Surveying Topics on FE Exam

Civil Afternoon Session of Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam – approximately 11% of the test content is surveying questions (Distances, Angles, Trigonometry, Area Computations, Closure, Coordinate Systems, Level, Earthwork Volume computations and curves (horizontal & vertical)

1. Distances (http://faculty.unlv.edu/jensen/CEE_121/index.htm#FEdistances)

a. Given the coordinates of two points, Point A (125,25) and Point B (155,65), determine the length between them.

i.

b. Given: Measurement of 1372.13 ft at temperature of 13°F. Find the measured distance adjusted for the correction. (Schaum's Outlines - Introductory Surveying, by James R. Wirshing and Roy H. Wirshing, Problem 3.11, p. 58)

i. see lecture notes on Steel Tape Temperature Correctionsii. corrected distance = 1372.13' + 0.00000645(13° - 68°)1372.13'

iii. Solution: 1371.64 ftiv. Correct Distance = record distance + CT

1. "Note: ambient temperature greater than the standard temperature makes the tape longer than its standard length, thereby recording a lesser tape reading (negative error), and the correction should be added (positive correction)." (Kaplan AEC Education - Civil Engineering FE/EIT Preparation, 4th Edition, Indranil Goswami, p. 105)

2. CT is negative for temperatures below 68°F3. CT is positive for temperatures above 68°F

v. CT = k(T1 - T)L 1. CT = Correction of Length for Temperature

a. "When measuring an unknown distance, if the tape is too short, subtract the correction; if the tape is too long, add the correction"

b. "When laying out a given distance, if the tape is too short, add the correction; if the tape is too long, subtract the correction." (Surveying Fundamentals and Practices, 6th Edition by Nathanson, Lanzafama and Kissam, p. 73)

2. k = the coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction of the steel tape. Approximately 0.00000645 (6.5X10-6) per unit length per degree Fahrenheit. Approximately 0.0000116 (1.16X10-5) per unit length per degree Celsius.

3. T1 = tape temperature at time of mesaurement 4. T = tape temperature when it has standard length.

a. "The tapes are standardized for 68°F (20°C). At 68°F the tape should be the correct length." (Schaum's Outlines - Introductory Surveying by James R. Wirshing and Roy H. Wirshing, p. 50)

5. L = the observed/recorded length of the line measured with the steel tape

vi.

vii.c. What is the horizontal distance by stadia from the automatic level and the

leveling/Philadelphia rod in the below figure? Answer 28 feet

i.

2. Angles and Trigonometry

(http://faculty.unlv.edu/jensen/CEE_121/index.htm#FEangles)a. Given a triangle with a=45.0, b=67.0, and angle C=145°, solve for side c and angles A

and B. (Surveying Fundamentals and Practices, 6th Edition by Nathanson, Lanzafama, & Kissam, Example 3-15, p. 48)

i. Law of Cosines1. a2 = b2 + c2 - 2bc cos A 2. b2 = a2 + c2 - 2ac cos B 3. c2 = a2 + b2 - 2ab cos C

4.ii.

b.c. Convert between DD and DMS

i.

d. Convert between Azimuths and Bearings

i.e. Adding angles

i.

2. Area Computations (http://faculty.unlv.edu/jensen/CEE_121/index.htm#AreaTraverse)

a.

b.

c.

3. Closure (http://faculty.unlv.edu/jensen/CEE_121/index.htm#TraverseCompassRuleMisclosure)

a. "The angular misclosure for an interior-angle traverse is the difference between the sum of the observed angles and the geometrically correct total for the polygon." (Elementary Surveying, 12th Edition, Ghilani & Wolf, p. 232)

b. Misclosure is also known as angular errorc.

d. What is the Linear Error of Closure (LEOC) on a traverse with a total length of 2466 feet and a misclosure error of 0.081 feet?

i. "After measuring 2466 feet, the traverse had an LEOC of 0.081 feet. Expressed as a ratio, 1 foot in 30000 feet means that if the field crew had measured 30000 feet using the same techniques and precision, they would have been off 1 foot." (Construction Surveying and Layout, 3rd Edition by Wesley G. Crawford, Creative Construction Publishing, Inc. p. 14-24)

ii.

e.

4. Coordinate Systems5. Level

6. Earthwork

(http://faculty.unlv.edu/jensen/CEE_121/index.htm#Earthwork)

a.b.

c. Given just black portion of the above figure in the problem description. The volume of the embankment per 100-ft length is most nearly equal to? (Civil Engineering Problems and Solutions , 14th Ed, Donald G. Newnan, p. 12-26 and 13-31)

i. 5000 ft3

ii. 8250 ft3

iii. 52,000 ft3

iv. 82,500 ft3 (correct answer) v. 102,800 ft3

d.

e.

f. “Two level sections 75 ft apart with center heights 4.8 and 7.2 ft in fill, base width 30 ft, side slopes 2:1.” (Elementary Surveying, 13th Edition by Ghilani & Wolf, Problem 26.4, p. 795)

7. Two level sections 75 ft apart with center heights 4.8 and 7.2 ft in fill, base width 30 ft, side slopes 2:1. (Elementary Surveying, 13th Edition by Ghilani and Wolf, Problem 26.4, p. 795)

8.

9. Curvesa.

b. T = tangent distance from PC to PI

c.