SE Bridge Review Material/Course?

[TCurrz1016]

I am a building design engineer looking to take the SE Exam in April and the bridge questions on the exam are scaring me a little bit.  I've done little to no work with bridges since starting work.  I've found a bunch of review courses that contain bridge modules, but aren't explicitly geared towards bridges.  Does anyone know of any courses/books/study materials that will teach AASHTO to us building guys?  I know it's just for the morning breadth section, but I don't even know where to begin studying AASHTO.  Thank you!

-Tom

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

I'd pick up David Connor, SE's book (he's revising it for the AASHTO code change so see if you can wait for a later copy). Many review courses are geared toward getting building engineers through the bridge portion of the SE exam. David and myself teach for the PPI review course and it does a fantastic job of getting building engineers up to speed on the basics of bridge engineering, IMO.

 

[Lukus]

I'm a bridge engineer and I still found David Connor's book really useful.  It's really all the morning review you should need.  It was useful for the Bridge PM as well.  Wait for the updates to 7th edition.

If you don't have access to the full AASHTO code,  AASHTO sells a condensed copy of the code just for tests.  With these two resources there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to bank most of the AASHTO morning questions.

 

[Lukus]

^David's books are already updated for the 7th edition.

 

[David Connor SE]

TCurrz,

Please see my website for links to buy my books that are updated for AASHTO 7th edition. 

www.davidconnorse.com

Thanks!

 

[SE_FL]

I took the building SE test and was woefully unprepared for the bridge portion on the AM test. Do not take it lightly! That can be the difference in pass/fail. Stick to the NCEES exam specifications but understand you need to be prepared for anything.

For instance, if the Specs read "Concrete-shear" the question on the exam may be based off ACI or AASHTO (or general experience), so know how to answer both based on the reference statement in the question.

Just remember the bridge guys take the same AM test so the morning session is designed to be somewhat balanced between the two.

 

[hindeh]

David, I am currently deployed to Afghanistan and I hope to be home just in time for the April exams and I was wondering if I buy the book from your website, would you ship it to Afghanistan? We use an APO AE mailing address for all military personnel here on base.

 

[David Connor SE]

hindeh - Because you are serving our country I will send you one of my copies free of charge. 

Please send me your address via my email address: [email protected]

Thank you for your service,

David Connor, SE, PE

 

[hindeh]

David, I am currently deployed to Afghanistan and I hope to be home just in time for the April exams and I was wondering if I buy the book from your website, would you ship it to Afghanistan? We use an APO AE mailing address for all military personnel here on base.

David, thank you very much for your consideration. I have emailed you my address.

 

[OHBridgeGuy]

I just bought the lateral example problems David, will leave a review in a month or two after the exam to give feedback.  

 

[David Connor SE]

Thanks OHBridgeGuy!

 

[bassplayer45]

So i am a bridge guy and i have taken great mental notes from all my attempts before passing. Here are your big chapters. You don't need to know ALL these, but these are my experiences. Know chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Those are your main morning chapters. Provisions, loads, analysis, concrete, steel. Dont worry about chapters 15, 14, 13, 12 (this would just be way too detailed of a morning), 8 (if they give you a timber bridge question, they are just mean), or 7 (aluminum, but i think they have taken this out of the code), you probably dont even need these. Foundations,  abutments, decks, just know where they are, but these are pretty detailed for a morning question. When i say know these chapters, just know your way around them, dont memorize them and you should be fine. And remember, always remember 4.7.4.4 minimum support length with the zone correction factor and H = 0 for simple span. Other than that, keep the index handy, the AASHTO index is great, it will lead you most places