Civil Professional Engineer Study Guides
Great Tools for Your
Civil PE Exam
Morning Breadth
80 Civil Breadth Practice Questions
Reference Guide Covering All Morning Topics

Detailed Breakdown of Each Practice Question
Water Resources & Environmental Dept.

80 Civil Breadth Questions
Detailed Answers to Each!
Detailed Answers to Each!
40 Water Resources Practice Questions
Review of Water Resource & Breadth Topics
Questions Overlap in Both Guides
Transportation Department

Review of Water Resource & Breadth Topics
40 Water Resources Practice Questions
Detailed Answers to Each!
Detailed Answers to Each!
80 Civil Breadth Questions
Structural Series
Morning Breadth
80 Civil Breadth Practice Questions
Reference Guide Covering All Morning Topics

Detailed Breakdown of Each Practice Question
Water Resources & Environmental Dept.

80 Civil Breadth Questions
Detailed Answers to Each!
Detailed Answers to Each!
40 Water Resources Practice Questions
Review of Water Resource & Breadth Topics
Transportation Department
Questions Overlap in Both Guides
Structural Series
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Morning Breadth
Project Planning
Quantity Take off Methods
Cost Estimating
Project Schedules
Project schedules must be set and maintained to ensure it remains on time and on budget. To determine a project schedule, all tasks must be identified and the length of time (durations) for each task must be estimated. These tasks can then be sequenced by determining what the appropriate order of tasks are. Some tasks must be completed before others can begin. These tasks are defined as predecessors. See the example chart below indicating identified tasks, durations, and predecessors:
Activity Identification and Sequencing
Means and Methods
Construction Loads
Construction Methods
Temporary Structures
Soil Mechanics
Lateral Earth Pressure
Soil Consolidation
Effective Stress
Bearing Capacity
For shallow foundations, the soil below must be suitable to support the load transferred through the footing. Different types of soils have different bearing capacities. Sand is often a good foundation material. Sand undergoes some small immediate settlement and then stabilizes since it drains quickly. Clay generally is poor in bearing capacity. Clays do not drain quickly and will retain water for longer periods of time leading to long-term settlements. Most soils in reality are some combination of sands, clays, and silts which will behave somewhere in-between sand and clay. Exceeding the allowable bearing capacity of a soil will cause shear failure or excessive settlements. Bearing capacity is determined using the Terzaghi-Meyerhof equation:
Slope Stability
Structural
Dead and Live Load
Trusses
Bending Stress
Shear Stress
Axial Stress
Deflection
Beams
Columns
Slabs
Footings
Retaining Walls
Hydraulics and Environmental
Open Channel Flow
Stormwater Collection
Storm Characteristics
Runoff Analysis
NRCS/SCS Runoff Method
Detention and Retention Ponds
Pressure Conduits
Bernoulli Energy Equation
The Bernoulli equation for the conservation of energy states that the total energy is equal to the sum of the pressure + kinetic energy + potential energy and is conserved at any point in the system. Therefore:
Transportation
Horizontal Curves
Vertical Curves
Traffic Volume
Vehicle Dynamics
Materials
Soil Classification
Soil Properties
Concrete Properties
Structural Steel
Material Test Methods and Spec Conformance
Compaction
Compaction is the reduction of voids in a mass of soil. The more compacted a mass of soil is, the more stable and stronger it is to support a structure. Compaction is done by placing soil in layers called lifts and using equipment to mechanically apply weight and potentially vibration to the lifts. Some types of compaction equipment are Grid Rollers for rocky soil, sheep foot rollers for cohesive soils, or roller compactors with vibration capabilities for cohesion less soils.
Choose a Category:
Select from the Categories Above for More Information
Site Development
Excavation
Construction Site Layout
Construction sites are surveyed and markers are placed to indicate measurements and control points. These points are designated in the field by the use of stakes. These stakes can be called construction stakes, alignment stakes, offset stakes, grade stakes, or slope stakes depending on what they are meant to indicate. The accuracy of dimensions depends on the intent. Some accuracy requirements are shown below:
Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
Safety
-
Excavation Safety: Except for excavations in rock, anything deeper than 5 ft must be stabilized to prevent cave-in. This may be achieved by providing appropriate earth retention systems or sloping at appropriate rates. This is determined by the depth of excavation, soil type, and other requirements.
-
Fall protection: Drop-offs must be protected from fall based on the height of the drop. Some examples of protection include temporary fences, nets, or lifelines.
-
Roadside Safety: Construction sites adjacent to traffic must be sufficiently protected from impact. At higher speeds concrete barriers may be needed also known as temporary precast concrete barrier curbs (TPCBC). At lower speeds it may be acceptable to provide barrels or cones to delineate the work area.
-
Power line Hazards: For power lines which are electrified, all construction activities must be a minimum distance from the lines. This is based on the voltage of the lines. Typically the safe operational distance is 10 ft. for lines less than 50 kV and typically 35 ft. for lines greater than 50 kV.
-
Confined Spaces: Anyone required to enter confined spaces must be appropriately trained and equipped. Oxygen must be monitored and kept at an acceptable level.
-
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Equipment required by any personnel present on a job site. The main aspects are acceptable head protection and steel toed shoes
Structural Depth
Project Planning
Quantity Take off Methods
Cost Estimating
Project Schedules
Project schedules must be set and maintained to ensure it remains on time and on budget. To determine a project schedule, all tasks must be identified and the length of time (durations) for each task must be estimated. These tasks can then be sequenced by determining what the appropriate order of tasks are. Some tasks must be completed before others can begin. These tasks are defined as predecessors. See the example chart below indicating identified tasks, durations, and predecessors:
Activity Identification and Sequencing
Means and Methods
Construction Loads
Construction Methods
Temporary Structures
Soil Mechanics
Lateral Earth Pressure
Soil Consolidation
Effective Stress
Bearing Capacity
For shallow foundations, the soil below must be suitable to support the load transferred through the footing. Different types of soils have different bearing capacities. Sand is often a good foundation material. Sand undergoes some small immediate settlement and then stabilizes since it drains quickly. Clay generally is poor in bearing capacity. Clays do not drain quickly and will retain water for longer periods of time leading to long-term settlements. Most soils in reality are some combination of sands, clays, and silts which will behave somewhere in-between sand and clay. Exceeding the allowable bearing capacity of a soil will cause shear failure or excessive settlements. Bearing capacity is determined using the Terzaghi-Meyerhof equation:
Slope Stability
Structural
Dead and Live Load
Trusses
Bending Stress
Shear Stress
Axial Stress
Deflection
Beams
Columns
Slabs
Footings
Retaining Walls
Hydraulics and Environmental
Open Channel Flow
Stormwater Collection
Storm Characteristics
Runoff Analysis
NRCS/SCS Runoff Method
Detention and Retention Ponds
Pressure Conduits
Bernoulli Energy Equation
The Bernoulli equation for the conservation of energy states that the total energy is equal to the sum of the pressure + kinetic energy + potential energy and is conserved at any point in the system. Therefore:
Transportation
Horizontal Curves
Vertical Curves
Traffic Volume
Vehicle Dynamics
Materials
Soil Classification
Soil Properties
Concrete Properties
Structural Steel
Material Test Methods and Spec Conformance
Compaction
Compaction is the reduction of voids in a mass of soil. The more compacted a mass of soil is, the more stable and stronger it is to support a structure. Compaction is done by placing soil in layers called lifts and using equipment to mechanically apply weight and potentially vibration to the lifts. Some types of compaction equipment are Grid Rollers for rocky soil, sheep foot rollers for cohesive soils, or roller compactors with vibration capabilities for cohesion less soils.
Choose a Category:
Select from the Categories Above for More Information
Site Development
Excavation
Construction Site Layout
Construction sites are surveyed and markers are placed to indicate measurements and control points. These points are designated in the field by the use of stakes. These stakes can be called construction stakes, alignment stakes, offset stakes, grade stakes, or slope stakes depending on what they are meant to indicate. The accuracy of dimensions depends on the intent. Some accuracy requirements are shown below:
Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
Safety
-
Excavation Safety: Except for excavations in rock, anything deeper than 5 ft must be stabilized to prevent cave-in. This may be achieved by providing appropriate earth retention systems or sloping at appropriate rates. This is determined by the depth of excavation, soil type, and other requirements.
-
Fall protection: Drop-offs must be protected from fall based on the height of the drop. Some examples of protection include temporary fences, nets, or lifelines.
-
Roadside Safety: Construction sites adjacent to traffic must be sufficiently protected from impact. At higher speeds concrete barriers may be needed also known as temporary precast concrete barrier curbs (TPCBC). At lower speeds it may be acceptable to provide barrels or cones to delineate the work area.
-
Power line Hazards: For power lines which are electrified, all construction activities must be a minimum distance from the lines. This is based on the voltage of the lines. Typically the safe operational distance is 10 ft. for lines less than 50 kV and typically 35 ft. for lines greater than 50 kV.
-
Confined Spaces: Anyone required to enter confined spaces must be appropriately trained and equipped. Oxygen must be monitored and kept at an acceptable level.
-
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Equipment required by any personnel present on a job site. The main aspects are acceptable head protection and steel toed shoes
Transportation Depth
Choose a Category:
Select from the Categories Above for More Information
Analysis and Design
Mass Balance
Hydraulic Loading
Solids Loading
Solids loading similarly to hydraulic loading is the amount of suspended solids in a substance as it flows to the treatment facility. Solids loading is expressed as the following:
Hydraulic Flow Measurement
Hydraulics-Closed Conduit
Bernoulli Continuity Equation
The Bernoulli equation for the conservation of energy states that the total energy is equal to the sum of the pressure + kinetic energy + potential energy of a system and is conserved at any point in the system. Therefore:
Pressure Conduit
Pump Application and Analysis
Pipe Network Analysis
-
The head loss in parallel pipes is equal -
The head loss between the inlet and outlet is equal to that of each pipe individually -
The flow rate at the outlet is equal to the sum of the flow rates from the parallel pipes

-
The flow entering the system is equal to the flow leaving the system (conservation of flow) -
The sum of head losses in any closed loop is equal to zero
Hydraulics-Open Channel
Open Channel Flow
Hydraulic Energy Dissipation
Stormwater Collection and Drainage
Sub- and Supercritical Flow
Hydrology
Storm Characteristics
A design storm must be specified when performing any calculations. The design storm is defined by its recurrence interval which is the given amount of time it is likely to see a storm of a certain intensity. Design storms are often 10, 20, 50, or 100-year storms meaning a storm of a certain intensity would only occur once within the given duration.
Runoff Analysis
Hydrographs
Rainfall
Time of Concetration
Stream Gauging
Depletions
Stormwater Management
Groundwater and Wells
Aquifers
Groundwater Flow
Well Analysis
Wastewater Collection and Treatment
Wastewater Collection Systems
Wastewater Treatment Process
Wastewater treatment processes are the procedures for treating wastewater so that it may be used again. This process will remove sediments, sludge, taste, odors, and any other undesirable characteristics of the water. The process can be divided into preliminary, primary, and secondary treatment which will be discussed further below.
Wastewater Flow Rates
Preliminary Treatment
Preliminary treatment is the first step in the wastewater treatment process. This portion of the process is mostly the mechanical removal of debris and other large objects which may be caught in the flow. Heavy chemicals and large amounts of oil are also removed during this process. In general, anything that can be identified with the naked eye and easily screened will be removed during the preliminary treatment process. This process is often performed with large mechanical screens or filters. These large obstructions must also be removed so that they do not damage or impede the subsequent processes.
Primary Treatment
Nitrification and Dentrification
Phosphorous Removal
Solids Treatment
Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) is the concentration of bacteria, solids, and any other undesirable material in sludge. To remove sludge, the MLSS is considered food for the activated microorganisms in the aeration process. It is often important to determine the food to microorganism ratio from the equation below:
Digestion
Disinfection
Advanced Treatment
Secondary Treatment
The most intensive of the levels of wastewater treatment is the secondary treatment. This may involve biological treatment in tickling filters and sludge treatment. The most amount of BOD will be removed in this stage.
Water Quality
Stream Degradation
Oxygen Dynamics
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
Biological Contaminants
Biological contaminants refers to the amount of organisms in the water. These organisms are also sometimes referred to as microbes. The microbes, because they are living, will reproduce if there is a sufficient supply of food. The food is called the substrate and may or may not be limited to facilitate the biological growth. The Monod equation is used to determine the rate at which substrate is converted into biomass which is simply the total mass of microorganisms in a given volume of water. The equation is as follows:
Chemical Contaminants
Chemical contaminants are a severe concern in water as they may impose health risks to the public. Water should be tested regularly for the presence of such chemicals and action taken immediately. Since chemicals pose a risk to human life, acceptable levels of risk need to be identified and associated with the concentrations of the chemical. The following equation can be used:
Drinking Water Distribution and Treatment
Drinking Water Distribution Systems
As the name suggests, systems are developed so that drinking water can be safely and efficiently distributed to the populations. These systems may consist of many components such as pipes, reservoirs, pumps, storage tanks and many others. These components carry water from a centralized distribution plant which maintains regulated levels of safe drinking water.
Drinking Water Treatment Process
Demands
Storage
Water supplies need to be stored for a variety of uses and as well as to ensure adequate supply in times of growth or emergency. Water can be distributed from storage either through gravity or pumping. Gravity is available when there is a sufficiently high point in elevation relative to the population. Otherwise pumping is necessary. Water is most often stored in surface or elevated tanks. Within these tanks the elevation of the surface water is monitored to determine the appropriate distribution pressure. These are often monitored by altitude valves.
Sedimentation
Taste and Odor Control
Rapid Mixing
Filtration
Disinfection
Hardness and Softening
-
If Total Hardness = Alkalinity, all hardness is carbonate and there are no sulfates, chlorides, or nitrates present
-
If Total Hardness > Alkalinity, noncarbonate hardness is present
-
If Total Hardness < Alkalinity, all hardness is carbonate and the remainder of the bicarbonate is from additional sources
Engineering Economics
Economic Analysis
The PE exam will potentially provide examples of engineering economics which are geared towards assets in water resources. For these questions refer to the morning session equations for engineering economics.
Water Resources Depth
Choose a Category:
Select from the Categories Above for More Information
Analysis and Design
Mass Balance
Hydraulic Loading
Solids Loading
Solids loading similarly to hydraulic loading is the amount of suspended solids in a substance as it flows to the treatment facility. Solids loading is expressed as the following:
Hydraulic Flow Measurement
Hydraulics-Closed Conduit
Bernoulli Continuity Equation
The Bernoulli equation for the conservation of energy states that the total energy is equal to the sum of the pressure + kinetic energy + potential energy of a system and is conserved at any point in the system. Therefore:
Pressure Conduit
Pump Application and Analysis
Pipe Network Analysis
-
The head loss in parallel pipes is equal -
The head loss between the inlet and outlet is equal to that of each pipe individually -
The flow rate at the outlet is equal to the sum of the flow rates from the parallel pipes

-
The flow entering the system is equal to the flow leaving the system (conservation of flow) -
The sum of head losses in any closed loop is equal to zero
Hydraulics-Open Channel
Open Channel Flow
Hydraulic Energy Dissipation
Stormwater Collection and Drainage
Sub- and Supercritical Flow
Hydrology
Storm Characteristics
A design storm must be specified when performing any calculations. The design storm is defined by its recurrence interval which is the given amount of time it is likely to see a storm of a certain intensity. Design storms are often 10, 20, 50, or 100-year storms meaning a storm of a certain intensity would only occur once within the given duration.
Runoff Analysis
Hydrographs
Rainfall
Time of Concetration
Stream Gauging
Depletions
Stormwater Management
Groundwater and Wells
Aquifers
Groundwater Flow
Well Analysis
Wastewater Collection and Treatment
Wastewater Collection Systems
Wastewater Treatment Process
Wastewater treatment processes are the procedures for treating wastewater so that it may be used again. This process will remove sediments, sludge, taste, odors, and any other undesirable characteristics of the water. The process can be divided into preliminary, primary, and secondary treatment which will be discussed further below.
Wastewater Flow Rates
Preliminary Treatment
Preliminary treatment is the first step in the wastewater treatment process. This portion of the process is mostly the mechanical removal of debris and other large objects which may be caught in the flow. Heavy chemicals and large amounts of oil are also removed during this process. In general, anything that can be identified with the naked eye and easily screened will be removed during the preliminary treatment process. This process is often performed with large mechanical screens or filters. These large obstructions must also be removed so that they do not damage or impede the subsequent processes.
Primary Treatment
Nitrification and Dentrification
Phosphorous Removal
Solids Treatment
Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) is the concentration of bacteria, solids, and any other undesirable material in sludge. To remove sludge, the MLSS is considered food for the activated microorganisms in the aeration process. It is often important to determine the food to microorganism ratio from the equation below:
Digestion
Disinfection
Advanced Treatment
Secondary Treatment
The most intensive of the levels of wastewater treatment is the secondary treatment. This may involve biological treatment in tickling filters and sludge treatment. The most amount of BOD will be removed in this stage.
Water Quality
Stream Degradation
Oxygen Dynamics
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
Biological Contaminants
Biological contaminants refers to the amount of organisms in the water. These organisms are also sometimes referred to as microbes. The microbes, because they are living, will reproduce if there is a sufficient supply of food. The food is called the substrate and may or may not be limited to facilitate the biological growth. The Monod equation is used to determine the rate at which substrate is converted into biomass which is simply the total mass of microorganisms in a given volume of water. The equation is as follows:
Chemical Contaminants
Chemical contaminants are a severe concern in water as they may impose health risks to the public. Water should be tested regularly for the presence of such chemicals and action taken immediately. Since chemicals pose a risk to human life, acceptable levels of risk need to be identified and associated with the concentrations of the chemical. The following equation can be used:
Drinking Water Distribution and Treatment
Drinking Water Distribution Systems
As the name suggests, systems are developed so that drinking water can be safely and efficiently distributed to the populations. These systems may consist of many components such as pipes, reservoirs, pumps, storage tanks and many others. These components carry water from a centralized distribution plant which maintains regulated levels of safe drinking water.
Drinking Water Treatment Process
Demands
Storage
Water supplies need to be stored for a variety of uses and as well as to ensure adequate supply in times of growth or emergency. Water can be distributed from storage either through gravity or pumping. Gravity is available when there is a sufficiently high point in elevation relative to the population. Otherwise pumping is necessary. Water is most often stored in surface or elevated tanks. Within these tanks the elevation of the surface water is monitored to determine the appropriate distribution pressure. These are often monitored by altitude valves.
Sedimentation
Taste and Odor Control
Rapid Mixing
Filtration
Disinfection
Hardness and Softening
-
If Total Hardness = Alkalinity, all hardness is carbonate and there are no sulfates, chlorides, or nitrates present
-
If Total Hardness > Alkalinity, noncarbonate hardness is present
-
If Total Hardness < Alkalinity, all hardness is carbonate and the remainder of the bicarbonate is from additional sources
Engineering Economics
Economic Analysis
The PE exam will potentially provide examples of engineering economics which are geared towards assets in water resources. For these questions refer to the morning session equations for engineering economics.