For the first time in its history, the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) exam for structural engineers will include questions that test a candidate’s knowledge of light-frame cold-formed steel (CFS) construction. Getting CFS on the exam has been a long-term goal of the Steel Framing Alliance (SFA) almost since its inception. Likewise, the Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI), the technical council of SFA, has been working diligently to achieve this breakthrough.

“Engineers and specifiers are recognizing the need for CFS education and knowledge, as they are confronting CFS design issues in their daily practice,” said SFA technical director Don Allen. “They no longer can rely on specialty engineers and manufacturers to provide all of the calculations: their engineering staff needs to understand key aspects of CFS design and construction.”

According to Allen, “The timing of this inclusion of CFS could not be better, given that NCEES will go to a 16-hour structural exam starting in April 2011.” The exam will replace the current Structural I and Structural II exams, which will be administered for the last time in October 2010. To develop the new exam, NCEES surveyed licensed structural engineers from across the United States to find out what subjects were most relevant to current professional practice. NCEES brought together representatives from state licensing boards and national structural engineering organizations to analyze the survey results and set the specifications, or content areas, for the new exam. It was during this process that CFS framing was identified and prioritized as part of the new exam requirements.

The new 16-hour Structural exam is divided into two 8-hour components, which will be offered on successive days. The Vertical Forces component (day 1, Friday,) focuses on gravity loads and incidental lateral loads. The Lateral Forces component (day 2, Saturday,) focuses on wind and earthquake loads.

Each component of the exam has a breadth module (morning) that contains questions covering a comprehensive range of structural engineering topics. Each component also has a depth module (afternoon) that focuses more closely on a single area of practice. Examinees will choose whether they want to concentrate on buildings or bridges for the afternoon modules.

To pass the exam, examinees must pass both the Vertical Forces and Lateral Forces components, but these components may be taken and passed in different exam cycles. The specifications for the new exam are posted on the NCEES Web site, at www.ncees.org/exams/professional/pe_structural_exam.php

The exam portion dealing with CFS framing will be in the “breadth of knowledge” modules administered during the morning session of both the Vertical Forces and Lateral Forces test days. On the first day (Friday morning) the CFS framing portion will cover one or more of the topics of framing, connections, or web crippling. On the Lateral Forces breadth of knowledge module (Saturday morning) the CFS question will cover light frame shearwalls or metal deck diaphragms. “The new questions fit well with efforts by SFA and CFSEI to develop resources for engineers,” said CFSEI President John Matsen of Matsen Ford Design Associates. “The release of the CFSEI Shearwall Design Guide is a perfect reference document for those preparing to sit for the new exam.” According to CFSEI manager Brian Berger, other documents in the pipeline, including Tech Notes on steel deck diaphragms on CFS floor framing, updates of notes on CFS connections, and new framing Tech Notes on specific applications, will contribute to the already sizeable body of CFS test preparation material.

As NCEES moves forward with test development, SFA and CFSEI will monitor and provide input to engineers involved in both developing content and grading the exam. SFA’s goal is for CFS to eventually become a part of the afternoon exam session.

For additional information on the efforts to support and enhance the CFS problems on the NCEES Structural exams, contact technical director Don Allen at dallen@steelframing.org. For additional information on NCEES exam content, grading, and eligibility, go to www.ncees.org, or contact your state’s professional registration board.

Source: Steel Framing Alliance