GATE Civil Engineering (CE) Syllabus: Complete Preparation Guide

GATE Civil Engineering (CE) Syllabus - IISc Bangalore has released the GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus on the official website. Candidates can download the syllabus PDF. Candidates who will be participating in the upcoming GATE exam for Civil Engineering paper must go through the GATE civil engineering syllabus and start their preparation. Candidates must refer to the official GATE civil engineering syllabus only for their studies.

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The GATE CE syllabus includes 7 sections along with the General Aptitude section which will be common for all engineering papers. The 7 sections included in the syllabus are Engineering Mathematics, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Transportation Engineering, and Geomatics Engineering. To prepare for the exam, candidates should study the whole syllabus. We have provided the official GATE civil engineering syllabus in this post for your reference.

Read the full post to get details on the official GATE syllabus for civil engineering, GATE exam pattern, section-wise marks weightage, preparation tips, and more.

GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus

General aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and Civil Engineering-based topics are all included in the GATE Civil Engineering syllabus. All of the questions in the forthcoming GATE exam will be based on the GATE syllabus for Civil Engineering, which was published on the IISc Bangalore official website. Candidates can check the GATE Civil Engineering syllabus given below for good score in GATE Civil Engineering .

Section Wise GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus

The GATE syllabus for civil engineering exam is designed in a way to prepare students for the complex jobs that they will do in their professional careers as civil engineers. The official GATE Syllabus for Civil Engineering provides a comprehensive overview of all the subjects on which test questions will be based. Go through the section-wise GATE civil engineering syllabus given below. \

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GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus (Section 1): Engineering Mathematics

A topic with a high passing rate on the GATE syllabus for Civil Engineering is engineering mathematics. The subject of engineering mathematics is the methods and procedures that are frequently used in engineering. Check the detailed section 1 of the GATE civil engineering syllabus given below.

1. Linear Algebra: Matrix algebra; Systems of linear equations; Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors.
2. Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE): First-order (linear and nonlinear) equations; higher-order linear equations with constant coefficients; Euler-Cauchy equations; initial and boundary value problems.
3. Calculus: Functions of a single variable; Limit, continuity, and differentiability; Mean value theorems, local maxima, and minima; Taylor series; Evaluation of definite and indefinite integrals, application of definite integral to obtain area and volume; Partial derivatives; Total derivative; Gradient, Divergence and Curl, Vector identities; Directional derivatives; Line, Surface, and Volume integrals.
4. Partial Differential Equation (PDE): Fourier series; separation of variables; solutions of one-dimensional diffusion equation; first and second order one-dimensional wave equation and two-dimensional Laplace equation.
5. Probability and Statistics: Sampling theorems; Conditional probability; Descriptive statistics – Mean, median, mode and standard deviation; Random Variables – Discrete and Continuous, Poisson and Normal Distribution; Linear regression.
6. Numerical Methods: Error analysis. Numerical solutions of linear and non-linear algebraic equations; Newton’s and Lagrange polynomials; numerical differentiation; Integration by trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule; Single and multi-step methods for first-order differential equations.

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GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus (Section 2): Structural Engineering

The structural integrity and strength of a structure are the focus of structural engineering. The following subjects make up the Structural Engineering section of the GATE civil engineering syllabus.

1. Solid Mechanics: Bending moment and shear force in statically determinate beams; Simple stress and strain relationships; Simple bending theory, flexural and shear stresses, shear center; Uniform torsion, Transformation of stress; buckling of column, combined and direct bending stresses.
2. Engineering Mechanics: System of forces, free-body diagrams, equilibrium equations; Internal forces in structures; Frictions and its applications; Centre of mass; Free Vibrations of undamped SDOF system.
3. Structural Analysis: Statically determinate and indeterminate structures by force/ energy methods; Method of superposition; Analysis of trusses, arches, beams, cables, and frames; Displacement methods: Slope deflection and moment distribution methods; Influence lines; Stiffness and flexibility methods of structural analysis.
4. Construction Materials and Management: Construction Materials: Structural Steel – Composition, material properties, and behavior; Concrete - Constituents, mix design, short-term and long-term properties.
5. Construction Management: Types of construction projects; Project planning and network analysis - PERT and CPM; Cost estimation. Concrete Structures: Working stress and Limit state design concepts; Design of beams, slabs, columns; Bond and development length; Prestressed concrete beams.
6. Steel Structures: Working stress and Limit state design concepts; Design of tension and compression members, beams and beam-columns, column bases; Connections - simple and eccentric, beam-column connections, plate girders, and trusses; Concept of plastic analysis -beams and frames.

GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus (Section 3): Geotechnical Engineering

The study of how soils react to loading forces and soil-water interactions is covered in the Geotechnical Engineering section of GATE Civil Engineering syllabus. It covers the themes of soil mechanics and foundation engineering. Deep Foundations, Sub-Surface Foundations, and Shallow Foundations are only a few of the crucial chapters that cover these sections. Check the GATE civil engineering syllabus for section 5 given below.

1. Foundation Engineering: Earth pressure theories - Rankine and Coulomb; Stability of slopes - Finite and infinite slopes, Bishop’s method; Stress distribution in soils – Boussinesq’s theory;  Sub-surface investigations - Drilling bore holes, sampling, plate load test, standard penetration and cone penetration tests; Pressure bulbs, Shallow foundations - Terzaghi’s and Meyerhoff’s bearing capacity theories, the effect of water table; Combined footing and raft foundation; Contact pressure; Settlement analysis in sands and clays; Deep foundations - dynamic and static formulae, Axial load capacity of piles in sands and clays, pile load test, pile under lateral loading, pile group efficiency, negative skin friction.
2. Soil Mechanics: Permeability - one-dimensional flow, Seepage through soils – two - two-dimensional flow, flow nets, uplift pressure, piping, capillarity, seepage force; Three-phase system and phase relationships, index properties; Unified and Indian standard soil classification system; Principle of effective stress and quicksand condition; Compaction of soils; One- dimensional consolidation, time rate of consolidation; Shear Strength, Mohr’s circle, effective and total shear strength parameters, Stress-Strain characteristics of clays and sand; Stress paths.

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GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus (Section 4): Water Resources Engineering

The movement and transportation of water or other fluids are the focus of the Water Resources Engineering Department. The following subjects are covered in the GATE civil engineering syllabus of section 4 water resources engineering part.

1. Hydraulics : Forces on immersed bodies; Flow measurement in channels and pipes; Dimensional analysis and hydraulic similitude; Channel Hydraulics - Energy-depth relationships, specific energy, critical flow, hydraulic jump, uniform flow, gradually varied flow, and water surface profiles.
2. Fluid Mechanics: Properties of fluids, fluid statics; Continuity, momentum, and energy equations and their applications; Potential flow, Laminar, and turbulent flow; Flow in pipes, pipe networks; Concept of boundary layer and its growth; Concept of lift and drag.
3. Irrigation: Types of irrigation systems and methods; Crop water requirements - Duty, delta, evapotranspiration; Gravity Dams and Spillways; Lined and unlined canals, Design of weirs on a permeable foundatio n; cross drainage structures.
4. Hydrology: Hydrologic cycle, precipitation, evaporation, evapotranspiration, watershed, infiltration, unit hydrographs, hydrograph analysis, reservoir capacity, flood estimation, and routing, surface run-off models, ground water hydrology - steady state well hydraulics and aquifers; Application of Darcy’s Law.

GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus (Section 5):  Environmental Engineering

The GATE’s Environmental Engineering is a subfield of engineering that addresses environmental problems. The following subjects are included in the GATE syllabus for civil engineering' module on environmental engineering:

1. Water and Waste Water Quality and Treatment: Basics of water quality standards – Physical, chemical, and biological parameters; Water quality index; Unit processes and operations; Water requirement; Water distribution system; Drinking water treatment. Sewerage system design, the quantity of domestic wastewater, primary and secondary treatment. Effluent discharge standards; Sludge disposal; Reuse of treated sewage for different applications.
2. Municipal Solid Wastes: Characteristics, generation, collection, and transportation of solid wastes, engineered systems for solid waste management (reuse/ recycle, energy recovery, treatment, and disposal).
3. Air Pollution: Types of pollutants, their sources and impacts, air pollution control, air quality standards, Air Quality Index, and limits.

GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus (Section 6): Transportation Engineering

Maintenance, planning, design, building, and operation of transportation facilities are all covered under transportation engineering. The following subjects are covered in the Transportation Engineering part of the GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus.

1. Transportation Infrastructure: Geometric design of highways - cross-sectional elements, sight distances, horizontal and vertical alignments. The geometric design of railway Track – Speed and Cant. Concept of airport runway length, calculations, and corrections; taxiway and exit taxiway design.
2. Highway Pavements: Highway materials - desirable properties and tests; Desirable properties of bituminous paving mixes; Design factors for flexible and rigid pavements; Design of flexible and rigid pavement using IRC codes
3. Traffic Engineering: T raffic studies on flow and speed, peak hour factor, accident study, statistical analysis of traffic data; Microscopic and macroscopic parameters of traffic flow, fundamental relationships; Traffic signs; Signal design by Webster’s method; Types of intersections; Highway capacity.

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GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus (Section 7): Geomatics Engineering

Global geographic monitoring, maintenance, and application are the key topics of this study. Principles of surveying and Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing are the two topics that make up this area of the GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus. Candidates can check the GATE syllabus for civil engineering section 7 given below.

1. Principles of surveying; Errors and their adjustment; Maps - scale, coordinate system; Distance and angle measurement - Levelling and trigonometric leveling; Traversing and triangulation survey; Total station; Horizontal and vertical curves.
2. Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing - Scale, flying height; Basics of remote sensing and GIS.

GATE General Aptitude Syllabus

The General Aptitude section of the GATE syllabus for Civil Engineering is similar to the four-section, 15-mark sections for the other 29 disciplines. The applicants' general, analytical, and verbal knowledge is examined in these parts. Questions on verbal aptitude, analytical aptitude, spatial aptitude, and numerical aptitude will be found in the GATE General Aptitude syllabus

The following subjects are included in the GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus General Aptitude section:

Also read: GATE Syllabus

GATE Civil Engineering Exam Pattern

Candidates should go through the GATE exam pattern in addition to the GATE Civil Engineering syllabus to learn more about the exam. The GATE civil engineering exam pattern includes information on the time allotted, the format, the sorts of questions, section-wise weightage, the marking scheme, and much more. Go through the details about the GATE civil engineering exam pattern given below.

GATE Civil Engineering Marking Scheme

Candidates must understand the GATE marking scheme so that they attempt the questions accordingly in the exam. The GATE CE exam will be conducted for a total of 100 marks. The negative marking will be done for MCQs type questions only. Check the GATE marking scheme given below.

GATE Section Wise Weightage

GATE Civil Engineering Exam is divided into three parts namely- General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and specific civil engineering subjects. The GATE civil engineering syllabus includes various topics from these three sections only. The weightage for various sections in the GATE exam will be as follows

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GATE Weightage of Important Topics

The general analysis of the GATE civil engineering syllabus topics weightage is presented below based on an examination of the Civil Engineering GATE Question Papers from the previous year. Check the GATE weightage of important topics given below.

Note- The GATE topic-wise weightage given above is tentative. Candidate must study all the topics equally.

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GATE Civil Engineering Preparation Tips

Candidates must use a thorough study plan in order to get the GATE cutoff scores in one attempt. The GATE exam draws a sizable number of candidates, increasing competition. Students need to have a complete study plan in order to perform well on the test. Below are some GATE exam preparation tips that may help you do well on the test.

• Knowing the GATE exam pattern is crucial for effective preparation. The GATE exam pattern will give candidates details on the test method, scoring system, types and numbers of questions, and other topics.
• Examine the GATE Civil Engineering syllabus in detail before beginning your preparation. When studying for the GATE CE exam, be aware of the subjects and units that must be studied.
• Candidates must consult the books suggested by experts or top performers in order to strengthen their preparation for GATE CE. The books will assist readers in thoroughly researching the subjects
• Candidates should complete GATE previous year papers and mock tests to analyze their exam preparation. Students can learn about the difficulty level of the examination and the kind of questions that will be asked by practicing with GATE Civil Engineering Question Paper .
• Regular revision of the GATE civil engineering syllabus is advised to prevent forgetting what you have already studied
• Candidates must not only practice and study but also focus on their mental health and don't take the stress. Eat healthily and get adequate rest.

GATE Civil Engineering Books

Candidates must study from the best GATE CE books only for their civil engineering exam preparation. Experts recommend studying from top-rated books as these books include important topics with better comprehension. For your reference, we have provided some of the best GATE civil engineering books for preparation below.

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