The Paternoster - On a Lift and a Prayer

Since ancient times, engineers have devised clever ways to move people and things vertically. The paternoster is a continuously running elevator that was first developed in the late 19th century, and there are still a few surviving examples like this one in Prague. The name translates as “Our Father,” the first two words in the Lord’s prayer, and comes from their resemblance to rosary beads. I love this video of elderly Czech women hopping on and disappearing as they ride up. Maybe not the safest elevators around, but they certainly look like fun. – Dr. Tom

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The Clock Is Ticking! Time Is Running Out to Get $100 Off

There are only a few more days to sign up for a 20-Week Review and save $100. The Discount ends on September 30, and right now is the perfect time to begin your 20-Week PE Exam Review for the April 2019 Exam.

Dr. Tom’s Classroom’s 20-Week Reviews have the perfect combination of structure, organization, strategy, practice and support to help you pass the exam. Everyone at DTC is dedicated to your success. If you follow the plan and do the work, you will be prepared to pass the exam.

“Dr. Tom's 20-Week course is the reason that I passed the PE. If I had chosen to study on my own, there would be no chance I'd pass. The week to week structure of the course kept me on track, so I did not run out of time days before the exam. There are so many strong points to this course I cannot name them all. I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone taking the exam.”
- Stephen E. Kreidler, PE, Tulsa, OK

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CBT Offers Greater Flexibility, But Is It Really an Advantage?

In this final installment of my posts on the scheduled transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format for the Mechanical PE Exams in 2020 and the Civil PE Exams in 2023 (https://ncees.org/exams/cbt/), I want to address the “so-called” advantages of CPT PE Exam, which generally are touted as providing greater flexibility for examinees. 

Flexibility is definitely one of the things that is appealing to some people about the change to the CBT format. With CBT exams, you can take the exam year-round, at multiple locations, on a date you schedule, and you can get your results in 8 to 10 days. You can also take the exam up to three times in a 12-month period, with some additional restrictions within that period (only one time within one of four 3-month windows: January – March, April – June, July – September, and October – December). So if you don’t pass, you could potentially take the exam again in as little as two weeks.

The Pencil-and-Paper exam, on the other hand, is only offered twice a year on specific dates in April and October at a limited number of locations, and it takes a month or more to get your results. So if you don’t pass, you have to wait at least six months to take the exam again. But when you think about it, the CBT exam only gets you one extra try per year (three vs. two).

The flexibility of the CBT exam certainly makes it easier for you to fit the exam into your schedule and to keep taking more swings at it in a shorter period of time. But are these really advantages? Passing the PE Exam requires more than just taking a whack at it until you pass. It requires a serious commitment to the task of mastering the knowledge and skills required to pass. Human nature being what it is, having the specific date of the Pencil-and-Paper exam means you must make a commitment knowing there is no turning back. Not so with the CBT exam. Human nature works against you there. It will be easy to put off taking the exam, letting all manner of life events keep you from taking it. Even if you pick a day, you can easily change it, and if something happens the morning of the exam, it is easy to reschedule. The value of that flexibility can evaporate into thin air if you never actually find the personal strength to make the commitment and stick to it. The PE Exam is not a doctor’s appointment to be wedged into your hectic schedule. It is a major life event that will have serious implications for your future, and it should be treated as such.

In my analysis, the advantages of the Pencil-and-Paper exam, which I’ve outlined in my previous posts, far outweigh anything you would gain in flexibility from the CBT exam. My advice is to make the commitment now to take the PE Exam before the change to CBT takes place. The knowledge that your opportunities to take the exam in the current format are limited might very well be the motivation that gets you a Pass!
- Dr. Tom

Read Dr. Tom’s full article about the transition to the CBT format PE Exam at https://drtomsclassroom.com/news/change-is-coming.

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The Argument for Beautiful Bridges

In a dynamic TedTalk video, structural engineer, Ian Firth, describes the core characteristics of bridges and provides many examples. In additional the essential properties of strength and durability, he also argues that bridges should be beautiful. Any civil engineer will probably admire the aesthetics and practical importance of the bridges presented.  He describes that, "Engineers have a fantastic scope for innovation and ingenuity and developing different forms." Balancing risk and innovation is critical for future designs and improvements. Future innovations will include floating foundations, high-performance concrete, and ultra-long spans to build and connect communities. Definitely an opportunity to achieve the extraordinary - Daniel Findley, DTC Civil Transportation Instructor

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FEATURED TESTIMONIAL- Dr. Tom’s Recipe for Success!

“My biggest concern was where to begin and how to organize all of the information, and relearning the topics in time. Dr. Tom guided us with a cookbook method of organizing the info and provided an Exam Day Companion that concisely summarized most of the reference info in one notebook. He defined for us the number of hours needed for prep. I felt that Dr. Tom saw everything from the test takers point of view. He was always very respectful, dedicated and personable. You will not find anyone else more committed. I would most definitely recommend Dr. Tom's Review to others preparing for the ME PE Exam. It was very helpful, but Dr. Tom can't do it all. If a student wants to pass on the first try, they need to put in the 300 hrs of quality prep time that Dr. Tom recommends.”
- Patrick P. PE, 25 yrs out of college

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CBT Brings New Types of Questions

In this installment of my posts on the scheduled transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format for the Mechanical PE Exams in 2020 and the Civil PE Exams in 2023 (https://ncees.org/exams/cbt/), we look at the new question types that will be introduced with the new CBT exam format. 

The new CBT exams will not only have the traditional multiple-choice questions but four additional question types. They are referred to by the NCEES as AITs, Alternative Item Types. The four new question types include:
Multiple correct options – allows multiple choices to be correct and can have more than the usual four possible answers
Point and click –  click on part of a graphic to answer
Drag and drop – click on and drag items to match, sort, rank, or label
Fill in the blank - space provided to type a response to the question. 
While these changes allow for a whole host of new type problems, not being familiar with how these are to work could be troublesome. For example, will spelling be a problem with fill-in-the-blank questions?  Spelling was never my strong suit. Will 23,000 and 23000 both be acceptable?

Currently, the Pencil-and-Paper PE Exams are all multiple choice with four possible answers – a very familiar format that we have come to expect in these type exams, and one that presents no unknown factors to provoke additional anxiety. Just another reason to take and pass the PE Exam now before the Pencil-and-Paper exam is no longer an option.
- Dr. Tom

Read Dr. Tom’s full article about the transition to the CBT format PE Exam at https://drtomsclassroom.com/news/change-is-coming.

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Hurricanes and Transportation Infrastructure

Transportation networks are particularly critical during times of emergencies. With the impending arrival of Hurricane Florence, aircraft owners are moving their aircraft to safer locations, interstate lanes have been reversed to take drivers inland away from the predicted locations of impact, and other modes are used to relocate people and goods. These emergencies emphasize the importance of our civil engineering infrastructure and their continued maintenance and operation to serve our society. - Daniel Findley, DTC Civil Transportation Instructor

From all of the Dr. Tom team, for those of you in the path of the Hurricane, please stay safe!

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You have achieved a lot in your career as an engineer, but you know that you are capable of more. Getting your P.E. license will open up a world of possibilities for you to achieve the extraordinary. And we can help you make those possibilities a reality with our 20-Week Reviews for the Civil and Mechanical PE Exams and our comprehensive plan to prepare you to pass the exam.

Professional Engineers are changing our world for the better every day with amazing achievements. We can’t wait to see what you will do with your PE!

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“If you don’t read my entire testimonial – here is the 'bottom line upfront:' Look no further! Like many other folks, I had previously taken the Mechanical PE exam without a great deal of structure.  In fact, after two unsuccessful attempts in the mid 1990’s – I placed professional registration on hold – uncertain if I would ever try again. However, with life and work ever-changing, it became clear that professional registration would be a benefit. Needless to say – I passed the Mechanical Thermal/Fluids exam and a great deal of credit goes to Dr. Tom and the course.  If you work the program, watch the lectures, do the problems, participate in the weekly discussions, prepare the personalized resource notebooks, and use the participant forum…..you will pass the exam. This structure, organization, and commitment are why this program is so successful and I will be recommending this to my colleagues. Thank you Dr. Tom and your entire staff.”
 - Neil Martin, PE (LTC (Retired – US Army)), Veolia Water Technologies, Naperville, Illinois

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Time Allotment – CBT Exam versus Pencil-and-Paper Exam

In this installment of my posts on the scheduled to transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format for the Mechanical PE Exams in 2020 and the Civil PE Exams in 2023 (https://ncees.org/exams/cbt/), I want to take a closer look at how meeting the challenge of time management differs on the CBT PE Exam and the Pencil-and-Paper PE Exam. Time management is troublesome for all of us, especially on tests, and particularly on a test as important to one’s future as the PE Exam. So it’s worth taking a look at these differences. 

Let’s start with the current Pencil-and-Paper exams, which are 8 hours total divided into two 4-hour sessions with and an official 1-hour break in between. You have exactly 40 questions to answer in the first 4 hours and exactly 40 questions in the second 4 hours. There is a big clock on the wall and periodically the time remaining will be announced. Time is called after each of these sessions, and all work is to be stopped. Time management is handled by the NCEES representatives, leaving your mind free to concentrate on the exam. You certainly need to pace yourself and make sure not to get stuck on tricky problems, but one nice thing about this format is that there is no chance that you will take more time on the first 40 questions and then not have enough time for the second 40 questions.

Now let’s look at the CBT exam. It is not official, however, it can probably be assumed that the time allotment for the CBT versions of the Mechanical and Civil PE Exams will be the same as the current CBT Chemical PE Exam. The time you have remaining is shown on the screen and continues to count down as you work through the exam. The total time is 9 hours, broken down as follows:

• 2 minutes to read and sign the Nondisclosure Agreement. If you don’t sign, it is over.
• 8 minutes for an online tutorial on how to navigate the exam screen.
• 8 hours for the exam.
• 50 minutes for a lunch break, where you decide when to take the break. You will want to take this break after 4 hours where hopefully you have had a chance to answer half of the 80 questions. If you don’t take a break, you lose the 50 minutes; it does not add to your time. If you spend more than 50 minutes on your break, the exam time clock re-starts after the 50 minutes. At the end of 8 hours to the second, the exam is over.

With the CBT format, you must be vigilant in your time management, because you have to decide when you take the break and you have to make sure you allow enough time to get to all 80 questions. Another thing to worry about during the exam. 

The only way to avoid the extra pressure of time management associated with the CBT exam format is to take and pass the exam now. Once the last Pencil-and-Paper exam is administered in your discipline, you’ll be stuck with CBT.
- Dr. Tom

Read Dr. Tom’s full article about the transition to the CBT format PE Exam at https://drtomsclassroom.com/news/change-is-coming.

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FEATURED TESTIMONIAL - Take On the PE Exam with Confidence

“Dr. Tom's 20-Week course helped me learn everything I needed to pass the Mechanical: Thermal & Fluid Systems exam on the first try. He did a better job of explaining the material better than most of my professors. He was always very friendly and easy to understand. The best part about the 20-Week Review is that you develop a weekly schedule of what you need to work on. Material is not crammed into a 3 or 4 week review like some other PE courses. With the 20-Week Review, you gradually rebuild and strengthen what you learned in college so you can take on the PE exam with confidence. The Exam Day Companion is worth it's weight in gold! I have already recommended my coworker to the course and he will be starting it this spring, and I will encourage other ME's to take the course. It was also the cheapest course I was able to find. I just wish I could shake Dr. Tom's hand and tell him thank you for everything!
- Michael Noll, PE, Delmar Systems in Houston, TX

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Nuisance Flooding Gets a New Definition

Nuisance flooding, or “sunny day flooding” has been in the news a lot lately. These types of floods can occur when the position of the sun and moon align such that the tide range is higher than normal. In general, these floods don’t cause major property damage or seriously threaten public safety. But nuisance floods can strain infrastructure like roadways and sewers, provide habitats for mosquitoes and bacteria, affect property values, and discourage tourism. In places where such floods happen all the time, the cumulative costs may add up to be equivalent to one big hurricane!

Most people “know nuisance flooding when they see it”, but there hasn’t been a consistent definition of when this occurs. To arrive at a clearer definition, Moftakhari et al. did a massive literature review on nuisance flooding. They looked at a range of different factors of nuisance flooding, including pedestrian safety, property damage, hydrology, and transportation impacts. On the basis of this research, the team came  up with the following definition: A nuisance flood is a layer of water between 3 and 10 centimeters high, traveling at a speed of less than 3 meters per second.  The new definition can help cities measure the cumulative impacts of nuisance floods and encourage flood-resilient construction. - Beth Sciaudone, DTC Civil Water Resources & Environmental Instructor

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You have achieved a lot in your career as an engineer, but you know that you are capable of more. Getting your PE license will open up a world of possibilities for you to achieve the extraordinary. And we can help you make those possibilities a reality with our 20-Week Reviews for the Civil and Mechanical PE Exams and our comprehensive plan to prepare you to pass the exam.

Professional Engineers are changing our world for the better every day with amazing achievements. We can’t wait to see what you will do with your PE!

Sign up for any DTC 20-Week Review in September and get $100 off. Just a little something to get you started on the path to greatness. 

“Dr. Tom’s 20-Week Review provided the structure and the solid foundation I needed to pass the PE exam. Learning to quickly identify the type of problem and using Dr. Tom’s back-to-basics method of problem solving helped me feel confident in my ability to do well. The quality, exam day references provided, exam day strategies, and the confidence I have in Dr. Tom’s program makes it easy for me to recommend Dr. Tom’s Classroom others preparing for the PE exam. Thanks for getting me over the hump and helping me to accomplish a major goal of mine!”
- Clint A., P.E., Tulsa, Oklahoma
 

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