how to approve Material submittal
how to approve Material submittal
(OP)
Dear All,
I've been more than 15 years as a structural engineer; now I have a different job where I will go in the site technical office w to approve material submitals.
to Explain, the contractor brings the brands documentation for say, bolts, screws, steel elements, and their data sheet , test certification to me to approve it
what I do is the following:
I compare the data given in the documentation to the specs and design drawings; if they match I approve it.
is there anything else I should do?
I've been more than 15 years as a structural engineer; now I have a different job where I will go in the site technical office w to approve material submitals.
to Explain, the contractor brings the brands documentation for say, bolts, screws, steel elements, and their data sheet , test certification to me to approve it
what I do is the following:
I compare the data given in the documentation to the specs and design drawings; if they match I approve it.
is there anything else I should do?





RE: how to approve Material submittal
What's your procedure if they don't match the drawings?
RE: how to approve Material submittal
For instance, in Indonesia, the specs were to ASTM for steel, yet the Contractor, being Japanese, wanted to use JIS (Japanese Standard) (I am talking civil steel). Had one situation in that the JIS didn't match ASTM for a few chemical requirements - then the designer told me, "Oh, I am just interested in strength." - well that should have been identified.
Another case was pitting Thai steel specs to ASTM - the Thai Specs for SD40 rebar was about 1% under the ASTM spec - to order SD50, would have been a special order and well above any strength requirement. The steel rebar didn't know what spec it "was" so we permitted those Thai deliveries that met the ASTM to be used.
A second case is - what you seem to have described - a "source" approval and then during construction, QC "approval" to ensure that the source was providing what it said it would/could.
RE: how to approve Material submittal
Jayrod12 I always use the engineering judgment. Forexample if the design drawings specify 8.8 bolts for a purlin splice and the contractor supplied a lesser grade, and I know that a thw the lesser grade will do I approve it.
Another thing if the contractor supplied a test certificate that says that the material is to the, for example, astm. Do I need to check the astm specs or just depend on the credibility of the certificate.
RE: how to approve Material submittal
RE: how to approve Material submittal
For every material submittal, there should be compliance statement sheet filled up by the contractor.
RE: how to approve Material submittal
RE: how to approve Material submittal
For most of my local and private projects, an approved request for substitution plus an accepted submittal with that substitution (for a major cost or no-cost change) or simply an accepted submittal (for a minor, no-cost change) is considered sufficient to make the change (an amendment is still required for the cost portion of the change). In these cases, speed and reducing paperwork trumps documentation.
As a practical matter, very minor changes can usually be handled just at the submittal level. However, make sure that your submittal comments explain why you accepted the change (i.e. your engineering judgement). Here is an example from one of my more recent projects: I specified a standard aggregate for a gravel service road. The standard listed percent passing ranges for six sieves. The contractor proposed a different standard aggregate that met the requirements for five of the six sieves and was 1% out-of-bounds for the sixth. I accepted this change with a note explaining that the deviation from the specs was minor and was acceptable.
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"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill
RE: how to approve Material submittal
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"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill
RE: how to approve Material submittal
RE: how to approve Material submittal
I work here in Abu dhabi for an american company. As far as I know, that is common practice here especially for major government projects. I have no idea if they do the same in US, but standards used here are Americans' and Europeans'.
And if for some reason, a material or drawing is not totally spec or contract compliant, a deviation form is to be submitted also for approval. Lots of paperworks but personally, I think it is a good practice.
RE: how to approve Material submittal