Steel Specs/Notes for Interm./Special Steel Structures 1

[Galambos]

What steps would a company take to develop specifications and drawing notes for intermediate and special steel structures that otherwise, has not performed this type of design? Has anyone had success starting from scratch?

 

[Lutfi]

Galambos,

This a very interesting question. Your question raises many questions in my head. Like why do you want to venture in something you are not experienced in? I recommend that you bring a consultant on board to assist in reviewing your plans or have a peer review them. The review will provide you with valid and valuable comments.

The following are some of my immediate recommendations:

1. You may ask colleagues and see if they are willing to share any of their knowledge and practices.
2. Search on the internet and see what you can find. There are many samples floating on the internet. The following link to one such set of plans:

http://www.ualr.edu/jkcarr1/firestation/

3. Consult with your building code. It may have unique requirements.
4. The following is minimum information that I include under my steel notes:
a. Steel grades
b. AISC edition that the design is based on
c. AISC detailing reference.
d. Welding certification requirements
e. Electrode types
f. Bolts grade
g. Minimum welds sizes
h. Minimum bolts numbers and size. I always require that minimum of two bolts are required to avoid single point failure.
i. A note about shop drawing submittal
j. A note stating that deviations are not allowed without engineers approval. I go further by stating that if fabricator wants to introduce new engineering that he must submit signed and sealed plans and calculations for review.
k. Minimum plat thickness
l. Coating system requirements:
i. Primed
ii. Painted
iii. HDG
iv. Any other special requirements such as surface cleaning
m. Grout strength (under columns and bearing plates). I always use non-metallic and non shrink grout
n. Requirements for field touch up of paint and or primer.
5. Regarding specifications, I would include structural steel, steel joists and joist girders, steel deck, misc. metals or metal fabrication. I recommend that you read each master section and edit (tailor it for each specific project). I see many engineers copy sections from previous projects. While this may be acceptable, the may have removed very important requirements that was applicable for the previous job which may be required for the current one. Specs should be easy given time to read and edit them. You must be aware of the ramifications of deleting and leaving sections in the specs.

Hope this help.


Regards,
Lutfi

 

[StructuralMike]

Galambos,

Galambos,

I had to do something similar to what I believe you are attempting. I took as set of master specification and other client specific information and edited out alot of the boiler plate. Its time consuming but the trick is to reduce the information down to what is truely important. In order to make drawing notes and specifications valuable, they need to be specific or no one will read them. Basically establishing everything that is very important to you and addresses common field issues or questions that surface. Your first set will be small but as time goes on, you must add to them creating a database of notes. Then when the job surfaces, you just edit out the ones that do not apply and you are done. If you still issue a book specification you must be careful to coordinate both.

Good luck.

 

[Galambos]

Thanks for your help, guys, but i think you might have misread my question. we are a very old firm that has performed steel design since before the turn-of-the century, but we have not ventured into systems beyond "Ordinary" frames that require special seimic detailing. If anyone can point to a starting place, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Ted

 

[henri2]

Los Angeles Dep B&S might have some useful information to get you started.

http://www.ladbs.org/faq/steel_moment_std_plans.htm

 

[Anaximandar]

Your best bet would be checking

http://www.aisc.org

and

http://www.nehrp.gov.

Last year AISC published 2005 Seismic Design Manual. Also, AISC offers free download (for members; I believe it's $10 for non-members) of AISC 358-05 publication "Prequalified Connections
for Special and Intermediate
Steel Moment Frames for
Seismic Applications". On the

http://www.nehrp.gov

you will find a free download of "NEHRP RECOMMENDED PROVISIONS
(National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program)
FOR SEISMIC REGULATIONS
FOR NEW BUILDINGS AND
OTHER STRUCTURES (FEMA 450)". Use of prequalified connections eliminates the need for expensive tests, while NEHRP specifies quallity assurance, structural design criteria, analysis and detailing. Good luck - it's a tough market