Mixed Deck — All Civil Engineering PE Topics Flashcards
100 cards from real Civil Engineering PE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 20 Mixed Deck — All Civil Engineering PE Topics flashcards as text
In stormwater design, the Rational Method formula Q = CiA requires the rainfall intensity (i) to be evaluated at:
Answer: The time of concentration of the watershed
i is selected from IDF curves at the storm frequency and duration equal to the time of concentration.
In the deflection angle method for horizontal curve layout, what is the total deflection angle from PC to PT if the central angle Δ = 40°?
Answer: 20°
The total deflection angle from the tangent to the final chord at the PT equals Δ/2 = 40°/2 = 20°.
In wastewater treatment, the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) test measures:
Answer: Oxygen required by bacteria to decompose organic matter
BOD quantifies the amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by aerobic biological organisms when decomposing organic matter in a water sample at a given temperature over a specific time period.
For a level terrain two-lane highway, HCM defines LOS E as the level where percent time-spent-following (PTSF) exceeds:
Answer: 80%
HCM defines LOS E on two-lane highways as PTSF > 80%, indicating heavily congested following conditions.
What is the degree of static indeterminacy of a propped cantilever beam?
Answer: 1
A propped cantilever has 4 reactions (3 at fixed end + 1 at prop) and 3 equilibrium equations, giving degree of indeterminacy = 1.
The Civil Engineering and Mining Class was established when?
Answer: 1838
The Civil Engineering and Mining Class was established at King's College London in 1838. This marked an important development in the formalization of engineering education in the United Kingdom, providing structured academic training in these vital disciplines.
In a beam-column joint, horizontal joint shear Vjh is resisted primarily by:
Answer: A diagonal concrete compression strut
The primary mechanism for joint shear transfer is a diagonal concrete compression strut forming across the joint panel.
In the LRFD design of deep foundations per AASHTO, the resistance factor φ for compression in a driven pile with dynamic testing (signal matching) is approximately:
Answer: 0.65
AASHTO assigns φ ≈ 0.65 for driven piles where capacity is verified with high-strain dynamic testing and CAPWAP signal matching.
A pin-jointed truss member is slender and subjected to axial compression. The critical buckling load is governed by:
Answer: Euler's formula: Pcr = π²EI/(KL)²
Slender compression members in a truss buckle elastically per Euler's formula, where KL is the effective length and I is the moment of inertia about the weak axis.
Which of the following best describes the 'modulus of elasticity' (E) for steel used in structural design?
Answer: 29,000 ksi
The modulus of elasticity for structural steel is 29,000 ksi (200 GPa).
A normally consolidated clay has a compression index (Cc) of 0.35 and initial void ratio (e0) of 0.90. The initial effective overburden stress is 80 kPa and the stress increases to 160 kPa. What is the primary consolidation settlement for a 4 m thick layer?
Answer: 0.175 m
Sc = [Cc/(1+e0)] × H × log(σ'f/σ'0) = [0.35/1.90] × 4 × log(2) = 0.1842 × 0.301 ≈ 0.175 m.
A truss is analyzed using the flexibility method. The compatibility equation used for a single degree of indeterminacy is:
Answer: δ₁₀ + δ₁₁·X₁ = 0
In the flexibility method, the compatibility equation δ₁₀ + δ₁₁·X₁ = 0 states that the displacement due to applied loads plus the displacement due to the redundant X₁ must satisfy the geometric constraint.
If D = A + B where A = 100.00 ± 0.02 ft and B = 200.00 ± 0.03 ft (independent measurements), what is the propagated error in D?
Answer: ± 0.036 ft
Error in sum = √(eA² + eB²) = √(0.02² + 0.03²) = √(0.0013) ≈ 0.036 ft.
A sand has a maximum void ratio of 0.82 and minimum void ratio of 0.45. A field sample has a void ratio of 0.60. What is the relative density (Dr)?
Answer: 59.5%
Dr = (emax − e)/(emax − emin) × 100 = (0.82 − 0.60)/(0.82 − 0.45) × 100 = 0.22/0.37 × 100 ≈ 59.5%.
Which scheduling technique is most appropriate when activity durations are uncertain and probabilistic estimates are needed?
Answer: PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)
PERT uses three-point estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) to account for uncertainty and compute probabilistic project durations.
The purpose of a dewatering system during deep excavation is to:
Answer: Lower the groundwater table to prevent seepage, heave, and instability
Dewatering lowers piezometric levels to stabilize excavation walls and prevent bottom heave and piping.
In roadway design, a vertical curve is used to connect two tangent grades. The length of a crest vertical curve is primarily controlled by:
Answer: Design speed and algebraic difference in grades
Crest vertical curve length is determined by design speed (which sets sight distance) and the algebraic difference in grades (A = g1 − g2).
Which steel design method explicitly accounts for the probability of failure through reliability index β?
Answer: LRFD
LRFD was calibrated using reliability theory to achieve a target reliability index β ≈ 3.0 for typical members.
When using virtual work to find the deflection of a truss joint, the virtual work equation is δ = Σ(nNL/AE). In this equation, 'n' represents:
Answer: Member forces due to a unit virtual load applied at the joint of interest
In the virtual work method for trusses, 'n' is the axial force in each member caused by a unit (virtual) load applied at the point and in the direction of the desired deflection.
For a cable carrying a uniformly distributed horizontal load w over span L with a central sag d, the horizontal tension H at the supports is:
Answer: wL²/8d
For a parabolic cable with UDL, the horizontal component of cable tension is H = wL²/(8d), derived from moment equilibrium at midspan.