FE Civil practice questions with answers

Answer: A) 24

• ACorrect. 4! = 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24.
• BIncorrect. That's \(4^2\).
• CIncorrect. That's the number of tasks.
• DIncorrect. That's 4 + 3 + 2 + 1.

Answer: A) Decline the gift, because licensees may not accept gratuities from contractors in connection with work for a client

The NCEES Model Rules bar licensees from soliciting or accepting gratuities, directly or indirectly, from contractors in connection with work for a client. There is no exception for small gifts, timing, or giving the money away.

• ACorrect. The Model Rules say licensees shall not solicit or accept gratuities, directly or indirectly, from contractors, their agents, or other parties in connection with work for employers or clients.
• BIncorrect. The Model Rules ban on gratuities from contractors has no dollar threshold, and writing it down in the file doesn't make accepting it allowed.
• CIncorrect. The gift is still tied to the engineer's work for the client, and accepting it after the work is done can still create a conflict and the appearance of one. The timing doesn't change the rule.
• DIncorrect. The rule covers gratuities accepted directly or indirectly. Taking the money and passing it on is still accepting a gratuity from the contractor.

Answer: C) $14,047

• AIncorrect. That understates it.
• BIncorrect. That ignores discounting.
• CCorrect. \(P = A(P/A, 7\%, 10)\).
• DIncorrect. That's the future value.

Answer: A) Two-force member

• ACorrect. Its force acts along the line joining the pins.
• BIncorrect. It carries only two equal and opposite forces.
• CIncorrect. It may carry axial force.
• DIncorrect. It's a two-force member.

Answer: A) 200 kJ

• ACorrect. \(\tfrac{1}{2}mv^2 = \tfrac{1}{2}(1{,}000)(400)\).
• BIncorrect. Square the velocity.
• CIncorrect. Include the ½ factor.
• DIncorrect. Recheck the calculation.

Answer: C) Doubles

• AIncorrect. Longer shafts twist more.
• BIncorrect. Twist is linear in L.
• CCorrect. \(\phi = TL/(GJ)\) is proportional to L.
• DIncorrect. Twist is proportional to L.

Answer: B) Fatigue

Cyclic stresses below yield but above the endurance limit start cracks that grow over many cycles until the member fractures. This is fatigue.

• AIncorrect. Creep is time-dependent strain under sustained load. It matters for steel only at high temperatures, and it isn't driven by repeated load cycles.
• BCorrect. Repeated stress cycles above the endurance limit can start microscopic cracks that grow a little with each cycle until the remaining section fractures, even though the peak stress stays below yield.
• CIncorrect. Yielding needs the stress to reach the yield stress, and here the peak stress always stays below it.
• DIncorrect. Stress relaxation is a gradual loss of stress under constant strain. It is not a fracture mechanism caused by cyclic loading.

Answer: A) 1.5

• ACorrect. \(Q \propto H^{3/2}\).
• BIncorrect. That would be linear.
• CIncorrect. That's for a V-notch weir.
• DIncorrect. That's too low.

Answer: B) 330°

• AIncorrect. That's N 30° E.
• BCorrect. 360° − 30°.
• CIncorrect. That's S 30° W.
• DIncorrect. That isn't the conversion.

Answer: D) Decreases

• AIncorrect. n is a roughness coefficient.
• BIncorrect. Rougher channels are slower.
• CIncorrect. Lower n gives higher velocity.
• DCorrect. Velocity is inversely proportional to n.

Answer: B) Ammonia to nitrate

• AIncorrect. That's denitrification.
• BCorrect. Via nitrite, by aerobic bacteria.
• CIncorrect. That's anaerobic digestion.
• DIncorrect. It converts ammonia to nitrate.

Answer: A) The member's influence area (K_LL × tributary area) is large enough to meet the code threshold

Codes allow live load reduction for members with large influence areas (K_LL·A_T above the code threshold), because full live load over a large area at the same time is unlikely. Assembly floors are generally excluded, and roofs follow separate rules.

• ACorrect. A member that collects load from a large area is unlikely to see the full design live load over all of it at once. ASCE 7 allows a reduction when K_LL·A_T is at least 400 ft² (37.16 m²).
• BIncorrect. Small areas are the case where the full live load intensity is most likely, so no reduction is given. The reduction grows as the influence area gets larger.
• CIncorrect. Assembly occupancies are generally not eligible for live load reduction, because the whole floor can actually be crowded at once.
• DIncorrect. Roof live loads have their own reduction provisions, separate from the floor live load reduction equation.

Answer: D) 1.50

• AIncorrect. Recheck the tangents.
• BIncorrect. Use tangents, not the ratio of angles.
• CIncorrect. That's inverted.
• DCorrect. FS = tan 35°/tan 25° = 0.700/0.466.

Answer: C) 0.08

For a point-mass vehicle on a curve, e + f = V²/(15R) with V in mi/h and R in ft. Here that is 0.20, so e = 0.20 − 0.12 = 0.08.

• AIncorrect. This assumes the superelevation equals the side friction factor. The two together must equal V²/(15R) = 0.20, so e = 0.20 − 0.12 = 0.08, not 0.12.
• BIncorrect. 0.20 is the combined e + f from V²/(15R) = 3,600/18,000. Side friction supplies 0.12 of it, so this is not the superelevation alone.
• CCorrect. e + f = V²/(15R) = 60²/(15 × 1,200) = 0.20, so e = 0.20 − 0.12 = 0.08.
• DIncorrect. This adds the friction factor to V²/(15R). Friction resists the sideways force, so it lowers the superelevation needed instead of raising it.

Answer: C) Completion of the contract work

• AIncorrect. That's a bid bond.
• BIncorrect. That's a payment bond.
• CCorrect. The surety steps in if the contractor defaults.
• DIncorrect. It guarantees completion.