It’s Saturday. I was convinced that another puzzle was the way to go. For this one, simply use basic math and algebra steps to show that 1+1=1. There are several methods to do this. I’ll post the method that I have next week. Post your method. I’m interested in seeing what people come up with.
The FE Exam is three months away. If you are taking the FE in October now is the best time to start getting ready. Start with practice problems. There is nothing better for preparing for the test than to work problems similar to what you will find on the exam.
There are a lot of sources for practice problems. Search any book store for sample exams. You can also find several website with practice tests and sample problems. My favorite is eitexam.com. I especially like their 10 minute quizzes. It’s easy to find time to do a quick 10 minute quiz. It’s not so easy to find the time to do a four hour practice exam. They also have full instructions on how to work the problems and explanations why the answers are right or wrong. And finally they have both general exam and civil specific questions. All for only 15 bucks for three months.
That’s enough free advertising for now. Whatever method you choose, find one that works for you. Also find regular time to practice and study. Remember to get a copy of the Supplied-Reference Handbook from the NCEES website. The pdf version is free. Or you can have a paper copy mailed to you. You can check out the study material that NCEES sells as well. It’s not cheap, but hey, they wrote the test, so they know what’s on it.
Registration deadline is September 4th. Don’t wait until the last minute. The date may be different in your area. I’ve known people that had to wait until the next exam because they waited until the last minute to register and ended up being late.
Any other tips or strategies that you can think of? How about things that have worked for you, or things that didn’t?
The 81st Texas legislature ended its session at the end of May. The legislature here in Texas runs from January through May. It only meets once every two years. Though there are typically special sessions called after it ends in May to finish voting on issues that it didn’t finish with during the regular session.
Several of the bills may affect us civil engineers. Here’s a list of some of the bills, what they are about and why they might be important to civil engineers.
HB 55 – Cell phones prohibited in school zones
This is probably a good rule. What we will see is the part that requires cities to post signs if they want to enforce the new rule. Something we will have to keep in mind when working on plans involving school roads.
HB 300 – Sunset Commission Review
Texas Department of Transportation was up for review this session. There were a lot of issues that could not be agreed upon. They did decide to let TxDOT continue and finish the review in 2011. In the mean time TxDOT will be preparing reports on personnel and business practices.
The Sunset Review is a review of a government agency to ensure that it is working responsibly and efficiently. It is an opportunity to improve an agency by giving it an outside perspective.
This wont effect civil engineers right now but it could in 2011 when the legislature has reviewed all of the findings. It could lead to a change in structure, funding, and focus as the agency realigns itself.
HB 2682 – Speed Limits
Cities can now lower speed limits to 25 MPH without an engineering study.
SB 229 – Design-Build
This bill corrects an error in HB 1886 from the 80th session. It allows for cities with a population over 100,000 to use design build for certain civil works projects.
SB 576 – Tax Increment Finance Zone Funds
This bill allows the use of TIF funds for more infrastructure projects. This could add funding options for projects in a TIF zone.
SB 883 – TxDOT and Toll Projects
TxDOT is no longer allowed to use money from the Highway fund to back loans for toll projects.
Special Session
TxDOT was authorized to issue $2 billion in bonds. However, their funding was reduced by $2 billion.
And one of the more interesting bills that were passed
HB 2553 – Off-Highway Vehicles
Golf carts, Power Wheels, etc cannot be authorized by TxDOT to be used on highways “with or without design alterations.” However, it specifically mentions that farm and lawn care equipment are not included, so I can only assume that that means that riding lawn mowers can still be registered by TxDOT and allowed on the highway. Though, I wouldn’t recommend it.
You can find out more at the following sites
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/
http://www.texite.org
Porous pavements, both asphalt and concrete have been around for years. In most areas they haven’t really caught on. Now, with the large focus on environmental issues and green building, are they worth looking at again?
Pavement design
Traditional pavement design
Typically when pavement mixes are designed, they include different sizes of aggregate. They use a wide range from fine sand to coarse stone. The largest size depends on the expected use of the material. Then it is all bound together with binder or cement. With asphalt pavement that top layer will go on a water proof layer then a base. Concrete pavement may go on a base or directly on the ground.
This results in an impenetrable surface that blocks rain water from getting into ground water systems and increases runoff.
Porous pavement design
Porous pavement or pervious pavement is designed using medium and large sized aggregate without any smaller fines such as sand. It is then held together using with cement or binder. The lack of fines in the mix creates relatively large pore space in the pavement. This large pore space allows water to pass through.
The top layer is placed either directly on the ground or on other porous base layers to allow water to drain completely through the system into the ground.
Pros and Cons
Here are some pros and cons as well as a few notes on them.
Pros
Increased water quality – Oils, heavy metals and other contaminates on the pavements are not carried downstream and into stormwater drainage systems. Also, water is filtered as it passes through the pavement.
Lower initial construction costs – Construction costs may be lower because porous pavements lower the amount of stormwater drainage facilities that a site will need. Fewer and smaller inlets, detention ponds and storm drain pipes means lower construction costs.
Lower long term costs – less maintenance needed for storm drain and filtration systems.
Fewer fees – Storm water impact fees may be lower since porous pavements are proven to reduce runoff.
Less runoff – Less runoff means less potential flooding and lower peak flows.
Increased safety – Since water drains through the pavement there is a lower chance of hydroplaning and an increase in traction.
LEED Points – It can indirectly help gain LEED Points. It can contribute in the areas of Stormwater Design, Heat Island Effect, Water Efficient Landscaping, Recycled Content, and Regional Materials. There may be other ways that using it can help LEED certification.
Cons
Higher initial construction cost – Yes, I know I listed construction cost as a pro also. The cost of constructing the pavement itself tends to be higher than regular pavement.
Soil restrictions – The soil below the pavement must drain at least as well as the pavement.
Clogging – The pores in the pavement may clog. Suppliers and other proponents say that regular cleaning and maintenance will nearly eliminate clogging.
Pavement strength – Porous pavements are structurally weaker than standard pavements. That generally results in them being used only for low traffic roads and parking lots. Extra care must be taken when designing a pavement for high traffic or heavy traffic.
New/Untested technology – That’s not entirely accurate. The technology has been tested since at least 1971. However, most contractors don’t have experience with it. Proper training, clear instructions, material testing, and site investigations should be done to ensure that the pavement meets all applicable standards during construction.
Contamination – Pavement surfaces usually have a lot of contaminates on them. Porous pavements can filter contaminants, but no system is 100%. Since water drains directly into ground soil it is possible that it will take the contaminants with it.
Conclusions
There is a lot of potential for porous pavements in future projects. Each project would have to be investigated independently to determine any cost or environmental savings that might be gained by using porous pavements. However, the potential positives do seem to outweigh the potential negatives. It would certainly be worth your time to investigate it and present your findings to your client.
What are your thoughts on Porous and Pervious Pavements?
Some resources with additional information.
http://www.perviouspavement.org/
http://www.perviouspavement.org/benefits_LEEDcredit.htm
There are a lot of different types of work you can do as a civil engineer. Each one has its own certifications that you can get to show your skill, education and experience in that particular field. Civil engineering can sometimes turn into a competition to see who can get the most letters after their name. You can go after a lot of certifications in your career, and many of them will be worth while. However, it is usually best to pick the certifications in the field of civil engineering that you enjoy most and work towards those. Then supplement your knowledge by taking professional development courses in other areas that you need to know, but don’t need to be an expert at.
First, the EIT and the PE.
EIT
What it is – The Engineer in Training certification (EIT) is the first place most people start in the Civil Engineering world. It says that you have graduated and that you understand the basics of engineering.
Who governs it – You get your EIT from your state licensing board.
Requirements – A degree in an engineering from an ABET accredited school
- Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam offer by NCEES.org
- Apply for it through your states licensing board
Who needs it – I believe that every engineer should get it. If you are going to make a career out of design or analysis then you need it.
Why you should get it – It is a requirement to get your PE license. It also gives you an edge when applying for a job, compared to some with a degree that doesn’t have their EIT.
Why you should not get it – The only reason not to get it is if you knew for a fact that you would never do or want to do design or analysis work in your career. Even if you don’t think you would do that sort of work you should get it just in case. IT will never hurt your career.
When you should get it – Get it as soon as you can. Take the FE Exam your senior year while all of your classes are still fresh in your mind.
Other notes – Rules for getting the EIT vary. Check with your states licensing board. The rules do change, but years of experience may be able to offset the ABET accreditation requirement. Other rules may apply. Even though you get your certificate from your state licensing board the EIT certification is national. You don’t need a separate one for each state you might work in.
PE
What it is – The Professional Engineer (PE) license is the license that certifies you as a professional engineer. It allows you to sign plans so that they can be completed. It also holds you responsible for the designs
Who governs it – Your state engineer licensing board
Requirements – A degree in an engineering from an ABET accredited school
- Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam offer by NCEES.org
- Pass the Principles and Practice Exam
- Pass state required exams
- Four years of approved experience
- Apply for it through your states licensing board
Who needs it – Anyone who plans on being in charge of engineering projects. Anyone who plans or needs to sign engineering documents and plans.
Why you should get it – It shows that you are a professional engineer. It allows you to be in charge of engineering projects. PEs also make a good bit more money than EITs.
Why you should not get it – It does increase your responsibility. If there is a design problem, the first place people look is to the person that signed the documents.
When you should get it – Get it as soon as you are ready. Not everyone is ready after four years of experience. But as soon as you are ready, apply to take the test.
Other notes – The PE is state specific. Each state has their own requirements. You must be licensed in the state that you are working in to sign the documents. Sometimes, experience as an intern can count towards your 4 years. The amount depends on the type of work you did the hours you work and your licensing board’s rules.
That’s the quick basics of the two most common. I’ll go into more details on other licenses and certifications in later posts. What are some other points you think should be mentioned? What are some questions that you have about the EIT and PE?
What you will need
Calculator – Make sure you have an approved calculator. NCEES has a very specific list of calculators that you can use. From their website:
Casio: All fx-115 models. Any Casio calculator must contain fx-115 in its model name.
Hewlett Packard: The HP 33s and HP 35s models, but no others.
Texas Instruments: All TI-30X and TI-36X models. Any Texas Instruments calculator must contain either TI-30X or TI-36X in its model name.
Get one early and use it for your homework. That way you will be familiar with it come test time.
Spare calculator or set of batteries – Just in case
Some snacks – Make sure they don’t make any noise. The proctors will ask you to pre open any snacks in plastic wrappers that may make noise.
Drinks
Ear plugs
Packed lunch – We only had about 45 minutes for lunch, and there weren’t very many places nearby to eat. Packing your lunch can ease the stress a little and also give you more time to review for the next part of the test.
The test itself
The test is not easy. You can pass it, though.
The test is in two parts. The morning session has 120 questions and you have 4 hours to complete it. That gives you about 2 minutes per question. It covers general engineering knowledge. Here’s a list from the NCEES Supplied-Reference Handbook of the areas covered on the morning session and the approximate percentage of questions on that subject:
Mathematics – 15%
Engineering Probability and Statistics – 7%
Chemistry – 9%
Computers – 7%
Ethics and Business Practices – 7%
Engineering Economics – 8%
Engineering Mechanics (Statics and Dynamics) – 10%
Strength of Materials – 7%
Material Properties – 7%
Fluid Mechanics – 7%
Electricity and Magnetism – 9%
Thermodynamics – 7%
The questions are short and for the most part just cover the basics of the subject. The Supplied-Reference Handbook includes a breakdown of specific things in each section that you should be prepared for.
The afternoon session has 60 questions and is 4 hours long. Four minutes per question. You get to pick the afternoon test. I highly recommend that if you are a civil engineering major that you take the civil engineering exam in the afternoon. I found the questions very similar to what I saw in class. However the choice is up to you. If you don’t want to take the civil engineering exam then I would recommend the general engineering exam in the afternoon. You are given a thick book with all of the different tests in it. If you still haven’t decided by the time you get to the exam then quickly skim through the civil and general exams and see which one will be easier for you. Remember you can only pick one and you have to do all of the questions in the one you pick. No mixing and matching.
Below is a list of what is in the CE exam and the approximate percentages:
Surveying – 11%
Hydraulics and Hydrologic Systems – 12%
Soil Mechanics and Foundations – 15%
Environmental Engineering – 12%
Transportation – 12%
Structural Analysis – 10%
Structural Design – 10%
Construction Management – 10%
Materials – 8%
If you choose the general exam in the afternoon it will contain the same basic subjects as the morning exam just in much more detail.
Test Day
Get there early. You will not be allowed in if you are late. Follow all of the rules. Even the ones that you wouldn’t normally have to follow for a final exam in a class. The proctors take the exam very seriously and so should you. Several people get kicked out every time for breaking the rules.
Have your ID and your paperwork ready
If you think you might get cold then bring a jacket
Listen to what the proctors say
Work quickly
But use all of the available time
When you have about 5 minutes left guess on all of the rest – pick a letter and stick with it.
Read the questions and answers carefully – you thing that you will see a lot is “pick the one that most nearly matches” your answer. Sometimes that may mean that none of them are close but one of them is closer than the other. For example, say you do the calculation and the answer is 53. The answers to choose from are 0, 100, 200, and 300. None of them really seem to fit, but 100 is “most nearly” the same because it’s the closest to 53.
Make sure you do it their way – They may tell you to use a certain method. Then in the answers they will have the correct answer as well as the answers that you would get using other methods. So if you use the wrong method you will still find the answer on the list but will get the question wrong because you didn’t use their method.
Registration for the October exam is open already in some states and will be opening soon in others. The last day for registration is September 4th. Though, that may vary by state. Don’t wait until the last minute. Good luck for those getting ready to take it.
As I said before I would be changing the site around as I started to get settled. This is theme 119 put together by Free WordPress Themes. The website is iwordpressthemes.com.
I felt the site needed a bit more color. The picture will change and a few other little things may change here and there. Plus now I’ve put up a nice easy link on the right to sign up for the RSS Feed. That’ll make things easier.
Any suggestions on things that could make this site work better for you? What are some things that you would like to see on here?
It’s Saturday, so I figured fun and games are in order. Here’s a little math puzzle. It’s been around the internet so you may have seen it, but if not take a crack at it. Time yourself. If you’re brave enough, post your time. Be careful. When I did this I punched the wrong number into my calculator. That cost me precious seconds.
The file is in Microsoft Excel 2007 format. Here’s the file: Puzzle July 11, 2009
Here are the instructions as I originally received them.
Easier than it looks
It is said that engineers take 3 minutes to resolve this, architects 3 hours and doctors 6 hours. If you guess what the 6th number is, you’ll be able to open the excel file. Once you discover it, put your name, save it and send it onWhich is the 6th number?
1, 2, 6, 42, 1806, ___???
By the way I hate spam, but if you know someone that might find this fun then send it to them.
Have fun. Back to business next time.
There are probably nearly as many strategies to passing the FE as there are people that have passed it. But here are some tips to help you along the way.
1) Pay attention in class
Most of the problems on the exam are similar to what you saw in your classes. The only difference is that they are broken down to only one segment of a larger problem. For example, instead of being asked to calculate all of the forces in a truss, you will be given some information and asked to calculate the force in only one member.
2) Get a copy of the NCEES FE Exam formula book.
You can get a copy of the formula book straight from the NCEES website. Click on Study Materials and find the FE Supplied-Reference Handbook. It has virtually every formula that you will need as a CE student. Get used to how it’s laid out so that when you get to the FE Exam you don’t have to search for the formulas that you need. It makes a great reference while doing home work. I also found that many professors will let you use it in place of formula sheets for tests and quizzes. Plus, I still use mine even after I graduated.
3) Actually read some of your text books
Some of the questions on the FE Exam check whether or not you understand a concept not if you can calculate a formula. So make sure you understand the science and reasoning behind the concepts and formulas that you learn in class.
4) Get a calculator that you can use on the test
NCEES has a very specific list of calculators that you can use on the test. Get one and learn how to use it. Sometimes knowing the special functions can save you valuable time when you’re in the exam.
1) Pick up some study guides.
There are a lot of good study guides out there. One that I used and found helpful was the FE Review Manual written by Michael Lindeburg. You can buy it directly from PPI at the website ppi2pass.com. You can also get it from a lot of other book stores. They put out other books including subject specific books and sample exams.
2) Take a review course
I didn’t take a review course, but several of my friends did. They can be helpful because they review the material and give you a lot of practice questions.
3) Make sure you have the latest copy of the FE Supplied-Reference Handbook
They update it from time to time. Make sure you are studying from the one you will be using on the actual exam.
4) Do practice problems.
Do lots and lots of practice problems. Then do some more. This is the best possible way to get ready for the exam. I used eitexam.com. They are inexpensive and have a ton of practice problems. What I found most helpful were their ten minute quizzes. I never felt like I had the time to sit down and study a lot for the exam, but I did have time to do a ten minute quiz a few times a day. Plus the site will show you how to work each problem and tell you why the right answer is right and the other answers are wrong. You can also get FE Exam question books. Make sure they are up to date, though.
5) Make sure you register on time
I know several people that didn’t take the exam when they wanted to because they didn’t register on time. They waited until the last minute and then found out the last minute was really the day before. So register early when you know you are going to take it.
1) Do more practice problems
Continue to do more practice problems. Again, they are the best way to prepare. They help you review the material, and get your mind thinking the way the exam works.
2) Get your stuff ready
Get your calculator and other things ready to take to the exam. They will give you a list of what you can and can’t bring. Put together all of your stuff. Make sure you aren’t going to be scrambling for anything that morning.
3) Get a good night’s sleep
Just relax the day before. If you do study stop early and give your brain a chance to rest. Then get a full night’s sleep so that you are well rested and ready in the morning.
Those are just some quick tips on preparing for the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam. I’m sure a lot of people have other tips. Feel free to share them or ask any questions that you might have. I’ll talk more about test day strategies in a later post.
I posted some more acronyms to the acronyms page. Even more will be coming soon.