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Videos

Fluid Mechanics Review: Calculating Capacity of a Concrete Stormwater Pipe

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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.

Question:

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:

Explanation:

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Why Networking Can Help You Pass The NCEES Exam

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In this article, (and video above), I talk about the impact that studying for the PE exam can have on your networking efforts, and provide some tips on how you can network effectively while studying for the PE Exam. Whether you are an engineering student, recent graduate, or have been working as an engineer for years, these tips will help you to build your network as an engineer while studying, which will greatly benefit your engineering career. 

Studying for the PE exam can be really hard and stressful, and you probably want to spend as much time as possible studying. However, there is something to be said about studying too much, or over-preparing. Although this differs for everyone, many people have a limit to how much information they can absorb each day. To ensure that you do not waste your time by studying too much and to ensure that you get the most value out of all of your study sessions it is important to find a good balance between studying and relaxing. Easier said than done, right? I know it can be hard, but using the right study strategy may actually benefit you more than just studying for hours on end.

That being said, a perfect way to relax, while still digesting knowledge, is to network or as I like to refer to it, build relationships while studying. And I know the word ‘networking’ is often scary to engineers and technical professionals, but networking doesn’t have to be scary, and in fact, it can be a career game-changer.

Networking is a key part of any business or career, no matter the industry. You never know when a connection will be able to provide you with a great resource to use, or some tips that worked for them when studying for the PE Exam, or even a new job, somewhere down the road in your career.

Here Are 4 Ways That You Can Network or Build Relationships While Preparing for the PE Exam:
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How Much Does It Cost to Take the FE Exam? (In 2022)

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In this article, (and video above), I discuss how much it will cost to take the FE exam and also look into some of the additional costs you may incur when planning to take the FE Exam. 

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is generally your first step in the process to becoming a professional licensed engineer or P.E. The exam is designed for recent graduates and students who are close to finishing an undergraduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program, however, engineers at any career stage can apply to sit for the exam. 

So, how much will it cost you to take the exam? The FE exam will cost you $175 unless you live in the following states or regions, which fees are as follows:
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Pass Rates for the Civil Pe Exam

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In this article, (and video above), I discuss the latest PE Civil Exam pass rates to give you a better idea of how much effort you need to put into studying or what your chances are to pass the exam successfully. 

The NCEES PE Exam pass rates are released after every exam. These pass rates help determine how successful the exam participants were, and based on them, you can get a better idea of how much effort you have to put into studying or what your chances are to pass the exam successfully. Passing the PE exam is the last step to becoming a professional engineer, and therefore it is a very important step in your career.

NCEES administers two types of exams for different disciplines. Some are computer-based exams, and the others are still paper and pencil exams. NCEES is in the process of converting all its exams to computer-based exams, but some are still conducted as pencil and paper exams right now. NCEES releases pass rates according to every discipline separately.

A lot of students can pass the exam on the first try. However, if someone is not able to pass on the first try, he or she can try another time, but the students can only take the test twice per year, so they have to wait some months before they can take the test again.

Here Are the Pass Rate of the Different PE Civil Exams:
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Calculating the Total Elongation of a Mixed-Marital Assembly

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In this article, (and video above), we calculate the total elongation of a mixed-marital assembly to give you a better understanding of what you can expect during the FE exam. This week’s problem was created and solved by Enrique Ivers, an Engineer in Training.

Question:

A solid round steel rod 6 mm in diameter and 400 mm long is rigidly connected to the end of a square brass rod 25 mm on a side and 350 mm long. The geometric axes of the bars are along the same line. An axial tensile force of 5 kN is applied at the extreme ends of the assembly. For steel, E = 200 Gpa and for brass, E = 90 Gpa. Determine the total elongation for the assembly.


Solution:

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Is A Master’s Degree in Engineering Helpful Towards A Professional Engineering License?

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I get so many questions about whether or not a master’s degree or a PhD from an EAC or ABET-accredited curriculum count as experience toward licensure, and in this article (and video above), I explain this to you by reviewing a study that was done by Michaela Martin, PE from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Kurt Stafford from the University of Tennessee, to help clarify if you can use these types of education towards your qualifying licensure experience.  They did wonderful research on this subject.

Does a Master’s Degree from an EAC or ABET-accredited curriculum counts as experience toward licensure? 

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FE Exam Prep: Distance A Golf Ball Travels

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In this article, (and video above), we determine the distance a golf ball travels. A question on this topic would typically be found in the Dynamics section of the FE Exam and therefore will give you a better understanding of what you can expect during the exam. This week’s problem was created and solved by Enrique Ivers, an Engineer in Training.

Question:

A golfer on level ground attempts to drive a golf ball across a 900 ft. wide pond, hitting the ball so that it travels initially at 200ft./s. The ball travels at an initial angle of 45° to the horizontal plane. How far will the golf ball travel, and does it clear the pond?

Distance A Golf Ball Travels

Solution:

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The PE Exam: How to Write Your Professional Experience

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I get so many questions from listeners asking for advice on how to write their professional experience in an acceptable manner when applying to sit for the PE exam, therefore in this article, I will provide you with some general guidelines on how you can write your professional experience history in a way that is acceptable to the your licensing state board to help you qualify for licensure.

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Calculating the Maximum Compression of a Loaded Spring: FE Exam Review

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In this article, (and video above), we calculate the compression of a loaded spring to give you a better understanding of what you can expect during the exam. This week’s problem was created and solved by Enrique Ivers, an Engineer in Training.

Question:

A disk with a mass of 1kg, a diameter of 10cm, and a width of 5cm is placed on the edge at the top of an inclined ramp 1m high. The ramp is inclined at 15°. At the bottom of the ramp is a spring whose spring constant is 2,000 N/m. The disk rolls down the ramp and compresses the spring while coming to a complete stop. What is the maximum compression of the loaded spring?

Solution:

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Is The Water Resources & Environmental Civil PE Exam Worth Taking?

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In our previous four episodes in this series, I discussed four of the depth areas that you can take for your Civil PE Exam: geotechnical, construction, structural, as well as the transportation depth area, and in this article, (and video above), I review-in detail the Civil: Water Resources & Environmental depth portion of the PE Exam to help you decide if this might be the right option for you. You can find links to the first four videos in this series below. 

The Five Different Areas That You Can Choose From When Taking the PE Civil Exam Are:

  • PE Civil: Geotechnical
  • PE Civil: Construction
  • PE Civil: Structural
  • PE Civil: Transportation
  • PE Civil: Water Resources & Environmental

Remember that the PE Water Resources & Environmental exam is a breadth and depth examination. The breadth items (typically known as the morning section) cover topics from all areas of civil engineering. However, the depth items (also known as the afternoon section) focus more closely on a single area of practice, like structural engineering.

What Is Water Resources & Environmental Engineering?

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