Two structurals on one building

[TimmyH76]

Hello all,
I have a client that has asked me to do the structural design for the first floor of a six story hotel. I know it sounds strange.....The building is in a flood plain, so the ground level will be parking. I have been asked to design the first floor from structural steel and concrete slab so that a light gage metal framing system may be built from there up. The supplier of the metal framing has been contracted to do the engineering on his portion of the building, the top five floors. I have been asked to design the foundations and first floor, to support the gage metal framing. My questions are: Is this a common situation? How does the liability for the structural design of the building as whole come together? Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated? Thank you.

 

[JAE]

TimmyH76,

For all buildings there must be one Engineer of Record. One professional who oversees all the various components (a pre-engineered metal building is a component) and how they are connected and relate, load-wise, to each other.

We have recently been asked by a number of clients on these one-story pre-engineered buildings to "just design the foundation, nothing else." We ALWAYS point out that someone needs to be designated the EOR and we ask if we or the other guy is that EOR. In one project, we were told that we were NOT the EOR and to just do the foundation. We documented that in our files, designed the foundation, and BEHOLD! - when the pre-engineered building drawings came in, they had pasted all over their plans notes that said "This building is a component and we are not the EOR."
We immediately notified the client in a letter stating that if we weren't the EOR, and the building mfr. wasn't the EOR, who the hell was?. He immediately notified the builidng mfr. to take the notes off. Whether they did anything to actually coordinate and check the foundation vs. the framing we will never know.

I would suggest that you notify your client that any building needs to have one EOR, and you are simply requesting clarification as to who will be that person. If the client refuses, you have an obligation to contact the other engineer for the upper building and see what their take is. If you feel that no one is being hired or compensated to serve as an EOR, I'd actually be tempted to recuse myself from the project.

 

[TDAA]

JAE has some good points. I did work on a building once that had 2 structurals, although I do not know who was the EOR for that one. This building had a 2-3 story parking structure, with a 4 story building above.

I think you could do the design. Just be sure that your client knows your role. Also, be sure to document information provided to you from the other engineer, and state clearly what they will need to check / provide.

One way to help make it clear to your client would be to offer 2 levels of service in your proposal. One to just design the first floor, and the other to be the EOR, with the fees to match. Just be sure they sign off befor you start.

 

[dik]

If the other engineer is doing the bulk of the building, it makes sense that he be the EOR... from a financial as well as a liabiliy point of view... I, personally, would likely 'walk' away from this project.

Dik