PE Civil: Structural Cheat Sheet

Loads and Applications

15-23% of exam
Gravity Loads Environmental Loads Moving + Earth Loads Load Paths

Forces and Load Effects

21-33% of exam
Statics + Diagrams Stress + Shear Deflection + Stability Special Effects

Temporary Structures + Other Topics

6-10% of exam
Inspections + Submittals Temporary Works Adjacent Facilities Safety

Materials and Properties

13-19% of exam
Soils Concrete + Steel Timber + Masonry Material Conformance

Component Design and Detailing

33-49% of exam
Members + Systems Connections Foundations Retaining Structures

Quick Facts

Exam PE Civil: Structural
Identity PE Civil discipline exam
Questions 80
Exam time 8 hours
Appointment 9 hours
Break 50 minutes
Format CBT; year-round
Item types MCQ + AIT
Book status Closed book
References Electronic only
Units SI + USCS
Fee $400
Cut score Not published
Weights Rounded question-range shares

Load Path Chain LO

Area -> line -> reaction -> foundation
q: area load w: line load R: support force P: foundation load

Nominal vs Factored LO

Nominal

Unfactored load
Standard base value
Classify first

Factored

Factors applied
Strength combination
Ultimate demand
Classify before combining

Blueprint Map LO

Loads 12-18 questions
Effects 17-26 questions
Temporary 5-8 questions
Materials 10-15 questions
Design 26-39 questions
Total 80 questions
Methods Design + analysis + application
Standards Listed editions control

Gravity Loads LO

Dead load Permanent components
Live load Occupancy-related loading
Construction load Stage-specific temporary loading
Self-weight Include exactly once
q = gamma t Volume-to-area load
w = q b Area-to-line load
Tributary area Geometry controls share
Load path Roof through foundation

Environmental + Earth Loads LO

Wind Exposure + geometry control
Seismic Inertial mass response
Snow Roof geometry matters
Rain Drainage and ponding
Ice Atmospheric icing load
Moving load Critical placement matters
Impact Dynamic amplification
Surcharge Adds lateral pressure
Hydrostatic Pressure increases with depth
Active earth Wall moves away from backfill
Passive earth Wall moves into backfill

Load Paths + Combinations LO

Diaphragm Distributes lateral forces
Collector Transfers diaphragm force
Chord Carries diaphragm bending
Strength combo Factored ultimate demand
Service combo Usability demand
Building loads ASCE 7-16
Bridge loads AASHTO LRFD 8th
Complete path Continuous resistance to ground

Diagram Chain EF

Load changes shear; shear changes moment
dV/dx = -w dM/dx = V Zero shear: moment extreme

Strength vs Serviceability EF

Strength

Failure limit states
Factored demand
Design resistance

Serviceability

Deflection/drift/vibration
Service demand
Usability
Safety vs usability

Analysis Method Picker EF

Axial shortening → PL/AE ( Prismatic elastic )
Beam normal stress → My/I ( Elastic flexure )
Beam shear stress → VQ/It ( At selected depth )
Built-up shear transfer → VQ/I ( Shear flow )
Simple beam deflection → Handbook formula ( Match loading )
General elastic deflection → Virtual work ( Unit load )
Elastic column buckling → Euler load ( Use effective length )
Moving-load response → Influence line ( Place critical load )
Principal stresses → Mohr circle ( Stress transformation )

Statics + Stress EF

Sum Fx = 0 Horizontal equilibrium
Sum Fy = 0 Vertical equilibrium
Sum M = 0 Rotational equilibrium
dV/dx = -w Load changes shear
dM/dx = V Shear changes moment
sigma = P/A Axial normal stress
sigma = My/I Elastic flexural stress
tau = VQ/It Beam shear stress
q = VQ/I Shear flow
delta = PL/AE Axial deformation

Stress Pair EF

Axial P/A; flexure My/I
P/A: uniform axial My/I: linear flexure Signs follow convention

One-Way vs Punching Shear EF

One-way shear

Beam-like action
Section across width
Near support

Punching shear

Two-way action
Perimeter around column
Concentrated reaction
Strip section vs perimeter

Deflection + Stability EF

Torsion Twisting shear response
Progressive collapse Local failure spreads
Bearing stress Force over contact area
EI Flexural rigidity
Moment-area Slope and deflection
Virtual work General elastic deflection
Euler load pi squared EI/(KL) squared
KL/r Member slenderness
P-Δ Global sway effect
P-δ Member curvature effect
Serviceability Deflection + drift + vibration
Fatigue Stress range and cycles
Thermal strain alpha Delta T

Local vs Global Buckling EF

Local

Plate element buckles
Width-thickness controls
Section capacity affected

Global

Whole member buckles
KL/r controls
Bracing matters
Element vs member

Shoring vs Reshoring TE

Shoring

Initial temporary support
Supports fresh construction
Installed first

Reshoring

Support after stripping
Redistributes construction loads
Sequence matters
Initial vs replacement support

Temporary Works TE

Special inspection Verifies designated work
Shop drawing Fabrication + installation details
RFI Requests contract clarification
Delegated design Assigned specialty design
Formwork Shapes fresh concrete
Falsework Supports unfinished construction
Shoring Initial temporary support
Reshoring Support after stripping
Scaffold Worker access platform
Bracing Controls temporary instability
Temporary anchorage Resists erection loads
Adjacent facilities Check construction impacts
Construction safety Designated OSHA provisions

Effective Stress MA

Total minus pore equals effective
sigma: total u: pore pressure sigma prime: effective

Pretension vs Post-Tension MA

Pretension

Tendons stressed first
Concrete cast afterward
Bond transfers force

Post-tension

Concrete cast first
Tendons stressed later
Anchors transfer force
Before cast vs after cure

Soil Behavior MA

Effective stress Total minus pore pressure
Saturation Water-filled void fraction
Darcy flow q = k i A
Consolidation Time-dependent settlement
Friction angle Granular shear strength
Cohesion Shear-strength intercept
Permeability Fluid-flow ease
Compressibility Volume-change tendency
Soil classification Gradation plus plasticity

Material Properties + Conformance MA

Concrete f'c Specified compression strength
Steel Fy Specified yield strength
Timber Orthotropic; exam uses ASD
Masonry f'm Assembly compression strength
Prestress Introduces precompression
Pretension Bond transfers prestress
Post-tension Anchors transfer prestress
Slump Fresh concrete consistency
Cylinder test Concrete compression check
Mill certificate Steel property traceability
Cold-formed steel Thin-walled member design

Retaining Stability DE

Slide, overturn, bear, then global
S: sliding O: overturning B: bearing G: global stability

Active vs Passive Pressure DE

Active

Wall moves away
Lower lateral pressure
Driving action

Passive

Wall moves into backfill
Higher lateral resistance
Requires movement
Away vs into soil

Design Check Picker DE

Beam bending → Flexure strength
Beam web demand → Shear strength
Column compression → Stability + interaction
Combined P and M → Interaction equation
Slab near column → Punching shear
Steel connection → Bolt/weld limit states
Concrete anchor → Steel + concrete modes
Footing eccentricity → Bearing pressure
Retaining wall → All stability modes
Service complaint → Deflection/drift/vibration

Members + Systems DE

Beam Flexure + shear
Column Axial + bending
Slab One-way or two-way
Diaphragm Horizontal lateral distributor
Shear wall Vertical lateral member
Braced frame Primarily axial action
Moment frame Rigid-joint frame action
Truss Idealized axial members
Composite action Requires shear transfer
Bridge distribution Follow AASHTO methods
Strut Compression force path
Bearing wall Supports gravity load

Bearing vs Slip-Critical Bolts DE

Bearing

Bolt bears on hole
Shear transfer
Slip may occur

Slip-critical

Pretensioned bolt
Faying-surface friction
Slip controlled
Bearing vs friction transfer

Reference Picker DE

Building loads → ASCE 7-16
Building code → IBC 2018
Concrete design → ACI 318-14
Steel design → AISC 15th
Bridge design → AASHTO 8th
Wood design → NDS 2018 ( ASD only )
Wood wind or seismic → SDPWS 2015 ( ASD only )
Masonry design → TMS 402/602-16
Precast/prestress → PCI 7th
Construction safety → CFR Title 29 ( Listed sections only )
General mechanics → PE Civil Handbook

Connections DE

Bearing bolt Load through bearing
Slip-critical bolt Faying-surface friction
Fillet weld Equal-leg throat = 0.707 leg
Weld group Force plus eccentric moment
Block shear Combined tension-shear path
Anchor tension Steel + concrete modes
Anchor shear Edge distance matters
Development length Transfers reinforcing force
Embed plate Transfers interface forces
Connection ductility Preferred yielding sequence

Shallow vs Deep Foundations DE

Shallow

Near-surface support
Footings and mats
Bearing + settlement checks

Deep

Piles or shafts
Shaft + tip resistance
Group effects
Surface bearing vs depth transfer

Foundations + Retaining Structures DE

Spread footing Single-column shallow support
Combined footing Supports multiple columns
Strap footing Beam balances eccentricity
Mat Shared foundation slab
Deep foundation Shaft and/or tip resistance
Settlement Serviceability limit
Bearing capacity Soil strength limit
Sliding Horizontal stability
Overturning Moment stability
Global stability Deep failure surface
Drainage Relieves water pressure
MSE wall Reinforced soil mass

Common Traps

PE Civil vs PE Structural

Civil: 80-question discipline exam ≠ PE Structural: breadth/depth sections

Current vs Future Blueprint

April 2024 controls now ≠ April 2027 is future

Self-Weight vs Double Count

Include exactly once ≠ Check stated load scope

Building vs Bridge Loads

ASCE/IBC for buildings ≠ AASHTO for bridges

Nominal vs Factored

Nominal before factors ≠ Factored after combinations

Total vs Effective Stress

Total includes pore pressure ≠ Effective drives soil response

Active vs At-Rest

Active requires movement ≠ At-rest restrains movement

Stiffness vs Strength

Stiffness controls deformation ≠ Strength controls failure

Shop Drawing vs Design Duty

Submittal communicates details ≠ Responsibilities remain assigned

Local vs Global Stability

Elements buckle locally ≠ Members/systems buckle globally

Last Minute

1. Confirm PE Civil: Structural identity
2. Use April 2024 specification
3. Exclude April 2027 standards
4. Match problem unit system
5. Open listed reference first
6. Sketch complete load path
7. Track units every conversion
8. Include self-weight exactly once
9. Separate nominal and factored loads
10. Check strength and serviceability
11. Test every connection limit state
12. Check all foundation failure modes
13. Evaluate retaining water pressure separately
14. Verify equilibrium and sign convention
15. Check reactions against applied loads

PE Civil: Structural

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