# Share Your Bridge Lateral Preparation Strategy



## Layman (Jan 8, 2012)

For those who have taken lateral component with bridges module, it would be appreciated if you could share your ideas why you passed or failed exam. Any reference books you want to recommend?

Since the exam specs says the afternoon session includes a one-hour Column, a one-hour Footing and a two-hour General Analysis essay questions, this significantly narrows the scope of study topics in my opinion. Maybe I shouldn't think too much or deep and just enjoy the fact we bridge guys just need to deal with one thick AASHTO book for the afternoon session.

Layman


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## ipswitch (Jan 9, 2012)

As far as lateral for bridges goes, I don't want to speculate because I haven't started to study for lateral yet. There are live load lateral forces to consider on abutment stems, thermal expansion forces on bearings, wind load on fascia beams, impacts on barriers, lateral load on piles and caps. That's just off the top of my head.

It may be prudent to reference anyone of Dr. Chen's publications:

http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~ciechen/PublicationsPage.html

This one in particular has helped me in practice quite a bit:

/&gt;http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_543.pdf


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## ADB (Jan 16, 2012)

Layman,

Were you able to locate any worthy lateral bridge references to study from for the SE exam?


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## McEngr (Jan 16, 2012)

If you get on the prestressed concrete institute's webpage, you can download for free the PCI Bridge Design Manual. There are some very useful chapters on how bridges are typically designed for lateral resistance. You can't print it, but you can view it for your own learning.

http://www.pci.org/publications/bridge/ (see chapter 15)

Like all bridge manuals, it's very expensive.


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## Layman (Jan 19, 2012)

ADB said:


> Layman,
> 
> Were you able to locate any worthy lateral bridge references to study from for the SE exam?


Hi, ADB,

No, I wasn't. The Link of PCI recommended by McEngr is probably the best I could find online, but these design examples reference AASHTO LFRD of 1998 version. They are helpful though if the examinee is not familiar with seismic or wind load at all.

The book Design of Highway Bridges, An LRFD Aproach, second edition by Richard M. Barker, devotes around 10 pages describing lateral load analysis methodology but does not seem to include any lateral design examples. I am thinking about purchasing Bridge Engineering: Seismic Design (Principles and Applications in Engineering) by W.F. Chen and Lian Duan (Feb 27, 2003). For me the best study materials are design examples that follow at least AASHTO LRFD of 2007 version if not the latest one, so that I can dissect them to see if I miss any code provisions.

Layman


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## darkjedi.barry (Jan 19, 2012)

I have taken the Vertical Forces Bridges exam in Oct 2011 and passed. I am glad I did pass one and one to go. Now I am preparing for the Lateral exam and registered to take a LF course with School of PE from where I took the VF course also. My question is about the morning exam who have taken both Vertical/Lateral and passed. What things from the VF preparation would help me and what else specifically I should pay attention to for the LF preparation. I appreciate your input.


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## McEngr (Jan 20, 2012)

layman or others: did you find that the lateral on the exam was more difficult in nature than what was published on NCEES? I think the NCEES lateral bridge problems aren't that bad.


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## Layman (Jan 21, 2012)

McEngr said:


> layman or others: did you find that the lateral on the exam was more difficult in nature than what was published on NCEES? I think the NCEES lateral bridge problems aren't that bad.


Based on the sample exam provided by NCEES and exam specs, I agree with you on the difficult level of bridge lateral in-depth. I didn't take the lateral exam and hope too people who did can offer their opinions.

Layman


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## McEngr (Jan 21, 2012)

I assume you have the SERM 6th edition. It's very good for quickly grasping the concepts.

My main concern is the detailing aspects of steel/concrete for substructures and their foundations. Scary to think how many ways they could confuse the engineer from a seismic detailing standpoint... I guess I'm used to looking at steel and concrete detailing requirements for building seismic and assuming bridge design could be just as complicated.


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## EQguys (Jan 23, 2012)

I was doing some searching today for material on Bridge design for Seismic loading and I found this. May be of help to fellow testtakers 

/&gt;http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/publications/manuals/m23-50.htm


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