Original question written by FE Exam AI Prep from the public FE Civil exam specification. Before release, a solver model re-derived the answer twice from the question alone, without its answer key, and a critic model checked the result, and the arithmetic was re-run as an executable calculation. No licensed engineer reviews these questions. It is not an NCEES question and does not come from any NCEES practice exam. FE Exam AI Prep is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCEES.
Factored Loads and Tributary Width: FE Civil practice problem 4
For work package 312 on the treatment yard expansion, the field office analyst performs an independent check calculation and applies a gravity load combination to dead load 64 psf and live load 61 psf. What factored load equals 1.2D + 1.6L?
- A109.4 psf
- B143.7 psf
- C174.4 psf
- D198.6 psf
Show the answer and worked solution
Answer: C — 174.4 psf
Worked solution
- Step 1. Apply load combination
U = 1.2D + 1.6L
- Step 2. Substitute loads
U = 1.2(64) + 1.6(61) = 174.4 psf
Why the other choices are wrong
- Choice A
- This value lands about 37% under 1.2D + 1.6L, more than a rounding error in either load factor could account for; the governing combination multiplies dead load by 1.2, multiplies live load by 1.6, and sums the results without any further scaling.
- Choice B
- This combined load lands roughly 18% below 1.2D + 1.6L, a gap too large to come from a single misplaced decimal or a swapped load factor; applying the dead load times 1.2 and the live load times 1.6, then summing the two terms, gives the governing factored load directly.
- Choice D
- This result is about 14% higher than 1.2D + 1.6L produces, which does not match swapping the two load factors or adding the loads before factoring; the factored load comes from multiplying dead load by 1.2, multiplying live load by 1.6, and adding those two products.