Too Many Requests for Calculations

[mapelCE]

Good Afternoon all,

I'm looking for advice/comments centering around what I feel are excessive requests by an owner for backup calculations.
I read through JAE's thread507-89434 and a few other but haven't quite found what I'm looking for.
I primarily work with temporary structures/support systems used for construction.
Original designs get submitted with calculations as per typical contracts with government agencies.
Typically, if things are built in the field that are different than the original design, I am asked to inspect the final product and approve the as-built in a letter to the owner. No problem.
I am currently involved in two projects who's owners insist that I provide caculations for every minor change in the design. From pads being six inches too short to deadmen being shifted 12" out of position. Basically they are trying to use this "provided Calculation" spec. as an excuse to hold up work in the field(for various reasons).
At what point is the boundary crossed between legitimate independent review of a submitted design and a breach of the Engineer's Code of Conduct?
My feeling on calculations is that they provide a roadmap for the reviewer to follow so they can understand my train of thought. If my designs are questioned, it is usually done with an independent analysis that provides the foundation for discussion. If I have provided my roadmap in the original design and calc. submittal, and I approve minor changes in writing so it's binding and legal, at what point in time does the oweness fall on the reviewer to show me that I'm wrong rather than me proving every minor change is right?

This is the first time in 15 years where I've had this problem seem to continue to spiral out of control.
Problems on the jobsite are finding their way into Engineering analysis and professional courtesies.

What courses of action have you all seen to keep the two separated?

Best always.

BM

 

[mrMikee]

Speaking of calculations I was talking to my boss yesterday about the need to continue with calculation programs (Mathematica and Basic) to support our current product design. He looked at me with puzzled expression and asked, doesn't Autocad do that. It seems to me that things that were clear to most of us and understood years ago, are not necessarily understood today.

I was involved in a project where I was having difficulty getting my conveyor load drawings accepted by the general contractor. It was really simple statics but the reviewer had his own way of calcualting reactions. It took a meeting wtih me and other managers from my company along with the project owners, GC, design consultants, project managers, and other specialists to resolve this issue. While it turned out in my favor it took people at the highest level of the project to make it happen.

In your case it might be important how your scope of work is worded along with what this "usually" means.

Regards,
-Mikere

 

[swearingen]

It seems you have one of those scope creep problems - the bane of our industry...

You may have to swallow it on this job, but I'll bet in the future you'll include contract language to combat this. If this was an extra in the contract and you were hitting him for 10 hours or more for each small change, he may have reconsidered. However, even if the client doesn't reconsider on future jobs, then you provide the service and get paid for it.

 

[jike]

Having been in the profession for about 35 years, we have seen our calcs for a particular project balloon from several pages to several volumes. Alot of it has to do with the advent of computer programs, but some of it has to do with some unknown momentum that seems to require every little thing to be calculated.

This momentum may be a result of stricter oversite by inexperienced managers who do not know what actually is required. It also has to do with everyone's exposure to increased liability.

I don't know what the solution is other than contractural language that allows you to get paid for your additional effort.