How to Read PE Structural (SE) Exam Questions Effectively

One of the biggest keys to passing the PE Structural (SE) exam is simple: get to the correct answer quickly. And the only way to do that is by reading the question carefully and understanding exactly what the exam writer is asking for. Every problem includes clues—sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle—that guide you to the right solution. Your job is to identify all the relevant information, interpret it correctly, and connect it to the question being asked.

In SE exam problems, the design data, assumptions, criteria, loads, and other details can appear in several different places. A typical question can include information from:

• The problem statement
• The design code
• The design criteria
• Any provided figures
• The “what is asked” section

In this article, we’ll walk through a real practice problem similar to those found in the exam, demonstrating how to extract the needed information and ignore what’s irrelevant.

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Example Problem Breakdown

The sample problem below comes from our pool of gravity-related questions.

Here’s how the information is presented—and how each piece guides the solution:

1. Problem Statement & Figure
   The problem references a “bolted splice”, which points you toward AISC or AASHTO specifications.
2. Design Code Section
   The code is identified as AASHTO, telling you this is a steel bridge design problem.
3. What the Question Asks
   The task is to compute nominal fatigue resistance.
4. Applicable AASHTO Provision
   Per AASHTO 6.6.1.2.5-2, two equations exist for nominal fatigue resistance, depending on the required fatigue load combination.
   Here, the question specifies Fatigue II.

1. Nominal Fatigue Resistance Formula
   The constant A depends on the component type.
   Since the question states “beam web at holes”, the component is base metal.

1. Bolt Tightening Condition
   The design criteria state that the splice is a slip-critical joint, which influences the fatigue category.

1. Number of Cycles (N)
   

The boundary condition (simply supported girder) is given in the problem statement.

1. Single-Lane ADTT
   

The ADTT value comes from the design criteria.
The fraction ppp depends on the number of truck lanes (2.0), also provided in the criteria.

1. Bolt Number and Diameter
   These appear in the figure but do not affect the solution.
2. Girder Cross-Section
   Also shown in the figure, but not needed for this particular question.

Key Takeaways

• Read every section of the problem. Important information is spread across the statement, figure, criteria, and code references.
• Not all given information will be useful. Some details are included because exam problems originate from larger question banks with multiple variations.
• A major skill tested in the SE exam is identifying what matters. Efficiently filtering relevant vs. irrelevant data saves precious time and leads to correct answers.