NCEES Civil Engineering PE Exam

Question 1

The AASHTO flexible pavement design method uses which primary design parameter to characterize pavement structural capacity?

Accepted Answer

Structural number (SN) based on equivalent single axle loads (ESALs)

Answer

The AASHTO method characterizes flexible pavement capacity using the structural number (SN), which accounts for layer materials and thicknesses, and is designed for the cumulative traffic load expressed as ESALs.

Question 2

In traffic engineering, the Peak Hour Factor (PHF) is calculated as:

Accepted Answer

Peak hour volume divided by four times the peak 15-minute volume

Answer

PHF = (Peak Hour Volume) / (4 × Peak 15-Minute Volume), measuring the uniformity of traffic flow within the peak hour; a PHF of 1.0 indicates perfectly uniform flow.

Question 3

Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) on a highway is composed of which two distance components?

Accepted Answer

Perception-reaction distance and braking distance

Answer

SSD equals the distance traveled during the driver's perception-reaction time (typically 2.5 s per AASHTO) plus the distance required to brake to a complete stop.

Question 4

Using the arc definition, what is the degree of curve for a horizontal curve with a radius of 1,500 ft?

Accepted Answer

3.82°

Answer

Using the arc definition: D = 5729.58 / R = 5729.58 / 1500 ≈ 3.82°.

Question 5

According to the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), Level of Service (LOS) for a basic freeway segment is primarily defined by:

Accepted Answer

Density in passenger cars per mile per lane (pc/mi/ln)

Answer

The HCM defines LOS for basic freeway segments by density (pc/mi/ln), with LOS A through F corresponding to progressively higher densities and deteriorating operating conditions.

NCEES National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying Practice Practice Test

NCEES National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying Practice Practice Test

NCEES Civil Engineering PE Exam