Marking the ASCE7-05 for Quick Recognition & Use

California Seismic Exam Preparation

While you prepare for your California State Specific Seismic Exam (or any other PE exam component), you will face a learning curve in chapter applicability recognition. One of the most important differentiations is to pattern yourself to quickly move to chapter 12- for Building Structures, and to chapter 13- for Nonstructural Components.

The problem is: the ASCE is a very bland mix of uniform type and random equations (at a glance, at least.) When you are maximizing your time (rushing), this can frustrate, confuse, and waste your precious minutes. To break the power of black and white type on paper:

Break up the page by highlighting the Section Titles. 

 I used blue for chapter 12 and pink for chapter 13. As you practice, you will begin to associate the blue with building equations and the pink with nonstructural equations. Additionally, the unique positions of the pink horizontal bars gives each two-page open book layout a unique look. You will begin to recognize these pages as the pages containing certain information and equations. This will help you visually recognize the location of certain pages.

Of course, the most important pages for referencing should be tabbed. For about $3, you can get some packs of see-through tabs in Office Depot or Office Max. The sticky part is clear. The tab which overhangs the edge of the page is in four colors: green, red, yellow, and blue. You will want these in all your reference books. It really speeds up referencing tables.

Where to find great books for the PE Exam:

You will need several reference books for the PE exam. Most people also purchase the CERM, two or more practice exam books, and other study materials. The best of these are compiled here:

Best PE Exam Review Materials

The Required Code Books for the California State Specific Seismic Exam + Cheapest Seller for Each

(Note: before you buy any of these books singly, paying shipping for each, check the PE exam study materials page on Amazon. It can save you some green on cover prices, and also on shipping (free on orders over $35.) 

The California state-specific Seismic Principles exam for April and October, 2015 will be based on ASCE7-10 and the 2013 CBC, which is based on the 2012 IBC. Though the books I originally researched change every few years, the sources are likely to remain the best sources for price, or to at least remain very competitive.

The below is copied directly from the pels.ca.gov website (with purchase notes added after each code book):

Seismic Principles Examination
Design of Wood Structures ASD/LRFD
6th Edition, 2007
Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth J. Fridley, Kelly E. Cobeen
McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York
Cheapest find for Design of Wood Structures ASD/LRFD (6^th Ed): Amazon.com (note that shipping is free, compared to typical $3.99 elsewhere.)

Seismic Design Handbook, 2nd Edition, 2001

2006 Design of Reinforced Masonry Structures
July 2007
Chukwuma G. Ekwueme and Gregg Brandow
Concrete Masonry Association
6060 Sunrise Vista Drive, Suite 1875
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
(916) 722-1700

Cheapest find ($80) for Design of Reinforced Masonry Structures: The Masonry Society website: https://www.2paysecure.com/tms/cart/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=128
However, the overall cheapest price ($88.20) is at Amazon. This is because the Masonry Society charges $10 for basic UPS ground shipping. They do not offer USPS mail.

2006 IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manual, Volume 1
Code Application Examples and Building Design Examples
Structural Engineers Association of California
International Code Council
5360 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601-2298
1-800-284-4406
www.iccsafe.org

Cheapest find: Amazon, through codeitusa. Note that Amazon, and DealOz both perform searches of multiple sites. However, for the above books, I found cheaper prices at Amazon. For your convenience, I have a "Search for Reference Book Deals" box directly to Amazon in the right margin of this blog. Copy the code book titles, and paste them into the search box.

2006 IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manual, Volume 2
Building Design Examples for Light Frame, Tilt-up, and Masonry
Structural Engineers Association of California
International Code Council
5360 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601-2298
1-800-284-4406
www.iccsafe.org

2010 California Building Code, Volume 2 (CCR, Title 24, Part 2, Volume 2)
International Code Council
5360 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601-2298
1-800-284-4406
Important Note: If you have the 2009 IBC, that is an equal substitute, and you will not need to purchase the 2010 CBC in addition. Both refer to ASCE7 2005 for seismic. The California Board website makes this statement.

Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE/SEI 7-05

ATC-20 Procedures for Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings and ATC-20-1 Field Manual: Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings, 2nd Edition
1995
Applied Technology Council
(650) 595-1542
www.atcouncil.org

ATC 20 costs: Used copies are $20 to $100 from associated sellers at Amazon. Buy new from atcouncil.org for $24. ($31.98 total after tax and cheapest USPS Priority Mail for $5.70.) Total from Applied Technology Council is still less than what I found at Amazon, except for one offering in “good” condition from a 93% positive feedback seller.
The ATC-20 totals to $48.41. See my post Is ATC 20 Worth the Investment ?

Design of Wood Structures ASD/LRFD
6th Edition, 2007
Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth J. Fridley, Kelly E. Cobeen
McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York

Civil Engineering Reference Manual. If you're not crazy, this book is required. It is not listed by the NCEES, mind you. However, in every other sense of the word "required", you better have the CERM. Click the link to go to a site which searches for the cheapest price on the CERM.

Study Materials for the PE exam: Remember, Amazon is the biggest selling powerhouse on the Internet. Any seller selling on Amazon must offer their lowest price on Amazon; they must match or lower the retail cost. So, Amazon (barring irregularities) will always be the cheapest portal to buy PE exam books.

For a massive collection of carefully screened PE Sample Exams, Seismic prep material, and review books for most every exam type, visit the PE Exam Study Materials store on Amazon.

The California Civil Seismic Exam Review  page ranks the top 7 books and DVDs for review.

Excel Test Prep Service

Results from the California PE Exam of April, 2010 were sent out mid-July. A few days prior to receiving my letter, I received two advertisements for study services. I took them as a bad omen. In fact, I failed to pass the seismic portion of the California PE exam series. Here in the Sunshine State, we have 5 portions: a take home, mailed in with the application, the two part NCEES exam, and two more exams the day following the NCEES test date. The two are a seismic and a surveying exam.

Since then, I learned about the best book for the seismic PE exam. 

I failed the seismic. This is a reasonable result. My study for the other portions had content and structure. For the seismic? Well, I noticed everyone else had seismic books with them. I had only two books: the ASCE7-05 and the 2006 IBC Structural Seismic Design Manual. These were marginally helpful on the exam. End result: my performance on two of five portions of the seismic exam was "marginal". The other three were "deficient".

This harbinger of bad news hit my post box four days before official news:

PASS THE EIT.
PASS THE PE.
We guarantee it.
Excel Test Prep

A guarantee shows some good business principles. Plus, they got my address somehow. Freedom of information act, perhaps? Anyhow, you can peruse their site at exceltest.com or phone them at (510) 490-7000. email: pe@exceltest.com

For more PE Exam Review Class reviews, see the PE Review Course List and Comparison.