SE Exam AASHTO Code 1

[imagine18]

For the SE exam this fall, the referenced AASHTO code is the 7th edition. I have access to the 5th edition pdf but not the 7th. Does anyone know of major differences between the two that I should be aware of? Will the 5th edition suffice for the current test? Also, do I need to print all 1500 pages out or are there certain sections I can print and focus on?
Thanks

 

[firstoption]

NCEES is ridiculous with their testing strategy

they WILL include questions that will be on a previous edition but lead you to the INCORRECT answer.
I suppose they make money off of making people buy the current edition of books (not that being able to use an old one isn't an indication that you'd be able to use the new one)

 

[EDub24]

The worst thing you can do is bring an older reference into the exam. As mentioned above NCEES loves to catch people on that. Bite the bullet and get the new code. AASHTO has a cheaper version specifically for the exam that doesn't include all the addendums and changes that NCEES doesn't list. Be happy it's only 1 code. Imagine the bridge guys who have to buy a half dozen codes they'll never use again!

 

[ProLuke]

Hi Imagine18,
I am taking the test in April 2018 and am facing the same thing... don’t want to buy the new AASHTO code. Did you end up buying the new or using the older code? Did you pass?

I am studying now using the NCEES provided practice exam and it seems like all the ASSHTO questions’ code references still work using my 2012 6th edition code. I think I’ll save my money.

I don’t like the idea of buying the code “without interims” anyway just for a test if it is missing a bunch of updates from the up to date code.

--Luke

 

[Lomarandil]

I don't know about the 5th, but I took the test (Bridges PM) last fall with a borrowed 6th edition code. I went through all of the change logs from the 7th edition and applicable interims and marked up the 6th edition to match (had digital access to a 7th).

The percentage of changes that would have affected any plausible test question was minimal. Especially if you're taking Buildings for the afternoon, I'd be happy going in with a 5th or 6th edition as long as you had the following pages/updates from the 7th:
[ul]
[li]Phi factors for each material[/li]
[li]Load combinations and Load Factors[/li]
[li]Approximate Live Load Distribution Factors[/li]
[li]Deck equivalent strip widths[/li]
[li]Some prestressed concrete design info[/li]
[li]Maybe some of the seismic design procedure?[/li]
[/ul]

(Sorry, I don't have access to that 6th edition any more, so I can't check which sections actually had material changes. If you decide to replicate my effort, my advice would be to stick to chapters 3-6 rather than updating each and every change like I did.)

The NCEES practice exam questions and solutions are borrowed from old exams (or have a striking resemblance), so they may not be a good indicator of the current code version.

----
The name is a long story -- just call me Lo.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

Concrete development lengths changed significantly.

Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries

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