Free PE Civil: Construction Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the PE Civil: Construction practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1A smooth vertical retaining wall moves away from dry, cohesionless backfill while the vertical effective stress remains constant. Before the limiting active state is reached, how does the horizontal effective stress change?

   1. A. It decreases from the at-rest value.
   2. B. It increases from the at-rest value.
   3. C. It remains equal to the at-rest value.
   4. D. It increases to the passive limit value.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: FHWA states, "the horizontal stress decreases, which implies that the lateral earth pressure coefficient is less than Ko since the vertical stress remains unchanged." Movement away from the backfill releases lateral confinement toward the active state; movement into the soil produces the opposite trend.

   Reference: Soils and Foundations Reference Manual – Volume I — Lateral Earth Pressure — active earth-pressure state and outward wall movement

2. 2During construction leveling, a benchmark elevation is 100.00 m. The backsight is 1.50 m and the foresight to a grade stake is 2.20 m from the same setup. What is the stake elevation?

   1. A. 100.70 m
   2. B. 99.30 m
   3. C. 103.70 m
   4. D. 97.80 m

   Answer: B

   Explanation: NRCS states that height of instrument "is determined by adding the backsight rod reading to the known elevation of the point on which the backsight was taken." Its leveling example then states, "This reading subtracted from the HI, 151.44 feet, gives 146.27 feet, the elevation of the turning point." Apply the same sequence: HI=100.00+1.50=101.50m; point elevation=101.50−2.20=99.30m.

   Reference: National Engineering Handbook, Part 650, Chapter 1: Surveying — Differential Leveling (ix), p. 650-1.74; Bench Level Circuit (v)–(vi), p. 650-1.76

3. 3An aggregate grain-size distribution curve contains an extended nearly horizontal segment over an intermediate range of particle sizes. What grading description should the materials engineer assign?

   1. A. Well-graded
   2. B. Uniformly graded
   3. C. Gap-graded
   4. D. Single-sized

   Answer: C

   Explanation: FHWA states, "A curve that contains a horizontal or nearly horizontal portion indicates that the soil is deficient in the grain sizes in the region of the horizontal slope." It calls this gap-graded. Uniform and single-size materials have a narrow size range; well-graded material spans sizes without the indicated gap.

   Reference: Soils and Foundations Reference Manual – Volume I — Grain-size distribution — interpretation of gap-graded curves

4. 4For a straight roadway segment, excavation cross-sectional areas are 20 m² and 40 m² at stations 30 m apart. What excavation volume is obtained using the average end-area method?

   1. A. 600 m³
   2. B. 900 m³
   3. C. 1,200 m³
   4. D. 1,800 m³

   Answer: B

   Explanation: FHWA describes a prism "whose cross section is the mean of the two end areas of the prismoid." Thus V = (20+40)/2 ×30 = 900 m³. Using only the first area gives 600, only the second gives 1,200, and omitting the averaging divisor gives 1,800.

   Reference: Project Development and Design Manual — Earthwork Design — Determination of Excavation and Embankment Volumes — average end-area method

5. 5A construction scheduler requires installation of wall reinforcing to finish before placement of that wall’s concrete can begin. Which logical relationship directly represents this sequence?

   1. A. Start-to-start
   2. B. Finish-to-start
   3. C. Finish-to-finish
   4. D. Start-to-finish

   Answer: B

   Explanation: DOE defines finish-to-start as a relationship in which "the initiation of the work for a successor activity is dependent on the completion of the work for a predecessor activity." Concrete placement is the successor and reinforcing completion is its start prerequisite; the other links constrain different endpoint pairs.

   Reference: DOE Project Management Lexicon of Terms — Finish-to-Start entry

6. 6For a bridge erection analysis using the FHWA load classifications, how should the weight of removable deck formwork supported by the partially completed bridge be classified?

   1. A. Permanent dead load
   2. B. Construction live load
   3. C. Construction dead load
   4. D. Environmental load

   Answer: C

   Explanation: "Construction dead load should include the weight of removable formwork and any shielding or work platforms that are only on the bridge during construction." Removable forms are temporary construction dead load. Permanent dead load remains in the structure; personnel and mobile construction equipment are construction live loads; wind is environmental.

   Reference: Engineering for Structural Stability in Bridge Construction — Section 7.4.3, p. 7.19

7. 7A rectangular drainage channel carries water 2 ft deep across a 4-ft bottom width. What hydraulic radius should the engineer use for this flow section?

   1. A. 0.50 ft
   2. B. 1.00 ft
   3. C. 2.00 ft
   4. D. 4.00 ft

   Answer: B

   Explanation: "The cross-sectional flow area of a channel or conduit divided by its wetted perimeter." Area is 4(2) = 8 ft² and wetted perimeter is 4 + 2(2) = 8 ft, so R = 1 ft. Using half the ratio gives 0.5; using flow depth gives 2; using width gives 4.

   Reference: Urban Drainage Design, Fourth Edition (HEC-22) — Glossary, Hydraulic Radius, p. xv

8. 8Before a construction crew uses its material-handling rigging, the engineer checks the inspection schedule. What is the minimum recurring inspection timing specified in 29 CFR 1926.251(a)(1)?

   1. A. Before use on each shift
   2. B. Before use once each week
   3. C. Before use once each month
   4. D. Before use once each year

   Answer: A

   Explanation: "Rigging equipment for material handling shall be inspected prior to use on each shift and as necessary during its use to ensure that it is safe." The requirement is before use on each shift, with additional inspection as necessary. Weekly, monthly, and annual schedules do not satisfy the shift-based inspection.

   Reference: 29 CFR 1926.251—Rigging equipment for material handling — Paragraph (a)(1)

9. 9A formwork engineer issues a revised shoring and jack-layout plan. Where must the drawings, including revisions, be available under 29 CFR 1926.703(a)(2)?

   1. A. At the equipment supplier's storage yard
   2. B. At the project jobsite
   3. C. At the owner's accounting office
   4. D. At the engineer's design office

   Answer: B

   Explanation: "Drawings or plans, including all revisions, for the jack layout, formwork (including shoring equipment), working decks, and scaffolds, shall be available at the jobsite." The required location is the jobsite. Keeping drawings only at the supplier, owner, or designer does not provide the required site availability.

   Reference: 29 CFR 1926.703—Requirements for cast-in-place concrete — Paragraph (a)(2)

10. 10For an ordinary walking/working surface governed by 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1), at what minimum height above a lower level does an unprotected side or edge trigger the listed fall-protection requirement?

    1. A. 4 ft
    2. B. 5 ft
    3. C. 6 ft
    4. D. 10 ft

    Answer: C

    Explanation: "an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level" The threshold in this particular provision is 6 ft. Other provisions can apply at different heights or to different hazards; this question specifies the ordinary unprotected-edge rule.

    Reference: 29 CFR 1926.501—Duty to have fall protection — Paragraph (b)(1)