structural detailing

[annmarie]

My company is researching steel detailing. To provide steel detailing, does a licensed engineer have to check all the connections and details? If so, where and what code can I find that requirement in. I know most specifications state that but I cannot find where in the code that it is stated?

Thanks,

 

[JAE]

If the project you detail has all the connections already designed by the Engineer of Record you do not need a licensed engineer on staff.

However, many engineers in the U.S. require some design to be performed by the fabricator in which case there would need to be someone licensed to do that, either with your firm or on hire to perform that task.

There is not a "code" paragraph that directly outlines this except perhaps in the AISC Code of Standard Practice. Generally, it is an assigned responsibility given to the construction team by the designer. The designer (Engineer of Record) can assign design tasks to various pieces of the structure: Steel joists, wood trusses, typical/standard steel connections, etc.

However, the EOR cannot assign his ultimate responsibility for the compentency of the overall design.

 

[whyun]

Steel details by themselves are not subject to review and approval by a building official. Set of details accompanied by a set of plans for a specific job may require a stamp by a licensed engineer. Smaller projects, a licensed architect's stamp alone may be sufficient.

Per JAE, as long as there is an EOR for a project, EOR's staff need not be licensed; however, EOR assumes all liability. It would be prudent for the EOR to have appropriate quality control measures to have confidence in his staff's work.

For each steel detail, there are sets of limitations, allowable capacity for connections, etc etc. EOR is responsible to verify that where details are called for, that the actual "anticipated loads" do not exceed capacity.

 

[Togel]

Generally, the contract documents, i.e. specifications, should make reference to the requirements of special inspection and the requirements of construction documents (usually shop drawing submittals). On top of that, a steel erector should have fabrication and erection drawings reviewed and stamped by the SEOR whether the SEOR's contract drawings can be built/fabricated from or not. The purpose of generating construction docuements from contract documents serves to provide a cerification that the contract documents were interpreted correctly by the fabrictor. It is not always prudent to hire an outside structural consultant to review and stamp your drawings. If there is absolutley no contract provision for the SEOR's review of your fab drawings, then you should hire the SEOR to do so.

 

[scherry]

I have a comment/question related to this. I have worked in two offices where the welds for steel connections were not designed by the EOR, and one where they were. I have always designed them myself, based on AISC provisions. At one of the offices I was told NOT to do that. Just show a weld symbol, and the fabricator would design the welds and then we would "verify " them when we got the shops. We got the shops and guess what...at every weld, there was a blank and a question mark asking what the weld size was. I asked my supervisor what to do...send them back? or design the welds (these were simple fillets and butt welds)? He asked if I was comfortable designing them. my take was if I am NOT comfortable designing welds, maybe I am in the wrong field....am I the crazy one? We were, as was pointed out above, responsible anyway in the long run. Why not just do it up front and get it over with?