16-Civ-A5 Hydraulic Engineering
16-Civ-A5 Hydraulic Engineering applies fluid mechanics to civil systems: pipes, pipe networks, open channels and pumps. You use continuity, momentum and energy on each, then on transients such as water hammer and on the basics of hydraulic structures.
Planned for wave 2.
Also written 16 Civ A5; papers set before 2017 use the older code 98-Civ-A5.
Reviewed by Reza Kashi, P.Eng. Updated .
What it covers
- Dimensional analysis and hydraulic models
- Continuity, momentum and energy principles applied to hydraulic problems
- Steady flow in single pipes and in pipe networks
- Open channel flow: steady uniform flow and gradually varied flow
- Control sections, hydraulic jumps and energy dissipators
- Hydraulic transients: surges and water hammer in pipes, surface waves in channels
- Pumps: centrifugal pumps, similarity relations, cavitation and how pump and pipe systems operate together
- Introductory hydraulic structures, their environmental side and water quality management
On exam day
- Closed book, with one aid sheet: a single 8.5 by 11 inch page of your own handwritten notes and formulae, both sides (EGBC Fall 2026 schedule).
- Any non-communicating, non-programmable calculator.
- Written online and remotely proctored. EGBC's candidate guide describes a 15-minute grace period at the start and up to 30 minutes after the exam to upload your written solutions.
Texts the syllabus names
- E. J. Finnemore and J. B. Franzini, Fluid Mechanics with Engineering Applications
- R. Houghtalen, A. O. Akan and N. H. C. Hwang, Fundamentals of Hydraulic Engineering Systems
What we are building
- Lessons that will set up each problem from continuity, energy and momentum before reaching for a formula
- Original problems on pipe networks, open channels, pumps and water hammer, each with a worked solution
- Guidance on planning your one-page aid sheet, then two timed mocks under the exam's rule
Most tested, 2013 to 2019
Across 14 sittings from May 2013 to December 2019, every paper offered six 20-mark questions and candidates answered five. Pipe networks (30%) and single-pipe flow (22%) carried over half the marks, with uniform open-channel flow (14%), flow principles (11%) and water hammer (10%) next; dimensional analysis never appeared and pumps came up only twice.
From 14 sittings and 84 questions of the papers EGBC published. Statistics only: we do not reproduce the questions. Read our method
| Topic | Sittings | Share of marks |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe networks and pipes in series or parallel | 13 of 14 | 30.2% |
| Closed-conduit flow in single pipes | 14 of 14 | 22.4% |
| Uniform open-channel flow | 14 of 14 | 14.1% |
| Continuity, momentum and energy principles | 14 of 14 | 10.9% |
| Water hammer, surges and surface waves | 11 of 14 | 10.5% |
| Gradually varied flow, specific energy and control sections | 8 of 14 | 6.4% |
| Hydraulic jumps and energy dissipaters | 4 of 14 | 2.9% |
| Pumps, cavitation and pump-pipe systems | 2 of 14 | 1.4% |
| Hydraulic structures and water quality aspects | 3 of 14 | 1.2% |
More civil exams
- 16-Civ-A3 Municipal and Environmental Engineering
- 16-Civ-A6 Highway Design, Construction, and Maintenance
- 16-Civ-B8 Management of Construction
- 16-Civ-A1 Elementary Structural Analysis
- 16-Civ-A2 Elementary Structural Design
- 16-Civ-A4 Geotechnical Materials and Analysis
- 16-Civ-B1 Advanced Structural Analysis
- 16-Civ-B2 Advanced Structural Design