Standard Engineering Design Procedure 5

[EngineeringEric]

I work for a small-ish Structural Design and Envelope Consulting firm. We do various structural designs ranging from $10k additions to $7 million complexes. Most of our major projects in question are in the range of 1-2 million. The firm has (2) senior (nearing end of career seniors), (3) 20+years, and (2) 5-10 years. We just hired a new guy and want to hire a few more (hoping we grow).

Now the task. I was asked to develop a sort of standard outline for how calculations should be performed and documented. this way projects can be handed over for quicker review, complete change of employee, and better CA effort. The most senior guys will not follow it and that is ok. This is more for the new hires and even the licensed people. I was wondering if anyone else has had or knows of something similar. I have only worked at small firms and never had something like this...

My idea:
1****) A general cover page for all loading. Summary of all relevant wind loads, seismic CS, live, dead, snow. the importance and factors. used for early stage checking.
1a) a plan showing the LFRS lines and the wind/seismic loads for each line per story.
1b) elevations showing the LFRS lines and the distribution of wind loads
1c) each floor plan showing seismic loads shedding into plan all they way to foundation

2******) Lateral Calcs with drawings for the system
2a) showing steel frames or shear walls and forces used and resultants
2b) diaphragm calcs
2b) details for attachments

3******) Gravity plans starting at roof then each floor down. showing all beams/girders and direction of infill beams
3a) label members in organized manner
3b) produce loading for infills and designs
3c) produce loading for beams and designs
3d) Columns
3e) beam/col attachments
3d) framing details

4*****) foundation design loads
4a) foundation elements for various line loads and point loads form columns
4b) piers
4c) base plates and ABs

5****) Special design items (very broad)

I feel like I am making things to general and sometimes too specific to be used in all applications. I was thinking of making multiple templates for different size jobs... but then it is no longer a template it is job specific and less useful. These will be guides not rules, but need to provide a standard organization for project design.

I am looking for input from you guys on a way to structure something like this. Any ideas, no matter how small are useful and will be appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[glass99]

There are a lot of advantages to documenting calcs in Word rather than on paper. Basic word processing features like page numbering, 4.3.1 style headings, and auto generated table of contents really improve the legibility of the document and save time in the documentation process. If you have to make revisions its much easier. If you have a large calc set, having a search feature is useful. Its also better for filing - if you have to look up an old job, it will be on your server somewhere rather than buried in your physical archives. It gives you the ability to start your calc set from a previous similar job and just edit.

 

[EngineeringEric]

You are slowly converting me Glass99. I may try that out and see how it works for a medium sized project. Using the built-in Word TOC and features may make it rather useful.

Thanks!