FE Civil Exam

2025 FE Civil conceptual questions

Under which typical shallow foundation scenario would a mat foundation be chosen over footings? Select all that apply.

a) There are too many footing structures on the site chosen

b) Loads are too heavy for footings but too light to merit deep foundations chosen

c) Foundation depth is below water table

d) Large uplift forces

e) More competent soils at deeper depths

a) There are too many footing structures on the site chosen

b) Loads are too heavy for footings but too light to merit deep foundations chosen

c) Foundation depth is below water table

d) Large uplift forces

Which of the following statements best describes hot mix asphalt mix design?a) Mostly a function of asphalt binder and fly ash

b) Mostly a function of fly ash and aggregate

c) Mostly a function of asphalt binder and aggregate chosen

d) Mostly a function of Portland cement, asphalt binder, and aggregate

c) Mostly a function of asphalt binder and aggregate chosen

Select all that apply. What is true of material corrosion for metals?

a) There must be an anode and a cathode in electrical contact in the presence of an electrolyte.

b) It can't be prevented.

c) It reduces the strength of the material.

a) There must be an anode and a cathode in electrical contact in the presence of an electrolyte.

c) It reduces the strength of the material.

In the stress-strain diagram, select all that region A describes.

a) elastic behavior

b) Young’s modulus

c) ultimate strength

d) Necking behavior

e) plastic behavior

a) elastic behavior

b) Young’s modulus

To find the total stress for an object under shear and torsion stresses, you find the superposition of the two.

a) True

b) False

a) True

In the absence of seepage, slope stability for coarse-grained soils is mostly a function of:

a) friction angle

b) unit weight

c) hydraulic conductivity

a) friction angle

Select all that apply. Which of the following is a shallow foundation type?

a) Piles

b) Drilled shafts

c) Mats

d) Continuous footings

e) Spread footings

c) Mats

d) Continuous footings

e) Spread footings

Statically Determinate

A simple structure such as a beam (not a truss!) can be classified as statically determinate when the number of reaction forces is equal to or less than the number of equilibrium equations available.

c=number of condition equations

For hinges: c=n−1.. where n is the number of members connected by the hinge.

For rollers: c=2(n−1).. where n is the number of members connected by the roller.

Select all the datums that are commonly used to obtain latitude and longitude coordinates in North America.

a) NAD 27

b) NAD 83

c) GIS

a) NAD 27

b) NAD 83

memorize this

remember on the test where the azimuth and bearing angle is measured from

Which of the following statements best describes the primary use of weirs?

a) Weirs are used for measuring water temperature.

b) Weirs are used for measuring hydrostatic forces.

c) Weirs are used for measuring fluid velocity at different depths.

d) Weirs are used for measuring flow rates through open channels.

d) Weirs are used for measuring flow rates through open channels.

A flow's Froude number is commonly used for determining whether a flow is laminar or turbulent flow.

a) True

b) False

b) False

Froude number is more commonly used to classify open channel flows as supercritical, subcritical, or critical flow i.e. a measure of how fast water is moving relative to how fast it could move given the channel dimensions. The Reynolds number is most commonly used to classify a flow as laminar or turbulent flow i.e. how agitated/smooth a fluid is moving through a conduit.

Draw out the internal forces of a Fixed beam, pin and a roller

don’t confused a pin and a roller reactions! Easy way to remember then is that the support will have a reaction force of the movements that the support can’t do

According to the Model Rules, Section 240.15, Rules of Professional Conduct, licensed professional engineers are obligated to:

a. ensure that design documents and surveys are reviewed by a panel of licensed engineers prior to affixing a seal of approval

b. express public opinions under the direction of an employer or client regardless of knowledge of subject matter

c. practice by performing services only in the areas of their competence and in accordance with the current standards of technical competence

d. offer, give, or solicit services directly or indirectly in order to secure work or other valuable or political consideration

c. practice by performing services only in the areas of their competence and in accordance with the current standards of technical competence

As a professional engineer originally licensed 30 years ago, you are asked to evaluate a newly developed computerized control system for a public transportation system. The owner requires a currently licensed engineer to evaluate the system. Under which of the following conditions can you accept this project? Select two that apply

a. You are competent in the area of computerized control systems.

b. Your professional engineering license has lapsed, but you have two FE interns working for you.

c. You took a transportation course in college

d. You have regularly attended meetings of a professional engineering society

e. You have another licensed engineer working for you who is competent in this area, and that engineer will conduct all related work and stamp the related design

a. You are competent in the area of computerized control systems.

e. You have another licensed engineer working for you who is competent in this area, and that engineer will conduct all related work and stamp the related design

What is a zero force member?

zero force members usually occur at joints where members are aligned as follows:

Which of the following is true when a circular shaft is subjected to torsion only?

a. Maximum shear stress occurs at the outermost fibers

b. Maximum shear stress occurs at the center of the shaft

c. Constant shear stress occurs throughout the shaft

d. No shear stress is present throughout the shaft

a. Maximum shear stress occurs at the outermost fibers

Based on the given stress-strain curves, which material has the largest plastic deformation?

a. Material A

b. Material B

c. Material C

d. Material D

b. Material B

The test that measures the energy required to fracture a specimen at a given temperature is the:

a. Brinell test

b. Rockwell test

c. Endurance test

d. Charpy test

d. Charpy test

In the figure shown, the solid line represents results from a uniaxial tension test. Which physical property of the material is the slope of the dashed line associated with?

a. Yield strength

b. Yield strain

c. Secant modulus

d. Modulus of elasticity

d. Modulus of elasticity

Archimedes’ principle states that:

a. the sum of the pressure, velocity and elevation heads is constant

b. flow passing two points in a stream is equal at each point

c. the buoyant force on a body is equal to the volume displaced by the body

d. a floating body displaces a weight of fluid equal to its own weight

d. a floating body displaces a weight of fluid equal to its own weight

A jar test is used to evaluate the efficiency of a coagulation process. Which of the following parameters does a jar test allow the plant operator to optimize?

a. Alum dosage

b. Temperature

c. Lime dosage

d. Dissolved oxygen

a. Alum dosage

The frame in the figure is:

a. unstable

b. stable and determinate

c. indeterminate one degree

d. indeterminate two degrees

b. stable and determinate

A three-story concrete building will be constructed on a vacant parcel in the city. The soil boring log shows a 20-ft thick layer of loose soil over a 5-thick limestone layer. Which of the following foundations will provide the least settlement for this building?

a. Spread footings

b. Mats foundation

c. Deep foundation

d. Wall foundation

c. Deep foundation

Which of the following statements about a basic freeway segment are true according to the Highway Capacity Manual?

a. Freeway segments with 75-mph free-flow speed experience a reduction in operating speeds with a lower-volume threshold than a freeway segment with a 55-mph free-flow speed.

b. The free-flow speed of a freeway segment is impacted by the amount of lateral clearance on the right side of the roadway.

c. The capacity of a freeway segment with a 75-mph free-flow speed is higher than a similar facility with a 55-mph free-flow speed

d. A freeway segment with 13-ft lanes has higher free-flow speeds than a similar facility with 12-ft lanes.

e. Increases in traffic volumes lower the estimated operating speed of a freeway segment for both low- and high-volume ranges.

a. Freeway segments with 75-mph free-flow speed experience a reduction in operating speeds with a lower-volume threshold than a freeway segment with a 55-mph free-flow speed.

b. The free-flow speed of a freeway segment is impacted by the amount of lateral clearance on the right side of the roadway.

c. The capacity of a freeway segment with a 75-mph free-flow speed is higher than a similar facility with a 55-mph free-flow speed

A project has a CPI>1.0 and SPI<1.0. This would indicate the project is:

a. behind schedule with cost savings

b. ahead of schedule with cost savings

c. behind schedule with a cost overrun

d. ahead of schedule with cost overrun

a. behind schedule with cost savings