PE Civil: Geotechnical Vocabulary Game
Exam terms with clues and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
About the PE Civil: Geotechnical Vocabulary Games
4 free word games built on 20 PE Civil: Geotechnical terms across 10 topics. Every game deals terms at random and shows what each term means, so you can keep playing as long as you like.
How to Play
- 1.Read the clue and type the term (3 to 6 letters).
- 2.Green: right spot. Yellow: wrong spot. Gray: not in the term.
- 3.Solve it in 6 tries, then read the explanation.
- 1.Swap two neighboring tiles to line up 3 of the same term.
- 2.Longer lines, two lines at once and chains score more.
- 3.Play until no swap can make a line.
- 1.Flip two cards. A matching pair stays face up.
- 2.Each pair you find shows what the term means.
- 3.Clear the board in as few moves as you can.
- 1.Find each listed term in the letter grid.
- 2.Drag across its letters: across, down or diagonally.
- 3.Find all five as fast as you can.
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Topics in the PE Civil: Geotechnical Vocabulary Game
Site characterization
Soil mechanics
Construction observation
Earthquake engineering
Ground improvement and pavement
Groundwater and seepage
Problematic soil and rock
Retaining structures
Shallow foundations
Deep foundations
Sources for these terms (13)
- FHWA NHI-06-088 Soils and Foundations Reference Manual, Volume I · Source checked 2026-11-06
- FHWA NHI-06-089 Soils and Foundations Reference Manual, Volume II · Source checked 2026-11-06
- FHWA NHI-16-009 Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations, Volume I · Source checked 2026-11-06
- FHWA NHI-16-010 Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations, Volume II · Source checked 2026-11-06
- FHWA NHI-05-037 Geotechnical Aspects of Pavements · Source checked 2026-11-06
- FHWA NHI-18-024 Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures and Design Methods · Source checked 2026-11-06
- FHWA NHI-14-007 Soil Nail Walls Reference Manual · Source checked 2026-11-06
- FHWA-IF-99-015 Ground Anchors and Anchored Systems · Source checked 2026-11-06
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.650, Scope, application, and definitions applicable to this subpart · Source checked 2026-11-06
- What is a sinkhole? · Source checked 2026-11-06
- Earthquake Hazards Program Glossary · Source checked 2026-11-06
- FERC Engineering Guidelines, Chapter R10, Internal Erosion and Piping · Source checked 2026-11-06
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.652, Requirements for protective systems · Source checked 2026-11-06
About the PE Geotechnical Exam
The NCEES PE Civil Geotechnical exam is a year-round computer-based licensure exam for civil engineers whose practice centers on subsurface characterization, soil and rock behavior, seepage, earth structures, retaining systems, and foundation design. The live April 2024 specification organizes the exam into 10 content areas ranging from site exploration and laboratory interpretation through shallow and deep foundations. Examinees work 80 questions using the NCEES PE Civil Reference Handbook plus the listed geotechnical design standards provided on screen during the appointment.
Exam sponsor: NCEES (Pearson VUE). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Computer-based; multiple-choice and alternative item types
Time Limit
8 hours of exam time (within a 9-hour appointment)
Passing Score
NCEES does not publish a fixed passing score (scaled)
Reported exam pass rate: 63%. First-time takers 63%, repeat takers 44% (July 2026 NCEES pass-rate table) This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the PE Geotechnical vocabulary game free?
Yes. The game is free to play with no sign-up. Signing in adds AI explanations for any term.
How do the PE Geotechnical vocabulary games work?
There are 4 games built on 20 PE Geotechnical terms. In Guess the Term, a clue describes one term and you have six tries to spell it, with green, yellow and gray letters showing how close you are. In Term Match, six terms appear as colored tiles; swap neighbors to line up three or more of the same term, and each match shows what the term means. In Term Pairs, twelve face-down cards hide six pairs of terms; flip two at a time to find each pair, and every pair you find shows what the term means. In Term Search, five terms hide in a grid of letters, reading across, down or diagonally; drag across a term to circle it, and each term you find shows what it means.
Where do the PE Geotechnical terms come from?
OpenExamPrep researched each term from the NCEES (Pearson VUE) content outline and primary sources, listed under Sources on this page. The game is independent study material, not an official exam resource.
What is the PE Civil Geotechnical exam pass rate?
NCEES's July 2026 pass-rate table lists PE Civil Geotechnical at 63% for first-time takers and 44% for repeat takers. That puts geotechnical in the middle of the current PE Civil specialties — ahead of construction, transportation, and structural but behind water resources and environmental.
Does NCEES publish a fixed passing score for PE Geotechnical?
No. NCEES says exam results are based on the number of correct answers and then converted to a scaled score, and it explicitly states that it does not publish the passing score. Candidates should prepare for full-domain mastery rather than target a rumored percentage.