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Phase 2 · Months 4–8
Engineering Fundamentals
Master the engineering science core. Statics and Mechanics of Materials are the most important courses you will take.
Physics: Mechanics
Newton's laws are the foundation of every structural and fluid calculation.
- Newton's laws: ΣF = ma; for statics ΣF = 0
- Work, energy, power; conservation of energy
- Momentum and impulse
- Units: SI (N, m, Pa) and US customary (lb, ft, psi, kip = 1000 lb)
Extra resources
Checklist
practice~15 h
Statics ★
The single most important subject. Every structure is designed by first finding the forces in it.
- Free-body diagrams — always draw one first
- Equilibrium: ΣFx = 0, ΣFy = 0, ΣM = 0
- Supports: pin (2 reactions), roller (1), fixed (3)
- Trusses: method of joints and method of sections
- Distributed loads → equivalent point load at the centroid
- Centroids, moment of inertia, parallel axis theorem I = Ī + Ad²
- Friction: F ≤ μN
- Shear and bending moment diagrams (dV/dx = −w, dM/dx = V)
Checklist
learn~40 h
practice~3 h
practice~8 h
Dynamics
Tested on the FE, and the basis for earthquake and vibration engineering.
- Kinematics: v = v₀ + at, s = v₀t + ½at², v² = v₀² + 2as
- Projectile & curvilinear motion
- Kinetics: F = ma, work-energy, impulse-momentum
- Simple vibration: natural frequency ω = √(k/m)
Extra resources
Checklist
practice~15 h
Mechanics of Materials ★
Tells you whether a member is strong and stiff enough. Directly used in every design.
- Stress σ = P/A; strain ε = δ/L; Hooke's law σ = Eε
- Axial deformation δ = PL/(AE)
- Bending stress σ = Mc/I = M/S
- Shear stress in beams τ = VQ/(Ib)
- Torsion τ = Tr/J
- Deflection of beams (e.g., simply supported UDL: 5wL⁴/384EI)
- Column buckling: Pcr = π²EI/(KL)²
- Mohr's circle, principal stresses
- Thermal strain ε = αΔT
Extra resources
Checklist
practice~40 h
Fluid Mechanics
The base for hydraulics, hydrology, water supply and drainage design.
- Hydrostatic pressure p = γh (γ water = 62.4 lb/ft³ = 9.81 kN/m³)
- Buoyancy, forces on submerged surfaces
- Continuity Q = A₁V₁ = A₂V₂
- Bernoulli's equation and energy equation with head loss
- Pipe flow: Reynolds number, Darcy-Weisbach h_f = f(L/D)(V²/2g), Hazen-Williams
- Open channel: Manning's equation
Extra resources
Checklist
practice~25 h
Engineering Materials
You must know how concrete, steel, wood, asphalt and soil behave.
- Stress-strain curve: elastic, yield, ultimate, ductility
- Concrete: f′c at 28 days, water-cement ratio ↓ ⇒ strength ↑, curing, slump test
- Steel: A992 (Fy = 50 ksi) for shapes, Grade 60 rebar (fy = 60 ksi), E = 29,000 ksi
- Aggregates: gradation, specific gravity, absorption
- Asphalt binder and mix basics; wood species and grades
Extra resources
Engineering Economics & Ethics
Engineers choose between alternatives on cost. Ethics and economics are both on the FE.
- Time value of money: F = P(1+i)ⁿ, P = F/(1+i)ⁿ
- Annuities (A/P, P/A factors), present worth, annual worth
- Benefit-cost ratio, break-even, depreciation (straight line)
- NSPE Code: public safety, health and welfare come first