Simulation is a powerful means in the design of inspection methods. It minimizes the number of iterations when building probe prototypes, optimizing inspection techniques and defining the test procedures. It is known to be valuable in supporting performance and reliability demonstrations requiring a lot of data (e.g., POD studies and qualification campaigns), where simulation can reduce the number of necessary mock-ups and experimental trials. Largely used in different industrial sectors, there is still great potential for NDT modelling remaining in the civil engineering field. The aging infrastructures, and the increasing needs for reliable evaluations of structural integrity require deeper investigations and developments, in which modelling can be of great help. The CIVA platform is a well-established multi technique simulation and analysis software in NDT. Developed by CEA LIST, but also resulting from the contribution of numerous industrial and academic partners within Europe, it implements concepts of numerical efficiency, imaging, and reliability demonstration. The range of NDT methods in CIVA includes UT, GWT, ET, RT, CT, Thermography and is extended by Structural Health Monitoring applications based on guided ultrasonic waves. In addition to physical models dedicated to metallic inspections largely used in the industry, CIVA offers the capacity to simulate ultrasonic inspections in other media such as concrete. It has recently included the definition of probes polarized to generate shear waves at 0°, thus capturing the current state-of-the art for concrete inspections. This contributes significantly to the potential for studies and inspection planning in the field of concrete inspections, which helps tremendously in ensuring reliable inspections. While such studies would require enormous computational effort for most other simulation techniques, the semi-analytical approach of CIVA makes it highly efficient and application-oriented. This paper illustrates models available in the ultrasonic module of CIVA and best practices for application cases in civil engineering.