PE Civil — Structural practice problems and timed practice exams

What the exam covers

PE Civil — Structural knowledge areas

NCEES divides the PE Civil — Structural exam into 5 knowledge areas and publishes a range for each: how many of the exam’s 80 questions can come from that area. PassFEPE sorts every PE Civil — Structural problem into the same areas, so you can work on one at a time or mix them all.

1. 1

   Analysis of Structures–Loads and Load Applications

   Dead loads · Live loads · Construction loads · Wind loads · Seismic loads · Moving loads (e.g., vehicular, cranes) · Snow, rain, and ice · Impact loads · Earth pressure and surcharge loads · Tributary areas and load paths (e.g., lateral and vertical) · Load combinations

   12–18 exam questions15–23% of the exam70+ practice problems

2. 2

   Analysis of Structures–Forces and Load Effects

   Diagrams (e.g., shear and moment) · Axial (e.g., tension and compression) · Shear · Flexure · Combined stresses · Deflection · Special topics (e.g., torsion, buckling, fatigue, progressive collapse, thermal deformation, bearing)

   17–26 exam questions21–33% of the exam70+ practice problems

3. 3

   Temporary Structures and Other Topics

   Special inspections · Submittals · Formwork, falsework, scaffolding, shoring and reshoring, bracing, and anchorage · Impact of construction on adjacent facilities · Safety (e.g., construction, roadside, work zone)

   5–8 exam questions6–10% of the exam30+ practice problems

4. 4

   Design and Details of Structures–Materials and Material Properties

   Soil classification and soil properties (e.g., strength, permeability, compressibility, phase relationships) · Concrete (e.g., unreinforced, reinforced, cast-in-place, precast, pre-tensioned, post-tensioned) · Steel (e.g., structural, cold-formed) · Timber · Masonry (e.g., brick veneer, CMU) · Material test methods and specification conformance (e.g., concrete, steel, masonry, timber, other construction materials)

   10–15 exam questions13–19% of the exam30+ practice problems

5. 5

   Design and Details of Structures–Component Design and Detailing

   Horizontal members (e.g., beams, slabs, diaphragms, struts) · Vertical members (e.g., columns, bearing walls, shear walls) · Systems (e.g., trusses, braces, frames, composite construction) · Connections (e.g., bolted, welded, bearing, embedded, anchored, post-installed anchors) · Shallow foundations (e.g., footings, combined footings, slabs, mats) · Deep foundations (e.g., piers, piles, caissons, drilled shafts) · Retaining walls

   26–39 exam questions33–49% of the exam90+ practice problems

How PassFEPE helps

Practice that fits around a full-time job.

• Practice problems

  320+ PE Civil — Structural problems, sorted by knowledge area. Choose the areas and how many to do in a set.

• Timed practice exams

  5 full-length PE Civil — Structural practice exams on the exam clock, with the scheduled break and a review screen before you submit.

• Step-by-step solutions

  Every problem has a worked solution, so you see how the answer is reached and where a wrong one goes astray.

• Tailored study plan

  Your results decide what comes next. PassFEPE ranks the PE Civil — Structural knowledge areas that need the most work and sizes a set for each.

• Your handbook, searchable

  Add your own NCEES PE Civil Reference Handbook PDF. Search it, jump between sections and keep it open beside every question. It stays on your device.

• Progress by topic

  Accuracy in each of the 5 knowledge areas, and your pace against the exam clock, so every session goes where it counts.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

How many questions are on the PE Civil — Structural exam?

80 questions in 8 hours of exam time, in two sections with an optional 50-minute scheduled break after about half the questions (PassFEPE’s simulator breaks after question 40). NCEES publishes the question count, the times and the break; PassFEPE’s simulator follows them.

Which knowledge area carries the most questions on the PE Civil — Structural exam?

Design and Details of Structures–Component Design and Detailing: NCEES publishes a range of 26–39 of the 80 questions for it, 33–49% of the exam. PassFEPE has 90+ practice problems in it.

Are these real PE Civil — Structural exam questions?

No. They are practice problems written for PassFEPE in the style of the computer-based exam, sorted by the NCEES knowledge areas for PE Civil — Structural.

Do I need the NCEES PE Civil Reference Handbook?

It is the main reference NCEES supplies on screen. For this exam NCEES also supplies the design standards listed in its exam specification. PassFEPE includes neither, because both are copyrighted. 140+ of these problems need a design standard. Add your own legally obtained PDFs to your reference library and choose the one that opens beside your questions. The files stay on your device.

Is PassFEPE affiliated with NCEES?

No. PassFEPE is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NCEES.