NCEES Civil Engineering PE Exam 2

Question 1

In the Rational Method (Q = CiA) for estimating peak stormwater runoff, the variable 'i' represents:

Accepted Answer

Rainfall intensity in inches per hour for a storm duration equal to the time of concentration

Answer

Infiltration rate in inches per hour

Answer

Initial abstraction in inches

Answer

Imperviousness factor of the watershed

Question 2

For a wide rectangular open channel (width much greater than depth), the hydraulic radius R is approximately equal to:

Accepted Answer

The flow depth y

Answer

Half the flow depth, y/2

Answer

The channel width B

Answer

The product of width and depth, B×y

Question 3

A 100-year flood event has an annual exceedance probability of:

Accepted Answer

1%

Answer

100%

Answer

10%

Answer

0.1%

Question 4

Water hammer in a pressurized pipe system is primarily caused by:

Accepted Answer

Rapid changes in flow velocity such as sudden valve closure

Answer

Long-term pipe corrosion gradually reducing the pipe cross-section

Answer

Sustained high static pressure exceeding the pipe design rating

Answer

Dissolved air slowly coming out of solution over time

Question 5

The SCS Curve Number (CN) method is used to estimate:

Accepted Answer

Direct runoff depth in inches from a given rainfall depth

Answer

Peak runoff discharge directly in cubic feet per second

Answer

Time of concentration for a watershed

Answer

Channel routing of a flood hydrograph

Question 6

Bernoulli's equation (z + P/γ + V²/2g = constant) applies strictly under which conditions?

Accepted Answer

Incompressible, inviscid, steady flow along a streamline

Answer

Compressible, viscous, and unsteady flow

Answer

Turbulent flow accounting for friction head losses

Answer

Variable-density flow with heat exchange

Question 7

Specific energy E in an open channel is defined as energy per unit weight measured relative to:

Accepted Answer

The channel bottom (bed) as the local datum

Answer

Mean sea level as a fixed external datum

Answer

The local water surface elevation

Answer

The centerline elevation of the flow cross-section