FE Civil study guide
FE Civil · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the first step toward becoming a licensed professional engineer (P.E.). It is designed for recent graduates and students who are close to finishing an undergraduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program. The FE Civil study guide has 5 sections and about 1,350 words.
01Construction: Methods, Scheduling, and Cost
Construction questions test whether you can move between drawings, quantities, schedules, and money without losing track of units. Core concepts: earthwork volume by average end area or prismoidal formula; shrinkage and swell factors (bank, loose, compacted states); production and cycle time for excavators, trucks, and compactors; critical path method (CPM) with forward/backward pass, total float, and free float; earned value (PV, EV, AC, CPI, SPI); and quantity takeoff from plan dimensions.
286 words, about 1 min02Geotechnical: Soil Classification, Compaction, and Strength
Geotechnical items reward fluency with index properties and the standard formulas. Know the Atterberg limits (LL, PL, PI = LL − PL), the Unified Soil Classification System symbols (GW, SP, CL, CH, etc.), grain-size distribution (D10, D60, Cu, Cc), and compaction (Standard vs.
268 words, about 1 min03Structural: Loads, Analysis, and Member Design
Structural questions test statics, load combinations, and member behavior. Core concepts: equilibrium (ΣF = 0, ΣM = 0), shear and moment diagrams , beam deflection relationships, ASCE 7 load combinations (e.g., 1.2D + 1.6L), LRFD vs.
270 words, about 1 min04Transportation: Geometric Design and Traffic Flow
Transportation questions cover geometric design, traffic flow theory, and pavement basics. Know sight distance (stopping sight distance SSD = 1.47Vt + V²/(30(f ± G))), horizontal curve relationships (R, T, L, M, degree of curve), superelevation (e + f = V²/(15R)), and vertical curves (K-value, L = KA for crest/sag).
271 words, about 1 min05Water Resources and Environmental: Hydrology, Hydraulics, and Treatment
This domain blends hydrology, open-channel and pipe hydraulics, and water/wastewater treatment. Core concepts: Rational Method (Q = CiA), Manning's equation (Q = (1.49/n) A R^(2/3) S^(1/2)), continuity and energy equations , pump curves and system curves , and treatment fundamentals (coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation, activated sludge, disinfection CT).
255 words, about 1 min