20 Top-Notch Study Resources for the Geotechnical PE Exam ??

If you’re taking the PE Civil Geotechnical Exam, you’ll love this. ??

We’ve put together a list of time-tested, highly rated resources for the geotechnical PE exam that we’ve come across over our 10+ years in this game.

“But wait, shouldn't I be using the PE Reference Handbook and the codes and standards listed in the specs? ??”

Absolutely! But alone, they’re not enough. You need more.

Especially now with the PE Civil Exam becoming more “depth-specific,” a solid understanding of the theory is crucial — and the NCEES handbook doesn’t give you this. ??

So we've done the hard work for you and put together this list of 20 top-notch Geotechnical resources to help you get a strong grip on all you need for your exam.

These were either used by ourselves, recommended by our own students, suggested as top picks in online forums and communities…or all of the above!

An (spoiler alert), they go hand-in-hand with out PE Geotechnical Review Course launching this month!

Interested? Then keep reading. ?? ??

8 Books to Cover the Theory You Need ??

Finding geotechnical reference material tailored to the PE Geotechnical Exam specifically is a challenge.

You can’t find a “Geotechnical Reference Manual” diving into the Geotech stuff you need for the PE Exam (only), as you can find for the other exams. Right? ??

That's why many test-takers resort to good old textbooks and overall reference manuals to give themselves a refresher on the Geotech theory they need.

Here are some of the best ones ??

A) The Civil Engineering Reference Manual (CERM).

Now called the PE Civil Reference Manual, this book has been the PE Exam bible for many, many, many years. (Can I say “many” one more time? ??)

I know, ”It’s not for the Geotechnical PE Exam only!” — and I agree! But…

It’s still a great resource to learn the concepts and theories. It dives into and explains civil engineering topics pretty well, including the geotechnical topics.

You just need to focus on the Geotechnical chapters, and then forget the rest. ??

Click here to take advantage of PPI’s Summer Sale and grab it today for 15% OFF!

B) PE Exam Depth Guide: Geotechnical Engineering

This is a book by McGraw-Hill designed to complement their Civil Engineering PE Exam Guide book series .

This one was tailored to the Geotechnical PM portion of the old, “breadth-and-depth” PE exam, with each chapter authored by an expert in the topic.

Even though the exam changed, this one is still very good for learning Geotechnical concepts.

So, if you need more coverage on the theory front, this will help.

C) All-in-One Civil Engineering PE Exam Guide

This is a book by Dr. Goswami , and even though it’s a “breadth-and-depth” material, it’s still a good resource.

You just need to do some tailoring to focus on geotechnical stuff only.

Also, not only does it cover the theory, but it also comes with practice problems and solutions. So it’s even more practice under your belt.

D) Essential Civil PE Exam Notebook: Review of Geotechnical Theory and Sample Exam Problems

The Essential Civil PE Exam Notebook: Review of Geotechnical Theory and Sample Exam Problems is a compilation of the study notes by the author during her own preparation for the PE Civil Exam.

These notes explain Geotechnical theory and concepts, followed by many sample problems and solutions that look like the real exam.

E) Civil PE Professional Engineer Exam: Geotechnical Module

This book is an illustrated guide with sample problems and solutions by Ruwan Rajapakse, P.E, CCM, CCE, AVS, a Professional Engineer up in New York and New Jersey.

Reviews on Amazon say it’s “a great book to study for the afternoon part of the PE exam in geotechnical,” and that “topics are not covered in great depth, but in general it gives enough information to answer the geotechnical questions of the PE Exam.”

One drawback according to the reviews, though, is that it “doesn’t have a lot of example problems.”

This means it’s mostly theory. So grab it if you need help there.

F) Principles of Foundation Engineering and Principles of Geotechnical Engineering

Remember that I mentioned that most test-takers rely on good old textbooks to learn the Geotech stuff they need? ??

Well, there you have it! These two are the most suggested textbooks in online forums and communities as a good resource to study for the Geotechnical PE Exam.

Principles of Foundation Engineering and Principles of Geotechnical Engineering are two gems by Braja M. Das that really help you get a grip on the fundamentals.

So, while you may not dive into all of the chapters in each of them, it’s like using the CERM. Do some filtering and focus on the chapters hammering on the topics you need help with. ??

G) The Geotechnical Engineer’s Portable Handbook

While not a full-blown college textbook, The Geotechnical Engineer’s Portable Handbook is a compact guide perfect for quick reference and on-the-go studying (or even work!)

It’s packed with essential geotechnical formulas, charts, and tables, organized in a convenient way that makes it super easy to find any information you need.

In other words, it’s the geotechnical engineer’s “carry-everywhere,” go-to book. ??

4 Resources for Practice Problems ??

It’s true. Many current practice problems out there are still geared towards the old, “breadth-and-depth” PE Exam. But…

With some filtering, these resources can still be incredibly valuable.

Here are some top picks. ??

A) PE Civil Practice Problems Book (CEPP)

This is a book associated with the CERM, also by PPI. Each chapter has practice problems that match the chapter in the CERM that explains the theory about the exact same topic.

But again, since there’s no more “breadth exam," you’ll only solve the problems in the chapters dealing with Geotechnical topics. Those are the only chapters you’ll read in the CERM as well, right?

Practicing is the key to passing, so get this for sure and work out as many problems as you can.

Again, click here to take advantage of PPI’s Summer Sale and grab it today for 15% OFF!

B) Six-Minute Solutions for the Civil PE Exam: Geotechnical Depth Problems

This is a compilation of practice problems for the old Geotechnical Depth Exam, by PPI. But the good thing about this one is that it weaves in the time management aspect.

Even though some questions may take longer than others, the cap is six minutes per question. Right?

This book helps you solve problems quickly and efficiently with this time limit in mind, just like you’ll need to do on exam day.

Also, the problems in this book are typically harder than the old “breadth-type” questions. So you’ll be more than ready for the “easier” ones that come your way, while getting ready for the more juicy questions too.

Since it's a PPI publication, you can get it for 15% OFF with their Summer Sale that’s going on until the end of June .

C) PE Civil Exam: Geotechnical Questions & Answers

This is a compilation of 80 Geotechnical questions by PECivilExam.com , each one with detailed solutions. All questions are based on the depth portion of the old specifications.

Since the exam is now “geotech-only,” this ebook gives you 80 more questions to practice your problem-solving skills for the big day.

We haven't used this one ourselves, but it’s listed online quite often. So we decided to give you a heads-up about it as a possible resource you can get too. ??

D) 100 Bonus Geotechnical Theory Questions

Theory questions are a HUGE part of all five PE civil exams.

In fact, most engineers underestimate how many theory questions there are...and always leave the exam room blown away by the amount. ??

So, that’s one type of question you need to practice solving — a lot!

To help with this, we’ve put together the 100 Bonus Geotechnical Theory Questions .

This is a compilation of the 100 of the best PE Exam-like Geotechnical theory questions the NCEES can throw at you. The goal?

Give you exposure to the type of questions they could ask you in this format. ??

8 Practice Exams to Simulate the Real Deal ???

As we’ve already covered in a Quick Tip Video , taking practice exams is the most effective study strategy there is, right next to practicing problems.

An exam doesn’t test how much you remember about a topic. Instead, it tests how you apply what you remember about it.

So, you need to take practice exams simulating the real deal as much as possible during your prep. Here are some resources where you can find those. ??

A) Official NCEES PE: Civil Geotechnical Practice Exam

What’s a better way to get a feel for the real deal other than using the official practice exams right from the exam makers themselves? ??

Believe it when we say it, this practice exam from NCEES is as close as it gets to the real thing, so it’s a must in your prep. (Just keep in mind they won’t be asking the same questions on exam day. ??)

Also, it doesn’t hurt to find older practice exams from the NCEES (even those pre-CBT era) and do what applies to your current specifications.

Remrmber, the more practice under your belt, the better.

B) Geotechnical Depth Practice Exams for the Civil PE Exam

This is another publication by PPI, with two 40-question practice exams based on the Geotechnical Depth portion of the old PE Civil Exam specifications.

With the exam being “geotech-only” now, this is a great resource for your exam prep. You can take one at different times to see how well you do.

And again, get it on PPI's website now and enjoy their Summer Sale currently offering 15% OFF their materials . ??

C) The Ultimate Geotechnical PE Exam

This is our brand-new, updated, and revamped Geotechnical practice exam . It comes with 80 PE Exam-like questions with the same look, feel, and difficulty.

Plus, each one of the 80 questions comes with detailed solutions, complete with references to the relevant sections in the PE Reference Handbook, codes, and standards.

In other words, you'll know exactly where to find the equations used in the solutions, getting you ready for the real exam. ??

D) Practice Exam for the Civil PE Examination: Geotechnical Depth

This is a complete 80-question practice exam by Dr. Goswami . It has 40 breadth (AM) questions plus 40 Geotechnical depth (PM) questions.

Yes...it was created for the old breadth-and-depth format of the PE exam, but you can still use it. Here how. ??

You can take the 40 depth questions as half of a practice exam (4 hours, 40 questions), and then use the Geotechnical questions among the 40 breadth questions as standalone practice problems just to get even more practice. ??

E) All-in-One Civil Engineering PE Practice Exams

Another book by Dr. Goswami, All-in-One Civil Engineering PE Practice Exams comes with two 40-question breadth practice exams and one 40-question depth practice exam for each one of the five disciplines.

As you did before, you can take the 40-question Geotechnical practice exam, while using the Geotechnical questions in the two breadth practice exams as standalone practice problems.

What do you do with the other practice exams for the other disciplines? Forget them. ??

F) Practice Tests Guide for PE Civil Exam: Geotechnical

This is a practice test book for the Geotechnical Depth of the old PE exam with great reviews on Amazon.

It has 40 sets of PE Exam-like problems covering both qualitative and quantitative topics in Geotechnical Engineering.

We personally didn’t use this one ourselves, but based on reviews and comments, it seems to be helpful.

G) Civil PE Practice Exam: Geotechnical Depth (Version A)

This is a practice exam by PE Prepared specifically for the Geotechnical depth portion of the old PE Exam. Includes 40 depth Geotechnical problems with detailed solutions.

Another one that we haven’t personally used, but we’ve heard it can be worth it.

Also, we did some digging to find Version B, but we couldn’t. Shoot us an email if you find it, and if you think those are helpful.

That way we can get them on the list to help others taking the Geotech exam in the future. ??

H) The Ultimate PE CBT Exam Simulator

In all honesty...this one is the closest you can get to the real deal. Not tooting our own horn, but it’s really good! ??

Our CBT Exam Simulator gives you the exact same experience of taking the real deal…in the comfort of your home. ??

You have the questions on right, the searchable handbook and codes on the left. You have both multiple-choice and AIT type questions. You can flag and skip questions. All the way to taking the break! ??

The CEA Team members have been working hard to make this good, and we're thrilled with how it turned out.

Go check it out!

Now…Why Do It Alone? ??

All these resources will come in handy throughout your exam prep and make sure you are on the right track. But you don’t have to do this alone.

We’ll be launching The Ultimate Civil PE Review Course for the Geotechnical PE exam on Monday, June 24, 2024. ??

The course organizes everything for you and gathers all the material you need in one spot so you only have to worry about studying. Period.

Click here to join the PE Course Waitlist to receive more frequent updates and be the first to know when we launch — plus a special, early-bird discount only for those in our launch list. ??

If you’re taking the Geotechnical Exam, we're sure these resources will be helpful. And if you know you’ll grab a review course to help you get over this hump, then join our waitlist to be the first to know when we launch!