports
Provides links to data sets by state.

Statistical Data

Affinity and Advocacy Groups
Organizations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and many others support patients, their families and caregivers with information about the diseases, conditions, symptoms, treatments and background information. Searching Associations Unlimited or conducting a Google search will lead you to those resources.
BCC Research
Large Database for Marketing Research Studies with heavy emphasis in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, energy and other related sectors. Highly recommended.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Federal tracking agency for diseases, epidemics, pandemics, and health care for the general population.
Centers for Healthcare Statistics
Compiled by CDC to provide national and state level data and statistics on major medical conditions, including physician office visits and emergency department visits by diagnosed condition; also offers health care services, insurance cost & coverage and expenditures.
CRISP: Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects
Searchable database of federally funded biomedical research projects conducted at universities, hospitals, and other research institutions, maintained by the National Institutes of Health.
FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health
The CDRH is responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and eliminating unnecessary human exposure to man-made radiation from medical, occupational and consumer products.
Federal Drug Administration
Federal regulatory commission for drugs and pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
NASA Life Science Data Archive
Offers information about the NASA Space Biology Program and the Human Resource Program and related information sources including datasets, documents, biospecimens & other resources.
National Institute of Health
The NIH is the federal focal point for biomedical research in the U.S. Their web site includes funding opportunities and scientific resources and contact information for their offices and affiliates.
National Science Indicators 2004
Provides outputs of scientific and engineering research in different categories.
Orange County Surveys
Annual surveys conducted through 2004 that summarize a variety of issues important to like and work in Orange County, California
STAT-USA
(UCI Access Only)
Business, economic and trade data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Includes National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) and its foreign market research reports.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
Also can be found in LL, Latest in Ref, HA 202 .U5.
USDA Agricultural Biotechnology
Describes permits process for genetically-modified agricultural plants and animals.
Access Surgery
Concordance of sources about different surgical practices from trusted sources of medical publishing.
ASM Medical Materials Database
Database contains mechanical, physical & biological responses as well as drug compatibility properties for the materials & coatings used in medical devices for cardiology/thoracic, orthopedics, neurological, and general surgery plus some coverage for urological, dental & anesthesiology. Includes FDA Emergency Use Authorized Devices ( including FDA EUA directives for latest COVID-related devices; Emergency Guidance Documents from FDA: EUAs, UK Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration & Health Canada; latest FDA Approved devices (510(k) and PMA with links to associated materials, coatings & drugs noting producers, recalls and guidance documents.
Data USA
Data USA is a comprehensive website and visualization engine of public US Government data and includes Viz Builder, and data about most sectors, industries, business, population/census, education, social indicators with allowances for maps and visualizations.

Federal Regulations, Compliance and FDA Sources

Federal Drug Administration
this agency is responsible for the regulatory passage of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Code of Federal Regulations
Chapter 21 - Food and Drugs
Chapter 42 - Public Health
This is the official compilation of federal regulations.
Full print: LL REF KF 70 A3
Medical Devices: FDA Should Take Steps to Ensure That High-Risk Device Types Are Approved through the Most Stringent Premarket Review Process
GAO, 2009
Search for FDA Guidance Documents
The table contained in this link lists all official FDA Guidance Documents and other regulatory guidance. You can search for documents using key words, and you can narrow or filter your results by product, date issued, FDA organizational unit, type of document, subject, draft or final status, and comment period.

This feature is provided to give a convenient way to search for all FDA guidance documents from a single location.

If you cannot find the document you’re looking for here, you can browse separate collections of guidance documents by topic.
BioDesign: The Process of Innovating Medical Technologies
Review of Regulatory Basics that includes videos on different aspects including Regulatory Pathways, Guidance for Mobile Medical Applications, and Regulatory Expertise.
CDRH Super Search
Searches across multiple FDA Databases, including the device listing database,510(k) and PMA databases. Recommended for device classification coverage.
FDA Device Classification Panels
Lists the medical specialties used to review medical devices.
FDA Product Classification Database
Enables users to classify a device based on the device name, review panel, regulation number, producy code, submission type, third-party eligibility and device class.
ASM Medical Materials Database
Database contains mechanical, physical & biological responses as well as drug compatibility properties for the materials & coatings used in medical devices for cardiology/thoracic, orthopedics, neurological, and general surgery plus some coverage for urological, dental & anesthesiology. Includes FDA Emergency Use Authorized Devices ( including FDA EUA directives for latest COVID-related devices; Emergency Guidance Documents from FDA: EUAs, UK Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration & Health Canada; latest FDA Approved devices (510(k) and PMA with links to associated materials, coatings & drugs noting producers, recalls and guidance documents.

FDA Resources

FDA COVID Provisions for Medical Devices
covers strategies for surgical gowns and masks, medical glove conservation, and ventilator supply mitigation
PreMarket (PMA) Review Process
Reviews 4-step review process for pre-market approval.
Premarket Approval
Premarket approval (PMA) is the FDA process of scientific and regulatory review to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Class III medical devices. Class III devices are those that support or sustain human life, are of substantial importance in preventing impairment of human health, or which present a potential, unreasonable risk of illness or injury.
FDA Medical Device Databases
An approved Premarket Approval Application (PMA) is, in effect, a private license granted to the applicant for marketing a particular medical device.
510(k) Premarket Notification
A 510(K) is a premarket submission made to FDA to demonstrate that the device to be marketed is as safe and effective, that is, substantially equivalent, to a legally marketed device (section 513(i)(1)(A) FD&C Act) that is not subject to premarket approval.
MAUDE - Manufacturer and User Facilty Device Experience
The MAUDE database houses medical device reports submitted to the FDA by mandatory reporters 1 (manufacturers, importers and device user facilities) and voluntary reporters such as health care professionals, patients and consumers.
FDA's Establishment Registration & Device Listing
This database includes:

medical device manufacturers registered with FDA and
medical devices listed with FDA

Note: Registration of a device establishment, assignment of a registration number, or listing of a medical device does not in any way denote approval of the establishment or its products by FDA.
ASM Medical Materials Database
Database contains mechanical, physical & biological responses as well as drug compatibility properties for the materials & coatings used in medical devices for cardiology/thoracic, orthopedics, neurological, and general surgery plus some coverage for urological, dental & anesthesiology. Includes FDA Emergency Use Authorized Devices ( including FDA EUA directives for latest COVID-related devices; Emergency Guidance Documents from FDA: EUAs, UK Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration & Health Canada; latest FDA Approved devices (510(k) and PMA with links to associated materials, coatings & drugs noting producers, recalls and guidance documents.