CE 611 ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Administrative Procedure Act.
Answer: Helps to ensure that no governmental entity acts without an
opportunity for public input by requiring public disclosure and discourse
before rulemakingEx. The Administrative Procedure Act was partially
enacted in response to FDR's New Deal, in an effort to prevent the federal
government from having too much power.
◍ lien.
Answer: A creditor's legal right to have their debt paid out of the property of
a defaulting debtor, usually by a court sale
◍ pitch.
Answer: The angle of slope to a roofEx. The pitch of a Tudor-style home is
quite steep, and means reroofing this type of home can cost quite a bit more
than a flatter roof.
◍ Surety Bond.
Answer: A financial contract between the mortgage professional, the surety,
and the entity that requires the bond (often a government regulatory
agency), in which the surety provides a guarantee to the entity that it will
abide by the terms established in the contractEx. Mortgage lenders, brokers,
and servicers must purchase surety bonds to be legally licensed in most
states.
◍ Disturbed soil sample tests.
Answer: Identification and classification tests (moisture content, Atterberg
limits, unit weight)
◍ special flood hazard areas (SFHAs).
Answer: "Areas designated as prone to flooding; used to determine cost of
, flood insuranceEx. Brady lived in a special flood hazard area and was
required to carry flood insurance by his lender.
◍ What are a few of Terzaghi's bearing capacity theory assumptions?.
Answer: -D<=B-bottom of the foundation is rough-general shear mode
governs-foundation is rigid
◍ Mat Foundations.
Answer: A large spread footing that may occupy the whole structural
footprint. As a rule of thumb, if a spread footing covers more than 50% of
the building footprint area, a mat or deep foundation is more economical.
◍ What are the advantages and disadvantages of the SPT?.
Answer: Advantages: widely used, substantial data available, simple and
inexpensive, provides disturbed samplesDisadvantages: highly variable,
N-value determined from test is influenced by many factors
◍ Types of bearing capacity failures.
Answer: -general shear failure: most common especially in undrained clays
and dense sands-local shear failure: common in loose to medium dense
sands-punching shear failure: least common and might occur in very loose
sands
◍ Methods of analyzing bearing capacity.
Answer: -full scale load tests (expensive and uncommon)-load tests on small
model footings (scale factor is an issue)-limit equilibrium analyses are the
dominant approach-detailed stress analysis using finite element method
◍ What are the primary in-situ tests?.
Answer: -CPT: Cone Penetration Test -CPTU: CPT with more pressure
measurement-PMT: Pressuremeter Test-DMT: Dilatometer Test-VST: Vane
Shear Test
◍ What are the lab QC procedures?.
Answer: -sample handling, storage, and prep-adherence to
procedures-equipment calibration-qualification of personnel-result review
and checking-report test results
,◍ What are some of the subsurface investigation guidelines?.
Answer: -number and location of borings-drilling method-depth of
borings-type of samples to take-proper field logging-backfill boring holes
◍ What are the error sources for SPT?.
Answer: -Variations in hammer drop heights-interference with hammer
free-fall-damaged or worn sampler at bottom of hole-inadequate cleaning of
loose material at bottom of hole-careless work by drill crew
◍ menace.
Answer: Threat of violenceEx. Marsha's threat to cut down the seller's peach
tree unless they agreed to trim it before settlement constituted menace, and
invalidated the contract.
◍ Examples of costly geotechnical engineering failures.
Answer: -Leaning Tower of Pisa-Hurricane Katrina- 17th Canal Levee
Failure-I-10 Causeway Bridge Failure
◍ When are mat foundations economical?.
Answer: -large loads are not uniformly distributed-large uplift
forces-foundation depth below water table-erratic foundation soils and/or
load distribution
◍ What are the boring plan guidelines?.
Answer: -stagger boring locations-confirm suitability of boring depth for
design early-extend through unsuitable layers, terminate in hard/dense
materials-thoroughly explore the affected depth-undisturbed sample
locations/frequency -rock core obtained for 10ft when rock is
encountered-crews should maintain a field log-samples need to be properly
labeled, seald, and transported-water level readings made and
recorded-boreholes backfilled and sealed
◍ What are the undisturbed soil samplers?.
Answer: Thin wall shelby tube, piston, hydraulic piston, pitcher, denison
core barrel
, ◍ Construction Loan Mortgage.
Answer: Interim financing for developing land. The contract allows for
disbursements of funds at specific stages of construction.
◍ What are the advantages and disadvantages of CPT/CPTU?.
Answer: Advantages: rapid and economic development of continuous
profile of subsurface conditions, determination of in situ strength
parameters, reduce the number of conventional borings or focus attention on
discrete zonesDisadvantages: cannot be pushed in dense soils, CPT must be
pushed in borehole advance through dense deposits, soil samples not
recovered
◍ Foundation design should satisfy what 5 requirements?.
Answer: Strength, serviceability (settlement, lateral movement, durability,
vibration), extreme events (earthquakes, hurricanes), constructibility, and
economic
◍ basement.
Answer: Below-ground/below-grade square footageEx. Basements are an
area that home inspectors tend to spend a lot of time on due to the
mechanical and electrical and drainage issues often found there.
◍ automated valuation models (AVMs).
Answer: Rely on mathematical modeling combined with data from sources
such as tax records to provide real estate property valuationsEx. Appraisers,
investment professionals, and lending institutions use AVM technology in
their analysis of residential property, but in many cases, it's just the
beginning of the valuation process.
◍ Market Value.
Answer: A price at which a willing buyer and willing seller can strike a deal
given ordinary market conditionsEx. When real estate professionals prepare
a CMA, they are most interested in determining an appropriate market
value.
◍ What are some of the steps in the geotechnical engineering process?.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Administrative Procedure Act.
Answer: Helps to ensure that no governmental entity acts without an
opportunity for public input by requiring public disclosure and discourse
before rulemakingEx. The Administrative Procedure Act was partially
enacted in response to FDR's New Deal, in an effort to prevent the federal
government from having too much power.
◍ lien.
Answer: A creditor's legal right to have their debt paid out of the property of
a defaulting debtor, usually by a court sale
◍ pitch.
Answer: The angle of slope to a roofEx. The pitch of a Tudor-style home is
quite steep, and means reroofing this type of home can cost quite a bit more
than a flatter roof.
◍ Surety Bond.
Answer: A financial contract between the mortgage professional, the surety,
and the entity that requires the bond (often a government regulatory
agency), in which the surety provides a guarantee to the entity that it will
abide by the terms established in the contractEx. Mortgage lenders, brokers,
and servicers must purchase surety bonds to be legally licensed in most
states.
◍ Disturbed soil sample tests.
Answer: Identification and classification tests (moisture content, Atterberg
limits, unit weight)
◍ special flood hazard areas (SFHAs).
Answer: "Areas designated as prone to flooding; used to determine cost of
, flood insuranceEx. Brady lived in a special flood hazard area and was
required to carry flood insurance by his lender.
◍ What are a few of Terzaghi's bearing capacity theory assumptions?.
Answer: -D<=B-bottom of the foundation is rough-general shear mode
governs-foundation is rigid
◍ Mat Foundations.
Answer: A large spread footing that may occupy the whole structural
footprint. As a rule of thumb, if a spread footing covers more than 50% of
the building footprint area, a mat or deep foundation is more economical.
◍ What are the advantages and disadvantages of the SPT?.
Answer: Advantages: widely used, substantial data available, simple and
inexpensive, provides disturbed samplesDisadvantages: highly variable,
N-value determined from test is influenced by many factors
◍ Types of bearing capacity failures.
Answer: -general shear failure: most common especially in undrained clays
and dense sands-local shear failure: common in loose to medium dense
sands-punching shear failure: least common and might occur in very loose
sands
◍ Methods of analyzing bearing capacity.
Answer: -full scale load tests (expensive and uncommon)-load tests on small
model footings (scale factor is an issue)-limit equilibrium analyses are the
dominant approach-detailed stress analysis using finite element method
◍ What are the primary in-situ tests?.
Answer: -CPT: Cone Penetration Test -CPTU: CPT with more pressure
measurement-PMT: Pressuremeter Test-DMT: Dilatometer Test-VST: Vane
Shear Test
◍ What are the lab QC procedures?.
Answer: -sample handling, storage, and prep-adherence to
procedures-equipment calibration-qualification of personnel-result review
and checking-report test results
,◍ What are some of the subsurface investigation guidelines?.
Answer: -number and location of borings-drilling method-depth of
borings-type of samples to take-proper field logging-backfill boring holes
◍ What are the error sources for SPT?.
Answer: -Variations in hammer drop heights-interference with hammer
free-fall-damaged or worn sampler at bottom of hole-inadequate cleaning of
loose material at bottom of hole-careless work by drill crew
◍ menace.
Answer: Threat of violenceEx. Marsha's threat to cut down the seller's peach
tree unless they agreed to trim it before settlement constituted menace, and
invalidated the contract.
◍ Examples of costly geotechnical engineering failures.
Answer: -Leaning Tower of Pisa-Hurricane Katrina- 17th Canal Levee
Failure-I-10 Causeway Bridge Failure
◍ When are mat foundations economical?.
Answer: -large loads are not uniformly distributed-large uplift
forces-foundation depth below water table-erratic foundation soils and/or
load distribution
◍ What are the boring plan guidelines?.
Answer: -stagger boring locations-confirm suitability of boring depth for
design early-extend through unsuitable layers, terminate in hard/dense
materials-thoroughly explore the affected depth-undisturbed sample
locations/frequency -rock core obtained for 10ft when rock is
encountered-crews should maintain a field log-samples need to be properly
labeled, seald, and transported-water level readings made and
recorded-boreholes backfilled and sealed
◍ What are the undisturbed soil samplers?.
Answer: Thin wall shelby tube, piston, hydraulic piston, pitcher, denison
core barrel
, ◍ Construction Loan Mortgage.
Answer: Interim financing for developing land. The contract allows for
disbursements of funds at specific stages of construction.
◍ What are the advantages and disadvantages of CPT/CPTU?.
Answer: Advantages: rapid and economic development of continuous
profile of subsurface conditions, determination of in situ strength
parameters, reduce the number of conventional borings or focus attention on
discrete zonesDisadvantages: cannot be pushed in dense soils, CPT must be
pushed in borehole advance through dense deposits, soil samples not
recovered
◍ Foundation design should satisfy what 5 requirements?.
Answer: Strength, serviceability (settlement, lateral movement, durability,
vibration), extreme events (earthquakes, hurricanes), constructibility, and
economic
◍ basement.
Answer: Below-ground/below-grade square footageEx. Basements are an
area that home inspectors tend to spend a lot of time on due to the
mechanical and electrical and drainage issues often found there.
◍ automated valuation models (AVMs).
Answer: Rely on mathematical modeling combined with data from sources
such as tax records to provide real estate property valuationsEx. Appraisers,
investment professionals, and lending institutions use AVM technology in
their analysis of residential property, but in many cases, it's just the
beginning of the valuation process.
◍ Market Value.
Answer: A price at which a willing buyer and willing seller can strike a deal
given ordinary market conditionsEx. When real estate professionals prepare
a CMA, they are most interested in determining an appropriate market
value.
◍ What are some of the steps in the geotechnical engineering process?.
