Having trouble reading plans?
Having trouble reading plans?
(OP)
I am an engineer fresh out of college and I have found a job on the construction side. My background is more on the concrete side. I was hoping that someone knew of a book, article, and or website that will help me become more fluent with reading plans.





RE: Having trouble reading plans?
After you gain some experience and confidence, you'll get to a point where you can easily pick up a strange drawing and figure it out.
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
A note of caution, if you plan to acquire your PE, you must work for a PE for a minmum of four years, to be eligble to set for the exam.
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
This takes practice and experience and as several posts have said, mentoring. Find the books they will help !
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
There are several ways to pick up plan reading skills. Drafting, if you mainly work in the office is one way, getting tips from the forman if you work in the field, or to cut to the chase, just attend a seminar on intepreting construction blueprints.
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
Once you're comfortable with how to interpret, then just for rounding your experience try to compute the underground pipe sizes, pavement thicknesses etc. As you've seen, some very experienced superintendents will come to you for questions, because "you're the engineer". It is fun to learn.
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
Namdac
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
I did not have to take a course on reading plans in college.
gdmay has it right, "Hang around the draftsman."
Good books help too, assuming you have time to read them.
I think the most realistic thing for you to expect is (unfortunately) this: you will just have to be the "new" or "green" or other derogatory adjective -person for a few months. Hang in there, ask questions, and by the year's end, you will know those plans like a pro.
Remember: The Chinese ideogram for “crisis” is comprised of the characters for “danger” and “opportunity.”
-Steve
RE: Having trouble reading plans?
My two cents. If you are on a job site, watch the crews work with your plan in-hand. Compare the plan with the work (as they build it). Don't be afraid to ask, ask, ask...you can learn a lot from the contractor or craft.
Learn as much as you can on your own. At home, learn to think in 3D, learn to sketch in 3D. Plans usally have a legend with abbreviations, symbols, etc.. Learn that sort of stuff at first...learn what you can.