FE Civil Construction Engineering practice problems
6 free FE Civil Construction Engineering practice problems with answers and full worked solutions. Construction Engineering carries 8–12 of the 110 questions on the FE Civil exam (NCEES specification effective July 2020). Pick an answer to check it, then read the worked solution and why each wrong choice is wrong.
6 worked Construction Engineering problems
Question 1 of 6
A performance bond is priced at 1.2% of the contract value. For a $5,500,000 contract, the bond premium is most nearly:
Show the answer and the reasoning
Why C
Given: contract $5,500,000, rate 1.2%. Relation: premium = rate x contract value. Substitute: 0.012(5,500,000). Result: $66,000.
Why A is tempting
Applied the rate to an arbitrary base rather than to the contract value.
Why B is tempting
Used the round 1% that bond premiums are often quoted at rather than the rate given.
Why D is tempting
Added a 10% agent commission on top. The premium rate is quoted inclusive of it.
Source NCEES FE Reference Handbook 10.6 — Civil Engineering, Construction; standard estimating practice
Question 2 of 6
2,250 yd^3 of soil measured in place is excavated. The material has a swell of 15%. The loose volume to be hauled is most nearly:
Show the answer and the reasoning
Why D
Given: bank volume 2,250 yd^3, swell 0.15. Relation: loose = bank(1 + swell). Substitute: 2250(1 + 0.15). Result: 2588 yd^3 loose.
Why A is tempting
Gave only the increase in volume rather than the loose total.
Why B is tempting
Reduced the volume. Excavated soil occupies more space loose than it did in the ground, not less.
Why C is tempting
Assumed no volume change on excavation.
Source NCEES FE Reference Handbook 10.6 — Civil Engineering, Construction; standard estimating practice
Question 3 of 6
An activity has an early start on day 18, a late start on day 27 and a duration of 8 days. Its total float is most nearly:
Activity of 8 days with an early start on day 18 and a late start on day 27; the total float is the gap between the two starts. Show the answer and the reasoning
Why B
Given: ES = day 18, LS = day 27, duration 8 days. Relation: TF = LS - ES (equally LF - EF). Substitute: 27 - 18. Result: TF = 9 days. Check: LF - EF = (27 + 8) - (18 + 8) gives the same, because the duration cancels.
Why A is tempting
Reversed the subtraction, which would give a negative float on a non-critical activity.
Why C is tempting
Added the activity duration. Float is the difference between the late and early dates, and the duration cancels.
Why D is tempting
Reported the late start date.
Source NCEES FE Reference Handbook 10.6 — Civil Engineering, Construction; standard estimating practice
Question 4 of 6
A project has 1 spread footing, each 28 ft by 3 ft and 30 in thick. The concrete required is most nearly:
Show the answer and the reasoning
Why B
Given: 1 footing, each 28 ft x 3 ft x 30 in. Relation: V = n L W (T/12)/27 yd^3. Substitute: 1(28)(3)(2.50) = 210.0 ft^3; /27. Result: 7.78 yd^3.
Why A is tempting
Added the plan dimensions instead of multiplying them.
Why C is tempting
Left the footing thickness in inches. It must be converted to feet before dividing by 27.
Why D is tempting
Left the answer in cubic feet.
Source NCEES FE Reference Handbook 10.6 — Civil Engineering, Construction; standard estimating practice
Question 5 of 6
A centreline runs from station 37+91 to station 42+24. The distance between them is most nearly:
Show the answer and the reasoning
Why A
Given: stations 37+91 and 42+24. Relation: a station is 100 ft, so station a+b sits at 100a + b ft. Substitute: 4,224 - 3,791. Result: 433 ft.
Why B is tempting
Ignored the plus distances. Only whole stations were differenced.
Why C is tempting
Added an extra full station.
Why D is tempting
Added the two stations instead of subtracting.
Source NCEES FE Reference Handbook 10.6 — Civil Engineering, Construction; standard estimating practice
Question 6 of 6
Under which project delivery method does a single entity hold contractual responsibility to the owner for both the design and its construction?
Show the answer and the reasoning
Why A
Design-build places design and construction under one contract with the owner, so a single entity is answerable for both, and the gap between "the drawings were wrong" and "the work was built wrong" is not the owner's problem to resolve. Every other arrangement listed keeps the designer and the builder in separate contracts with the owner.
Why B is tempting
Design-bid-build is the traditional separation: the owner holds one contract with the designer and a second with the contractor, and carries the risk of any gap between them.
Why C is tempting
In CM at risk the construction manager takes on construction risk under a guaranteed maximum price, but the designer remains under a separate contract with the owner.
Why D is tempting
Multiple prime contracts split construction further rather than combining it with design, leaving the owner to coordinate every interface.
Source NCEES FE Reference Handbook 10.6 — Civil Engineering, Construction; standard estimating practice
Going further
Frequently asked questions
How many Construction Engineering questions are on the FE Civil exam?
Between 8 and 12 of the 110 questions, according to the NCEES FE Civil specification effective July 2020.
Are these real NCEES exam questions?
No. NCEES does not release its exam questions. These are original FE-style problems written to the NCEES specification and the FE Reference Handbook; every calculated key is checked by two independent solution methods.
Are these Construction Engineering practice problems free?
Yes. All 6 problems on this page, with answers and full worked solutions, are free and need no account.
Check where you stand, free
The quick diagnostic is eight FE Civil questions in about ten minutes, with no account. The free mock is a full 110-question, 5 hour 20 minute FE Civil paper with a worked solution for every question.