how to approve Material submittal

[TLycan]

Dear All,

I've been more than 15 years as a structural engineer; now I have a different job where I will go in the site technical office w to approve material submitals.

to Explain, the contractor brings the brands documentation for say, bolts, screws, steel elements, and their data sheet , test certification to me to approve it


what I do is the following:
I compare the data given in the documentation to the specs and design drawings; if they match I approve it.

is there anything else I should do?

 

[jayrod12]

I would also use your own engineering judgement that the specifications meet the need. And if they don't then flag it.

What's your procedure if they don't match the drawings?

 

[BigH]

The problem that might arise is when the Contractor may want to substitute. . . this is where judgment is really needed.

For instance, in Indonesia, the specs were to ASTM for steel, yet the Contractor, being Japanese, wanted to use JIS (Japanese Standard) (I am talking civil steel). Had one situation in that the JIS didn't match ASTM for a few chemical requirements - then the designer told me, "Oh, I am just interested in strength." - well that should have been identified.

Another case was pitting Thai steel specs to ASTM - the Thai Specs for SD40 rebar was about 1% under the ASTM spec - to order SD50, would have been a special order and well above any strength requirement. The steel rebar didn't know what spec it "was" so we permitted those Thai deliveries that met the ASTM to be used.

A second case is - what you seem to have described - a "source" approval and then during construction, QC "approval" to ensure that the source was providing what it said it would/could.

 

[TLycan]

First thank you all,
Jayrod12 I always use the engineering judgment. Forexample if the design drawings specify 8.8 bolts for a purlin splice and the contractor supplied a lesser grade, and I know that a thw the lesser grade will do I approve it.
Another thing if the contractor supplied a test certificate that says that the material is to the, for example, astm. Do I need to check the astm specs or just depend on the credibility of the certificate.

 

[bimr]

One would think that the first thing that you should review is the job description. Do you have a job description and procedures to follow?

 

[ZDR1985]

You should also check if the documents (material submittals, drawings, etc.) is in compliance with the project specifications, codes and standards, and good engineering practice.

For every material submittal, there should be compliance statement sheet filled up by the contractor.

 

[oldestguy]

Any testing data that comes along should be by a testing firm that is certified by the proper authority for that material use, such as a DOT for the state highway work.

 

[fel3]

Remember that the plans and specs are part of a contract. Any modification to that contract technically requires some sort of formal amendment signed by both the owner and the contractor. However, many owners/engineers/contractors are pretty lax on this matter. The only time I have seen this rigorously enforced was on federal and state projects, although not on every one, interestingly enough.

For most of my local and private projects, an approved request for substitution plus an accepted submittal with that substitution (for a major cost or no-cost change) or simply an accepted submittal (for a minor, no-cost change) is considered sufficient to make the change (an amendment is still required for the cost portion of the change). In these cases, speed and reducing paperwork trumps documentation.

As a practical matter, very minor changes can usually be handled just at the submittal level. However, make sure that your submittal comments explain why you accepted the change (i.e. your engineering judgement). Here is an example from one of my more recent projects: I specified a standard aggregate for a gravel service road. The standard listed percent passing ranges for six sieves. The contractor proposed a different standard aggregate that met the requirements for five of the six sieves and was 1% out-of-bounds for the sixth. I accepted this change with a note explaining that the deviation from the specs was minor and was acceptable.

==========
"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill

 

[fel3]

Oh, and I recommend never dating your submittal comments April 1. If you do, no one will know whether to take them seriously or not.

==========
"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill

 

[BigH]

ZDR1995 - maybe in the USA but it is not a common practice on the jobs I have worked on site internationally in Asia . . . I will try to introduce it in the next project. I do, however, force them to state in their submission letter that they have reviewed the specifications and drawings and that they consider the material/part to be compliant.

 

[ZDR1985]

Hi BigH

I work here in Abu dhabi for an american company. As far as I know, that is common practice here especially for major government projects. I have no idea if they do the same in US, but standards used here are Americans' and Europeans'.

And if for some reason, a material or drawing is not totally spec or contract compliant, a deviation form is to be submitted also for approval. Lots of paperworks but personally, I think it is a good practice.

 

[BigH]

ZDR1995 - yes, good practice but we have Indian, Chinese, Laotian, Indonesian, Malaysian contractors here and to date, they are not set up as well for these kind of things . . .