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Sample PEC EPE Geological Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the PEC EPE Geological exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A planar limestone bed has a true dip of 30° toward N45°E. What is the apparent dip angle along an exploratory cut oriented due North?

A.22.2°

B.30.0°

C.18.4°

D.26.6°

Explanation: Apparent dip (α) is related to true dip (θ) by tan(α) = tan(θ) · cos(β), where β is the angle between the true dip direction (045°) and the section line (000°), so β = 45°. Thus, tan(α) = tan(30°) · cos(45°) = 0.57735 · 0.70711 = 0.40825, giving α = arctan(0.40825) ≈ 22.2°. Apparent dip is always less than or equal to true dip.

2An exploratory trench reveals a normal fault dipping at 60° with a net dip-slip displacement of 40.0 m. Assuming no strike-slip component, what are the fault heave and throw?

A.Heave = 20.0 m, Throw = 34.6 m

B.Heave = 34.6 m, Throw = 20.0 m

C.Heave = 28.3 m, Throw = 28.3 m

D.Heave = 23.1 m, Throw = 40.0 m

Explanation: Heave represents the horizontal component of dip-slip displacement: Heave = Net Slip · cos(dip) = 40.0 · cos(60°) = 20.0 m. Throw represents the vertical component: Throw = Net Slip · sin(dip) = 40.0 · sin(60°) = 40.0 · 0.8660 = 34.64 m ≈ 34.6 m. For faults dipping greater than 45°, throw exceeds heave.

3According to Anderson's dynamical classification of faulting, which principal stress state corresponds to a strike-slip fault regime?

A.σ2 is vertical, while σ1 and σ3 are horizontal

B.σ1 is vertical, while σ2 and σ3 are horizontal

C.σ3 is vertical, while σ1 and σ2 are horizontal

D.σ1 and σ2 are inclined at 45° to the vertical

Explanation: In Anderson's fault classification, the Earth's surface is a shear-free boundary, forcing one principal stress axis to be vertical. For strike-slip faulting, the vertical stress is the intermediate principal stress (σ2), while maximum compression (σ1) and minimum compression (σ3) are horizontal. In normal faulting σ1 is vertical, and in reverse/thrust faulting σ3 is vertical.

4Two vertical conjugate shear joint sets in competent sandstone strike N30°E and N70°E. Assuming Coulomb failure criteria, what is the horizontal trend of the maximum principal compressive stress (σ1)?

A.N50°E

B.N20°E

C.N140°E

D.N70°E

Explanation: Conjugate shear planes form an acute dihedral angle (2θ) bisected by the maximum compressive stress axis (σ1). Here the two vertical joints strike N30°E and N70°E; the acute angle between them is 70° − 30° = 40°. The bisector of N30°E and N70°E is (30° + 70°) / 2 = 50°, giving a σ1 orientation of N50°E.

5A vertical exploratory borehole penetrates an ore-bearing sandstone formation that dips uniformly at 35°. The length of core intercepted through the formation is 48.0 m. What is the true stratigraphic thickness of the formation?

A.39.3 m

B.48.0 m

C.58.6 m

D.27.5 m

Explanation: For a vertical borehole intersecting strata dipping at angle δ, the true stratigraphic thickness (T) is related to the apparent thickness along core length (L) by T = L · cos(δ). Here T = 48.0 · cos(35°) = 48.0 · 0.81915 = 39.32 m ≈ 39.3 m. Apparent thickness drilled vertically is always greater than true thickness for dipping beds.

6Which term describes an unconformity where horizontally deposited sedimentary strata lie directly upon tilted, folded, and eroded older sedimentary rocks?

A.Angular unconformity

B.Disconformity

C.Nonconformity

D.Paraconformity

Explanation: An angular unconformity is characterized by an angular discordance between horizontally younger strata and older, tilted or deformed sedimentary strata beneath the erosion surface. In contrast, a disconformity separates parallel sedimentary beds across an erosional gap, and a nonconformity separates sedimentary rocks from older crystalline igneous or metamorphic basement.

7A regional anticline has an interlimb angle measured between tangents at inflection points of 55°. According to Fleuty's (1964) fold classification, how is this fold classified?

A.Close fold

B.Tight fold

C.Open fold

D.Gentle fold

Explanation: Fleuty (1964) established standard interlimb angle boundaries: Isoclinal (0° to 10°), Tight (10° to 30°), Close (30° to 70°), Open (70° to 120°), and Gentle (120° to 180°). An interlimb angle of 55° falls squarely in the 'Close fold' range (30° to 70°).

8A seismic refraction survey over flat bedrock yields a direct wave velocity of V1 = 1800 m/s and a refracted wave velocity of V2 = 3600 m/s. If the intercept time (t0) on the refracted arrival curve is 30.0 ms, what is the depth to the bedrock interface?

A.31.2 m

B.24.5 m

C.42.8 m

D.15.6 m

Explanation: The depth to a horizontal refractor is given by z = (t0 / 2) · [V1 · V2 / √(V2² − V1²)]. Substituting t0 = 0.030 s, V1 = 1800 m/s, and V2 = 3600 m/s: z = 0.015 · [1800 · 3600 / √(3600² − 1800²)] = 0.015 · [6,480,000 / 3117.69] = 0.015 · 2078.46 = 31.18 m ≈ 31.2 m.

9Two fracture planes have perpendicular strikes: one strikes 000° and dips 45° East; the other strikes 090° and dips 45° South. What are the plunge and trend of their intersection line?

A.Plunge 35.3°, Trend 135°

B.Plunge 45.0°, Trend 135°

C.Plunge 30.0°, Trend 090°

D.Plunge 22.5°, Trend 180°

Explanation: For these perpendicular strikes and equal dips, cot²(plunge)=cot²45°+cot²45°=2, giving plunge 35.26°. Equal eastward and southward components give southeast trend 135°. The strikes are perpendicular; the planes themselves are not.

10A fault surface preserves a clear slickenline but no independently verified asymmetric steps or other sense indicators. What can the lineation establish by itself?

A.The slip axis, with two possible opposing senses along it

B.A unique slip sense from smoothness to touch alone

C.The absolute age of the latest displacement

D.The displacement magnitude from lineation length alone

Explanation: Slickenlines record the direction of relative movement as an axis. Selecting a sense requires reliable asymmetric indicators and their formation mechanism. Smooth-to-touch rules can be misleading when steps formed by different processes.

About the PEC EPE Geological Exam

Geological Engineering is a named PEC EPE discipline for Registered Engineers progressing toward Professional Engineer registration. OpenExamPrep provides independent English-language practice across geological engineering topics and several optional Depth areas. The official Geological syllabus has inconsistent item-count and percentage text, disclosed here rather than silently corrected. This bank is a topic survey, not a complete or calibrated paper simulation.

Exam sponsor: Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

General EPE: Part-I closed-book MCQs, 2 hours; 90-minute break; Part-II open-book MCQs, 3 hours. Choose one Geological Depth area. The published assessment does not list mandatory EPE assignments, oral, practical, or separate case-study components.

Time Limit

3 hours (Part-II); 2 hours (Part-I), with a 90-minute break

Passing Score

60% in each part independently

Exam / Certification Fees

Rs. 5,000 new candidate; Rs. 2,500 single-part reappearance, plus bank charges

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

PEC EPE portal — 27th EPE, Fall 2026 · Source checked 2026-10-07
27th EPE notice — computer-based delivery and eligibility · Source checked 2026-10-07
27th EPE final application extension · Source checked 2026-10-07
PEC EPE Guidebook V2 — common 25/35 structure · Source checked 2026-10-07
PEC Geological Engineering EPE syllabus · Source checked 2026-10-07Header states 60 total and Breadth states 25, but Depth text states 40. Listed Breadth percentages sum to 60 rather than 100. Clarification is needed from PEC.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

25 MCQs; percentages need clarification

Official Breadth topics

Mathematics, surveying, physical/structural geology, fluid mechanics/hydrogeology, geotechnical engineering, strength of materials, and seismology. Published percentages sum to 60, so no normalized official weights are asserted.

35 under the general Guidebook; syllabus says 40

Chosen Depth option

Choose Geotechnics and Rock Engineering, Natural Energy Resources Exploration, or Geo-environmental Engineering.

100 study items

Practice inventory

15 physical/structural geology, 15 mineralogy/petrology, 20 soil mechanics, 20 rock/tunnels, 15 exploration, and 15 hydrogeology/environment. These are inventory counts, not official weights.

Preparing for the PEC EPE Geological Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 60% in each part independently
Assessment: General EPE: Part-I closed-book MCQs, 2 hours; 90-minute break; Part-II open-book MCQs, 3 hours. Choose one Geological Depth area. The published assessment does not list mandatory EPE assignments, oral, practical, or separate case-study components.
Time limit: 3 hours (Part-II); 2 hours (Part-I), with a 90-minute break
Exam / certification fees: Rs. 5,000 new candidate; Rs. 2,500 single-part reappearance, plus bank charges Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 100 available questions
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PEC EPE Geological: Suggested Study Strategy

1Confirm the current Geological syllabus counts and your Depth option with PEC.

2State groundwater, drainage, geometry, and effective-stress assumptions before geotechnical calculations.

3Treat empirical rock classifications and screening thresholds as estimates requiring appropriate site information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the bank model one official Depth paper?

No. It surveys all three Depth areas. Prioritize your chosen option and the full PEC Breadth outline; this collection does not cover every listed outcome or reproduce official weighting.

What assessment language is confirmed?

The PEC materials reviewed are in English, but current sources do not separately confirm assessment-language options. Our questions and feedback are in English and are independent study material, not an official translation.

Are fieldwork and an oral examination required as EPE components?

The published EPE format lists two MCQ parts, with no separate mandatory field practical, oral, assignment, or case-study assessment. Relevant practice and CPD remain eligibility requirements.

What may I bring to Part-II?

PEC permits bound textbooks, reference books, and standards. Follow current candidate guidelines for calculator and identification requirements; loose notes, laptops, and prohibited electronic devices are not permitted.