AISC Seismic Design Manual for SE Exam
AISC Seismic Design Manual for SE Exam
(OP)
For those who have taken the SE exam, did you find the AISC Seismic Design Manual a necessary or valuable reference for the exam? What was your experience using it? Is it similar to the Construction Manual with design tables followed by the 341 specification? Or is there a better alternative such as 2012 IBC Strucural/Seismic Design Manual Vol 4?






RE: AISC Seismic Design Manual for SE Exam
RE: AISC Seismic Design Manual for SE Exam
That being said, my experience was that the SE exam questions were quite a bit simpler and smaller in scope than the examples in the seismic design manual.
The greatest trick that bond stress ever pulled was convincing the world it didn't exist.
RE: AISC Seismic Design Manual for SE Exam
Best reference for structural steel design under lateral loads. I used it A LOT studying and just as much on the exam. The tables will help speed up your problems if you know how to use them (the examples will show you went they apply). The spec is after the manual, similar to AISC 360 and the steel building manual.
As KootK said, the examples are more in depth than the actual exam. That said, reading through them to get familiar with each system is quite useful. In addition, the examples are a good example of taking loads, combining them, when to apply overstrength factors, and some other general ASCE 7 seismic load calculations that you will likely see on the exam.
Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.
RE: AISC Seismic Design Manual for SE Exam
It may be a good study reference, but from my personal experience it wasn't very useful. As far as seismic design of steel structures, I had the SDM, AISC 341 and AISC 358 and only opened up the latter two. I didn't have the IBC publication.
Again, this was my personal experience and we are all different.
RE: AISC Seismic Design Manual for SE Exam
I will second the sentiment that yes, most problems are more in depth than required on the exam, especially connection design; however, a great deal of it can and should be used IMO.
RE: AISC Seismic Design Manual for SE Exam
No, no, that strains credibility. You don't actually expect us to believe that, do you?