Survey for Structural specifications

[d2y]

As you are aware, there is no standard for specifications in the building systems industry. I would appreciate responses to the following questions, and hope that it will be beneficial to many out there.

Does your structural engineering firm provide the specifications to architects or do you mark up the architects' specifications?

Best software (BSD Speclink,Arcom Masterspec, ???) for a structural firm to provide our specs to a variety of architects with a variety of formats?

Best software to maintain your edited version while obtaining updates?

Does your company integrate the specifications with CAD, and if so, in what manner?

If you have BSD Speclink, do you use the BSD costlink? Feedback?

What is your experience concerning specifications that overlap with other disciplines (concrete, earthwork, wood, masonry, etc.)?

Other comments would be appreciated.

 

[JAE]

We use MasterSpec - develop our own adjustments to it and call it our "standard" specifications. As we get our MasterSpec updates we review our standard specifications and update accordingly.

 

[wjsd]

Specs seem to depend on the project. I have always preferred specs that can be plotted out as part of the construction documents. Basically, office standards modified for your situation. Projects that require book form can be either in-house specs or Master Spec type. Master Spec is a pain due to the editing that has to be done, and they are typically over kill (imho) but the sort of thing you need for government jobs.

I have never been provided specs by an Architect and would have to review them very closely. Better to come up with your own i think.

That being said, Master Spec is pretty complete, and if you are new to specs it is a great place to start.

I am not sure what you mean by "overlap" with other disciplines. Your specs cover your design. That is all.

 

[dik]

I use a modified Master Spec like JAE and supplement it with General Notes generally on the first drawing sheet and then coordinate this with the project spec for other areas... like construction safety, shop drawings, field engineering, scope of work, etc.

General Notes are a compendium of thirty years of headaches and hiccups... and they're still not all inclusive...

Dik

 

[dik]

My Systems Buildings Specs are a lot more comprehensive than many... copied below:

METAL BUILDING SYSTEM (PRE-ENGINEERED METAL BUILDING)

DESIGN STANDARDS FOR THE METAL BUILDING SYSTEM ARE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 4 OF THE MANITOBA BUILDING CODE AND CSA S16.1-94 AND CSA S136-94

ALL STRUCTURAL STEEL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING ANCHOR RODS SHALL BE CERTIFIED AS WELDABLE

PREFABRICATED METAL BUILDING SYSTEM SUPPLIER SHALL SUPPLY ALL ANCHOR RODS, NUTS AND WASHERS TO SECURE THE BUILDING TO THE FOUNDATION. ANCHOR RODS ARE TO BE DESIGNED FOR ALL HORIZ AND VERT LOADS

DESIGN OF THE BUILDING FRAME AND ALL COL MEMBERS SHALL ASSUME THAT ALL FRAME AND COL BPS ARE SUPPORTED ON 1" OF GROUT. ANCHOR RODS SHALL HAVE A MIN 3" PROJECTION ABOVE THE BP AND SHALL HAVE A MIN EMBEDMENT LENGTH AND CONFIGURATION TO RESIST ALL SHEAR AND UPLIFT FORCES

FABRICATION IS TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CSA S16.1-94 AND CSA S136-94, AS APPLICABLE. WELDING IS TO BE PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CSA W59-M1989 AND CSA S136-94. MANUFACTURER TO BE APPROVED BY THE CANADIAN WELDING BUREAU, IN ACCORDANCE WITH CSA W47.1-92 FOR DIVISION 1 OR DIVISION 2

THE BUILDING SHALL CARRY A 25 YEAR ROOF WARRANTY AND A 15 YEAR SIDING WARRANTY AGAINST DEFECTS IN MATERIALS AND SHALL CARRY A 5 YEAR WARRANTY AGAINST DEFECTS IN WORKMANSHIP

MIN ROOF SLOPE SHALL BE 1/2:12

THE BUILDING SHALL BE DESIGNED FOR THE FOLLOWING LOADS IN ADDITION TO THE LOADS STIPULATED IN NOTES FOR DESIGN LOADS:
ROOF PURLINS: DEAD LOAD = 5 PSF UDL
LIVE LOAD = 5 PSF UDL AND POINT LOAD OF 250 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION
BUILDING FRAME: DEAD LOAD = 1000 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION
LIVE LOAD = 2000 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION

PURLIN BRACES ARE TO BE PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CSA S136-94, CLAUSE 8. IN PARTICULAR, FOR A STANDING SEAM ROOF SUPPORTED ON MOVABLE CLIPS, BRACES PROVIDING LATERAL SUPPORT TO BOTH TOP AND BOT PURLIN FLANGE ARE TO BE PROVIDED. THE NUMBER OF ROWS IS TO BE DETERMINED BY ANALYSIS BUT IN NO CASE TO BE LESS THAN 1 FOR SPANS UP TO 23 FT. OR LESS THAN 2 FOR SPANS GREATER THAN 23 FT

ALL STRUCTURAL STEEL SHALL BE PRIME PAINTED. IF A PAINT TOP COAT IS REQUIRED, PRIMER SHALL BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE TOP COAT

ALL ROOF PURLINS AND WALL GIRTS TO HAVE A ??? COATING CONFORMING TO ???. COLOUR SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE OWNER FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS

ALL ROOF CLADDING SHALL HAVE A ??? COATING CONFORMING TO ???. COLOUR SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE OWNER FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS

ALL WALL CLADDING SHALL HAVE A ??? COATING CONFORMING TO ???. COLOUR SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE OWNER FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS

ALL LINER PANELLING SHALL HAVE A ??? COATING CONFORMING TO ???. COLOUR SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE OWNER FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS

COLOUR OF TRIM, RAKE, EAVESTROUGHING AND DOWNSPOUTS SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE OWNER FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS

THE BUILDING SHALL BE INSULATED AND THE PREFABRICATED METAL BUILDING SUPPLIER SHALL SUPPLY ALL NECESSARY THERMAL BLOCKS. INSULATION IS TO BE PROVIDED BY ???

DEFLECTION OF WALL AND ROOF CLADDING SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CSA S136-94

DEFLECTION OF WALL GIRTS AND ROOF PURLINS SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CSA S16.1-94. IN ANY EVENT, LIVE LOAD DEFLECTION SHALL NOT EXCEED L/240. THE METAL BUILDING SYSTEM SUPPLIER SHALL PROVIDE FOR SUPPORT OF ANCILLARY STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS WHERE NOTED ON THE DWGS. THE METAL BUILDING SUPPLIER SHALL PROVIDE FOR REDUCED DEFLECTION LIMITATIONS AS REQUIRED

SHOP AND ERECTION DWGS OF THE METAL BUILDING SYSTEM, BEARING THE SEAL OF A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER REGISTERED IN MANITOBA, ARE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE CONSULTANT FOR REVIEW PRIOR TO THE PLACEMENT OF FOUNDATIONS. SHOP DWGS ARE TO PROVIDE LOCATION OF GRID LINES, AB CLUSTERS, AND SIZES. ANCHOR ROD AND BASE PLATE DESIGN SHALL ASSUME THAT BASE PLATES ARE SUPPORTED ON 1" GROUT

A SHOP DWG SHOWING THE ANCHOR SETTING LOCATIONS FOR THE BUILDING MUST BE PROVIDED. THIS DWG SHALL SHOW:
-ANCHOR ROD LOCATIONS, TYPE, DIA, PROJECTION AND LENGTH
-MAX AND MIN REACTIONS BASED ON THE LOAD COMBINATIONS STIPULATED IN THE MANITOBA BUILDING CODE SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR ALL SUPPORTS. A TABULAR FORM SHOWING LOADING REACTIONS FOR VARIOUS LOAD CASES IN NOT ACCEPTABLE

COORD X-BRACING ELEMENTS WITH ARCH TO PREVENT CONFLICT WITH OPENINGS

THE BUILDING SHALL BE COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ASHRAE 90.1

THE BUILDING SHALL BE COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CURRENT NATIONAL ENGERGY CODE

THE BUILDING SHALL BE COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FM GLOBAL FOR AN I-60 RATING

THE BUILDING SHALL BE COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FM GLOBAL FOR AN I-90 RATING

THE METAL BUILDING SYSTEM MANUFACTURER IS TO SUBMIT THE CSSBI CERTIFICATE OF DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING CONFORMANCE TO THE CONSULTANT PRIOR TO SHIPMENT OF THE PREFABRICATED BUILDING TO SITE

In addition, wind loading in most Canadian Provinces increases significantly with openings that may not be closed during a windstorm... I also include a category for wind loading because these buildings often have large overhead doors.

Dik

 

[dik]

Correction to previous post... 'Specs' should read 'General Notes'... Dik

 

[rholder98]

I'm in an E/A firm, and we have Masterspec documents, some of which we have edited into a company standard. Then, each section is edited for the job. We do have overlap occasionally. My concrete may be different from the Civils' concrete. We'll generally do a 03300 and 03301 in that case. I'll do an Earthwork spec strictly for building pad prep. Masonry is a little more tricky. I usually have to review and edit the architect's spec as it applies to structural masonry. It's a lot easier, though, since we're all in-house.