Weekly News
IStructE exam help available
Help is at hand for engineers taking the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) exam, as the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA) and Steel for Life have commissioned the Steel Construction Institute (SCI) to deliver a series of model answers that present steel solutions for selected questions from previous membership examinations.
Each model answer is contained within a standalone publication that includes: a summary of the question; the development of the required solutions; the design calculations for the principal structural elements, along with a commentary, and drawings, such as general arrangement plans, sections and elevations.
Other required documentation such as method statements, construction programmes and client letters are also included in the model answers.
SCI Associate Director David Brown said: “The membership examination is a considerable challenge, so these model answers should be a real help in demonstrating typical steel solutions.
“The commentary to the calculations should also assist, identifying the assumptions needed to simplify the design, which is important in the limited time available. Engineers can review the model answer, including the geotechnical aspects, method statement and client letter as part of their preparations for the examination.”
Candidates for the IStructE exam must demonstrate the validity of the training and experience they have acquired. Examiners must be satisfied that the candidate has conveyed an understanding of structural engineering principles, an ability to initiate and communicate structural design and provide an effective solution to a structural design problem.
The model answer series is intended to assist candidates preparing for the IStructE chartered membership examination. The first model answer to Question 1 from 2013, which was for a factory and adjoining office/storage building, is now available at:
http://www.steelconstruction.info/Continuing_Professional_Development#Model_answers_to_IStructE_exam