Seismic and Surveying Preparation Experience

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DoSomething

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Seismic

I was pressed on time. I had decided that I am don't arrive at a solution in 3 minutes, I will move to the next question. On the very first question on the test, I stumbled. I spent 10 minutes on one question with no answer in sight. I almost gave up. I decided to stick to the 3 minute strategy and managed to complete the test with a few marked and few un-attempted questions, leaving one minute at the end to go back to one question to which I knew the solution method but my calculations were erroneous.

I wouldn't recommend Hiner's course more than I would recommend EET's, but whichever you choose, in my opinion what matters are how strong your fundamentals are:

- I tend to spend a lot of time on the first 50% of any coursebook / workbook. That's where the basics of the subject are. If you get them right, you will sail through the remaining 50% in a very short time.

- I don't try to pin down each and every question in the book and I don't try to repeat them soon after having done them once. That way I don't tend to remember the question and its solution. If I do odd number questions one day, I do even number in the second sitting, and a random bunch the following week.

- I felt that it was important to revise.

- I felt that structural background at least took care of the preliminary structural analysis that is involved in some questions. However, if you do not have a structural background, I recommend spending 10-12 hours on reviewing some basic structural analysis strategies. If you are struggling or if you have some specific questions or need some references, feel free to PM me and we can talk through it in detail.

- Practice tests: I took only two practice tests two days before the test. They were essentially a random selection of 55 practice questions. To my surprise, I scored 91% and 71% and the spread scared me initially. I spent a day reviewing my answers. The last two days of preparation was the most crucial part of the preparation.

I thought I would share my experience here thinking it would be worth the time even if one of you benefited from it.

Survey

Survey was easier for me because in my undergraduate course, I had taken three surveying classes and the field work portion of those classes included everything under the umbrella from chain surveying to total station. It was topped by a project doing a survey of a 25 acre site for a real building project. However, if you haven't taken a surveying class, the test may seem to be difficult initially.

I would suggest http://www.civilpesurveyingreview.com for those with some understanding of surveying basics and for the beginners, I would recommend adding a basic textbook to your preparation before going into a review course. Surveying is not difficult at all if you get the basics of it. Again, if you have any specific questions or concerns, feel free to PM for in depth dialogue.

Practice tests: Again, the most important part of the preparation is taking the practice tests. One thing you would want to understand is that it is not the number of resources you use for the test but instead the level of understanding you derive from one resource.

 
For the Survey Exam:

Full understanding and appreciation of the board listed topics will make the test taking experience comfortable. Practice solving a wide variety of problems and try to solve for other variables, after completing a problem especially for levelling and curves (once you calculate a parameter, back calculate to obtain given parameter and redo varying it to fully grasp the realationship). For topics that see difficult advance study may be needed from the references listed. Given the time constraints, the test is not plug and play, memorization of simple formulas is essential (make a cheat sheet).

I rearranged the test topics as below to ensure that I knew the subject matter that was tested and checked each one off during test prep:

1. Practice in accordance to laws regulating engineering surveying and limits of practiceK01. Characteristics and purposes of subdivision maps (Subdivision Map Act) as it applies to the Business and Professions Code 6731.1

K02. Professional Engineer's (PE) Act

K46. Formats and terminology of legal descriptions as it applies to the Business and Professions Code 6731.1

K47. Different types of easement data

K56. Plan and profile as it applies to the Business and Professions Code 6731.1

T02. Distinguish the purposes and procedures of different survey typesK03. Control surveys (purpose and procedures) K04. Construction surveys (purpose and procedures) K05. Route surveys (purpose and procedures)

K06. Topographic surveys (purpose and procedures)

T03. Identify the capabilities and limitations of survey instruments and equipmentK07. Total Station

K08. Leveling equipment

K09. Global Positioning System (GPS)

K10. Other surveying equipment (e.g., engineer's transit, survey prism, plumb bob, Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM)

[SIZE=12pt]Distance:[/SIZE]

K18. Measuring horizontal distances K19. Measuring slope distances

[SIZE=12pt]Angles:[/SIZE]

K20. Measuring horizontal angles K21. Measuring deflection angles

K23. Relationships between azimuths, bearings, back bearings and angles

K36. Procedures for calculating bearings or azimuths from coordinates

[SIZE=12pt]Geometry:[/SIZE]

K25. General trigonometric and geometric formulas (triangles, angles and lines)

K35. Procedures for calculating distances from coordinates

K36. Procedures for calculating bearings or azimuths from coordinates K37. Coordinate geometry relationships (curves, points and lines)

K35. Procedures for calculating distances from coordinates

K37. Coordinate geometry relationships (curves, points and lines) K38. Procedures for calculating area

K26. Trigonometric relationships to determine the area of a polygon

K39. Methods and procedures for calculating volumes of materials (e.g., mass diagrams, average end, cross-sections)

Curves:

K27. Geometric properties and equations of a curve K28. Curve deflections

K29. Procedures for calculating a horizontal curve (e.g., beginning of a curve, end of a curve, intersection)

K30. Properties of compound and reversing curves

K31. Procedures for calculating the intersection of a curve and a straight line

K32. Procedures for calculating a vertical curve (e.g., stationing, highest/lowest point, rate of gradient)

K12. Horizontal and vertical curve layout

K13. Horizontal and vertical control layout

K33. Procedures for calculating profile grade (slope) and elevations on the tangents

Plans:

K59. Characteristics and purposes of grading plans

K60. Characteristics and purposes of improvement plans (e.g., street, traffic signal, storm drain, water)

T04. Perform construction surveying (e.g., construction staking)K11. Construction layout requirements K14. Line and grade layout

K15. Offset distance computations

K16. Procedures for establishing points on a line K17. Procedures for locating a single point
T07. Perform the measurement of elevationsK34. Leveling calculations (e.g., error analysis, checking and creating notes, adjusting)

K34. Leveling calculations (e.g., error analysis, checking and creating notes, adjusting)

K22. Measuring vertical (profile) distances

K24. Leveling methods (e.g., differential, profile, trigonometric, cross-section )

K45. Relationship between grade lines and cross-sections

K48. Different types of horizontal datums

K49. Different types of vertical datums (e.g., bench marks)

T12. Perform processing of field dataK40. Field notes formats K41. Plotting profiles

K42. Plotting cross-sections

K43. Plotting field points and data K44. Applications of stationing

T16. Interpret mapsK53. Map scales

K54. Units of conversion K55. Exaggerated scales

K57. Characteristics and purposes of underground mapping

K58. Characteristics and purposes of topographic mapping

K50. Contour intervals

K51. Methods to plot contours from field information K52. Methods for interpolating elevations

GISK61. Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

K61. Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

 
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