NCEES PE CIVIL STRUCTURAL EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES

CIVIL CIVIL NCEES PE CIVIL STRUCTURAL EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES Which of the following statement regarding lateral earth pressures is correct? A. the lateral strain required to fully mobilize the soil passive pressure is considerably smaller than the lateral strain required to fully mobilize the soil active pressure. B. the lateral strain required to fully mobilize the soil passive pressure is slightly smaller than the lateral strain required to fully mobilize the soil active pressure. C. the lateral strain required to fully mobilize the soil passive pressure is slightly larger than the lateral strain required to fully mobilize the soil active pressure. D. the lateral strain required to fully mobilize the soil passive pressure is considerably larger than the lateral strain required to fully mobilize the soil active pressure. - Correct Ans-D is correct. - from general physics knowledge the force it takes to move anything from a complete standstill will be greater than the force it takes to move something already in motion, this immediately eliminates A and B. - looking at the graph you can see that the lateral earth pressure for passive pressure is at least twice that of active pressure, this eliminates option C. A bridge footing is to be constructed in sand. The groundwater level is at the ground surface. The ultimate bearing capacity is based on what type of soil unit weight? A. Buoyant unit weight B. Saturated unit weight C. Dry unit weight D. Total unit weight - Correct Ans-A is correct. - buoyant unit weight is also known as the effective unit weight - effective unit weight = saturated unit weight - unit weight of water according to IBC 2018 and applicable quality assurance inspection requirements, which of the following inspection tasks are required for ASTM A325N high-strength bolts used in a steel framed structure? (select the two that apply) A. verification of the magnitude of the clamping force B. calibration of the torque wrench C. confirmation that the proper fastener components are used D. confirmation that the faying surfaces are brought into firm contact during installation of the bolts CIVIL CIVIL E. confirmation that the bolt installed has an AWS D1.1 certification - Correct Ans-C and D are correct. - IBC 2018, section 1705.2.1 (structural steel) states 'special inspections and nondestructive testing of structural steel elements in buildings, structures, and portions thereof shall be in accordance with the quality assurance inspection requirements of AISC 360' - AISC 360 Chapter N states ' snug-tightened joints are required to be inspected to ensure that the proper fastener components are used and that the faying surfaces are brought into firm contact during installation of the bolts. the figure shows two identical building footings with the same load but constructed in two different soil types. Which of the following statements is most correct? A. the long-term settlement for Case I is less than Case II. B. the long-term settlement for Case II is less than Case I. C. the long-term settlements are the same for both cases. D. settlement is not a concern for either case. - Correct Ans-A is correct. - the long-term settlement for Case I is less than Case II because clay is subject to long term settlement. The most essential criteria for proper soil classification using the Unified Soil Classification System or the AASHTO Soil Classification System are: A. water content and soil density B. Atterberg limits and specific gravity C. grain-size distribution and water content D. grain-size distribution and Atterberg limits - Correct Ans-D is correct. - both use gradation and Atterberg limits as two of the criteria. The standard penetration test (SPT) is widely used as a simple and economic means of obtaining which of the following? A. a measurement of soil compressibility expressed in terms of a compression index B. a direct measurement of the undrained shear strength C. an indirect indication of the relative density of cohesionless soils D. a direct measurement of the angle of internal friction - Correct Ans-C is correct. - the SPT N-value provides an indication of the relative density of cohesionless soils. A department of transportation must remove and replace a 12-ft x 20-ft concrete slab on an interstate facility. To minimize disruption to traffic, the work must be completed during an 8-hr nighttime work shift. Nighttime temperatures average 50F. If the minimum required compressive strength is 3,500psi, the concrete mix most likely consists of: A. coarse aggregate, sand, Type II cement, chemical accelerator B. sand, Type III cement, water, chemical accelerator C. coarse aggregate, sand, Type V cement, water, chemical accelerator D. coarse aggregate, sand, Type III cement, water, chemical accelerator - Correct Ans D is correct. CIVIL CIVIL - an early strength concrete is needed with a minimum compressive strength of 3,500psi so to achieve the requirements, a Type III cement and chemical accelerator would be necessary. - Type I cement is normal cement Type II cement is moderate sulfate resistant cement - Type III cement is high early strength cement - Type IV is low heat of hydration - Tye V is high sulfate resistance Fatigue in steel can be the result of: A. a reduction in strength due to cyclical loads B. deformation under impact loads C. deflection due to overload D. expansion due to corrosion - Correct Ans-A is correct. - fatigue is steel is due to cyclical loading and can be found in AISC Part 16, Appendix 3 A backfill material is described as sand-silt clay mix with plastic fines. The Unified Soil Classification is SM-SC. Per ASCE 7-16, the estimated design lateral soil load (psf/foot of depth) for relatively nonrigid walls is most nearly: A. 35 B. 45 C. 85 D. 100 - Correct Ans-C is correct. - ASCE 7-16 design loads table 3.2-1 p.11 Which of the following characterizes the typical failure of an over reinforced concrete beam that has a reinforcement ratio higher than the balanced ratio? A. the steel yields, and large deflections and tensile cracks will be observed prior to failure. B. the concrete crushes, and large deflections and tensile cracks will be observed prior to failure. C. the steel yields, and the beam fails suddenly without warning. D. the concrete crushes, and the beam fails suddenly without warning. - Correct Ans-D is correct. - balanced - concrete & steel reach their yield strain simultaneously - under-reinforced - steel reaches yield strain before concrete and failure is slowly apparent through excessive deflection and cracking - over-reinforced - concrete fails before steel and failure is sudden According to IBC 2018, which of the following represents the minimum factor of safety against uplift of deep pile elements due to wind or seismic loading? (Select the two that apply) A. one and one-half when capacity is determined by approved load tests B. two when capacity is determined by approved load tests C. two when capacity is determined by an approved method of analysis D. three when capacity is determined by an approved method of analysis CIVIL CIVIL E. four when capacity is determined by an approved method of analysis - Correct Ans-A and C are correct. - IBC 2018 section 1810.3.3.1.5 lists 1) minimum factor of safety of two where capacity is determined by an analysis 2) and one and one-half where capacity is determined by load tests According to IBC 2018, which of the following represent the minimum compressive strength of a precast concrete pile before driving? (select the two that apply) A. 75% of the specified compressive strength B. 80% of the specified compressive strength C. not less than the strength sufficient to withstand handling and driving forces D. one and one-half times the sufficient strength to withstand initial prestress load upon transfer E. must be determined by load testing - Correct Ans-A and C are correct. - IBC 2018 section 1810.4.1.1 states that a precast concrete pile shall not be driven before the concrete has attained compressive strength not less than 75% of the specified compressive strength, also not less than the strength sufficient to withstand handling and driving forces. According to AISC Steel Construction Manual, 15th edition, the resistance factor = 0.90 and the safety factor = 1.67 apply to which of the following limit states? (select the four that apply) A. tensile yielding in the gross section B. tensile rupture in the net section C. compressive failure including consideration of all buckling modes D. flexural failure including consideration of all buckling modes E. shear failure including consideration of all buckling modes - Correct Ans-A, C, D, and E are correct. - AISC chapters D, E, F, and G show these values under tensile yielding int the gross section, compressive failure including consideration of all buckling modes, flexural failure including all buckling, and shear failure including all buckling. For a painted 3/4-in. bolted to a CMU wall with two 5/8-in. diameter bolts in short-slotted holes, which of the following are true? (select the three that apply) A. minimum edge distance, center of hole to edge of plate = 1 in. B. minimum edge distance, center of hole to edge of plate = 7/8 in. C. minimum center-to-center spacing of holes = 1.875 in. D. minimum center-to-center spacing of holes = 1.670 in. E. maximum edge distance, center of hole to edge of plate = 9 in. F. maximum edge distance, center of hole to edge of plate = 6 in. - Correct Ans-A, C, and E are correct. - AISC section J3.3, J3.4, and J3.5 an expansion anchor with medium reliability is governed by concrete pullout experiencing tension loads and will be anchored in a plain concrete footing with no supplemental reinforcement. The strength reduction factor is most nearly: CIVIL A. 0.75 B. 0.7 C. 0.65 D. 0.55 - Correct Ans-D is correct. - ACI section 17.3.3 CIVIL