# Seismic and Surveying Exam in CA



## Tina (Jan 21, 2007)

Hi guys,

I'm preparing for the civil PE exam. There's no official sample exam for the seismic and surveying exams. I mean nothing like the sample exam that the NCEES offers. That sample exam gives at least a peek of the style of the exam. There's nothing like it for the seismic and surveying exams.

Do you guys think that the sample exam books by "the other board" are somewhat representative of the actual exams ?

Tina.


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2007)

Tina said:


> There's no official sample exam for the seismic and surveying exams. I mean nothing like the sample exam that the NCEES offers. That sample exam gives at least a peek of the style of the exam. There's nothing like it for the seismic and surveying exams. Do you guys think that the sample exam books by "the other board" are somewhat representative of the actual exams ?
> 
> Tina.


Tina --

Checkout the Chelapati Workbooks at Chelapati Workbooks -- Volumes VII (Engineering Surveying) and VIII (Seismic). Dr. Chelapati is known to have prepared materials for Geotechnical Engineering, and the California Special Exams.

I do not have explicit knowledge of the CA Special Exams, but I had access to the workbooks for Env, Geo, Trans, and WR. I completely credit these books (plus CERM) for passing the Civil PE Exam.

Hope this helps. Best of luck in your preparation.

JR


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jan 22, 2007)

Yeah, what's with the extra exams they make you take there? On one hand, I think it's important for a civil to know some basic survey concepts (I don't know any and have problems reading plans sometimes.) and seismic concepts in an active area like that.

But, come on now, you're not taking the surveying or structural exam, why the extra hoops to jump through.


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## Bigwolf (Jan 22, 2007)

Tina said:


> Hi guys,I'm preparing for the civil PE exam. There's no official sample exam for the seismic and surveying exams. I mean nothing like the sample exam that the NCEES offers. That sample exam gives at least a peek of the style of the exam. There's nothing like it for the seismic and surveying exams.
> 
> Do you guys think that the sample exam books by "the other board" are somewhat representative of the actual exams ?
> 
> Tina.



The sample PE Civil Surveying Exam (by :"the other board": ) is not even close to the actual exam. The sample exam problems are way too easy and straight forward. I took both surveying sample exams in the book and finished each exam with a solid 1/2 hour to spare. On the actual exam, I ran out of time....

That Seismic Design book (8th edition) by :"the other board": is alright, but the information is presented better in Steven Hiner's workbook found at www.seismicreview.com

If you're taking the seismic exam---make sure you bring in this reference. If you take a couple weeks and go through it and can understand all the problems, you will do just fine on this exam.

and then you can :lmao:


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## Bigwolf (Jan 22, 2007)

VTEnviro said:


> Yeah, what's with the extra exams they make you take there? On one hand, I think it's important for a civil to know some basic survey concepts (I don't know any and have problems reading plans sometimes.) and seismic concepts in an active area like that.
> But, come on now, you're not taking the surveying or structural exam, why the extra hoops to jump through.



That would be a damn good question!


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