Code checking drawings 1

[Struct1206]

Does anyone have any experience checking drawings for code compliance? My firm has signed on with a local municipality to check drawings that have been submitted for building permit. Each department in the office is checking their own portion of the drawings, so I get to do the structural.

My first reaction is that all I need to do is make sure that the information in section 1603 of the IBC is shown on the drawings but that also seems like a gross over-simplification of things. The code explicitly says that the things in section 1603 are to be listed on the drawings, so that's easy enough to check. Beyond that I feel like I'm opening a can of worms and entering a gray area with no distinct beginning and end. I think at some point in the process I cross the line between checking for code compliance and doing a peer review or a design check of sorts.

Anyone have any insight or words of wisdom?

 

[jdgengineer]

In our area third party reviewers essentially provide a "peer review". They do a thorough check of drawings and bring up comments at their discretion on the design and detailing.

I would ask the municipality for a check list of what they prefer to focus their review on. Every jurisdiction has different hot buttons and I would think they would have a checklist for more consistently with plan reviews. But maybe not.

 

[dik]

You need experience so that you can look at a set of drawings and see that something 'doesn't appear to be correct' and then zero in on that item... or run some prelim calculations as a guide. I almost never do a detailed design when I'm checking something... My biggest input is that maybe a detail can be improved, or maybe an alternative manner of framing would produce a better structure.

Dik

 

[msquared48]

If you see an area of the drawings that concerns you, look at the calculations to see if or how the problem was addressed. If it wasn't, ask for further clarification


Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[jayrod12]

I feel that when you are code-checking drawings you shouldn't be commenting on the framing layout, nor the detailing, unless it is leading to an unsafe structure.

You as a code reviewer should be checking against the direct code requirements, i.e. is the loading correct, and then as dik indicated zero in on any items that appear to be undersized.

I don't feel you need to do detailed design, however if you have appropriate experience you should be able to know when something doesn't feel right and check those.

 

[jdgengineer]

I agree with Jayrod that sounds like a good summary.

 

[sandman21]

You are checking to ensure that the plans and calculations comply with the code. You mention each department is reviewing their own portion. Do you have have an arch. reviewing the drawings as well? If not the arch. items may fall on you to review. Do they have the appropriate wind speed? Correct seismic values? Have they used overstrength? At the correct locations? Have they included redundancy? Redistributed seismic loads? Correctly check the minimum? A link to general structural checklist from a building department Supplemental Correction Sheet for Structural Design - General.

 

[dik]

Jayrod... agreed. Should have clarified that applies only to internal work or occasionally for forensic work.

Dik

 

[Teguci]

The code official is responsible and has authority to:
- Verify that the submitted drawings and calcs are signed and sealed correctly. Engineer for engineering and architect for architecture. Cross signing drawings should be flagged for review. An engineer who stamps electrical and structural drawings should also be questioned.
- Check that the drawings address local building code requirements. Checking for compliance on local code variances are usually fruitful. (Fairfax County published their common rejection history -

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/construction/rej_building.pdf

)
- Check the clarity of the drawings.
- Confirm that special inspections will be performed and who is responsible.
- Review deferred submittal list.
- Confirm the drawings are issued for construction and not preliminary
- Confirm Geotech investigation is signed and sealed and referenced correctly on structural drawing


Although not responsible, the Code official does have authority over and should check:
- basic structural load paths
- quick sniff at seismic

The EOR, of course is completely responsible for and has authority over the construction documents

 

[cliff234]

You are essentially doing a peer review. You are not doing a value engineering review. Your job is not to point out inefficiencies in design, or to point out things that are too conservative. Your focus, in simple terms, is to make sure the building does not fall down. And you are not just checking member sizes. You have to make sure that the necessary details are on the drawings. Most structural failures are connection failures. Also, when you look at the drawings, pretend that you are not an engineer and ask yourself is someone who is not an engineer (the contractors building from these drawings) will be able to understand how to build the structure. In my experience, many structural engineers seem think everyone else in the world is a structural engineer. (What a nightmare that would be.)