×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

PE Structural Depth reference material

PE Structural Depth reference material

PE Structural Depth reference material

(OP)
Hello all,

I am an EIT planning to appear PE exam in April 2017. With all the reference material available I am confused as to which reference books would be ideal to prepare from and which ones to carry for the exam. I have procured NCEES practice book and the CERM. Any help on what to study structural depth portion would be great. Any specific topics I need to focus on? All fellow engineers kindly help.

Thanks for your replies.

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

I'd recommend:

ACI
NDS
ASIC Manual
MJSC
PPI's Structural Engineering Reference Manual

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

(OP)
KootK

Thanks for the reply.

SlideRuleEra

I have read that guide from NCEES. I was planning on carrying all the codes listed. My query was regarding what references to carry apart from the codes. Is the CERM and the Structural engineering reference manual good enough?

Thanks.

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Quote (Is the CERM and the Structural engineering reference manual good enough?)


I taught a PE review course (Structural Depth) a few years ago. From what the students told me, I would say yes.

www.SlideRuleEra.net idea
www.VacuumTubeEra.net r2d2

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

(OP)
SlideRuleEra

Thanks a ton. I guess I will start with that. I will stop by here if I need more advice.

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Do a search on google and on this site; you'll likely find a lot of relevant information.

Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
www.americanconcrete.com

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

(OP)
TehMightyEngineer

I did and I was overwhelmed by the number of references out there. So I came here to see if I could narrow some down.

Too much information out there so wanted to refine it.

Thanks.

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Ah, understandable. I'd agree with SlideRule that the SERM and CERM are probably the place to start. I'd use your early studies to see if you feel additional reference material in specific topics is needed and add to your references then.

Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
www.americanconcrete.com

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

As an engineer doing structural work day in and day out, I felt that SERM and the relevant codes were plenty for the structural depth portion of the exam. I also had CERM with me, which was invaluable for the morning, but I don't think I used it in the afternoon (at least not much).

Of course, any reference is only as good as your familiarity with it (or at least your tabs!).

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

knowing how to find things in the CERM and all the references is one of the most important aspects of the exam. The less time you spend finding the section something is in, the faster you get through just about every problem.

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

I'll be taking the test next year as well.

I have all the codes except the following:

OSHA CFR 29 part 1910 and 1926
PCI
TMS 402/6024 (ACI 530/530.1)

I'm wondering if they were much use to anyone who's taken it?

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Take a practice breadth/morning test, tabbing the areas in the CERM that you find yourself using along the way, but not necessarily in every-day design (water resources, etc.). This was a crucial time saver for the morning portion.

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Quote (cal91)

I have all the codes except the following:

OSHA CFR 29 part 1910 and 1926
PCI
TMS 402/6024 (ACI 530/530.1)

I'm wondering if they were much use to anyone who's taken it?

Opinions vary.

Some people argue that for these codes (maybe some others, up to and sometimes including AASHTO), the relative number of questions on those topics are low. And furthermore, that through some engineering logic, other references (like CERM/SERM), or lucky guessing, they can have a reasonable result without buying or carrying those codes.

Others will argue that some questions are answered simply by a table lookup -- if you have (and can find) the right table in your references. So even if it's only 1 or 2 questions, they're "free" points for the taking.

It usually comes down to risk tolerance and how confident you are in your abilities on the other areas of the test.

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Is everyone discussing the same exam? I keep seeing references to CERM, which I assume is the Civil Engineering Reference Manual. Why would that be the manual to have on a structural-only exam? Wouldn't the Structural Engineering Reference Manual (SERM?) be the one to have?

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Archie, the PE exam (for Civil Engineers) has a general morning component, then a choice of 4-5 afternoon depth components. One of those depth components is in Structural Engineering.

For many engineers working with structures who aren't in an SE only state (Illinois, Hawaii) or working entirely on "high importance" structures in states with a separate SE license (mostly West Coast, some others), the PE in Civil/Structural is either the technical credential of choice or a stepping stone towards later sitting for the SE exam.

For the SE exam, absolutely, use the SERM. For the PE, most test takers use the CERM (good for the morning), and some supplement that with the SDRM (a smaller reference that addresses a few technical structural topics not covered in CERM)

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Archie, while the post is titled "structural depth" I (and I assume others) as assuming the OP is talking about the PE exam with the structural afternoon.

Thus, they will see the same morning as everyone else and will likely need the CERM for that portion.

Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
www.americanconcrete.com

RE: PE Structural Depth reference material

Ok, thanks, Lomarandil and TME. I'm up to speed now.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources