Civil-Structural PE Questions

[jf89]

Hello all,
I will hopefully be sitting for the Civil-Structural PE in October, have two questions, and am hoping some of you will share your thoughts. Decisions on whether I can sit or not should come out today or tomorrow.

1) Structural Reference: I've gotten mixed advice/reviews on PPI's Structural Depth Reference Manual (SDRM) for the afternoon session (CERM will certainly be purchased along with the codes). Any thoughts here? While looking at it, it seems as though PPI's Structural Engineering Reference Manual (SERM) is certainly more complete and twice the size, as it's designed for the SE, and is only $10 more. I'm considering getting that instead of the SDRM (if at all), but worried that the format, codes, and depth of the SERM may be more trouble than it's worth for studying and using as a test-day reference.

2) Steel Manual: I've currently got the 3rd LRFD edition of the Steel Manual (that's the last one before they started the "combined" versions at 13). NCEES requires the 13th edition. The most recent is the 14th, which has been out for 3 years now. I'd like to buy a new Manual for work to replace my older edition as well, so I'm trying to kill two birds here. Will a more updated 14th edition give me the "wrong" answers on test day? Do you think if I buy the 13th edition and either have to wait until April to sit or don't pass and have to sit again in April (knocks on wood), they'll change the reference to the 14th edition? Will any of this really end up mattering? Anyone out there in favor of using the 3rd edition for the test then buying the 15th edition whenever that comes out in the next few years? Other options?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thank you!
-jf

 

[FlashSet]

No comment on #1, other than if you can answer the questions in SDRM then you will probably do fine on the structural portion of the PE. Remember, it is nearly August - you have less than three months to study.

#2 Get the correct code. There are some things that are different between 13th and 14th (e.g. tabulated bolt shear strengths for N and X bolts; the two editions also use different cross sectional areas I believe, so the final answer are 'similar'). Is it really worth getting a simple question wrong because you have the wrong code?

To complicate things further, exams starting April 2015 will likely be using the 14th edition (note, this has not officially been stated, but there are going to be code changes following the October exam). So don't fail!

Good luck.

 

[steellion]

2) Can you borrow someone's 13th Edition for the exam and then purchase a 14th Edition for your library? I agree with FlashSet, make sure you have the right version of all of the reference codes. Changes between the 13th and 14th AISC are pretty minor, but the question writers may ask a question specifically from the part that has changed.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

1) I'm in the process of taking the SE in lieu of the PE and can say that the SERM is a well thought out text that I highly recommend. Some minor errors but the latest edition should include most of the errata and be a good reference outside of the exam as well as in it. The text is easy to use and you can easily skip the areas that aren't required for the PE structural depth.

2) I'd get the 14th for a number of reasons. First, as you said it's the newest code, no sense buying an older code if you don't have to. The changes between the 13th and 14th edition are small so you'll likely find they will result in identical answers. HOWEVER! Things did change, for example columns have a 5% increase in strength if I recall correctly due to improved modern materials. This could cause you to miss a question or two. That said, given that the PE is all multiple choice, and not essay form like the SE afternoon, your answer should be close enough that you can select the correct answer on the exam. Finally, if you fail this exam (I hope not, best of luck) then it's been unofficially confirmed that the SE will change to the 2012 IBC codes next year. No idea if the PE will follow but you can bet that sooner or later it will.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

 

[jf89]

Thanks for the advice, I secured a 13th Edition to borrow at work today and will just wait on the 15th Edition for my own personal library. Reading everyone's advice, I think that more or less follows the spirit of what everyone suggested (get the newest but use the correct for the exam).

Any thoughts on SDRM vs. SERM specifically for the afternoon PE? Overkill that's too confusing to leaf through? Too much detail when all you need is to size a beam? Basically I'm seeing that it's $10 more with twice the pages and wanted to know if those pages help, hurt, or make no difference.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

The SERM will have more information than you need but in it's own, easily ignored, sections. If all you need to do is size a beam you're all set. If they suddenly bust out some problem you didn't expect then the SERM well indexed with more material and will likely get you the right information. I'd get the SERM all things equal. It's also worth pointing out that the SERM and SDRM are written by the same author.

Here's a lot of very helpful reviews from Amazon as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Structural-De...iewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

They seem to support my opinion.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.