FE Reference Handbook 10.2 – 2022 Latest Updates

During your FE Exam, you will be provided an FE reference manual from the NCEES. This manual includes equations, formulas, and tables to help you solve problems during your exam.

The NCEES has updated the FE reference manual to the 10.2 version in June 2022. This is the only update; the FE specifications did not change at all. To get your updated copy, go to your NCEES account and download the PDF.

In the reference handbook, there were no changes in math, statistics and probability, ethics, engineering economics, statics, dynamics, materials, structural analysis, steel design, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics, hydrology, and construction.

There are no major changes in the following sections. But beware of these changes if you are using an older version.

List of FE Reference Manual 10.2 Changes

1. Mechanics of materials:

They only moved some equations around, for example:

• Maximum inplane shear stress equation was moved to page 134
• Part of stress in beams section was moved to page 135
• Part of composite section was moved to page 136
• Please note concepts and equations are still the same; they were only moved!

2. Reinforced Concrete Components

(located under civil engineering)

• The reinforcement bars table was moved to page 277
• The table that has shear equations used to be on page 278, but now they moved to page 276
• Equations and the values stayed the same, only moved tables, and it actually makes more sense; the shear table should be on page 276 under shear equations!

3. Transportation (under civil engineering)

• Level of service table was moved to page 305
• Parameters of speed flow curves for basic freeway segments table were added to page 303. It has the definition of parameters of speed flow curves, and it also provides equations for some of the parameters. Under the table, they also added the S equation. Now to calculate S, you can use the equations on the table to determine the parameters and then plug in the numbers in the S equation.
• Speed flow relationships for basic freeway segments table that was on page 303 was removed.
• Some equations were moved to the following pages, like the gravity model equation is on page 306 instead of 305, the crash reduction equation is on page 307 instead of 306, and the pavement design table is on page 308 instead of 307.
• Mass haul diagram was added on page 309 (surveying).

4. Environmental engineering

• The product production equation is moved, and it is under the graph on page 321.

How will these changes affect your FE prep?

It won’t! There are no major changes that will affect your result if you take the FE in the next few weeks.

You still have everything you need to pass your FE exam, so don’t let these changes affect you.

Download the latest version of the reference handbook by logging into your NCEES account. Get familiar with where the equations are so you can be a little bit fast in finding the equations during your exam.

If you are looking for ways to use your FE reference manual, check out these videos: