WA Structural III Exam 2

[Igrkn]

thread507-199252
I am taking Structural II and Structural III in WA this fall. I tried the SEAW website and found refreshment courses but there is no information on the exam format anywhere. I am in MO and there are not many people around who took the WA exams. Can anybody advise?

 

[SeanMD]

The refresher course introduction generally gives the format. My 2006 notes say the SEIII has three questions each session, one bridge and two building, you can answer any two.

Force distribution- Irregularites, deformation compatibilites, basic dymanics.

Site Effects - Soil structure interaction, fdn design

Structural component design - Primary LRFS memebrs, Diaphragms, chords, collectors

Detailing and ductility - Members, connections,

Non structural components - forces on elements, anchorage

Snw drifts, load combinations, verify computer output,

Ref docs, IBC, matl standards, (AISC manual, ACI 318, etc.)

I havent taken the exam personally. I am waiting for the new SE exams next year.

I'm sure you know, but if you take it and don't pass, you have to start all over with the new exams. IF you take the SE2 and pass, and fail the SE3, you still have to take the new SE series, the exams you passed no longer count.

 

[Igrkn]

Thank you, SeanMD.
Yes, I know the risk, however, I was under impression that I could try SIII the next year. That is if I pass SII, of course...

 

[SeanMD]

to clarify. The SE3 is going away in WA. Next year there will only be the (new and different) SE1 and SE2. So you wont be able to try the SE3 the next year, and you have to re-take the SE2.

 

[WillisV]

SeanMD - that is incorrect - Washington is actually offering their SEIII exam through 2011, given people taking the SEII exam in its last administration of October 2010 two additional opportunities in 2011 to get licensed "the old way"

 

[WillisV]

Backup info:

http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/engineerslandsurveyors/ChangestoStructuralExam.pdf

 

[Igrkn]

Thank you for confirmation, WillisV. I was not sure where I saw it. I hope the refresher course will give an idea of what to expect at the exam.

 

[SeanMD]

WillisV- thanks for the clarification, good catch. I went to a seminar a few months ago on the changes (before the announcment came out) and though it was different.

I wonder what OR and CA will do.....

 

[TXStructural]

SeanMD, you mention a new and improved SE1 & SE2. However, the new exam will be a single, two day exam. NCEES is saying that they will not report scores separately (But that was the intent with the current exams.)

And, if you have the SE1 now, you will have to take both days of the new exam to upgrade to the new SE, as will be required to license in a new state under the new exam.

Igrkn, good luck!

 

[SeanMD]

Yes. Another thing, as I understand it, some of the SE3 stuff from the CA and WA exams will be included. Has to be if the states are going to accept the new exams in lieu of the SE2 and SE3.

So I would imagine they are new and more difficult. We will see, I will be sitting for them next april.

 

[KootK]

Igrkn,

I too am taking the SEIII this fall. I've purchased the ICBO / SEOC seismic design series books (three of them). I guess I can't say how effective the books are until I take the exam. However, they strike me as excellent practical seismic design references.

Good luck!

KK

 

[WillisV]

Those books are good, but riddled with errors that have not yet been corrected even in the errata.

 

[Igrkn]

Thank you all for your valuable posts. I have purchased Seismic Design for Buildings from ppi but have not received it yet. I am also planning to purchase the SEAW refresher course notes. Does anyone have any comments?

 

[dmoench]

So am I to understand that if I am a registered SE having taken and passed both SE 1 and 2 tests,if I want to get registered in WA after 2011 I would have to retake both exams or just the new SE 2?

 

[dmoench]

Okay I found the answer to my question in the link that was posted by WillisV. Washington State is getting a little goofy with their licensing by not offering some kind of grandfather policy for existing SE's out there.

 

[WillisV]

After 2011 the only option available to new engineers to get licensed as an S.E. in Washington is to take the new 16 hour NCEES Structural Examination. As far as reciprocity and grandfathering etc, that is all up in there air and will be hammered out on a state by state basis. It is going to be a mess the next few years as everything shakes out and states decide what they are going to do regarding SE licensure.

 

[Prestressed Guy]

Back to the original question, the SEAW refresher notes were a great help to me when I passed it in 2004. At that time there were only 2 of us who passed out of 33 candidates. It is not an easy test. If it is any encouragement, the results for latest SEIII exam was 22%, 33 of 149.

Basically you will need to apply all of the special seismic provisions. Can we all say omega-nought? If you haven’t found a way to apply some obscure “special provision” you have probably missed the point. I was desperate to pass because it was the last test offered using the UBC and I was dreading having to make the change-over to IBC for the test. Sort of the same situation as now with the switch to a 16 hour exam. They love changing stuff.

 

[Igrkn]

Thank you, Haydenwse. I am still unclear on what level of detailization to anticipate for SIII problems. For example, do design examples for moment frames in AISC Seismic Design Manual represent this level correctly? I wonder if the SEAW notes will have any sample problems...

 

[Prestressed Guy]

Like I said, my notes are from early 2000 and were under the 97 UBC so the current version is completely new. My notes filled three notebooks and had detailed hand calculations, discussions relating to the special seismic provisions, solved examples and previous test questions. It was a good resource.

 

[3doorsdwn]

Yeah, I went ahead and took [and passed] the SE II because of this (previously, I just had the SE I: I'm an East Coast guy). I'm hoping that any new states that add an SE requirement will recognize the old SE exam. (Well, we know 3 states that won't: Ca., Wa., & Or......but I don't give a rip about ever being registered in them (as anything).)

it will be interesting to see the pass rates from this new test.