PSAD Civil Engineering Licensure Examination (CELE) Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• Which statement describes serviceability state?
• Which expression correctly defines the horizontal component of a force F making angle θ with the x-axis?
• Average shear stress fv is defined by which formula?
• For a circular cross-section, which expression correctly gives the maximum bending stress fbmax due to bending moment M?
• For a simply supported beam with a concentrated load P at midspan, which set of Vmax, Mmax, and ymax is correct?
• Which expression correctly gives the magnitude of the resultant force when its components are Rx and Ry?
• In hydrology, what is a unit hydrograph used for?
• If f'c equals 28 MPa, what is β1?
• In beam theory, the curvature of the elastic curve is proportional to which quantity?
• For normal weight concrete (wc = 2300 kg/m³), which is the Modulus of Elasticity Ec?
• Axial strain epsilon is defined as what?
• Allowable Stress Design Principle states that which inequality must hold?
• For a simply supported beam with a uniform distributed load w over the span, which set is correct for Vmax, Mmax, ymax?
• In transportation engineering, what is the purpose of sight distance in horizontal alignment design?
• The stress in the compression steel f's is given by which expression?
• For a circular cross-section, the maximum bending stress fbmax is given by which expression?
• The deflection δ of a helically coiled spring is given by δ = 64 P R^3 n / (G d^4). Which statement is true about how δ changes with the parameters?
• Which factor is most directly affected by proper curing of concrete?
• Using cbal = (0.003 dt)/(0.003+ εty), what is cbal when dt = 60 and εty = 0.005?
• For a frictionless pin or hinge contacting a rough surface, how many unknowns (components) are present?
• Modular Ratio n equals the ratio of the modulus of elasticity of the stronger material to the weaker material.
• Which unit operation in water treatment primarily removes dissolved contaminants via adsorption or ion exchange?
• In a thin-walled pressure vessel, tangential stress is given by sigma_T = p D / (2 t). What does p denote?
• Roller or frictionless surface support provides how many independent reaction components in a planar frame?
• The first moment of area Q about the neutral axis is given by which expression?
• Which formula gives the depth of the neutral axis c based on stress?
• Which expression gives the vertical distance y from the lowest point of a catenary to a point on the cable?
• In concrete technology, which property is most influenced by aggregate grading and shape?
• Area of compression steel As' is calculated by which formula?
• If the diameter of a solid shaft is doubled while torque remains the same, by what factor does the maximum shear stress τmax change (τmax ∝ 1/D^3)?
• Which statement correctly describes the relationship between slenderness ratio and buckling propensity?
• Which of the following describes Manning's roughness coefficient n?
• In structural steel design, which parameter is used to govern the allowable stress in bending calculations?
• Which set of equations represents the equilibrium conditions in a planar system?
• In materials testing, what does a slump test indicate?
• Fore sight readings are used to measure the position of which point?
• For a hollow circular shaft with outer diameter D = 0.08 m and inner diameter d = 0.04 m under torque T = 60 N·m, τmax = 16 T / [π (D^4 - d^4)]. Compute τmax in MPa.
• Which parameter defines slenderness ratio for a member?
• A shear deformation δs occurs in a member with V = 4,000 N, length L = 0.6 m, cross-sectional area A = 0.003 m^2, and shear modulus G = 25 GPa. Using δs = V L / (A G), determine δs in millimeters.
• In beam sign conventions, which statement is correct?
• What does pavement life and reliability denote?
• In traffic engineering, what does Level of Service (LOS) measure?
• The DRB balance steel ratio ρbal_DRB equals ρbal_SRB plus which term?
• Moment capacity describes the cross-section's ability to resist bending moments before failure. It depends on which factors?
• Deformation delta under axial load is given by which formula?
• What is the purpose of shear connectors in composite beams?
• For a solid circular shaft with diameter D = 0.05 m under torque T = 50 N·m, τmax = 16 T / (π D^3). Compute τmax in MPa.
• In RC beam design, what is the primary function of stirrups?
• Allowable Stress F_all is defined by which relation?
• A rod of length L = 2.0 m with coefficient of linear expansion α = 1.2×10^-5 /°C is heated by ΔT = 40°C. The thermal deformation is δT = α L ΔT. Compute δT in millimeters.
• Which formula gives the depth of the neutral axis c based on strain?
• According to Wahl's expression, the maximum shear stress Ss for a helical spring involves the parameter m and is given by which form?
• In wastewater collection design, why is slope important?
• How many unknown reactions does a fixed support provide in the plane?
• Which condition is true for a Tension-Controlled Section?
• What is the primary purpose of the NSCP?
• Which equation correctly expresses the relationship between load w, shear V, and moment M with respect to the x-axis?
• In environmental engineering, what is the primary function of a primary clarifier in wastewater treatment?
• When steel yields (εs = εy), what is fs?
• The flexural strength of the beam is Mu = φ Rn b d. Which statement best describes this relation?
• Which expression correctly defines the upper bound for ρ in a Tension-Controlled Section?
• For a propped cantilever beam with a uniform distributed load, which set is correct for Vmax, Mmax, ymax?
• Which statement best describes biofiltration?
• Which expression gives the minimum flexural reinforcement Asmin when f'c < 31.36?
• For a rectangular area with area A located a distance y from the neutral axis, Q = Ay. If A = 40 cm^2 and y = 12 cm, Q equals?
• Area of Compression Steel of a DRB is given by which formula?
• Statement: A fixed-end beam under uniform load has the maximum shear at the supports.
• In environmental engineering, what is the function of an aeration tank?
• In structural steel design, which material property governs strength in flexure?
• Which expression gives ρ in terms of Rn?
• Which expression gives the length s of a catenary cable?
• In CPM scheduling, Late Finish is defined as the latest time an activity can finish without delaying the project.
• Torsional shear stress in a shaft is τ = T ρ / J. If T = 40 N·m, ρ = 0.05 m, and J = 1.5×10^-6 m^4, compute τ in MPa.
• Which formula defines Rn, the coefficient of resisting moment?
• Bolt spacing s is given by s = RI / VQ. If the shear term VQ increases, what happens to s?
• For a simply supported beam with a concentrated load P at every 1/3 of the span, which set is correct for Vmax, Mmax, ymax?
• In geotechnical bearing capacity, what is a surcharge?
• For Beams and Frames, the determinacy relation is r = 3n. If there are 4 joints, how many redundants does the frame have?
• Transition Zone is described by which combination of conditions?
• What is the standard test to determine the 28-day compressive strength of concrete?
• What is the fundamental objective of bearing capacity analysis for shallow foundations in geotechnical engineering?
• In reinforced concrete design, what is the primary role of shear reinforcement (stirrups) in a rectangular beam?
• In structural analysis, what distinguishes indeterminate structures from determinate structures?
• Which formula is the correct definition of Rn, the coefficient of resisting moment?
• Earned Value Management is used for what?
• A unit hydrograph is used in hydrology to model what?
• If θ = 1.78×10^-4 rad, what is θ in degrees?
• If the ultimate bearing capacity is known and the factor of safety is increased, what happens to the allowable bearing capacity?
• How is Manning's roughness coefficient n determined?
• In structural design, what is the purpose of wind load provisions?
• When displaced concrete is neglected, which expression represents DRB balance ratio?
• In Transition Zone, which range for ρ is correct relative to ρbal?
• Which expression correctly defines the section modulus S in terms of the moment of inertia I and the outer fiber distance c?
• In Transition Zone, which description correctly relates the concrete cover c to dt and cbal?
• In geotechnical engineering, what is the purpose of soil compaction?
• In contract administration, what is the purpose of a change order?
• In wastewater treatment, what is the main function of the primary clarifier?
• Which statement correctly compares solid and hollow circular shafts with the same outer diameter D?
• In a solid circular shaft subjected to torque, where is the maximum shear stress located?
• Which term describes the longest path through a project network that dictates the project duration in CPM?
• What is the formula for the reinforcement ratio ρ in a rectangular section?
• In design codes, why are load combinations used?
• For a fixed-ended beam under uniform load w over span L, which expression gives Mmax?
• In soil classification, what does the plasticity index (PI) indicate, and which soils are typically high in PI?
• In structural stability, what is the slenderness ratio and its effect on buckling?
• What is the correct expression for the resisting moment coefficient Rn when ρ is known?
• In rectangular beam section analysis, the lever arm a is defined by a = Asfs / (0.85 f'cb). Which expression is correct for a?
• If Rn increases while Mu, φ, b, d remain fixed, what happens to ρ?
• For a simply supported beam with a concentrated load at every 1/4 of the span, which set applies for Vmax, Mmax, ymax?
• Which statement about slenderness ratio and buckling propensity is true?
• A thin-walled cylindrical vessel subjected to internal pressure p = 2 MPa has diameter d = 0.30 m and wall thickness t = 0.02 m. Using σL = p d / (4 t), what is the longitudinal (axial) stress σL?
• For displaced concrete neglected, ρmax_DRB equals ρmax_SRB plus which term?
• In structural load concepts, what is the difference between dead load and live load?
• Which statement best describes the point of inflection in a beam?
• Which expression gives the tensile force T at any point of a catenary cable?
• What does the modular ratio n represent?
• Shear flow q is defined by which expression?
• If a channel's cross-sectional area increases while the wetted perimeter remains constant, what happens to the hydraulic radius?
• In steel design, what is section modulus and why is it important?
• In surveying, what is the method to distribute closure errors in traverse adjustments?
• For displaced concrete neglected and compression steel yields, DRB balance ratio is ρbal_DRB equal to which expression?
• A collar on a frictionless rod and a frictionless pin in a slot contribute how many unknown reaction components?
• Which expression gives the polar moment of inertia J for a hollow circular shaft with outer diameter D and inner diameter d?
• In Terzaghi's ultimate bearing capacity equation for shallow foundations on cohesive-frictional soils, which term represents the contribution from soil cohesion?
• In the section modulus S = I / c, what does c represent?
• In truss structures, the determinacy condition is m + r = 2j. Which statement correctly reflects this relation?
• If Sx is given, bending stress fb is calculated by which expression?
• The moment of inertia about an axis located a distance d from the centroidal axis is given by which expression?
• In contract law, what is liquidated damages?
• Which expression represents the steel ratio ρ based on strain?
• In surveying, what is the difference between back sight and fore sight readings?
• In bearing capacity calculations, what is the role of the bearing capacity factor N_q?
• In environmental engineering, which wastewater effluent parameter is commonly used as a design criterion for organic pollution?
• Under axial loading, axial stress sigma is given by which expression?
• Excess Moment, M2 is defined by which relationship?
• Which expression gives bending stress in terms of bending moment and section modulus?
• Bearing stress σb is defined as σb = P / Ab. If a load P = 15,000 N is applied to a bearing area Ab = 0.003 m^2, what is σb in MPa?
• In design safety, what is the purpose of applying factors of safety?
• Which parameter is the standard design criterion for organic pollution in wastewater treatment?
• Radius of gyration r is defined as which of the following?
• When the steel does not yield (εs < εy), which expression gives fs?
• In concrete technology, why is curing essential for strength development?
• A plate experiences a shear force V = 5,000 N over an area As = 0.003 m^2. τ = V / A_s. What is τ in MPa?
• In Balanced Strain Condition, which relationships hold between steel stress and steel strain?
• In open-channel hydraulics, which parameter represents channel roughness affecting flow velocity?
• In hydraulics, what does the hydraulic radius represent for a channel?
• For a fixed-ended beam with a uniform distributed load w over span L, which expression gives the maximum shear force Vmax?
• Which statement describes the ultimate limit state?
• When displaced concrete is neglected and compression steel yields, ρmax_DRB equals ρmax_SRB plus which term?
• What is the value of β1 when f'c ≤ 28 MPa?
• Which expression correctly defines ρbal in terms of f′c, f_y, β1, εty, dt and d?
• Which statement correctly contrasts ASD and LRFD?
• Which formula expresses the allowable bearing capacity in terms of ultimate capacity and safety factor?
• In the context of beam bending, how is the point of inflection best defined?
• Which statement best describes Early Start in CPM scheduling?
• In Earned Value Management, which term represents the budgeted cost for the scheduled work?
• What does 'superimposed' load mean in structural analysis?
• DRB Maximum Steel Ratio: ρmax_DRB equals ρmax_SRB plus which term?
• Why is a common datum essential in surveying?
• In bending of reinforced concrete sections, what does the neutral axis represent?
• In water or wastewater treatment, what is biofiltration?
• What is the primary purpose of wastewater collection system design?
• General shear stress fv is defined by which formula?
• Using the parallel axis theorem, I_NA = I_CG + Ad^2. If I_CG = 100 in^4, A = 20 in^2, d = 5 in, I_NA equals which value?
• In civil engineering economics, what does the time value of money principle imply for project evaluation?
• If both p and D double while t remains constant, by what factor does sigma_T increase?
• In project management, what is the purpose of the Critical Path Method (CPM)?
• A member has a lateral displacement δs = 0.0004 m over a reference length L = 0.8 m, giving shear strain γ = δs / L. What is γ?
• Which statement best describes stopping sight distance concept?
• For f'c ≥ 28 MPa, β1 is given by which expression?
• In wastewater treatment, what is the primary purpose of sedimentation tanks?
• What is the correct expression for the polar moment of inertia J of a solid circular shaft about its axis in terms of its diameter D?
• In surveying, what is the purpose of a closed traverse adjustment?
• Which expression correctly gives the polar moment of inertia J for a hollow circular shaft (outer diameter D, inner diameter d)?
• Angle of twist for a shaft is θ = TL / (J G) in radians. Given T = 80 N·m, L = 0.8 m, J = 1.2×10^-5 m^4, and G = 30 GPa, compute θ in radians.
• How does c (based on strain) change when εt increases?
• For a short cable (tension only) or a short link, how many unknown reactions are there?
• In surveying, what is a closure error and how is it handled?
• If a cross-section has I = 200 in^4 and area A = 50 in^2, the radius of gyration r is?
• In concrete technology, which property is most influenced by aggregate grading and shape?
• In Terzaghi's bearing capacity equation, which term is explicitly associated with the soil unit weight γ?
• In a Compression-Controlled Section, which statement is true about εt?
• The modulus of elasticity E relates stress and strain by which expression?
• In the steel ratio expressions, what does β1 represent?
• Which expression represents the steel ratio ρ based on stress?
• The approximate formula for the maximum shear stress Ss in a helical spring with load P, mean radius R, and wire diameter d is which of the following?
• If Esteel = 200 GPa and Econcrete = 25 GPa, what is the modular ratio n?
• If the shear force V is integrated with respect to x, which quantity is obtained?
• If τ = 0.8 MPa and γ = 0.0004, compute the modulus of rigidity G using G = τ / γ.
• In project scheduling, what does 'float' mean in CPM?
• In open-channel hydraulics, the hydraulic radius is defined as A divided by P. If the cross-sectional area A becomes four times larger while the Wetted Perimeter P stays the same, what happens to the hydraulic radius?