Construction 6 Minute Solutions

Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum

Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

treyjay

Professional Engineer
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
Messages
74
Reaction score
2
I had a chance to review the new 6 Minute Solutions for Construction that just recently came out. I did not work any of the problems, but I read over them fairly closely.

For anyone taking the construction exam, I would highly recommend that you get the book and work all the problems....it is very representative of the types of problems you might see and how to use the NCEES references.

 
Before purchasing this book I encourage everyone to read the review on Amazon. It's less than glowing.

It says

"The book is a long way from being perfect. There are some good problems in the book, however; several problems are difficult to understand due to the wording. I have found three errors so far in the solutions and only have gone through 25 problems and may have missed more. I have been studing alot the past three months and this book has been one of the least helpful. The errata for the book only has one entry at this time."

There is another review on Amazon that was very likely written by either the author or friend of same.

I'll pass. Thank you.

 
I found this book to be really helpful overall. I've only seen minor errors, but the solution to Question #76 appears to have a couple errors. The factor of 1.25 looks to apply to a conversion to 3sec gust not the final force in the member. Also in solution to #76 I cannot find the equation P,wind (psf) = 0.00256v^2 in any of the NCEES supplied references. Only place I've found it is in Rajapakse Const. Module Practice Problems pg. 179. Any help with this would be much appreciated since it appears the author is not giving any...

 
I found this book to be really helpful overall. I've only seen minor errors, but the solution to Question #76 appears to have a couple errors. The factor of 1.25 looks to apply to a conversion to 3sec gust not the final force in the member. Also in solution to #76 I cannot find the equation P,wind (psf) = 0.00256v^2 in any of the NCEES supplied references. Only place I've found it is in Rajapakse Const. Module Practice Problems pg. 179. Any help with this would be much appreciated since it appears the author is not giving any...
ASCE 7 - Chapter 6 - equation 6-15 for velocity pressure has that basic form. It also has a bunch of other modification factors - for importance, topography etc.

 
Hurd, Right on thanks. Whats you thoughts on the 3sec gust conversion? Does not say duration is needed in Hurd. My guess is only 3sec applies to that equation.

 
The book was okay. Some problems are too in depth, such as all of the wastewater problems in the AM section. Purchase the NCEES practice exam from 2008 instead. It is a much better reference and comes from NCEES. I did do all of the problems though so I should not tell you not to purchase it.

 
Chris,

I do not have the book around me at the moment (still at work), but don't think too much into it. Just use the equation to solve the problem. I recall working a bracing masonry wall problem in the Ruwan Const. Practice Problem set where that very equation was used. If you also have the Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls During Construction I recall seeing that very equation in there. I'm not a masonry expert but my common sense tells me the 3-sec gust equation is an industry standard. I would safely assume the 3-sec gust design would be stated in the problem. But if not I plan to use it anyway for lack of better information. Make sense?

thanks,

Jason

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Chris,

Although it's a moot point, I stand corrected, according to the Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls During Construction text, 5-second wind gust speeds are the basis for design, per Section 3.3. But same equation.

thanks,

Jason

 
To the Construction Depths: WARNING

I had a chance to review this book yesterday, worked the first 50 or so problems and there are A LOT of errors, some of them are just plain wrong assumptions by the author. Some are explained above. The early problems on soil swell and shrinkage are excellent, one is worded bad, but after that things get worse. For sure there are a few gems in here - ones that make you use your references, like minimum personnel weight per ASCE 37 Section 4.1.1. But with so many blunders by the author it's definitely not worth more than, say $15. Retail is around $60. Here's a tipoff - save that money and buy your significant other flowers or a diner for putting up with your isolationist study habits the past <insert number> months/years. Or if you're single buy yourself something nice for putting up with yourself.

Jason

 
I agree with Jayman. I have spent the last two days reviewing this book. It has a few good problems, but overall it is so convoluted it will take away your last shred of self confidence. For example, problem 29 involves estimating a steel frame. There is no way you would assume 12 columns and in a real world scenario a structural frame would not be designed to have columns stacked on top of each other. Further this is in conflict with the elevation view shown for the problem. Additionally, the scheduling problems are not only complicated but made even more so by the solutions. There are much better ways to spend your study time and you are better off focusing on NCEES sample problems books and other similar resources.

 
Back
Top