There are two subjects in GATE Civil Engineering which you can study quickly and grab a minimum of 12 marks.
Transportation and Surveying are two such subjects.
Going by the previous year GATE papers subject wise weightage, Transportation and Surveying account for 15 marks.
Most of the questions are increasingly similar to previous year questions, especially in surveying.
Out of these 15 marks, you will be able to score a sure-shot 10 to 12 marks by quickly studying the syllabus and practising previous year questions.
GATE 2021 Syllabus: Transportation
Transportation Infrastructure: Geometric design of highways - cross-sectional elements, sight distances, horizontal and vertical alignments.
Geometric design of railway Track – Speed and Cant.
Concept of airport runway length, calculations and corrections; taxiway and exit taxiway design.
Highway Pavements: Highway materials - desirable properties and tests; Desirable properties of bituminous paving mixes; Design factors for flexible and rigid pavements; Design of flexible and rigid pavement using IRC codes.
Traffic Engineering: Traffic studies on flow and speed, peak hour factor, accident study, statistical analysis of traffic data; Microscopic and macroscopic parameters of traffic flow, fundamental relationships; Traffic signs; Signal design by Webster’s method; Types of intersections; Highway capacity.
Important topics for GATE Transportation
The syllabus covers less topics when compared to a subject like Geotechnical Engineering. All the chapters are equally important; If you have to single out - Traffic Engineering accounts for more marks followed by Geometric design and Highway Pavements. Airport and Railway Geometric design, although it looks like minor topics - you can study them within 2 days, and score 2-3 marks easily.
GATE 2021 Syllabus: Surveying and Remote Sensing
Principles of surveying; Errors and their adjustment; Maps - scale, coordinate system; Distance and angle measurement - Levelling and trigonometric levelling; Traversing and triangulation survey; Total station; Horizontal and vertical curves.
Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing - Scale, flying height; Basics of remote sensing and GIS.
Important topics for GATE Surveying and Remote Sensing
Errors in linear measurements, magnetic declination and local attraction, traversing, levelling (error due to curvature and refraction, reciprocal levelling, trigonometric levelling, arithmetic checks) and photogrammetry are asked regularly. Importance of photogrammetry and trigonometric levelling has grown manifold with respect to exam.
If you haven't started this subject, allot a few days and wrap up these two subjects. If you have studied at least 50% of the subject, would recommend you to take our Free GATE Open Test on Transportation and Surveying. The test goes LIVE on Sep 19th-20th.
Register today, and start your prep. Best of luck for GATE!