Best Practices for Structural Calculation Reports 2

[Mr Beamsalot]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to improve my structural calculation reports and to hear your thoughts. What do you consider essential in a well-done structural calculation report? Specifically:

1. What do you always want to see included?


2. What should be avoided or kept to a minimum?


3. What format/layout works best for clarity and ease of understanding?


4. Are there specific tools/software that you prefer for presenting calculations?



Appreciate any insights or examples you can share!

Ps I'm doing structural calculation and detailing for steel, if that mattters.

Thanks in advance.

 

[271828]

Some context would be good. Are you generating these for submittal and approval, or just for you?

 

[JoelTXCive]

To me, on of the purposes of written calcs is so that someone can follow behind and check your work. They are also beneficial to you so that you can explain what you did and feel confidence that you checked all the applicable limit states.

I think it is a good habit to do the following:

1) Consistency on how you present things.

2) If using Mathcad or Excel, then Highlight (or clearly show) input fields.

3) Pictures or diagrams help. Even if they are just hand sketches that you scan and snip.

4) If you are doing steel design with lots of limit states, then I often put little dividers into my calcs and Label things: "Limit State 1" "Limit State 2" etc..

5) When you can, reference a AISC or ACI code sections.

6) When I have time, I like to summarize everything at the end of the calc.

7) Comments.... I usually have a bunch of comments and notes to myself that are not included in the final printed calculation package. The comments serve to remind me of what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.

8) If i am doing work with a lot of tabular data, then Excel is my go-to software, but if I'm following a process or procedure then I use Smath or MathCAD. I've been a long time user and proponent of Smath, but it's a Russian based software package. Our IT department won't let us go to Russian websites anymore, so we are transitioning over to MathCAD.

Lastly, I don't think perfectly diagramed and detailed calcs happen on the first try. They are more often a work in progress. The first time I set up calcs for a design procedure, I probably have all hand sketches in them. Then when a similar project comes along a year later, I re-do and improve the calcs. Its not until the 3rd or 4th time we do something that I have a visually great set of calc's put together.

Attached is a set of lifting lug calcs that illustrate the above comments.

Good luck!