AISC Seismic Design Manual

Hi everyone,

I am a bridge engineer and got confused with lots of specs from AISC about seismic. For the morning, apart from AISC seismic design manual (listed on the NCEES as a references), what else I need? I was looking at a problem in NCEES Sample test solution and I saw AISC 341? How many I would need to print? How would you recommend going over them?  There is not much practice problems that I could find either. Thanks!!

AISC 341 is the specification in the back of the Seismic Design Manual; similar to how AISC 360 is the steel specification in the back of the Steel Design Manual. AISC 341 and AISC 360 are technically all you need to design to; however the manuals are required for the exam as NCEES expects you to have the relevant tables and so on from the manuals.

I'm confused though, you said you couldn't find many practice problems but the seismic design manual is full of them. Do you not have the manual?

Mighty is correct. Also, be sure to reference the NCEES study outline and tab the AISC Seismic Design Manual (SDM) to match what they plan to test one. The SDM is short, but very dense and zoning in on the important topics is key to using your time wisely. It also makes digesting the SDM easier in my opinion.

hmm.. I see. Sorry for the confusion. I mean to say practice problems like six minute sol etc.  I see SDM has lot of problems, so may be that is similar to what we can expect in the test. I guess I will have to print the  AISC 341 AND AISC 360 for the tables at least. Thanks for the replies.

Yes, it is going to be tough for a bridge engineer for the 40 multiple choice morning sections. Expect to see 30 building questions and 10 bridge questions. 

As for example problems there are lots for building design questions.  These are in addition to the codes/standards you will need for the exam.  (Yes, lots of books.) 

Here are the books I recommend for study guides:

These 4 books cover materials design: 

1. Steel Design for the Civil PE and Structural SE Exams (PPI)

2. Concrete Design for the Civil PE and Structural SE Exams (PPI)

3. Timber Design for the Civil PE and Structural SE Exams (PPI)

4. Masonry Structural Design (Textbook by Richard E. Klinger)

These 4 books help with the lateral exam:

5. 2012 IBC: SEAOC Structural/Seismic Design Manual Vol. 1: Code Application Examples - Can't stress how much this book will help on the morning seismic questions.  

6. 2012 IBC: SEAOC Structural/Seismic Design Manual Vols 2-4 - These cover seismic material design (steel, concrete, wood, masonry)

7. Seismic Design of Building Structures (PPI) - Good seismic design study guide. 

8. Wind Loads: Guide to the Wind Load Provisions of ASCE 7 - While the lateral exam is "seismic heavy" you will need to know wind load provisions too.

These 2 books are example SE exams:

9. 16-Hour Structural Engineering (SE) Practice Exam for Buildings (PPI) - Will give you a good idea of the level of difficulty for the exam. Might even be somewhat more difficult than the exam, but that is good!  Does not have bridge essay questions.

10. SE - Structural Engineering Sample Questions + Solutions (NCEES) - This book is put out by NCEES. I think it is easier than the actual exam, but also a good idea of how the exam is put together. Includes bridge essay questions. 

I know you are a bridge engineer, but I wrote a book of bridge example questions.  It is called Bridge Problems for the Structural Engineering (SE) Exam by David Connor, SE, PE. If you purchase it, please make sure you get the 2nd edition since it has been updated to the new AASHTO reference code (7th edition). 

Good luck!

Of all the items David Connor mentions, I had 5,6,9,10.  As he mentions, number 5 is essential.  Do every problem in that by hand and understand how they are solved.  As a building engineer, his book was also very helpful.  I passed October 2016.

To your original question, the examples in the AISC Seismic Manual are very in-depth (would take longer than 6 minutes to solve).  I would spend more time learning general principles and concepts from the manual than working through every example problem in there (I did not work through many of their examples all the way through in studying).

Becoming SE said:

hmm.. I see. Sorry for the confusion. I mean to say practice problems like six minute sol etc.  I see SDM has lot of problems, so may be that is similar to what we can expect in the test. I guess I will have to print the  AISC 341 AND AISC 360 for the tables at least. Thanks for the replies.

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I highly encourage you get the hard copies of the AISC Steel Manual and the AISC Seismic Design Manual for the exam.  If you don't have the Steel Design Manual, check with someone in your company (if that's an option).  In many cases, the entry-level EIT's will have the latest version from their undergraduate studies.

Depending on where you work, the Seismic Design Manual is harder to come by.  Check with some of your local university libraries to see if they have a copy.  That's what I did to borrow a copy of the 2011 Masonry Specifications for the October 2016 exam.

David or any other SE;

On PPI Reference manual in Bridge section Example#2 

Where to find force coefficient a=0.1205 and Y(gamma) of (0.083+.090+0.0064+0.0051) 

These factors are used to calculate M2.

pkarna,

Those are simply moment coefficients based purely on structural analysis to determine the moment at the given location. For instance, the moment at the mid-span of a simply supported beam with a distributed load is (wL^2)/8 or (.125)*wL^2 where the alpha or gamma moment coefficient is .125. It is confusing because the author doesn't really tell you what those are, but it would be a waste of "page space" to solve for all of those coefficients. Don't worry so much about that, more about the concept. 

Thank you Dave!

I am finding your "Bridge Problems for the SE Exam"  great and very helpful, I have a question on Lateral Problem#4

How you have calculated moment in low and high water conditions:at the top of the solution you say where there is water there is no wind as it is blocked then:

Mwind Low= 0.2*20'*(8'+10')  how you have calculated 8'+10'?

Mwater low=1*5*(3'+2.5') how you have calculated 3'+2.5'

Mwind High how you have calculated 13'+7.5'?

Mwater High how you have calculated 3'+5'