AASHTO, ASCE, ... etc. Problem Solving Strategy

I am trying to settle on the best strategy do deal with those exam problems that target a specific code clause. In fact, reading the code clause carefully will help you get the right answer even if you are not 100 % familiar with the code. Getting yourself familiar with all clauses of all codes is a very hard task, especially if it is outside your real practice. For example a building guy will not be very familiar with the AASHTO code and definitely cannot prepare for the exam by reading all 1700 pages. My question is : Will it work during the exam to solve a problem related the to a code clause that you are not very familiar with by basically reading that code clause carefully during the exam? Is it a good strategy? Your thoughts........

This can be done to an extent. I'm a buildings guy so I don't know AASHTO too well, but I made sure to tab each AASHTO chapter and the index so I could quickly search for a key word or glance and the table of contents for each chapter to find what I was looking for. I don't think you can do this for every reference though, it would take too long. If you know your codes fairly well, you typically have time to do a quick search on stuff you don't know, but make sure to save that until the end.

In the AASHTO case, the table to contents in each chapter is fastest way I think. For example if a question related to braking load, I can easily locate this part in chapter 3 using its table of contents. The nightmare is if you need to multiply it by another factor in chapter 1 or a third factor in the same chapter. Furthermore, you have to read the clause carefully to the "end". There are some exceptions that might be listed at the end of the clause. That is why I am worried that this strategy might not work in the exam due to the limited time.

Concern of mine as well.  I'm hoping the problem at least references a section of the code so you aren't searching too much.  Or that the majority of the problems can be solved by understanding the fundamentals.

As a mostly bridge engineer, AASHTO is pretty well referenced in the TOC and Index, and other than Chapters 3 and 4 being inter-related does not cross reference without telling you very often.  I would read Chapters 3 and 4 carefully, then the others just be able to find the sections.  Chapters 5 & 6 would be the next most likely as steel and concrete design.  Read the commentary on the right side carefully when you use provisions.

I have the same problem with not having done buildings much - mainly with the R values and such from ASCE 7 with all of the page long provisions of exceptions and requirements for everything - just a lot there to sort through.

I felt like the exam was a reference in locating obscure code look-ups.  So that's basically how I spent all of my time on the exam.  Most of the morning questions were referencing a single code provision... so I'd look up the provision, plug in the number or pull off a table value and move onto the next problem (rinse/repeat).  There were quite a few references I had never seen.  But I was able to locate the section using the appendix, and did fine.

In the AM section of both the vert and lat I was constantly cycling through codes.  It would be somewhat handy if the test was laid out so that its questions sequentially go through one code, then one complete, move onto another.  But alas, they bounce all over the place.  Example: AASHTO>AISC>ACI>NDS>AASHTO>NDS>AASHTO>ACI>etc... so there is a lot of reference juggling if you work one problem at a time in the order in which they are presented. But that's just the way they set it up.

You will come across questions that reference portions of the code that you aren't familiar with. Just gotta hope you look up the right term in the Index. For books that I had loose leaf, I put the index at the back of all the binders. For instance AASHTO spans over 2 binders, but don't just have the index at the back of the 2nd binder. Put it in both. 

My suggestion for the morning portion is to take the time to go through and read each problem. This might take 20-25 minutes. Group them together as follows, by the code they use:

1. Analysis (Structural textbook/reference)

2. Loads/code problems (IBC, ASCE 7)

3. Steel (AISC)

4. Reinforced Concrete (ACI 318)

5. Prestressed Concrete (PCI)

6. Masonry (ACI 530) 

7. Wood (NDS)

8. Light gage steel (AISI)

9. Bridges (AASHTO)

10. Inspections/Construction Methods/Misc.

11. Quick "word" problems. 

Work out the problems first that you are most comfortable with based on the code. If you know steel best, do the steel problems first and you will only have to reach for the AISC code once. Save the least familiar problems for last. For a buildings engineer, this might be the bridge problems. If you come across a problem that doesn't appear to require a lot (or any) calculations, and you really sure of the answer and where to find it, then go ahead and get it out of the way. Working through the problems in order that the are presented is not the best way because you do have to jump from code to code and that wastes time. Also, you wouldn't want to have 5 minutes left and 5 problems left that you would have gotten correct, if you only had the time. You want to have the problems that you would have the least chance of getting correct, left at the end.