The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is an American non-profit organization dedicated to advancing professional licensure for engineers and surveyors
Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) CIVIL CBT Exam Specifications
- The FE exam is a computer-based test (CBT). It is closed book with an electronic reference.
- Examinees have 6 hours to complete the exam, which contains 110 multiple-choice questions. The 6-hour time also includes a tutorial, a break, and a brief survey at the conclusion.
- The FE exam uses both the International System of Units (SI) and the US Customary System (USCS).
Mathematics
Mathematics Number of Questions 7 to 11
- Analytic geometry
- Calculus
- Roots of equations
- Vector analysis
Probability and Statistics
Probability and Statistics Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Measures of central tendencies and dispersions (e.g., mean, mode, standard deviation)
- Estimation for a single mean (e.g., point, confidence intervals)
- Regression and curve fitting
- Expected value (weighted average) in decision making
Computational Tools
Computational Tools Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Spreadsheet computations
- Structured programming (e.g., if-then, loops, macros)
Ethics and Professional Practice
Ethics and Professional Practice Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Codes of ethics (professional and technical societies)
- Professional liability
- Licensure
- Sustainability and sustainable design
- Professional skills (e.g., public policy, management, and business)
- Contracts and contract law
Engineering Economics
Engineering Economics Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Discounted cash flow (e.g., equivalence, PW, equivalent annual worth, FW, rate of return)
- Cost (e.g., incremental, average, sunk, estimating)
- Analyses (e.g., breakeven, benefit-cost, life cycle)
- Uncertainty (e.g., expected value and risk)
Statics
Statics Number of Questions 7 to 11
- Resultants of force systems
- Equivalent force systems
- Equilibrium of rigid bodies
- Frames and trusses
- Centroid of area
- Area moments of inertia
- Static friction
Dynamics
Dynamics Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Kinematics (e.g., particles and rigid bodies)
- Mass moments of inertia
- Force acceleration (e.g., particles and rigid bodies)
- Impulse momentum (e.g., particles and rigid bodies)
- Work, energy, and power (e.g., particles and rigid bodies)
Mechanics of Materials
Mechanics of Materials Number of Questions 7 to 11
- Shear and moment diagrams
- Stresses and strains (e.g., axial, torsion, bending, shear, thermal)
- Deformations (e.g., axial, torsion, bending, thermal)
- Combined stresses
- Principal stresses
- Mohr's circle
- Column analysis (e.g., buckling, boundary conditions)
- Composite sections
- Elastic and plastic deformations
- Stress-strain diagrams
Materials
Materials Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Mix design (e.g., concrete and asphalt)
- Test methods and specifications (e.g., steel, concrete, aggregates, asphalt, wood)
- Physical and mechanical properties of concrete, ferrous and nonferrous metals, masonry, wood, engineered materials (e.g., FRP, laminated lumber, wood/plastic composites), and asphalt
Fluid Mechanics
Fluid Mechanics Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Flow measurement
- Fluid properties
- Fluid statics
- Energy, impulse, and momentum equations
Hydraulics and Hydrologic Systems
Hydraulics and Hydrologic Systems Number of Questions 8 to 12
- Basic hydrology (e.g., infiltration, rainfall, runoff, detention, flood flows, watersheds)
- Basic hydraulics (e.g., Manning equation, Bernoulli theorem, open-channel flow, pipe flow)
- Pumping systems (water and wastewater)
- Water distribution systems
- Reservoirs (e.g., dams, routing, spillways)
- Groundwater (e.g., flow, wells, drawdown)
- Storm sewer collection systems
Structural Analysis
Structural Analysis Number of Questions 6 to 9
- Analysis of forces in statically determinant beams, trusses, and frames
- Deflection of statically determinant beams, trusses, and frames
- Structural determinacy and stability analysis of beams, trusses, and frames
- Loads and load paths (e.g., dead, live, lateral, influence lines and moving loads, tributary areas)
- Elementary statically indeterminate structures
Also check: Structure Analysis MCQ
Structural Design
Structural Design Number of Questions 6 to 9
- Design of steel components
- e.g., codes and design philosophies,
- Beams,
- Columns,
- Beam-columns,
- Tension members,
- Connections
- Design of reinforced concrete components (e.g., codes and design philosophies, beams, slabs, columns, walls, footings design)
Geotechnical Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering Number of Questions 9 to 14
- Geology
- Index properties and soil classifications
- Phase relations (air-water-solid)
- Laboratory and field tests
- Effective stress (buoyancy)
- Stability of retaining walls (e.g., active pressure/passive pressure)
- Shear strength
- Bearing capacity (cohesive and noncohesive)
- Foundation types (e.g., spread footings, deep foundations, wall footings, mats)
- Consolidation and differential settlement
- Seepage/flow nets
- Slope stability (e.g., fills, embankments, cuts, dams)
- Soil stabilization (e.g., chemical additives, geosynthetics)
- Drainage systems
- Erosion control
Transportation Engineering
Transportation Engineering Number of Questions 8 to 12
- Geometric design of streets and highways
- Geometric design of intersections
- Pavement system design (e.g., thickness, subgrade, drainage, rehabilitation)
- Traffic safety
- Traffic capacity
- Traffic flow theory
- Traffic control devices
- Transportation planning (e.g., travel forecast modelling)
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineering Number of Questions 6 to 9
- Water quality (ground and surface)
- Basic tests (e.g., water, wastewater, air)
- Environmental regulations
- Water supply and treatment
- Wastewater collection and treatment
Construction
Construction Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Construction documents
- Procurement methods (e.g., competitive bid, qualifications-based)
- Project delivery methods (e.g., design-bid-build, design build, construction management, multiple primes)
- Construction operations and methods (e.g., lifting, rigging, dewatering and pumping, construction equipment production, productivity analysis and improvement, temporary erosion control)
- Project scheduling (e.g., CPM, allocation of resources)
- Project management (e.g., owner/contractor/client relations)
- Construction safety
- Construction estimating
Surveying
Surveying Number of Questions 4 to 6
- Angles, distances, and trigonometry
- Area computations
- Earthwork and volume computations
- Closure
- Coordinate systems (e.g., state plane, latitude/longitude)
- Levelling (e.g., differential, elevations, per cent grades)