On demand FE & PE exam support from your peers who passed. Their challenges will become your success.
In this article (and video above), I provide you with 5 easy steps that you can use to start the process of getting your engineering license.
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There are so many students who don’t always know what civil engineering discipline to choose when applying for college, and then, when it becomes time to take their FE Exams, they battle even more as they might have chosen a discipline that does not fit their interests or personality. Therefore, we thought it would be helpful to start a series on each of the 5 civil engineering disciplines to give you a better idea what to expect both in your studies, and FE exams. We will discuss the roles and responsibilities of each one of these disciplines and the skills needed for each discipline, to help you in your decision making process, and in this article (and video above), we will take a look at The Geotechnical Engineering Discipline.
Geotechnical engineering is a branch of civil engineering; however, it involves using scientific methods and principles to collect and interpret the physical properties of the ground. Geotechnical engineers are involved in all stages of the design of structures, from concept to construction. Their work is essential in the design and planning process as they assess the integrity of soil, clay, silt, sand, and rock, prior to construction commencing. They start by undertaking a desk (or in office) study, assessing maps, and contacting local authorities. This is followed by a ground (or field) investigation based on the findings of the desk study and involves trial pitting and sampling to uncover any potential issues.
[Read more…] about Civil Engineering Disciplines: Geotechnical (Explained in Under 5 Minutes)
In this article (and video above), we calculate links and arcs in a road transportation network. This problem type might be found in the Transportation Engineering section of the FE Exam to help you prepare for your FE Exam. This problem was created and solved by Engineer in training, Enrique Ivers, LEED Green Associate.
The connection matrix represents a road transportation network between five locations:
What is the total number of links, and the total number of arcs?
[Read more…] about FE Exam Review: Calculating Links and Arcs
In this article (and video above), we calculate the projected life of a new landfill. This problem type might be found in the Water Resources and Environmental section of the FE Exam and will help you prepare for your FE Exam. This problem was created and solved by Engineer in training, Enrique Ivers, LEED Green Associate.
A waste management company wishes to calculate the projected life of their new landfill. The landfill is 500m x 200m in plan area and 30m deep. The average daily filling pattern, after compaction of refuse, is expected to be 20 m x 10 m x 4m deep. The daily cover stipulated by local ordinance is 15 cm per day. The company will operate the landfill Monday through Friday, every week in the year, with no holidays. The projected life of the landfill is most nearly:
[Read more…] about FE Exam Review: Environmental Engineering & Water Resources (2022)
In this article (and video above), to help you prepare for the FE exam, we calculate the concentration of a metal compound Hg2+. This problem type may be found in the Chemistry and Biology or Chemical Reactions section of the FE Exam, and was created and solved by Engineer in training, Enrique Ivers, LEED Green Associate.
The Chloride (Cl–) concentration in a lake is found to be 2.5 x 10-2. The HgCl₂ (aq) concentration is found to be 5 x 10-7M. The following chemical equations and equilibrium constants apply:
The concentration of Hg2+ is most nearly:
[Read more…] about FE Exam Review: Chemical Reactions Section (2022)
In this article (and video above), we solve another civil engineering soil sample problem designed by Engineer in training, Enrique Ivers, LEED Green Associate, to help you prepare for your FE Exam. You can check out a previous soil problem we did here.
The specific gravity of a saturated soil sample is 2.75 with a total unit mass of 2500 kg/m³. The dry unit mass is most nearly:
[Read more…] about FE Exam Prep: NEW Civil Engineering Soil Sample Problem
In this article, (and video above), we solve a civil engineering soil sample problem to give you a better understanding of what you can expect during the FE Exam.
A soil sample has a total mass of 24g, a volume of 12cm³, an oven-dry mass of 22g, and a specific gravity of 2.4 for the solids.
The void ratio of this soil sample is most nearly:
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In this article, (and video above), we calculate what torque is transmitted by the shaft of a gear to give you a better understanding of what you can expect during the FE Exam.
Two meshing spur gears are arranged such that neither gear is turning and both are in equilibrium. A small gear has a radius of 4 cm. The shaft of this small gear carries a torsional moment of 75 N∙m from an external motor. A larger gear has a radius of 20 cm. Assuming a 100% transmission of efficiency, what torque is transmitted by the shaft of the larger gear?
[Read more…] about Calculating Torque Transmitted by a Gear Shaft
In this article, (and video above) I answer a question I get from listeners all the time which is: “Can I take the FE and PE exam in the same year?” And also SHOULD YOU? The answer depends on several factors, which I explain in this article.
[Read more…] about Can I Take the FE Exam and PE Exam In the Same Year?
In this article, (and video above), we calculate the capacity of a concrete stormwater pipe that forms part of the Fluid Mechanics section of the FE Exam.
A concrete stormwater pipe is 500 feet long and has a pipe diameter of 36 inches. The inlet elevation is 165 feet and the outlet elevation is 160 feet. The Manning roughness coefficient, assumed to be constant with depth of flow, is 0.012.During heavy rainfalls, the stormwater pipe flows full with no surcharge.
During heavy rainfalls, the capacity of the stormwater pipe is most nearly:
[Read more…] about Fluid Mechanics Review: Calculating Capacity of a Concrete Stormwater Pipe
