Steven T. Hiner, MS, SE

Seismic Design Review Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

To view the answers to the below questions: clicking on the “+” button to the left of the appropriate question will reveal the answer. Clicking the “Expand All” link will reveal all of the answers in that particular section. Clicking on the “Collapse All” button will hide all of the currently expanded answers from view.

The California Civil P.E. Seismic Principles Exam

• What exams are required to be licensed as a Civil Engineer in California?

  • In order to be licensed as a Civil engineer in the State of California, applicants must take and pass all of the following:

    1. 1. The General NCEES Civil P.E. Exam – multiple choice, 8 hrs. in length
    2. 2. California P.E. State Laws & Board Rules Exam (Take Home Exam)
    3. 3. California Special Civil - Seismic Principles Exam – multiple choice, 2.5 hrs. in length
    4. 4. California Special Civil - Engineering Surveying Principles Exam – multiple choice, 2.5 hrs. in length

    Exams do not have to be passed concurrently, they may be passed separately. Applicants licensed as a professional civil engineer in another State may apply for Comity, and typically are only required to take and pass the CA Special Civil Engineer exams (i.e., seismic principles and engineering surveying principles), and the Take Home exam.

• What books should I have to prepare for the California Civil P.E. Seismic Principles exam?

  • Besides the SDR Workbook, it is recommended that participants also have access to ASCE 7-05: Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, and either the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) OR the 2010 California Building Code (CBC).

• Beginning with the April 2011 exam, BPELSG lists the 2010 California Building Code (CBC) as the building code reference for the California Civil P.E. Seismic Principles exam. Can I use the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) instead of the 2010 CBC?

  • Yes, BUT you need to understand that actual questions on the Seismic Principles exam will refer to 2010 CBC sections, tables and figures. These are essentially identical to the very same sections, tables and figures found in the 2009 IBC, BUT they DO NOT share the same page numbers. The advantage to using the 2009 IBC is that it is simpler (i.e., one volume instead of two volumes) and it is less than half the cost of the 2010 CBC.

    From the BPELSG Special Civil Engineering Examinations Reference List - “If you currently have the 2009 International Building Code (IBC), you may use that in lieu of purchasing the 2010 CBC because the two codes contain the same material and the same section numbers. Both the CBC and the IBC refer to the ASCE 7-05 for the effects of earthquake motion.”

• Should I purchase the newer version of IBC (i.e., 2012 IBC instead of 2009 IBC) and/or ASCE 7 (i.e., ASCE 7-10 instead of ASCE 7-05)?

  • No. The 2012 International Building Code (IBC) has not been adopted into the California Building Code, and will not be the code reference until the April 2014 exam. Both the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) and the 2010 California Building Code (CBC) use ASCE 7-05 as the reference standard for seismic forces and design (ASCE 7-10 is the reference standard for the 2012 IBC).

Seismic Design Review – General

• How long has SDR been providing seismic design review products?

  • Seismic Design Review has been providing Live Seminars since 1990 — more than twenty years. The Live Webinar and On-Demand Video options were added prior to the April 2010 Civil P.E. examinations.

• Are continuing education units (CEU's) or professional development hours (PDH's) available for any of the Seismic Design Review training options?

  • No, currently there are no CEU's or PDH's issued for attending or participating in the Live Seminars, Live Webinars, or On-Demand Videos. These courses are not intended for continuing education or professional development, but rather are intended to prepare examinees for the California Civil P.E. Seismic Principles exam only.

• What are the seismic topics covered in the Live Seminars, Live Webinars, and the On-Demand Videos?

  • All lectures, webinars and videos address the topics that fall under the five primary content areas of the Seismic Principles Test Plan:

    1. I. Seismic Data and Design Criteria
    2. II. Seismic Characteristics of Engineered Systems
    3. III. Seismic Forces
    4. IV. Seismic Analysis Procedures
    5. V. Seismic Detailing and Construction Quality Control
• What forms of payment do you accept for seminar and webinar registration and/or workbook purchases?

  • Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover Card) or PayPal are available for all on-line purchases. Mail-in course registrations and mail-in workbook orders may use personal checks, cashier�s checks or money orders only.

    State or Federal Agencies may contact us directly for additional payment options that may be accepted.

Seismic Design Review – Live Seminars

• Who is the instructor for the Live Seminars?

  • Steven T. Hiner, MS, SE is the instructor for all Live Seminars.

• When and where are the Live Seminars offered?

  • The Live Seminars are offered twice a year, beginning about two months prior to each Civil P.E. examination which occur in mid-April and late October. The Live Seminars are typically offered in Sacramento (Session 1), in Pleasanton (Session 2), and periodically in Irvine (Session 3).

    The Sacramento course occurs over four consecutive Saturdays while the Pleasanton course occurs over four consecutive Sundays. Each of the seminars begin at 8:30 am and ends at 4:30 pm each day.

    When the Irvine course is offered, it typically occurs over one Saturday and two consecutive Sundays. The Irvine seminars begin at 8:00 and end at 5:00 pm each day.

• What is the difference between the Sacramento & Pleasanton Live Seminars and the Irvine Live Seminars?

  • The Sacramento Live Seminars occur over four consecutive Saturdays, while the Pleasanton Live Seminars occur over four consecutive Sundays (4 lecture days total each). Since each lecture is scheduled at 7 hours in length, the total hours of training is approximately 28 hours.

    The Irvine Live Seminars, when offered, occur over one Saturday and two consecutive Sundays. Each Irvine lecture is scheduled at 8 hours in length, for an approximate 24 hours of lecture time. To supplement the Irvine course, two (free) weeknight Live Webinars are provided approximately two weeks prior to the first lecture of the Irvine Live Seminars. The two webinars are intended to provide the Irvine attendees a head start on the material, prior to the beginning of the Live Seminars. Also, the SDR Workbook is mailed to all of the Irvine attendees approximately one week prior to the scheduled Live Webinars. Reading and homework assignments are provided prior to and after the two Live Webinars. All Irvine attendees that are not available to participate in the Live Webinars will be provided free access to the recorded video from those webinars. With the addition of the two webinars, the total hours of training is approximately the same as the Sacramento and Pleasanton Live Seminars.

• What are the Live Seminar attendee passing statistics?

  • Since April 2004, the passing percentage of SDR Live Seminar attendees has been approximately twice the passing percentage of all other examinees as shown on the SDR Passing Stats page.

• Do you guarantee that all Live Seminar attendees will pass the exam?

  • No. But we feel strongly that “IF” you attend all the lectures, complete all of the assignments, and closely follow the recommendations for preparing and taking the seismic principles exam, that your chances of passing the exam will be greatly increased (see SDR Passing Statistics).

• I have heard that the Live Seminars can fill up quickly. Can I reserve a space by phone or email?

  • No. Spaces are filled by either receiving registration from the Credit Card/Paypal option, or by receiving a mail-in enrollment form with payment (personal check, cashier�s check, or money order). See the Live Seminar web page.

• I sat for the last California Civil P.E. Seismic Principles exam, and the enrollment for the Live Seminars is expected to start BEFORE the exam results are released. Can I enroll in the course and receive a full refund if I find out that I passed the last exam?

  • Yes, it is recommended that you enroll in the Live Seminar session of your choice using either registration option, as soon as practical. If you enroll using the Credit Card/Paypal option and later find out that you passed the exam, a full refund will be provided upon notification. If you enroll using the mail-in registration form option, it is recommended that you staple a post-dated personal check to your enrollment form per the instructions on that form. A space will be reserved for you pending notification of your exam results. If you passed, then your enrollment form and check will be destroyed.

• What is your refund policy for the Live Seminars?

  • A 100% refund will be provided with notification of a cancellation at least two weeks before the first lecture. An 80% refund will be provided with notification from two-weeks to the day before the first lecture. No refunds will be given on or after the first lecture.

• I attended your course previously and did not pass the exam. Can I attend the course for free, or at a discount?

  • There are no discounts available for repeating the Live Seminars (or signing up for the Live Webinars or On-Demand Webinars). For this reason, we strongly encourage that you do not sign up for any seminar until you are prepared to put in an adequate amount of time to study the material before the exam (typically estimated at a “minimum” of 50 hours in addition to the lecture time).

• Are there group discounts available for attendees registering from the same company or agency?

  • No, there are no group discounts available.

• I previously purchased a copy of the SDR Workbook, can I receive a discount in the enrollment fee for the Live Seminar?

  • There is no workbook discount available for enrollment in one of the Live Seminars (i.e., Sacramento, Pleasanton, etc.). BUT if you purchased the SDR Workbook using a Credit Card/PayPal, it can be returned within 60 days of the order date (as long as the book is still in new condition and free of any markings). A Credit Card/PayPal refund will be provided, less the cost of the original shipping charge.

    Attendees that end up with multiple copies of the SDR Workbook (likely with different printing dates) should consider offering one of those copies for sale on any number of engineering exam forums. An asking price of $70 is fairly common for the resale of the SDR Workbook.

• If I register for the Live Seminar, do I also receive FREE access to the Live Webinars and/or the On-Demand Webinars?

  • No. While the Live Seminars cover the same Test Plan content areas as the Live and On-Demand Webinars, the material is not covered in the same order or even by the same modules. Live Seminar attendees can purchase access to Live or On-Demand Webinars if they feel they missed part of a seminar, or need additional help with specific areas, but those attendees should contact us to help them determine which module(s) cover the same material from a particular Live Seminar.

• If I am unable to attend one of the scheduled Live Seminar dates, what options are available to make up that missed class?

  • If you have a conflict with one of the Live Seminar dates, typically you can attend the same lecture at the other location. For instance, if you were enrolled in the Saturday course in Sacramento (Session 1), you could attend the following days lecture on Sunday in Pleasanton (Session 2). Please contact us so we can verify that adequate space will be available to make this switch.

    Free access to the Live or On-Demand Webinars is not an option available for making up for one or more missed Live Seminars. Attendees of the Live Seminars can always purchase access to Live or On-Demand Webinars if they missed part of a seminar, or feel they need additional review of specific areas, but those attendees should contact us to help them determine which module(s) cover the same material from a particular Live Seminar.

• What additional materials will I receive with the Live Seminar?

  • Besides the Free SDR Workbook ($75.00 value), attendees may also be provided handouts and other valuable test preparation/reference materials. You will either be provided links to these materials or they will be handed out during the seminar sessions.

• What is the difference between the Live Seminars, the Live Webinars, and the On-Demand Webinars?

  • The Live Seminars require that the attendees travel to a particular location (e.g., Sacramento, Pleasanton, or Irvine) to participate in all of the scheduled lectures. The Live Seminars cover all of the topics on the Special Civil Seismic Principles Test Plan, but they DO NOT cover this material in the same order as in the Test Plan. The Live Seminars cover the topics essentially in the order as it is presented in the SDR Workbook.

    For the Live Webinars, it is not necessary for the attendee to travel since their participation will be via online access of a web seminar from their desktop or laptop computer (PC or Mac), but the attendee must be available for the date and time of the scheduled webinar. The On-Demand Webinars provide for the added convenience of 24/7 access to view the purchased content (i.e., no need to be available at a certain date and time as is the case for the Live Webinars). Furthermore, the Live and On-Demand Webinars cover all of the topics on the Special Civil Seismic Principles Test Plan AND in the same order as in the Test Plan. The material is presented this way because it is anticipated that many of the participants of the Live and On-Demand Webinars may be registering only for specific modules (i.e., specific content areas) for which they received a �Deficient� or �Marginal� comment in their previous examination Diagnostic Report.

Seismic Design Review – Webinars (Live and On-Demand)

• Who is the presenter of the Live and On-Demand Webinars?

  • Steven T. Hiner, MS, SE is the presenter for all Live and On-Demand Webinars.

• Is the SDR Workbook included with the purchase of Live or On-Demand Webinars?

  • No, it is not. Live and On-Demand participants may purchase the SDR Workbook separately from the SDR Workbook page.

• What if I am unable to attend one of the purchased Live Webinar sessions?

  • Prior to the day of the Webinar you may request a full refund for that webinar session(s). You can make up the missed webinar by viewing the recorded webinar video on the topic you missed. You may purchase whatever modules you need on the On-Demand Webinars section of the Webinars page.

• If I register for the Live Webinar, do I also receive FREE access to the On-Demand Webinar Library?

  • No, but Live Webinar participants are encouraged to purchase access to the On-Demand Webinars if they missed one of the Live Webinar sessions, or feel they need extra time to review certain modules or portions of modules.

• What are the Live Webinar and On-Demand Webinar participant passing statistics?

  • The Live and On-Demand Webinar options were first offered prior to the April 2011 examination, so there are no passing statistics currently available. However, because the Webinars are taught by the same instructor and cover the same materials as the Live Seminars, it is expected that the passing statistics will be comparable to those of the Live Seminars.

• What material is covered in the Live and On-Demand Webinars?

  • Both the Live and On-Demand Webinars are offered as five separate modules that coincide with the five specific content areas of the Special Civil/Seismic Principles Test Plan noted as follows:

    1. •  SP-I: Seismic Data and Design Criteria
    2. •  SP-II: Seismic Characteristics of Engineered Systems
    3. •  SP-III: Seismic Forces
    4. •  SP-IV: Seismic Analysis Procedures
    5. •  SP-V: Seismic Detailing and Construction Quality Control
• How long are the Live and On-Demand Webinars?

  • Each module includes approximately 6 hours of lecture and Q&A time. The Live Webinars offer each module as two - 3 hour lectures held over two evenings (Pacific Standard Time). The On-Demand Webinars make each module available for access in two � approximately 3 hour videos.

• What is the difference between the Live Webinars and the On-Demand Webinars?

  • The On-Demand Webinars will be the recorded Live Webinars that occur in February & March 2011. The main advantage to the Live Webinars is that they allow attendees to interact live with the presenter and the class during the webinars. The main advantage to the On-Demand Webinars is that the participant can watch (stream) the content on their own schedule, at a location that is most convenient for them (i.e., home, work, etc.).

• Can I register for Live Webinar modules, or On-Demand Webinars, that cover just the content areas where I feel I need the most help?

  • Absolutely, and this approach may be preferred for examinees who receive a Diagnostic Report that is “Deficient” or “Marginal” in in any of the content areas noted below:

    1. •  SP-A: Seismic Data and Seismic Design Criteria
    2. •  SP-B: Seismic Characteristics of Engineered Systems
    3. •  SP-C: Seismic Forces
    4. •  SP-D: Seismic Analysis Procedures
    5. •  SP-E: Seismic Detailing and Construction Quality Control
• What are the system requirements for the Live Webinars?

  • PC Minimum Requirements:

    1. •  Internet Explorer® 7.0 or newer, Mozilla® Firefox® 3.0 or newer or Google™ Chrome™ 5.0 or newer (JavaScript™ and Java™ enabled)
    2. •  Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
    3. •  Cable modem, DSL, or better Internet connection
    4. •  Minimum of Pentium® class 1GHz CPU with 512 MB of RAM (recommended) (2 GB of RAM for Windows® Vista)

  • Mac® Minimum Requirements:

    1. •  Safari™ 3.0 or newer, Firefox® 3.0 or newer or Google™ Chrome™ 5.0 or newer (JavaScript™ and Java™ enabled)
    2. •  Mac OS® X 10.4.11 – Tiger® or newer
    3. •  Cable modem, DSL or better Internet connection
    4. •  PowerPC G4/G5 or Intel processor (512 MB of RAM or better recommended)

    Participants wishing to connect to audio using VoIP will need a fast Internet connection, a microphone and speakers (a USB headset is recommended).

• What are the system requirements for the On-Demand Webinars?

  • The On-Demand Webinars are viewed using Mircosoft® Silverlight® and can be accessed by using the Microsoft Silverlight player on either a PC or a Mac. To download the most current Silverlight player and to see minimum system requirements visit http://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/Get-Started/Install/Default.aspx

• How long will I have access to my purchased On-Demand Video content?

  • You will have 24/7 access to the number of hours of content that you have purchased, at least until the day of the exam. Although the content is likely to remain available after the exam, it is highly recommended that you consume all of your purchased content prior to the exam date.

• How do I access previously purchased On-Demand Webinar content?

  • When you purchased your webinar content you were asked to create a User Name and Password, with those two items you can log in to access your purchased content by clicking on the button at the bottom of the Webinars page or by clicking here.

    If you have forgotten your User Name and/or Password you can request that they be mailed to you from the Returning Users Page.

• Are there restrictions on how many times an On-Demand Webinar video may be viewed?

  • The limit on how many times a particular video (or portion of a video) may be viewed is entirely related to how many viewing hours are remaining in your account. For instance, if you purchase the ALL modules option, you will begin with 30 hours of video viewing time. As you watch each video, time will continue to count down from your account accordingly. When you complete the viewing of all video modules, your account may have about three hours viewing time remaining. This additional time would allow you to go back to view portions of specific videos, but will not allow you to view any video an unlimited number of times. Once the total viewing hours are used up in your account, you could always purchase more viewing hours in 3-hour increments but those additional hours must be purchased by specific videos (i.e., modules).

• I can't remember my User Name and/or Password to access my On-Demand Content. How can I get access to my content?

  • If you have forgotten your User Name and/or Password you can request that they be e-mailed to the e-mail address that you provided at the time of registration from the Returning Users Page.

Seismic Design Review Workbook

• Do you offer a discount for multiple workbook purchases?

  • No, there are no discounts for multiple workbook orders other than a savings in the shipping charge. Please contact us to determine the applicable shipping charge for multiple workbook orders.

• Can you ship the book to an international customer?

  • Yes, but please contact us to determine the applicable shipping charge prior to placing the workbook order.

• I purchased a prior version of the SDR workbook, is there an Errata available?

  • If you purchased the SDR Workbook previously, please visit the SDR Workbook Errata web page for posted errata. Due to the extensive revisions required on the (New) SDR Workbook - 2009 IBC version, there will be no more errata posted applicable to any previous versions (i.e., SDR Workbook - 2006 IBC version).