Five Types of Problems to Expect on the California Surveying Exam

Table of Contents

1. Differential Leveling

2. Bearings/Azimuths

3. Curves

4. Cut/Fill

5. Definitions

1. Differential Leveling 

Differential leveling problems are big on the exam, but luckily really come down to two main formulas, with very few variables. Make sure you know the definitions of backsight and foresight and these will be a breeze. 

Related: Stadia problems are similar but involve the inclined equipment and a lot more geometry when sorting out the angles. 

2. Bearings/Azimuths 

A bearing is a measurement of an angle within a quadrant, relative to the north and south axes. An azimuth is a measurement of an angle relative to the north axis (up to 360 degrees). These two terms are guaranteed to come up on the exam, either as standalone questions or part of a larger problem. 

Related: Make sure you have a graphing calculator to help convert Degrees Minutes Seconds to Degrees! 

3. Curves 

Horizontal and vertical curves are, from my experience, the largest topic on the exam. The best thing you can do for yourself is to practice these questions until you feel absolutely confident. It will also help to either tab your notes or make a cheat sheet with all the useful formulas. 

4. Cut/Fill 

Cut and fill questions were, honestly, the hardest for me. While it may seem simple, these problems combine several concepts, sign conventions (+/-), area formulas, reading charts, and knowing many definitions. 

Related: Along with cut and fill diagrams, don't forget to study up on mass diagrams, borrow pits, and shrinkage vs. swell. 

5. Definitions 

Definitions will make up a major portion of the exam, and my #1 tip is to take a surveying dictionary with you into the exam. This will help with all the terms and make you feel confident in your answers. The definitions will often be focused on types of maps, surveying techniques, or equipment. 

School of PE offers comprehensive exam review courses for the CA Seismic and CA Surveying exams. Visit our website to register for a prep class that best fits your schedule.

About the Author: Erin E. Kelly

Ms. Kelly is an experienced structural engineer with a focus on seismic risk. She has extensive experience in structural failure investigations, seismic structural design, and seismic risk assessments. Through the School of P.E., she has taught a 32-hour course for the California Seismic P.E. Exam, authored several blog posts, and contributed to other review products. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University.

Errors in Surveying: How to Identify and Calculate for the CA Surveying Exam

The data mapped in surveying can be used for many purposes, from defining boundaries in legal documents to determining the best route to run utilities or construct a road. With all of these implications, accuracy in surveying is so important. However, given the varying terrains and conditions for it, it's no surprise that accuracy can be hard to ensure in the field. 

The two main styles of surveying covered on this exam are stationing with tapes and using a total station to create a traverse. In this blog post, we'll cover errors for both methods. 

Table of Contents

1. Stationing Errors

2. Closed Traverse Errors

1. Stationing Errors

When stationing with a tape, each tape will be standardized to a certain temperature, tension, and length. You'll learn the correction formulas in the course, but here are some rules of thumb to remember: 

For temperature, if the temperature is higher than the standard, the measured distance will be shorter than the actual distance. If not otherwise noted, the standard temperature is usually 68 degrees Fahrenheit. 

For tension, if the tension is higher than the standard tension, the measured distance will be shorter than the actual distance. 

For length, if the tape is found to be longer than the nominal length, the measured distance will be shorter than the actual distance. If not otherwise noted, the standard length is 100 feet. 

There are two other corrections that you should also be aware of, and those are for sag correction (also related to tension) and elevation correction if the measurements are being taken at a high altitude. 

2. Closed Traverse Errors

When conducting a survey using a total station, the path that the surveyor travels is called a traverse. A closed traverse is when the surveyor starts and ends in the same place. If the surveyor intends to do this, but the start and end points are slightly different, you have an error that must be accommodated for. This is called a misclosure error. 

To adjust for this, consider the X and Y components of the misclosure error, and then apply those proportionally to each leg. So, if one leg is 50% of the total traverse, you would apply half the error in X and half the error in Y to the end point of that leg. Note that X and Y are handled separately for this. 

In addition to linear misclosure, angular misclosure must be considered as well. The sum of interior angles of a closed traverse should be 180 degrees * (n-2), where n equals the number of nodes or sides. The sum of the exterior angle should be 180 degrees * (n+2). If the sum of the measured angles (interior or exterior) does not match the result of these equations, the angles will need to be adjusted. One thing to note is that all angles are considered equally, so the misclosure adjustment is divided evenly to each angle, and not applied proportionally like the length adjustments are. 

School of PE offers comprehensive exam review courses for the CA Seismic and CA Surveying exams. Visit our website to register for a prep class that best fits your schedule.

About the Author: Erin E. Kelly

Ms. Kelly is an experienced structural engineer with a focus on seismic risk. She has extensive experience in structural failure investigations, seismic structural design, and seismic risk assessments. Through the School of P.E., she has taught a 32-hour course for the California Seismic P.E. Exam, authored several blog posts, and contributed to other review products. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University.

Four Strategies for Tackling Scale Problems on the CA Surveying Exam

Table of Contents

1. Know the difference between a large scale and a small scale

2. Study the units in the problem statement and the solution

3. Notice when units are missing

4. Know what "scale factor" means

1. Know the difference between a large scale and a small scale 

I'll just state this upfront: 1/10 is a larger scale than 1/100. Write that down somewhere, so you never get confused again! The worst part of this exam for me was memorizing conventions like that. This will come up both directly and indirectly in questions. For example, maybe you've determined that the scale required to fit a map on a sheet of paper is 1/44 and the problem asks for the largest scale that can be used, rounded to the nearest 10. The answer would be 1/50, because 1/40 would be too large and 1/60 would be too small. 

2. Study the units in the problem statement and the solution 

A very common "trick" on the exam is to give you a linear scale (so 1:10), and then ask for the measurement of a rectangular area. You'll have to apply the scale factor twice because the units considered are changing from linear to square. For example, if the rectangle is 2" x 3" on the paper, the area isn't just 6 square inches *10 (=60), it's 2*10 x 3*10 = 600. This can definitely get you if you're moving too quickly on the exam, so look out for these. 

3. Notice when units are missing

As in the example above, the scale is given as 1:10. When the units are not given in a scale, you can assume that the units are the same. For example, 1 inch = 10 inches, 1 mile = 10 miles. Sometimes the problem statement can be written in a misleading way, so make sure to recognize when the units are missing. 

4. Know what "scale factor" means

You'll sometimes see a problem state, "the scale factor is x" and the measured distance is y, what is the real distance? For me, it can be tricky to remember if you're supposed to multiply or divide by the scale factor, so jot down this formula on your cheat sheet: real distance = measured distance *x 

School of PE offers comprehensive exam review courses for the CA Seismic and CA Surveying exams. Visit our website to register for a prep class that best fits your schedule. 

About the Author: Erin E. Kelly

Ms. Kelly is an experienced structural engineer with a focus on seismic risk. She has extensive experience in structural failure investigations, seismic structural design, and seismic risk assessments. Through the School of P.E., she has taught a 32-hour course for the California Seismic P.E. Exam, authored several blog posts, and contributed to other review products. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University.

The Five Best Ways to Prepare for the CA Surveying Exam

Table of Contents

1. Take a course

2. Get familiar with your graphing calculator

3. Create an easy reference guide

4. Practice, practice, practice

5. Become invested

1. Take a course 

While preparing to take the California Surveying Exam (CSE), I found that there isn't one specific book that you can use as an exam review manual. Instead, my coworkers at the time presented me with five different textbooks I could use, with no real guidance or certainty on which one would be best. Beyond that, those texts were meant to go way deeper than the exam on many topics. Taking a course, in my opinion, is the best way to identify what is important on the exam and not waste time on topics that won't be tested.

2. Get familiar with your graphing calculator 

The calculator permissions on this exam are different than others, and that means you can use a graphing calculator here. That is great news because you'll frequently be asked to convert Degrees Minutes Seconds to Degrees (in decimal form), either as the whole problem or a part of the problem. Sure, you could do it by hand, but you really won't have time for that! These calculators can be expensive but it's a worthy investment! (Tip: Ask a friend, classmate, or coworker to borrow theirs if you don't have one). 

3. Create an easy reference guide 

Whether you make a cheat sheet or tab formulas in your notebook, it's really important to have conversions (how many square feet are in an acre?) and formulas (area and curve) easily accessible to get through this exam. 

4. Practice, practice, practice 

I can't say this enough-practicing is so important. They can frame the question so many different ways, so you need to be really familiar with the information. Once you are well-versed in the material, it should be easy to identify what is being asked and how to plug it into the formulas you have. 

5. Become invested

One of the best "study strategies" I've found is to become really invested in the material. Change your attitude and try to find the content fascinating. At the time that I was preparing for this exam, I was doing design engineering work. I would look at some of my supporting material and get excited to see the bearings and easements and all the fun stuff you'll learn while preparing for the test. It not only makes the prep time more bearable, but it also will help the information stick!

About the Author: Erin E. Kelly

Ms. Kelly is an experienced structural engineer with a focus on seismic risk. She has extensive experience in structural failure investigations, seismic structural design, and seismic risk assessments. Through the School of P.E., she has taught a 32-hour course for the California Seismic P.E. Exam, authored several blog posts, and contributed to other review products. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University.

Three Must-Know Skills to Pass the California Surveying Exam

Table of Contents

1. How to MOST Effectively Use Your Calculator

2. CURVES!

3. Understand Scales

1. How to MOST Effectively Use Your Calculator 

This may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of "skills" needed to pass the California Surveying Exam (CSE), but trust me, using a graphing calculator is going to be absolutely crucial to your success. This is because the CSE is a test of not only knowledge but speed as well. You need to know the material well enough to recall it quickly, and you also need to have the calculator skills to avoid spending too much time on computation. The main thing the graphing calculator will help you with is converting from Degrees Minutes Seconds to a decimal form of degrees, so that you can plug that single value into the equations you'll be using. A normal calculator won't be able to help you do the conversion as quickly. Check the latest requirements on calculators to make sure your calculator is permitted and note that the requirements for this exam differ from other PE exams. 

2. CURVES! 

I've heard that horizontal and vertical curves can make up about 40-50% of the questions on the exam. Those values are empirical but, from my experience, I would say it's close. These concepts are very important to surveying, so get comfortable with them. Internalize the formulas, know how to recognize them, know all the tricks, and practice, practice, practice. I tend to tab my notes and books for these exams, and I tabbed the pages for vertical and horizontal curves in a different color than everything else so that I could find them quickly during the exam. 

3. Understand Scales

Scale factors may seem like a straightforward concept, but they are a really easy way to gain or lose points on the exam. There are a lot of ways that the issue of scale can come up. I'll list some examples here: 

 If you want to show X feet of distance on a Y" sheet of paper, what scale should be used? 

 Which scale is larger 1" = 1 mile or 1/1000? 

 If the Scale Factor is X, and the measured distance is Y, what is the real distance? 

 The scale is 1:10, and what is the real area of a measured rectangle with side lengths of X and Y? 

There's a lot packed into these four questions, and you should be familiar with each of these concepts. I would recommend practicing questions regarding scale and checking your answers after. You may be surprised by how often you get tripped up by not considering units, not considering length scales vs. area questions, or deciding between a "large" and "small" scale. It's worth spending time on this topic to make sure you never make a silly mistake.

About the Author: Erin E. Kelly

Ms. Kelly is an experienced structural engineer with a focus on seismic risk. She has extensive experience in structural failure investigations, seismic structural design, and seismic risk assessments. Through the School of P.E., she has taught a 32-hour course for the California Seismic P.E. Exam, authored several blog posts, and contributed to other review products. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University.

Everything You Need to Know About the CA Surveying Exam

The California Surveying Exam is part of the California Civil Professional Engineering License. Once you pass the national PE-the long, sometimes dreaded, 8-hour breadth exam-you can take both the CA Seismic and CA Surveying exams. Both of these are required in order to obtain your PE license in California. 

The CA Surveying exam is a 2.5-hour test with 55 questions, which gives you fewer than three minutes per question. If you remember from preparing for the breadth exam, you get six minutes per question on that one. So, get ready to increase your speed! 

The CA Surveying exam is computer based and offered most days of the year. You will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) from the Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists with your identification number, test name, and eligible dates which you will use to schedule your exam. 

From there, you're on your own to study and prepare for the exam. I've written a few other blog posts on this topic, but my main study tips are to focus on the important topics (you can determine this through online research or by taking a prep course); invest in a graphing calculator, and get comfortable with it; make a cheat sheet with useful conversions and formulas for easy reference; and do as many practice problems as possible! 

On test day, I advise you to get to the test center early, have all of your references bound (free sheets of paper are not allowed, so make sure to put your cheat sheet in a binder or notebook), and have a sweater with you in case the room is cold. The test center should provide earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, tissues, writing paper, and a writing utensil. Go into the test confident and focused, and it'll be over before you know it! 

I can't say with certainty, but I found that test results are released on the ninth or 10th of the month after you take the exam. For example, I took the Seismic exam on the sixth of the month and had to wait for what felt like a really long time to get my results. Then, I intentionally took the Surveying exam on the 25th of the month so I could minimize the wait time. 

I hope this helped you feel more comfortable with what to expect. This test is totally doable with good preparation. Best of luck! 

School of PE offers comprehensive exam review courses for the CA Seismic and CA Surveying exams. Visit our website to register for a prep class that best fits your schedule.

About the Author: Erin E. Kelly

Ms. Kelly is an experienced structural engineer with a focus on seismic risk. She has extensive experience in structural failure investigations, seismic structural design, and seismic risk assessments. Through the School of P.E., she has taught a 32-hour course for the California Seismic P.E. Exam, authored several blog posts, and contributed to other review products. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University.

What is ductility and why is it important for earthquake resistant structure?

I've heard ductility referred to as the "secret sauce of seismic engineering," and I think that's truly the perfect way to describe it. But maybe you've heard this before and don't know why or how it is true? I hope this blog can shed some light on that for you. 

Ductility is technically defined as the "ability to withstand cyclic deformations," and as such is not directly related to flexibility or stiffness. Flexibility and stiffness are measurements of how far an element will deflect under a given force, whereas ductility is more about how the element will deflect, especially at yielding and beyond. In the simplest of terms, a ductile structure will bend and not break, which greatly reduces the risk of a catastrophic failure. 

As an example, consider an unreinforced masonry shear wall, which will crack and fail in a brittle manner during an earthquake, compared to a steel moment frame which, ideally, will sustain large deflections, deform elastically, and resist collapse during the seismic event. 

A book by Mario Salvadori titled Why Buildings Stand Up does a great job of illustrating the concept of ductility, so I'll borrow from him here. Salvadori writes of ductile materials, "materials that behave elastically under relatively small loads and plastically under higher loads do not reach their breaking point suddenly. Once they stop behaving elastically, they keep stretching (or shortening) under increasing loads until they continue to so even without an increase in loads. Only then they fail. If a steel wire is weighted heavily enough, it will keep stretching or yielding under a constant load. It thus gives warning of its impending failure." 

If you reread that last paragraph, while visualizing the stress-strain curve of steel, you can see the great impact of ductility and how it can increase the resiliency of our structures. Salvadori explains that by bending without breaking, ductile materials give a "warning" that they're going to fail, as opposed to brittle structures that fail with no warning and often in a catastrophic manner. This allows for the safe evacuation of occupants which is ultimately the goal of our structures in seismic regions. 

This, of course, causes me to reflect on the limit state to which we design our structures: life safety. There are technically four limit states, listed here with increasing damage: operational (no damage), immediate occupancy, life safety, and collapse prevention. By choosing "life safety" as the industry standard, we are agreeing to design to a standard in which damage can occur, but only to the extent in which occupants will be able to evacuate safely. If construction in seismic regions were done with more brittle materials, this standard would not be able to be achieved, as the failure would be sudden, with no warning. By using ductile materials, we are given warning, and can accept a lower limit state without worrying about a sudden, dangerous, and potentially deadly collapse. 

I hope that this has provided some insight into the importance of ductility outside of just the numbers and the code. The materials we choose to design with, and the way our structural connections are detailed, can make all the difference in the success of our buildings and the safety of their occupants during and after a seismic event. 

Salvadori, Mario. Why Buildings Stand up: the Strength of Architecture. W.W. Norton, 2002.

About the Author: Erin E. Kelly

Ms. Kelly is an experienced structural engineer with a focus on seismic risk. She has extensive experience in structural failure investigations, seismic structural design, and seismic risk assessments. Through the School of P.E., she has taught a 32-hour course for the California Seismic P.E. Exam, authored several blog posts, and contributed to other review products. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University.