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Engineering Learning Studio

Civil & Structural Studio

Site civil engineering, structural design, and geotechnical engineering in one studio — stormwater and grading, steel/concrete/wood structural design per AISC/ACI/ASCE 7, foundation bearing capacity, slope stability, and soil classification. 30 calculators and 47 in-depth guides.

Site CivilStructural DesignGeotechnicalAISC/ACI/ASCE 7StormwaterFoundations

Calculators

30
Rational Method Peak Flow CalculatorLIVE

Peak stormwater runoff via Q = C·i·A with composite runoff coefficients by surface type.

Rational MethodStormwater
Open →
Detention Pond Routing SimulatorLIVE

Level-pool (storage-indication) routing showing inflow-to-outflow attenuation and peak reduction.

TR-55Peak Attenuation
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Runoff Hydrograph SimulatorLIVE

SCS Curve Number runoff and triangular unit hydrograph — peak flow and timing.

SCS TR-55Hydrograph
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SCS TR-55 Curve Number CalculatorLIVE

Composite curve number and runoff depth: Q = (P−0.2S)² / (P+0.8S).

TR-55Curve Number
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Manning's Open Channel Flow CalculatorLIVE

Uniform flow velocity and capacity: V = (1.49/n)·R^⅔·S^½.

Manning's EquationOpen Channel
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Channel Flow Profile SimulatorLIVE

Manning normal depth, critical depth, and Froude-number flow regime in a trapezoidal channel.

Normal DepthFroude Number
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Storm Pipe Full-Flow Capacity CalculatorLIVE

Circular storm pipe capacity using Manning's equation, flowing full.

Manning's EquationStorm Pipe
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Cut & Fill Volume Grid CalculatorLIVE

Earthwork balance from a grid of elevation pairs using the 4-corner average-end-area method.

Cut & FillEarthwork
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Earthwork Balance SimulatorLIVE

Adjust the proposed grade plane to balance cut & fill and minimize import/export haul.

EarthworkGrading
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Horizontal Curve Elements CalculatorLIVE

Simple circular curve tangent length, curve length, chord, and offsets.

Horizontal CurveAASHTO
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Impervious Cover & FAR CalculatorLIVE

Impervious percentage, floor area ratio, and lot coverage for site planning.

Impervious CoverFAR
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Slope & Grade CalculatorLIVE

Percent slope, angle, and ratio conversions, including ADA compliance checks.

SlopeADA
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Soil Bearing & Compaction CalculatorLIVE

Presumptive bearing values and shallow footing sizing by soil type.

Bearing CapacityCompaction
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Beam Reactions CalculatorLIVE

Simply supported beam reactions, shear, moment, and deflection under uniform and point loads.

Beam ReactionsDeflection
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Beam Shear & Moment Diagram SimulatorLIVE

Interactive shear and moment diagram builder for multi-load beam configurations.

Shear DiagramMoment Diagram
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Continuous Beam CalculatorLIVE

Three-moment equation solver for 2-3 span continuous beams under uniform loads.

Three-Moment EquationContinuous Beam
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Column Buckling CalculatorLIVE

Euler critical buckling load, slenderness ratio KL/r, and AISC 360 design capacity φPn.

Euler BucklingAISC 360
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Concrete Beam Flexure CalculatorLIVE

Singly reinforced concrete beam design moment capacity φMn, reinforcement ratio, and As.

ACI 318Flexure
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Steel Connection Failure SimulatorLIVE

AISC limit states for bolted connections: shear, bearing, tearout, net section, block shear.

AISCConnections
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Frame Deflection SimulatorLIVE

Portal frame lateral drift and deflected shape under lateral loading.

Portal FrameLateral Drift
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Foundation Bearing CalculatorLIVE

Spread footing bearing pressure under uniform and eccentric loading, with kern check.

Spread FootingBearing Pressure
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Shear Wall Design CalculatorLIVE

Unit shear, chord force, hold-down sizing, and APA nailing schedule for wood shear walls.

Shear WallHold-Down
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Snow Load CalculatorLIVE

Flat and sloped roof snow loads per ASCE 7 with exposure, thermal, and importance factors.

ASCE 7Snow Load
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Wind Uplift CalculatorLIVE

ASCE 7 Components & Cladding wind pressure and net uplift fastener force.

ASCE 7Wind Uplift
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Seismic ELF Design SimulatorLIVE

Equivalent Lateral Force procedure for seismic base shear and story force distribution.

ASCE 7Seismic ELF
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Steel Section Properties ReferenceLIVE

AISC W-shape section properties: area, moment of inertia, section modulus, radius of gyration.

AISCW-Shapes
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Weld Strength CalculatorLIVE

Fillet weld shear capacity φRn using E70XX electrode strength and effective throat.

Fillet WeldAISC
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USCS Soil ClassifierLIVE

Unified Soil Classification System group symbol from gradation and Atterberg limits.

USCSSoil Classification
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Bearing Capacity CalculatorLIVE

Terzaghi bearing capacity theory for shallow foundations, allowable bearing pressure.

TerzaghiBearing Capacity
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Slope Stability CalculatorLIVE

Simplified Bishop method factor of safety for circular failure surfaces using method of slices.

Bishop MethodFactor of Safety
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Civil, Structural & Geotechnical License Exam Prep

10/10 Live
LIVE
Exam Prep Overview — Civil & Structural

Civil, structural, and geotechnical work is licensed through the Professional Engineer (PE) system, with structural adding the advanced SE exam and geotechnical adding a state GE authority in some states. Site/land-development professionals often add the Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) ladder, and engineering-geology work may call for a PG/CEG. This overview covers the FE, all five PE Civil depth exams, the 16-hour SE exam, the surveying ladder (FS → PS), the geotechnical GE authority, and the PG/CEG geology credential — what each covers and how they relate.

OverviewRequirementsExam Strategies
LIVE
FE Civil — Practice Exam

FE Civil prep: statics, structures, geotech, hydraulics, transportation, construction and surveying.

NCEESEITPath to PE
LIVE
PE Civil (depth: Construction / Geotechnical / Structural / Transportation / Water Resources) — Practice Exam

PE Civil prep across the five depth areas — Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, and Water Resources.

NCEES PE5 Depth AreasStamp
LIVE
PE Civil: Structural — Practice Exam

PE Civil: Structural prep: analysis, steel (AISC), concrete (ACI), wood/masonry, loads (ASCE 7) and foundations.

NCEES PEAISC/ACIASCE 7
LIVE
Structural Engineering (SE) Exam — Practice Exam

SE exam prep: the 16-hour Vertical + Lateral Forces components — steel, concrete, wood, masonry, seismic and wind.

NCEES SE16-HourSeismic/Wind
LIVE
PE Civil: Geotechnical — Practice Exam

PE Civil: Geotechnical prep: soil mechanics, shallow/deep foundations, slope stability, retaining walls and earthwork.

NCEES PEFoundationsSlope Stability
LIVE
Geotechnical Engineer (GE) — state authority — Practice Exam

Geotechnical Engineer (GE) prep: the additional state authority (e.g., CA/OR) beyond the PE for geotechnical practice.

State GESeismicAdvanced Soils
LIVE
Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) — Practice Exam

Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) prep: measurements & error, GNSS, boundary basics, cadastral and geodesy.

NCEESSurveyingGNSS
LIVE
Principles & Practice of Surveying (PS) — Practice Exam

Principles & Practice of Surveying (PS) prep: boundary law, legal descriptions, plats, control surveys and ethics.

NCEESBoundary LawPLS
LIVE
Professional Geologist (PG) / Certified Engineering Geologist (CEG) — Practice Exam

PG / CEG prep: engineering-geology licensure — geologic hazards, site characterization, rock/soil and groundwater.

ASBOGPG/CEGGeohazards

Knowledge Articles

47
🌧️
Stormwater Management: The Rational Method and TR-55 Explained
8 min read
📋
NPDES Phase II: What Civil Engineers Need to Know About Stormwater Permits
7 min read
🏗️
Grading and Earthwork: Cut/Fill Calculations for Site Development
8 min read
🛣️
AASHTO Horizontal Curve Design: A Practical Guide for Site Engineers
8 min read
🌿
Low Impact Development: Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Control
7 min read
ADA Site Accessibility: Slopes, Parking, and Accessible Routes
7 min read
⛏️
Underground Utility Design for Civil Site Projects
12 min read
🚗
Parking Lot and Traffic Design for Civil Engineers
11 min read
🌱
Erosion and Sediment Control: BMP Design Guide
12 min read
🧱
Retaining Wall Design for Civil Site Engineers
13 min read
📐
Construction Drawing Standards: What Every Builder and Engineer Needs to Know
8 min read
📝
What Is an RFI in Construction and How to Write One
6 min read
📁
Construction Submittals: What They Are and How the Process Works
7 min read
📐
How to Read Construction Blueprints: A Complete Guide for Beginners
10 min read
🎓
PE Civil Exam: Complete Study Guide for All Five Modules
10 min read
🗺️
How to Read a Survey Plat: A Complete Guide for Property Owners and Engineers
10 min read
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Grading Plan Explained: How Civil Engineers Design Site Earthwork
9 min read
📋
Construction Punch List Guide: What It Is, How to Create One, and How to Close It Out
9 min read
📖
Engineering Abbreviations and Acronyms: The Complete Reference Guide
12 min read
📐
ASCE 7 Load Combinations: How to Apply LRFD and ASD Factors
8 min read
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Steel vs. Concrete: Choosing the Right Structural System for Your Project
7 min read
🌍
Seismic Design Categories: What IBC and ASCE 7 Require for Your Building
8 min read
🔩
Moment Frames vs. Braced Frames: Lateral System Selection Guide
7 min read
📚
PE Structural Exam: What to Study and How to Pass
8 min read
🏛️
ACI 318 Concrete Design: A Practical Introduction for Structural Engineers
8 min read
⚙️
AISC Steel Connection Design: Bolts, Welds, and Limit States
8 min read
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Structural Steel Beam Sizing: W-Shape Selection Using AISC and LRFD
9 min read
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Foundation Types: How to Choose Between Slab, Crawlspace, Basement, and Deep Foundations
8 min read
🪵
Wood Structural Systems: Framing, Engineered Lumber, Shear Walls, and IBC Requirements
8 min read
🏛️
Seismic Retrofitting: How Engineers Strengthen Existing Buildings Against Earthquakes
9 min read
⚖️
Structural Loads Explained: Dead, Live, Snow, Wind, and Seismic — From Concepts to Code
8 min read
📐
How to Read Structural Drawings: A Complete Guide for Engineers and Contractors
10 min read
🏠
What Is a Load-Bearing Wall? How to Identify and Work With Structural Walls
9 min read
🔩
Rebar Sizes and Grades Chart: A Complete Reference for Structural Engineers
11 min read
🧱
Concrete Compressive Strength Guide: 3000, 4000, and 5000 PSI Explained
10 min read
🌬️
ASCE 7-22 Chapter 26 Wind Loads: How to Determine Design Wind Speeds and Pressures
13 min read
🎓
How to Become a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE): Complete Career Guide
13 min read
🪨
USCS Soil Classification System: Group Symbols, Atterberg Limits, and Engineering Significance
11 min read
🪨
Foundation Bearing Capacity: Terzaghi, Meyerhof, and LRFD Design
14 min read
🪨
Standard Penetration Test (SPT): Corrections, Correlations, and Limitations
11 min read
🪨
Consolidation and Settlement Analysis: Theory, Calculations, and Code Limits
14 min read
🪨
Slope Stability Analysis: Limit Equilibrium Methods and Seismic Considerations
14 min read
🪨
Earth Pressure Theory and Retaining Wall Design: Rankine, Coulomb, and MSE Walls
14 min read
🪨
Deep Foundation Design: Driven Piles, Drilled Shafts, and Group Behavior
14 min read
🪨
Seismic Liquefaction Assessment: CSR, CRR, Simplified Procedure, and Mitigation
12 min read
🪨
Geotechnical Field Investigation Methods: Borings, Soundings, and Subsurface Profiling
11 min read
🪨
Earthwork Compaction and Quality Control: Proctor Tests, Field Density, and Specs
12 min read