PE Civil Geotechnical Practice Exams

Take 3 PE Civil: Geotechnical practice exams with 219 questions, all five question formats, detailed solutions, and results by topic. Work in exam mode or study mode, on standard exam time or on the extra time NCEES has approved for you.

  • 3 practice exams
  • 219 questions
  • Flexible timing
  • Detailed solutions
  • Results by topic

$149, one payment · all 3 exams come with the full Geotechnical video course · 90 days of access

Want to see the simulator first? Take the free 10-question Geotechnical sample — same interface, no credit card.

Why Practice With PEwise?

You practice in a CBT-style environment built around the current NCEES PE Civil: Geotechnical exam specification. Each exam gives you a built-in practice calculator, Geotechnical reference documents open alongside the questions, a timed session you can set to suit the sitting, and a detailed step-by-step solution for every question.

Start with the 59-question focused review to get comfortable with the interface, then work through the two full-length 80-question simulations closer to test day. After each one you get your results broken down by NCEES topic, so you know exactly what to study next.

TI-36X Pro practice calculator
13 Reference PDFs
Timed Sessions
Break System
Question Flagging
Detailed Solutions
Results by NCEES topic

The Question Formats You'll Face

The PEwise simulator supports five question formats. The 59-question focused review uses the first two; both 80-question simulations use all five, so nothing on exam day is the first time you meet a format.

Multiple choice

One correct option, as on most of the exam.

Select all that apply

All-or-nothing scoring, with no partial credit.

Fill in the blank

Type a numerical answer, no options to work backwards from.

Drag and drop

Match, sort, rank or label items.

Point and click

Click the right part of a figure.

NCEES describes its alternative item types with examples rather than a fixed list, so these are the formats PEwise supports — not a claim to cover every format NCEES may use.

Exam Mode or Study Mode

Every practice exam opens either way, and you choose each time you start.

Exam mode

Timed, with the scheduled break and question flagging, exactly as the exam runs. Solutions stay locked until you submit, so the score you get is the score you earned.

Study mode

Untimed. Check each answer as you go and read the full worked solution before moving on — the better way through a topic you are still learning.

Choosing your exam time

In exam mode you sit the exam on standard time — 6 hours for the 59-question review, 8 hours for each 80-question simulation. If NCEES has approved additional time for you, set the same allowance here so you practice under the conditions you will actually have on exam day. PEwise does not grant or verify accommodations; NCEES and Pearson VUE handle those requests.

See Your Results by Geotechnical Topic

When you submit, you get your score and a breakdown of how you did in every NCEES Geotechnical topic area — so you know what to review next instead of guessing.

  • Your score out of the full question count
  • How many you answered correctly in each of the 10 NCEES topic areas
  • Every question reopened with its full worked solution and reference citation
  • Saved to your exam history, so you can see how your scores trend across attempts

It shows you where the points went, not whether you will pass — no practice score can tell you that.

Try the free 10-question sample to see the whole interface, report included, before you enroll.

Exam Complete!

Your Score:

41 / 59 (69%)

Performance by NCEES Exam Topic

1. Site Characterization4/6 (67%)
2. Soil Mechanics, Laboratory Testing, and Analysis7/9 (78%)
3. Construction Observation, Monitoring, QA/QC and Safety4/6 (67%)
4. Earthquake Engineering and Dynamic Loads2/4 (50%)
5. Earth Structures, Ground Improvement, and Pavement7/10 (70%)

+ 5 more topic areas

Review Your Answers

Example report

Choose Your Geotechnical Practice Exam

Practice Exam 1: Focused Review

A focused 59-question practice exam covering key PE Civil Geotechnical topics — good for targeted review and for getting comfortable with the CBT-style interface.

Question formats used:

Multiple ChoiceSelect All That Apply
Focused review · 2 question formats
Topic Coverage (click to expand)
  • • Site Characterization — 6 questions
  • • Soil Mechanics, Laboratory Testing, and Analysis — 9 questions
  • • Construction Observation, Monitoring, QA/QC and Safety — 6 questions
  • • Earthquake Engineering and Dynamic Loads — 4 questions
  • • Earth Structures, Ground Improvement, and Pavement — 10 questions
  • • Groundwater and Seepage — 5 questions
  • • Problematic Soil and Rock Conditions — 3 questions
  • • Retaining Structures — 6 questions
  • • Shallow Foundations — 6 questions
  • • Deep Foundations — 4 questions
Questions

59

Multiple Choice

Duration

6 Hours

Timed exam

Practice Exam 2: Full Simulation

A full-length 80-question exam in a CBT-style environment, covering all 10 NCEES Geotechnical topic areas with a realistic mix of difficulty levels.

All five PEwise-supported question formats:

Multiple ChoiceSelect All That ApplyFill in the BlankDrag and DropPoint and Click
Full-length · all five question formats
Topic Coverage (click to expand)
  • • Site Characterization — 12 questions
  • • Soil Mechanics, Laboratory Testing, and Analysis — 7 questions
  • • Construction Observation, Monitoring, QA/QC and Safety — 8 questions
  • • Earthquake Engineering and Dynamic Loads — 7 questions
  • • Earth Structures, Ground Improvement, and Pavement — 7 questions
  • • Groundwater and Seepage — 5 questions
  • • Problematic Soil and Rock Conditions — 5 questions
  • • Retaining Structures — 12 questions
  • • Shallow Foundations — 5 questions
  • • Deep Foundations — 12 questions
Questions

80

5 question formats

Duration

8 Hours

Timed exam

Practice Exam 3: Full Simulation

A third full-length 80-question exam with an entirely new question set, covering all 10 NCEES Geotechnical topic areas and all five PEwise-supported question formats.

All five PEwise-supported question formats:

Multiple ChoiceSelect All That ApplyFill in the BlankDrag and DropPoint and Click
Full-length · all five question formats
Topic Coverage (click to expand)
  • • Site Characterization — 9 questions
  • • Soil Mechanics, Laboratory Testing, and Analysis — 8 questions
  • • Construction Observation, Monitoring, QA/QC and Safety — 7 questions
  • • Earthquake Engineering and Dynamic Loads — 6 questions
  • • Earth Structures, Ground Improvement, and Pavement — 11 questions
  • • Groundwater and Seepage — 5 questions
  • • Problematic Soil and Rock Conditions — 5 questions
  • • Retaining Structures — 12 questions
  • • Shallow Foundations — 7 questions
  • • Deep Foundations — 10 questions
Questions

80

5 question formats

Duration

8 Hours

Timed exam

Geotechnical Topics Covered

Questions span all 10 knowledge areas of the NCEES PE Civil: Geotechnical exam specification, named here exactly as NCEES names them:

  1. Site Characterization
  2. Soil Mechanics, Laboratory Testing, and Analysis
  3. Construction Observation, Monitoring, and Quality Assurance/Quality Control and Safety
  4. Earthquake Engineering and Dynamic Loads
  5. Earth Structures, Ground Improvement, and Pavement
  6. Groundwater and Seepage
  7. Problematic Soil and Rock Conditions
  8. Retaining Structures (ASD or LRFD)
  9. Shallow Foundations (ASD or LRFD)
  10. Deep Foundations (ASD or LRFD)

Specification and References

These practice exams are written to the current NCEES PE Civil: Geotechnical exam specification, across all ten of its knowledge areas. NCEES updates the list of supplied design standards from time to time without changing those knowledge areas, so check the specification that applies to your own exam date.

These 13 Geotechnical reference documents are built into the exam interface and open beside every question:

  • FHWA-NHI-06-088 — Soils and Foundations, Volume I
  • FHWA-NHI-06-089 — Soils and Foundations, Volume II
  • FHWA-NHI-16-009 — Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations, Volume I
  • FHWA-NHI-16-010 — Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations, Volume II
  • FHWA-NHI-16-072 — Geotechnical Site Characterization
  • FHWA-NHI-18-024 — Drilled Shafts
  • FHWA-NHI-11-032 — LRFD Seismic Analysis and Design of Transportation Geotechnical Features
  • FHWA-NHI-05-037 — Geotechnical Aspects of Pavements
  • NAVFAC DM-7.02 — Foundations and Earth Structures
  • USACE EM 1110-2-1902 — Slope Stability
  • UFC 3-220-05 — Dewatering and Groundwater Control
  • UFC 3-220-10 — Soil Mechanics
  • 29 CFR Title 29 — OSHA construction safety regulations

Licensing restrictions prevent us from distributing either directly, so you upload your own PDFs:

  • NCEES PE Civil Reference Handbook — upload your own PDF; free from MyNCEES.
  • ASCE/SEI 7-16 — 2016. Upload your own PDF, or available from ASCE.

Uploaded files open in the same reference panel as the built-in documents, so you sit the exam with everything in one place. Your files stay in your browser and are never sent to PEwise.

Calculator Policy

For calculations, you have two options:

  • Use your own approved calculator - The NCEES-approved calculators for 2026 include:
    • Casio: All fx-115 and fx-991 models (must have "fx-115" or "fx-991" in the model name)
    • Hewlett Packard: HP 33s and HP 35s models only
    • Texas Instruments: All TI-30X and TI-36X models (must have "TI-30X" or "TI-36X" in the model name)
  • Use the built-in TI-36X Pro practice calculator available in the exam interface, so you can practice without a physical calculator to hand.

Note that NCEES identifies the TI-30XS MultiView as the on-screen calculator in its own testing software. The PEwise practice calculator is a TI-36X Pro — a different model, and not a replica of the official on-screen tool.

What PEwise Students Say

“The practice exam was very similar to the NCEES practice PE exam, which I felt was the greatest strength with PEwise. The videos were pretty solid, I think the way it was set up to explain references in the handbook was a good approach. The price of the course was reasonable too which made PEwise more approachable than other programs.”

Dominic B., Passed Geotechnical PE, March 2026

Read more PEwise reviews

Practice Exam FAQ

Three, totaling 219 questions. Practice Exam 1 is a 59-question focused review with a 6-hour timer; Practice Exams 2 and 3 are full-length 80-question simulations with 8-hour timers, and Exam 3 is an entirely new question set rather than a re-mix of Exam 2. Most engineers take the 59-question exam first to get comfortable with the computer-based-test interface, then save a full-length simulation for closer to test day.
The 59-question focused review runs on a 6-hour timer and each 80-question simulation on an 8-hour timer, matching the length and pacing of the real PE Civil Geotechnical computer-based test. They are timed on purpose, so you build the stamina an eight-hour exam day demands.
Yes. Before you start an exam you can choose standard time or add 25%, 50% or 100% more, and there is a separate untimed Study mode where you check each answer as you go and read the full solution before moving on. These are practice settings available to every student — they are not testing accommodations, and PEwise cannot grant or verify one. Official accommodation requests go through NCEES registration and Pearson VUE.
Your score, and a breakdown of how many questions you answered correctly in each NCEES Geotechnical topic area, so you can see which areas to review before the next attempt. Every question then opens for review with the correct answer and a full worked solution.
Yes — every question has a step-by-step worked solution with the reference citation it comes from, available in the post-exam review. Solutions unlock when you finish a timed exam; in Study mode you see each one as you go.
Thirteen Geotechnical reference documents are built into the exam interface and open beside the questions — the FHWA, NAVFAC, USACE, UFC and OSHA publications supplied for this exam. Two are not included: the NCEES PE Civil Reference Handbook and ASCE/SEI 7-16, which licensing prevents us from distributing. You upload your own copies; the handbook is free once you register or log in at MyNCEES (account.ncees.org). Practicing with the references open trains you to look values up quickly under time pressure, which is half the skill on the real exam.
The current NCEES PE Civil: Geotechnical exam specification. Questions are written across all ten of its knowledge areas, and the simulator mirrors how questions are presented, timed and navigated at Pearson VUE testing centers. NCEES updates the list of supplied design standards from time to time without changing those knowledge areas, so check the specification for your own exam date.
Yes. Your answers and progress are saved automatically in your browser as you work, so you can close the tab and pick the exam back up later on the same device. The simulator also includes the same scheduled break system as the real CBT exam, which locks the questions you've already viewed once you step away — exactly as it works at the testing center.
Yes — you can retake any of the three as many times as you like while your enrollment is active. Every attempt is saved to your exam history, so you can watch how your scores trend as you study.
Single-answer multiple-choice questions are scored the standard way: select the one correct option. 'Select all that apply' questions are scored all-or-nothing — you must select every correct option and no incorrect ones to earn credit, with no partial credit, the same approach the real exam uses. After you submit, every question shows the correct answer alongside a detailed step-by-step solution, so you can see exactly where points were won or lost.
Five formats are supported in the PEwise simulator: multiple choice, select all that apply, fill in the blank, drag and drop, and point and click on a figure. The 59-question focused review uses multiple choice and select-all; both 80-question simulations use all five. NCEES describes its alternative item types with examples rather than a fixed list, so we tell you which formats PEwise supports rather than claiming to cover every format NCEES might use.
The simulator has a built-in TI-36X Pro practice calculator you can open inside the exam interface, so you do not need a physical calculator to practice. You can also use your own NCEES-approved model — the approved list covers the Casio fx-115 and fx-991 series, the HP 33s and 35s, and the TI-30X and TI-36X series. Note that NCEES identifies the TI-30XS MultiView as the official on-screen calculator in its own testing software; the PEwise practice calculator is a different model and is not a replica of it.
They are included with the PE Civil Geotechnical course — there is no separate practice-exam purchase. Enrolling gives you all three exams together with the video lessons, module quizzes and weekly live Q&A for the length of your access period.
Yes. Create a free PEwise account and take a 10-question Geotechnical sample in the same simulator, drawn from these practice exams and covering all five supported question formats. No credit card required — you can start it from the Civil PE practice exams page.
No. They run only in the online simulator, because the point is to rehearse the computer-based-test experience — the on-screen reference panel, the calculator, flagging, the scheduled break and the timer. There is no printable or downloadable version of the exams.
No. Every PEwise question is written independently by our own engineers to match the format and topic coverage of the NCEES specification. PEwise is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by NCEES, and none of our questions are taken from an official NCEES exam or practice publication.

Studying a different discipline, or want to try the simulator first? See all Civil PE practice exams — including a free 10-question PE practice exam sample.

Start Practicing

All 3 practice exams — 219 questions with detailed solutions, flexible timing and results by topic — come with the PE Civil Geotechnical course, alongside 345 lesson topics, module quizzes, weekly live Q&A and the pass guarantee. One payment of $149.

See the full PE Civil Geotechnical curriculum