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PE Civil (NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering) Exam Cram Sheet (2026)

The highest-yield points on the PE Civil (NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering)exam, grouped by the exam's real content areas. Print it, review the ones you keep missing, then drill them with free practice questions.

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80questions
540 mintime limit
6content areas

Structural Engineering

22% of the exam
Study →
  • Beam Reactions, Shear, and Moment
  • Section Properties: I, S, r, and Z
  • Axial Stress, Strain, Thermal, and Combined Loading
  • Column Buckling and Effective Length
  • Reinforced-Concrete Flexure (ACI Strength Design)
  • Steel Design: LRFD, ASD, and Load Combinations
  • Deflection, Serviceability, and Loads

Geotechnical Engineering

20% of the exam
Study →
  • Total Stress, Pore Pressure, and Effective Stress
  • Phase Relationships (Weight-Volume)
  • Lateral Earth Pressure
  • Seepage, Permeability, and the Quick Condition
  • Consolidation and Settlement
  • Shear Strength, Bearing Capacity, and Foundations

Water Resources and Environmental

18% of the exam
Study →
  • Fluid Properties and Hydrostatics
  • Continuity and the Energy Equation
  • Pipe Flow, Reynolds Number, and Head Loss
  • Open-Channel Hydraulics
  • Hydrology and the Rational Method
  • Water and Wastewater Treatment

Transportation Engineering

15% of the exam
Study →
  • Horizontal Curves
  • Vertical Curves
  • Sight Distance and Vehicle Dynamics
  • Traffic Flow Fundamentals
  • Capacity, Level of Service, and Signal Timing
  • Pavement and Design Standards

Construction Engineering and Management

15% of the exam
Study →
  • CPM Scheduling and Float
  • Earned Value and Cost Control
  • Earthwork: Swell, Shrinkage, and Volumes
  • Concrete and Material Quantities
  • Equipment Production and Compaction
  • Temporary Works, Estimating, and Safety

Engineering Materials

10% of the exam
Study →
  • Concrete: Water-Cement Ratio and Strength
  • Concrete Testing and Elastic Properties
  • Aggregates and Gradation
  • Structural Steel and Reinforcement
  • Asphalt and Bituminous Materials
  • Cement Types, Timber, and Metal Tests

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Study aid, not a substitute for the official material — always confirm the current rule with NCEES — PE Civil Exam. Last verified: August 2026.

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