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FE Civil practice questions

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Question 1Civil: Construction

A concrete mix has a specified 28-day compressive strength of 4,000 psi and a standard deviation of 400 psi. Using ACI 318 requirements for a sample size of 20 tests, what is the required average compressive strength if the specified strength is less than 3,000 psi?

  1. 4,800 psi Correct answer.
  2. 4,000 psi
  3. 5,200 psi
  4. 4,400 psi

Explanation

ACI 318 requires the required average strength to exceed the specified strength by a margin that accounts for variability. For f'c below 3,000 psi with adequate data, the margin is 1.34 times the standard deviation added to the specified strength. Here the specified strength is above 3,000 psi, so the applicable margin is 2.33 times the standard deviation minus 500 psi, yielding approximately 4,800 psi.

Question 2Civil: Construction

Which type of Portland cement is most appropriate for general construction where no special properties are required?

  1. Type IV
  2. Type III
  3. Type II
  4. Type I Correct answer.

Explanation

Type I cement is the general-purpose cement intended for use when the special properties of other types are not required. Type II offers moderate sulfate resistance, Type III provides high early strength, and Type IV generates low heat of hydration.

Question 3Civil: Construction

A contractor must excavate a trench 4 ft wide, 6 ft deep, and 200 ft long. The soil has a swell factor of 25 percent. What is the volume of excavated material that must be hauled away in its loose state?

  1. 4,800 cubic feet
  2. 4,200 cubic feet
  3. 6,000 cubic feet Correct answer.
  4. 3,600 cubic feet

Explanation

The in-situ bank volume equals width times depth times length, or 4 x 6 x 200 = 4,800 cubic feet. Swell increases the volume when soil is disturbed, so the loose volume equals bank volume times 1.25, which is 6,000 cubic feet.

Question 4Civil: Construction

In the critical path method, what is the total float of an activity that lies on the critical path?

  1. Equal to the project duration
  2. Equal to its duration
  3. Zero Correct answer.
  4. Undefined

Explanation

Total float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish. Activities on the critical path have no slack, so their total float is zero by definition.

Question 5Civil: Construction

A crane lifts a load using a two-part sling with legs at 60 degrees from horizontal. If the total load is 8,000 lb and is symmetrically distributed, what is the approximate tension in each sling leg?

  1. 4,620 lb Correct answer.
  2. 2,310 lb
  3. 4,000 lb
  4. 8,000 lb

Explanation

Each leg carries half the vertical load, or 4,000 lb. The leg tension equals the vertical share divided by the sine of the angle from horizontal, so 4,000 divided by sine 60 degrees equals about 4,620 lb.

Question 6Civil: Construction

Which document typically defines the scope, schedule, and price for a specific portion of work and is signed by both owner and contractor?

  1. Request for information
  2. Agreement Correct answer.
  3. Daily report
  4. Punch list

Explanation

The agreement is the contractual document that binds parties to scope, price, and schedule terms. A request for information clarifies design intent, a punch list records incomplete work, and a daily report documents field activities.

Question 7Civil: Construction

A soil sample has a moist unit weight of 120 pcf and a moisture content of 15 percent. What is the dry unit weight?

  1. 120.0 pcf
  2. 102.0 pcf
  3. 104.3 pcf Correct answer.
  4. 138.0 pcf

Explanation

Dry unit weight equals moist unit weight divided by one plus the moisture content expressed as a decimal. Dividing 120 by 1.15 gives approximately 104.3 pcf.

Question 8Civil: Construction

What is the primary purpose of a slump test on fresh concrete?

  1. To determine air content
  2. To measure curing time
  3. To measure compressive strength
  4. To assess workability and consistency Correct answer.

Explanation

The slump test measures the consistency and workability of fresh concrete by observing how a molded cone deforms under its own weight. It does not measure strength, air content, or curing rate, which require other tests.

Question 9Civil: Construction

A project has an earned value of $250,000, a planned value of $300,000, and an actual cost of $275,000. What is the schedule performance index?

  1. 0.91
  2. 0.83 Correct answer.
  3. 1.20
  4. 1.10

Explanation

The schedule performance index equals earned value divided by planned value. Dividing 250,000 by 300,000 yields approximately 0.83, indicating the project is behind schedule.

Question 10Civil: Construction

In a CPM network, an activity has an early start of day 5, a duration of 8 days, and a late finish of day 20. What is the total float?

  1. 5 days
  2. 8 days
  3. 15 days
  4. 7 days Correct answer.

Explanation

Early finish equals early start plus duration minus one, giving day 12 for a working-day convention. Total float equals late finish minus early finish, or 20 minus 12, which is 8 days; using the start-based convention late finish minus early start minus duration yields 20 minus 5 minus 8 = 7 days of float.

Question 11Civil: Construction

Which piece of heavy equipment is best suited for excavating a deep, narrow trench for a utility line?

  1. Motor grader
  2. Backhoe excavator Correct answer.
  3. Sheepsfoot roller
  4. Bulldozer

Explanation

A backhoe excavator uses a digging bucket on an articulated arm that can reach down into narrow, deep trenches. Graders shape surfaces, bulldozers push bulk material, and sheepsfoot rollers compact cohesive soil.

Question 12Civil: Construction

A concrete footing is 8 ft by 10 ft by 2 ft thick. How many cubic yards of concrete are required, neglecting waste?

  1. 6.7 cubic yards
  2. 4.4 cubic yards
  3. 5.9 cubic yards Correct answer.
  4. 16.0 cubic yards

Explanation

The volume equals 8 x 10 x 2 = 160 cubic feet. Dividing by 27 cubic feet per cubic yard gives approximately 5.9 cubic yards.

Question 13Civil: Construction

What does a compaction curve from a standard Proctor test identify?

  1. The liquid limit of the fines
  2. The maximum shear strength of soil
  3. The optimum moisture content and maximum dry unit weight Correct answer.
  4. The permeability at saturation

Explanation

The Proctor compaction curve plots dry unit weight against moisture content, and its peak defines the maximum dry unit weight and the optimum moisture content. These values guide field compaction specifications.

Question 14Civil: Construction

A contractor is planning a concrete pour and needs to determine formwork pressure. Which factor most directly increases lateral pressure on wall forms?

  1. Lower slump
  2. Faster rate of placement Correct answer.
  3. Higher concrete temperature
  4. Longer curing period

Explanation

Lateral form pressure increases with the rate at which concrete is placed because fresh concrete behaves as a fluid until it sets. Higher temperature and lower slump reduce pressure by accelerating stiffening, and curing period is unrelated to placement pressure.

Question 15Civil: Construction

What is the purpose of a lift plan in crane operations?

  1. To identify load weight, rigging, and crane capacity before lifting Correct answer.
  2. To schedule concrete deliveries
  3. To document daily weather conditions
  4. To record employee hours

Explanation

A lift plan verifies that the crane capacity, load weight, rigging configuration, and site conditions are compatible before a lift. It is a safety and planning document specific to crane operations.

Question 16Civil: Construction

A borrow pit soil has a void ratio of 0.80. What is its porosity?

  1. 0.20
  2. 0.80
  3. 0.55
  4. 0.44 Correct answer.

Explanation

Porosity equals void ratio divided by one plus the void ratio. Using e = 0.80, n = 0.80 / 1.80, which is approximately 0.44.

Question 17Civil: Construction

Which scheduling technique is most appropriate for a repetitive project such as a multi-story building where crews move from floor to floor?

  1. Gantt chart only
  2. Program evaluation and review technique
  3. Line-of-balance scheduling Correct answer.
  4. Monte Carlo simulation

Explanation

Line-of-balance scheduling coordinates repetitive activities so crews move steadily through successive units or floors. It balances resource use across repeating cycles, which Gantt charts and network methods handle less effectively.

Question 18Civil: Construction

A concrete cylinder 6 inches in diameter fails at a load of 56,550 lb. What is the compressive strength?

  1. 2,500 psi
  2. 3,000 psi
  3. 1,500 psi
  4. 2,000 psi Correct answer.

Explanation

The cross-sectional area of a 6-inch diameter cylinder is pi times 3 squared, or about 28.27 square inches. Dividing the failure load of 56,550 lb by 28.27 square inches gives approximately 2,000 psi.

Question 19Civil: Construction

What is the primary function of a soldier pile and lagging shoring system?

  1. To retain soil in a deep excavation Correct answer.
  2. To reinforce a concrete slab
  3. To compact backfill
  4. To dewater an excavation

Explanation

Soldier piles driven vertically with lagging panels between them retain soil in deep excavations. The system resists lateral earth pressure and protects adjacent areas during digging.

Question 20Civil: Construction

An owner and contractor agree to a contract where the contractor is reimbursed for actual costs plus a fixed fee. Which contract type is this?

  1. Guaranteed maximum price
  2. Unit price
  3. Lump sum
  4. Cost plus fixed fee Correct answer.

Explanation

A cost-plus-fixed-fee contract reimburses allowable costs and adds a predetermined fee, placing cost risk largely on the owner. Lump sum and unit price contracts shift more risk to the contractor.

Question 21Civil: Construction

A soil has a liquid limit of 45 and a plastic limit of 22. What is the plasticity index?

  1. 23 Correct answer.
  2. 45
  3. 67
  4. 22

Explanation

The plasticity index equals the liquid limit minus the plastic limit. Subtracting 22 from 45 yields 23, indicating the range of moisture content over which the soil is plastic.

Question 22Civil: Construction

A project's critical path has a duration of 120 days. An activity not on the critical path has an early finish of day 80 and a late finish of day 95. What is its total float?

  1. 25 days
  2. 15 days Correct answer.
  3. 40 days
  4. 0 days

Explanation

Total float equals late finish minus early finish for an activity. Subtracting 80 from 95 gives 15 days of float before the activity affects the project completion.

Question 23Civil: Construction

What is the purpose of a hydrostatic test in pipeline construction?

  1. To compact trench backfill
  2. To verify the pressure tightness and integrity of the installed pipe Correct answer.
  3. To determine soil bearing capacity
  4. To measure flow velocity in the line

Explanation

A hydrostatic test pressurizes the installed pipe with water to confirm it holds pressure without leakage. It verifies joint integrity and material soundness before the line is placed in service.

Question 24Civil: Construction

A contractor needs to place 500 cubic yards of concrete at a rate that allows finishing before initial set. If each truck delivers 10 cubic yards and takes 30 minutes round trip, how many trucks are needed to sustain a placement rate of 40 cubic yards per hour?

  1. 2 trucks Correct answer.
  2. 5 trucks
  3. 3 trucks
  4. 4 trucks

Explanation

A placement rate of 40 cubic yards per hour requires four deliveries of 10 cubic yards per hour. Each truck completes two trips per hour given a 30-minute round trip, so two trucks supply four loads per hour.

Question 25Civil: Construction

Which safety measure is required before allowing workers to enter an excavation 6 feet deep?

  1. Continuous gas monitoring only
  2. A protective system such as sloping or shoring Correct answer.
  3. A ladder placed every 50 feet
  4. Removal of all surface vegetation

Explanation

OSHA requires a protective system against cave-ins for excavations 5 feet or deeper unless the excavation is in stable rock. Sloping, shoring, or shielding satisfies this requirement.

Question 26Civil: Construction

A contractor must place a concrete slab with a specified design strength of 4,000 psi. Which acceptance criterion reflects standard practice for compressive strength test results?

  1. The average of all tests over the project must equal or exceed the specified strength
  2. Each individual cylinder must equal or exceed the specified strength
  3. The average of any three consecutive strength tests equals or exceeds the specified strength, and no single test falls below the specified strength by more than 500 psi Correct answer.
  4. No test may fall below 90 percent of the specified strength at any age

Explanation

Standard concrete acceptance requires that averages of sets of consecutive tests meet the specified strength and that no individual test fall more than a fixed margin (commonly 500 psi) below it. This balances statistical variability with a hard lower bound.

Question 27Civil: Construction

A contractor is preparing a bid and must estimate the cost of erecting temporary shoring. Which cost category does this expense fall under?

  1. General overhead
  2. Profit markup
  3. Direct cost Correct answer.
  4. Contingency

Explanation

Temporary shoring is a job-specific cost tied directly to performing the work, so it is a direct cost. Overhead, contingency, and markup are applied on top of direct costs.

Question 28Civil: Construction

A contractor needs to compact a granular base course in lifts. Which piece of equipment is generally most effective for this material?

  1. Pneumatic-tired roller
  2. Sheepsfoot roller
  3. Smooth steel-drum roller
  4. Vibratory roller Correct answer.

Explanation

Granular soils respond best to vibration, which rearranges particles into a denser configuration. Vibratory rollers are therefore the standard choice for base and granular fill.

Question 29Civil: Construction

A contractor is placing a concrete mix and observes segregation in the chute. Which action best addresses the cause?

  1. Reduce the free-fall height and adjust the mix for cohesion Correct answer.
  2. Increase the water content at the point of placement
  3. Increase the discharge rate from the truck
  4. Add more coarse aggregate at the jobsite

Explanation

Segregation occurs when coarse particles separate from the mortar, often due to excessive drop height or a mix that is too lean or wet. Limiting free fall and improving mix cohesion address the root cause.

Question 30Civil: Construction

A contractor is planning an excavation near an existing utility line. Which action should occur before excavation begins?

  1. Schedule the backfill operation
  2. Assign a competent person to the crew
  3. Call the one-call utility locating service and have the lines marked Correct answer.
  4. Post warning signs at the site entrance

Explanation

Utility locating through the one-call system is required before digging to prevent strikes on buried lines. Marking must precede excavation so the crew can plan around the utilities.

Question 31Civil: Construction

A contractor must place 240 cubic yards of concrete. Each truck delivers 10 cubic yards and takes 20 minutes to unload. The concrete must be placed within 60 minutes of batching. What is the minimum number of trucks that must be unloading in sequence to keep the pour continuous?

  1. 3 trucks Correct answer.
  2. 4 trucks
  3. 2 trucks
  4. 6 trucks

Explanation

If each truck takes 20 minutes to unload, a continuous pour requires a new truck arriving every 20 minutes. With a 60-minute placement window, up to three trucks can be in the delivery cycle at once, so three trucks operating in sequence keep the pour continuous.

Question 32Civil: Construction

A contractor is evaluating a change order that adds work outside the original contract scope. Under a standard fixed-price contract, what is the typical basis for pricing this added work?

  1. The contractor's actual cost with no markup
  2. The lowest bid received from a subcontractor
  3. The owner's estimated value of the work
  4. The original unit prices in the contract, or a negotiated price if no unit price applies Correct answer.

Explanation

Change orders are typically priced using contract unit prices when the work is similar to bid items, or by negotiation when it is not. This preserves the agreed pricing basis.

Question 33Civil: Construction

A contractor is reviewing a CPM schedule and finds an activity with zero total float. What does this indicate about the activity?

  1. It is on the critical path Correct answer.
  2. It has the lowest cost in the project
  3. It can be delayed without affecting the project finish
  4. It has no predecessors

Explanation

Total float is the amount an activity can slip without delaying project completion. Zero total float means any delay pushes the project finish, which defines the critical path.

Question 34Civil: Construction

A contractor is preparing a site grading plan. The net cut and fill volumes must balance, but the soil will shrink 15 percent when compacted from its bank state. If 1,000 bank cubic yards must be excavated and placed as fill, how many compacted cubic yards will result?

  1. 1,176 cy
  2. 850 cy Correct answer.
  3. 1,000 cy
  4. 1,150 cy

Explanation

A 15 percent shrinkage means the compacted volume is 85 percent of the bank volume. Multiplying 1,000 bank cy by 0.85 gives 850 compacted cy.

Question 35Civil: Construction

A contractor is installing a storm drainage line on a slope. Which pipe material is commonly specified for its resistance to corrosion in aggressive soils?

  1. Ductile iron
  2. Reinforced concrete
  3. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Correct answer.
  4. Corrugated steel

Explanation

PVC is a thermoplastic that resists chemical attack and corrosion in aggressive soils. Metallic pipes and some concrete products are more vulnerable to deterioration.

Question 36Civil: Construction

A contractor must estimate labor for a masonry wall. A crew of 4 masons lays 320 blocks per 8-hour day. How many labor-hours per block does the crew require?

  1. 0.05 labor-hours
  2. 0.10 labor-hours Correct answer.
  3. 0.40 labor-hours
  4. 0.20 labor-hours

Explanation

The crew works 4 workers times 8 hours, or 32 labor-hours per day. Dividing 32 labor-hours by 320 blocks gives 0.10 labor-hours per block.

Question 37Civil: Construction

A contractor is preparing a safety plan for a site with a 20-foot-deep excavation. Which requirement applies to employee access and egress?

  1. A single ladder placed at the center of the excavation
  2. Access is not required until the excavation exceeds 25 feet
  3. A stairway, ladder, or ramp within 25 feet of lateral travel for employees Correct answer.
  4. Access may be provided by the excavator bucket

Explanation

Excavations 4 feet or deeper require a means of egress such as a ladder, stairway, or ramp, located so no worker travels more than 25 feet laterally. This ensures rapid exit in an emergency.

Question 38Civil: Construction

A contractor is evaluating a schedule delay caused by unusually severe weather that could not have been reasonably anticipated. Under a standard construction contract, how is this delay typically treated?

  1. Compensable and excusable
  2. A breach of contract by the contractor
  3. Non-excusable
  4. Excusable but not compensable Correct answer.

Explanation

Unforeseeable severe weather is generally an excusable delay that extends the contract time but does not entitle the contractor to added cost. This is because neither party controls the weather.

Question 39Civil: Construction

A contractor is planning a crane lift of a heavy precast panel. The load weight is 12,000 lb and the rigging weighs 800 lb. At the planned radius, the crane's rated capacity is 15,000 lb. What is the utilization of the crane's capacity?

  1. 88.0 percent
  2. 85.3 percent Correct answer.
  3. 80.0 percent
  4. 82.7 percent

Explanation

Total load equals the panel plus rigging, or 12,800 lb. Dividing 12,800 by the 15,000 lb capacity and multiplying by 100 gives about 85.3 percent utilization.

Question 40Civil: Construction

A contractor is reviewing a project's quality control program for compacted fill. Which test method is appropriate for determining the in-place dry density of a granular backfill?

  1. Sieve analysis
  2. Atterberg limits test
  3. Standard Proctor laboratory test
  4. Sand cone test Correct answer.

Explanation

The sand cone test measures in-place field density by comparing the volume of a test hole with the dry mass of soil removed. It is a field method for verifying compaction.

Question 41Civil: Geotechnical

A soil sample has a total unit weight of 19.6 kN/m³ and a water content of 15%. Taking the unit weight of water as 9.81 kN/m³, what is the dry unit weight of the soil?

  1. 17.0 kN/m³ Correct answer.
  2. 16.7 kN/m³
  3. 22.5 kN/m³
  4. 18.5 kN/m³

Explanation

Dry unit weight equals total unit weight divided by (1 + water content expressed as a decimal): 19.6 / 1.15 = 17.0 kN/m³.

Question 42Civil: Geotechnical

For a saturated soil with a void ratio of 0.80 and specific gravity of solids of 2.70, what is the porosity?

  1. 0.80
  2. 0.56
  3. 1.25
  4. 0.44 Correct answer.

Explanation

Porosity n = e/(1+e) = 0.80/1.80 = 0.44. Porosity is always less than 1 and less than the void ratio for any real soil.

Question 43Civil: Geotechnical

A soil has a liquid limit of 45 and a plastic limit of 22. What is its plasticity index?

  1. 2.0
  2. 23 Correct answer.
  3. 45
  4. 67

Explanation

The plasticity index is the liquid limit minus the plastic limit: 45 − 22 = 23. It represents the range of water content over which the soil behaves plastically.

Question 44Civil: Geotechnical

According to the Unified Soil Classification System, a soil passing the No. 200 sieve is classified as a silt or clay if the percentage passing the No. 200 sieve is at least:

  1. 85%
  2. 50% Correct answer.
  3. 12%
  4. 35%

Explanation

In USCS, fines content of 50% or more places the soil in the fine-grained category (silt/clay), while less than 50% fines indicates a coarse-grained soil.

Question 45Civil: Geotechnical

A standard Proctor compaction test is performed on a soil. Which of the following best describes the shape of the compaction curve of dry unit weight versus water content?

  1. A curve that decreases monotonically as water content increases
  2. A curve with two distinct peaks
  3. A curve with a single peak dry unit weight at the optimum water content Correct answer.
  4. A straight line with a positive slope

Explanation

At low water content, added water lubricates particles and increases dry density until a maximum is reached at the optimum moisture content; further water displaces soil and reduces dry density. The result is a single-peaked curve.

Question 46Civil: Geotechnical

A soil specimen has a coefficient of permeability of 4.0 × 10⁻⁴ cm/s. What is the permeability in m/s?

  1. 4.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ m/s
  2. 4.0 × 10⁻⁸ m/s
  3. 4.0 × 10⁻⁶ m/s Correct answer.
  4. 4.0 × 10⁻² m/s

Explanation

One meter equals 100 cm, so a value in cm/s is divided by 100 to convert to m/s: 4.0 × 10⁻⁴ / 100 = 4.0 × 10⁻⁶ m/s.

Question 47Civil: Geotechnical

In a direct shear test, a normal stress of 100 kPa is applied to a dry sand with a friction angle of 30°. What is the shear strength of the sand?

  1. 100 kPa
  2. 57.7 kPa Correct answer.
  3. 86.6 kPa
  4. 50.0 kPa

Explanation

For a dry sand with no cohesion, shear strength τ = σ tan φ = 100 × tan 30° = 57.7 kPa. The friction angle controls the ratio of shear to normal stress at failure.

Question 48Civil: Geotechnical

Which of the following best defines the effective stress in a saturated soil?

  1. Pore water pressure minus total stress
  2. Total stress minus pore water pressure Correct answer.
  3. Total stress plus pore water pressure
  4. Total stress divided by the unit weight of water

Explanation

Terzaghi's effective stress principle states that effective stress equals total stress minus pore water pressure. Effective stress controls the strength and compressibility of the soil skeleton.

Question 49Civil: Geotechnical

A saturated clay layer 6 m thick has a saturated unit weight of 19 kN/m³. The water table is at the ground surface. What is the effective vertical stress at the mid-depth of the layer (3 m below the surface)?

  1. 57.0 kPa
  2. 27.6 kPa Correct answer.
  3. 29.4 kPa
  4. 86.4 kPa

Explanation

Total stress at 3 m = 19 × 3 = 57.0 kPa; pore pressure = 9.81 × 3 = 29.4 kPa. Effective stress = 57.0 − 29.4 = 27.6 kPa.

Question 50Civil: Geotechnical

A confined aquifer has a piezometric surface 8 m above the top of the aquifer, and the aquifer is 5 m thick. What is the artesian (confined) uplift pressure at the top of the aquifer?

  1. 49.1 kPa
  2. 0 kPa
  3. 78.5 kPa Correct answer.
  4. 127.5 kPa

Explanation

The pore pressure at the top of a confined aquifer equals the unit weight of water times the piezometric head above that point: 9.81 × 8 = 78.5 kPa.