FE Civil Practice Problems

Problem 1 · Analytic geometry

The boundary of an elliptical culvert opening is 9x² + 25y² = 225, with x and y in feet measured from the center. The distance between the two foci of the ellipse is most nearly:

1. A.4 ft
2. B.6 ft
3. C.8 ft
4. D.10 ft

Problem 2 · Statistics

Daily water demand in a town is normally distributed with a mean of 18.0 MGD and a standard deviation of 2.4 MGD. For the standard normal distribution, Φ(1.645) = 0.950. The demand that is exceeded on only 5% of days is most nearly:

1. A.14.1 MGD
2. B.21.1 MGD
3. C.21.9 MGD
4. D.22.7 MGD

Problem 3 · Licensure

A PE licensed in one state is invited to design a project located in another state where she holds no license. Before offering or performing engineering services there, she generally must:

1. A.Notify NCEES, which authorizes practice in every state
2. B.Retake both the FE and PE exams in the second state
3. C.Obtain a license from that state's board, typically by comity (endorsement) based on her existing credentials
4. D.Do nothing further, because a PE license issued in any state is valid nationwide

Problem 4 · Public protection issues

A state engineering licensing board receives a complaint that a licensee sealed plans for a type of structure outside her competence and part of the structure later failed. The primary purpose of the board's action on this complaint is to:

1. A.Recover monetary damages for the owner of the failed structure
2. B.Protect the public by investigating and, if warranted, disciplining the licensee, for example by reprimand, suspension, or revocation
3. C.Protect the fees and reputation of licensed engineers in the state
4. D.Prosecute the licensee and impose a prison sentence

Problem 5 · Time value of money

A bond with a face value of $1,000 pays a 5% annual coupon ($50 at the end of each year) and matures in 8 years, when the $1,000 face value is repaid. An investor buys it today for $920. What rate of return (yield to maturity) does the investor earn? Enter the rate in percent to one decimal place.

Fill in the blank: answer in %.

Problem 6 · Time value of money

A $30,000 vehicle loan carries a nominal interest rate of 6% per year compounded monthly and is repaid in 60 equal end-of-month payments. The monthly payment is most nearly:

1. A.$500
2. B.$580
3. C.$650
4. D.$1,856

Problem 7 · Area moments of inertia

A rectangle is 4 in wide and 10 in tall. Find its moment of inertia about a horizontal axis located 2 in below its bottom edge. Enter the value in in⁴ to the nearest whole number.

Fill in the blank: answer in in⁴.

Problem 8 · Equivalent force systems

An 800 N force acts at point P, located 1.2 m to the right of and 0.5 m above point O. The force is directed downward and to the right at 60° below the horizontal. The force is replaced by an equivalent force-couple system at O. The magnitude of the couple is most nearly:

1. A.631 N·m
2. B.831 N·m
3. C.960 N·m
4. D.1,031 N·m

Problem 9 · Newton's second law for particles

A 900 kg elevator car accelerates upward at 1.5 m/s². Take g = 9.81 m/s². The tension in the hoisting cable is most nearly:

1. A.1,350 N
2. B.7,480 N
3. C.8,830 N
4. D.10,200 N

Problem 10 · Work-energy of particles

A hoist lifts an 800 kg load at a constant 0.50 m/s. The motor-and-drive efficiency is 85%. Take g = 9.81 m/s² and 1 hp = 745.7 W. The electrical power input to the hoist is most nearly:

1. A.4.47 hp
2. B.5.26 hp
3. C.6.19 hp
4. D.8.39 hp

Problem 11 · Stress transformations and Mohr's circle

The outer surface of a pressurized housing is in plane stress (σz = 0) with σx = 12 ksi, σy = 4 ksi and τxy = 3 ksi. The absolute maximum shear stress at the point, considering all three dimensions, is most nearly:

1. A.1.50 ksi
2. B.4.00 ksi
3. C.5.00 ksi
4. D.6.50 ksi

Problem 12 · Material failure

A steel tie rod 20 mm in diameter is made of steel with a yield strength of 250 MPa. The design requires a factor of safety of 2.5 against yielding. The allowable axial tensile load is most nearly:

1. A.31.4 kN
2. B.78.5 kN
3. C.126 kN
4. D.196 kN

Problem 13 · Test methods and specifications of metals, concrete, aggregates, asphalt, and wood

A coarse aggregate specific gravity test gives an oven-dry mass of 2,900 g, a saturated-surface-dry (SSD) mass in air of 3,000 g, and an SSD mass submerged in water of 1,850 g. The bulk specific gravity on an SSD basis is most nearly:

1. A.2.52
2. B.2.61
3. C.2.76
4. D.2.86

Problem 14 · Physical and mechanical properties of metals, concrete, aggregates, asphalt, and wood

For a pour into heavily congested reinforcement, a supplier must raise the slump of an approved concrete mix from 3 in. to 7 in. without reducing its 28-day compressive strength. The appropriate change is to:

1. A.Double the dose of air-entraining admixture to raise the air content
2. B.Add a high-range water-reducing admixture (superplasticizer) at the same water-cement ratio
3. C.Increase the proportion of coarse aggregate in the mix
4. D.Add water at the truck until the target slump is reached

Problem 15 · Pumps

A pump draws 40°C water from an open tank at atmospheric pressure (101.3 kPa). The tank's water surface is 3.0 m below the pump centerline, and the suction-line head loss is 1.2 m. At 40°C the vapor pressure is 7.38 kPa and γ = 9.73 kN/m³. Neglect the velocity head at the inlet. The net positive suction head available is most nearly:

1. A.5.45 m
2. B.6.21 m
3. C.6.65 m
4. D.11.5 m

Problem 16 · Fluid transport systems

Select all that apply.

Select all statements that are true about operating centrifugal pumps together.

1. A.Pumps in parallel operate at the same head, and their flows add.
2. B.Pumps in series carry the same flow, and their heads add.
3. C.Two identical pumps in parallel always double the flow through a given piping system.
4. D.The operating point is where the combined pump curve intersects the system curve.
5. E.Adding a second pump in series lowers the system curve.

Problem 17 · Area computations

A four-sided parcel has corner coordinates (east, north) in feet of A (0, 0), B (420, 80), C (510, 390), and D (130, 450). Take 1 acre = 43,560 ft². The area of the parcel is most nearly:

1. A.1.41 ac
2. B.3.46 ac
3. C.6.93 ac
4. D.37.3 ac

Problem 18 · Angles, distances, and trigonometry

To find the distance across a river, a surveyor lays out baseline AB = 250.00 m and sights point C on the far bank. The measured angles are CAB = 62°10' and ABC = 71°35'. The distance AC is most nearly:

1. A.190 m
2. B.268 m
3. C.306 m
4. D.328 m

Problem 19 · Water distribution systems

Two pipes connect the same two junctions in a distribution system: pipe 1 is 300 mm in diameter and 800 m long, and pipe 2 is 200 mm in diameter and 400 m long. Both have the same Darcy friction factor, and minor losses are negligible. A total of 0.15 m³/s flows between the junctions. The flow in pipe 2 is most nearly:

1. A.0.0313 m³/s
2. B.0.0462 m³/s
3. C.0.0509 m³/s
4. D.0.0750 m³/s

Problem 20 · Groundwater

A well fully penetrates an unconfined aquifer with hydraulic conductivity K = 30 m/d resting on a horizontal impermeable base. At steady state, the saturated thickness is 18.0 m at an observation well 10 m from the pumped well and 20.0 m at another 80 m away. Use Q = πK(h₂² − h₁²)/ln(r₂/r₁). Enter the pumping rate in m³/d to the nearest 10 m³/d.

Fill in the blank: answer in m³/d.

Problem 21 · Analysis of statically determinant beams, columns, trusses, and frames

A symmetric triangular roof truss spans 8 m between a pin support and a roller support. Its apex is 3 m above the bottom chord at midspan, so each sloping member is 5 m long, and the bottom chord is a single member joining the supports. A 60 kN vertical load acts at the apex. The force in each sloping member is most nearly:

1. A.30.0 kN
2. B.37.5 kN
3. C.40.0 kN
4. D.50.0 kN

Problem 22 · Elementary statically indeterminate structures

A propped cantilever is fixed at A and supported on a roller at B, with a span of 6 m. A single 80 kN point load acts at midspan. Using standard beam results, enter the roller reaction at B in kN to one decimal place.

Fill in the blank: answer in kN.

Problem 23 · Consolidation and differential settlement

A 3.0 m thick overconsolidated clay layer has a recompression index Cr = 0.05, a compression index Cc = 0.30 and e0 = 0.80. At mid-depth the current effective stress is 80 kPa, the preconsolidation stress is 120 kPa, and a building will raise the effective stress to 140 kPa. The consolidation settlement is most nearly:

1. A.20.3 mm
2. B.48.1 mm
3. C.86.7 mm
4. D.122 mm

Problem 24 · Bearing capacity

A square footing is founded 1.2 m deep in a saturated clay analyzed undrained (φ = 0, c = 50 kPa, γ = 18 kN/m³). Use Terzaghi's square-footing equation q_ult = 1.3cNc + γDfNq + 0.4γBNγ with Nc = 5.7, Nq = 1.0 and Nγ = 0. Enter the ultimate bearing capacity in kPa to the nearest whole number.

Fill in the blank: answer in kPa.

Problem 25 · Transportation planning

A proposed 240-unit apartment complex has a weekday trip rate of 9.44 trips per dwelling unit and a PM peak-hour rate of 0.99 trips per dwelling unit, with 63% of PM peak-hour trips entering. The number of entering trips in the PM peak hour is most nearly:

1. A.150
2. B.238
3. C.1,427
4. D.2,266

Problem 26 · Transportation planning

A 3.2 mi highway segment with an AADT of 14,500 veh/day recorded 21 crashes in 3 years. The crash rate per million vehicle-miles traveled is most nearly:

1. A.0.41
2. B.1.24
3. C.1.32
4. D.3.97

Problem 27 · Construction operations and methods (e.g., safety, equipment, productivity analysis, temporary erosion control)

On a highway construction site, runoff from disturbed slopes concentrates in a newly cut roadside ditch that carries significant flow during storms. The most appropriate temporary practice to slow the water and trap sediment within the ditch itself is:

1. A.A single row of straw wattles laid along the top of the slope
2. B.Rock check dams placed at intervals across the ditch
3. C.Seeding the ditch with no other protection
4. D.A silt fence installed across the ditch bottom

Problem 28 · Interpretation of engineering drawings

On a floor plan drawn at a scale of 1/4 in. = 1 ft-0 in., a wall measures 6-3/8 in. long with a ruler. The actual length of the wall is most nearly:

1. A.1.59 ft
2. B.25.5 ft
3. C.51.0 ft
4. D.76.5 ft