Podcast
Engineering Exam Prep
Hosted by Ran Chen, EA, CFP® · EN
Engineering Exam Prep is a free, daily podcast by OpenExamPrep covering the most in-demand engineering licensure exams — including FE Fundamentals of Engineering, FE Surveying, and the full PE catalog (Civil, Civil Geotechnical, Civil Construction, Civil Transportation, Civil Water Resources & Environmental, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Architectural, Agricultural & Biological, Control Systems, and more). Each 5-minute episode breaks down one exam topic with worked-style examples, NCEES Reference Handbook callouts, common exam traps, unit-conversion gotchas, and memory tricks to help you pass on your first attempt. No fluff, no filler — just the concepts you need to know, explained the way the exam tests them. This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation for everyone — from EITs studying for the FE to working engineers preparing for the PE. For free practice questions, AI-powered explanations, flashcards, and full study guides, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ Subscribe and listen daily — your PE license is closer than you think.
58episodes
Episodes
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FE Civil Exam Prep 69, Shear Strength — Mohr-Coulomb and Triaxial
3d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to apply the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion for different soil types on the FE Civil exam. - The critical difference between drained (effective stress) and undrained (total stress) analysis for clays. - Why the friction angle is considered zero in an undrained analysis of saturated clay. - How to determine undrained shear strength (c_u) from an unconfined compression test result (q_u). - How triaxial test results (σ₁ and σ₃) are used to find the shear strength parameters c and φ. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 68, Consolidation — Cc, Cv, Time Rate
4d ago00:03:42Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to calculate the total primary consolidation settlement using the Compression Index (Cc) formula. - The critical importance of correctly calculating initial and final effective vertical stresses at the clay layer's midpoint. - How to use the time factor (Tv) equation to determine how long it will take to reach a certain percentage of consolidation. - The most common exam trap: identifying one-way versus two-way drainage to find the correct drainage path length (H_dr). - Key benchmark values for the time factor, such as Tv = 0.197 for 50% consolidation, which frequently appear on the exam. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 67, Effective Stress Principle
5d ago00:03:28Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The fundamental effective stress equation is: Effective Stress (σ') = Total Stress (σ) - Pore Water Pressure (u). - Total stress represents the weight of all materials (soil and water) above a point, calculated by summing the unit weight times the thickness for each layer. - Pore water pressure is the pressure from the column of water above a point and is only non-zero below the water table. - A soil's strength and consolidation behavior are governed by effective stress, which is the stress transferred between soil particles, not by total stress. - A common exam trap is capillary rise, where water is drawn above the water table, creating negative pore pressure (suction) and increasing the effective stress. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 66, Permeability and Darcy's Law
6d ago00:03:06Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to apply Darcy's Law (q=kiA) to calculate the volumetric flow rate of water through a soil sample. - The correct way to determine the hydraulic gradient (i = Δh/L) and avoid common exam traps related to head loss and flow path length. - How to use a flow net to calculate the total seepage under a structure using the formula Q = kH(Nf/Nd). - To identify critical exam traps such as unit conversions for the coefficient of permeability (k) and correctly counting flow channels (Nf) and equipotential drops (Nd). - The importance of using the cross-sectional area (A) that is perpendicular to the direction of flow in Darcy's Law. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 65, Soil Compaction — Proctor Test, Optimum Moisture
1w ago00:04:24Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - To differentiate Standard (ASTM D698) and Modified (ASTM D1557) Proctor tests by their compactive energy. - How the compaction curve plots dry unit weight versus water content to find the maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content. - The essential formula for converting total (moist) unit weight to dry unit weight: γ_d = γ_t / (1 + w). - That field compaction requirements are specified as a percentage of the maximum lab density (e.g., 95% of Standard Proctor). - To watch for common exam traps that mix up Standard and Modified test data or confuse moist and dry unit weights. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 64, Phase Diagrams — Void Ratio, Saturation, Unit Weights
1w ago00:03:30Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The three-phase soil diagram (solids, water, air) is the foundation for all geotechnical weight-volume problems on the FE Civil exam. - How to master the critical difference between void ratio (e = Vv/Vs) and porosity (n = Vv/V_total), a common exam trap. - Why the relationship Se = wGs is a powerful shortcut for solving for an unknown variable when three of the four properties are given. - How to calculate the three primary unit weights: dry (γd), saturated (γsat), and moist (γ), and know which formulas from the NCEES handbook to apply. - That the submerged unit weight (γ') is simply the saturated unit weight minus the unit weight of water, a key input for effective stress calculations. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 63, Soil Classification — USCS and Atterberg Limits
1w ago00:03:51Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical first step in soil classification is determining if it's coarse or fine-grained based on the 50% rule for the No. 200 sieve. - How to classify coarse-grained soils as gravel (G) or sand (S), and then as well-graded (W) or poorly-graded (P) using gradation data. - How to use the Atterberg Limits (LL, PL, and PI) and the Plasticity Chart to classify fine-grained soils. - The function of the A-line and the LL=50 line on the Plasticity Chart to distinguish between clays (C), silts (M), and their plasticity (L or H). - Common exam traps, including soils with 5-12% fines that require dual symbols and how to classify soils that plot directly on the A-line. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 62, Slabs and Development Length
1w ago00:03:16Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to differentiate between one-way and two-way slabs using the long-to-short side ratio of 2.0. - Why one-way slabs are analyzed as wide beams with load transfer occurring primarily in the short direction. - The definition of development length (l_d) and its importance for achieving the rebar's full yield strength. - How to identify and apply the critical 'top-bar' modification factor of 1.3 in development length calculations. - The relationship between splice length and development length for Class A (1.0 * l_d) and Class B (1.3 * l_d) tension splices. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 61, Reinforced Concrete Columns — Tied vs Spiral, Interaction
2w ago00:03:58Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The key difference between tied and spiral columns and why spirals are more ductile. - How to apply the correct strength reduction factors (φ): 0.65 for tied and 0.75 for spiral columns. - To master the formula for nominal axial capacity (Pn) and the adjustment factor for maximum capacity (α = 0.80 for tied, 0.85 for spiral). - How to interpret a P-M interaction diagram to check column adequacy for combined axial load and moment. - To recognize common exam traps like using the incorrect φ factor or misinterpreting the boundary of an interaction diagram. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FE Civil Exam Prep 60, Reinforced Concrete Beams — Whitney Stress Block
2w ago00:04:23Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to apply the Whitney Stress Block to find the moment capacity of a reinforced concrete beam. - The critical equilibrium equation, C = T, that forms the basis of the calculation. - A step-by-step process for solving for the design moment capacity, φMn, in an exam-style problem. - Common traps on the FE Civil exam, including unit conversions (psi vs. ksi, kip-in vs. kip-ft) and using effective depth 'd'. - How to use the strength reduction factor, φ, to convert nominal strength to design strength. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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