Steel Shop Drawings 1

[SteveMort]

We designed structural steel framing for a building. The builder installed the steel before we were able to review required shop drawings. Who takes on responsibility for the installed steel? The steel fabricator should not have delivered steel without approved shop drawings.

 

[WinelandV]

I believe it should be whoever ordered the steel and told the fabricator to proceed with fabrication and delivery.

Please note that is a "v" (as in Violin) not a "y".

 

[phamENG]

I don't think it's all that cut and dry.

If there's an issue, they'd have to determine if the erected steel met the design intent (which is what we typically check for in shop drawing review.) If it were found that the erected steel was perfectly in line with your design intent, and the issue is in fact design related, I'd say it still falls on you. If they failed to meet the design intent or the issue was something that could have been reasonably resolved in shop drawing review, it would fall on whomever approved the shop drawings (or okayed an order without shops) as winelandv said.

 

[dik]

Were shop drawings produced? If so, it wouldn't hurt to take a look at them to see if there are any other issues. If the shop drawings are OK, a possible problem is mitigated. Then it's a matter of checking what was installed was what was shown. Taking ownership for the steel erected is a separate problem.

So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[Aesur]

Not sure I follow the question; did you find something wrong in the shop drawing? If so, note it and send it back for them to fix, if you didn't see anything wrong in the shop drawings, then it's a matter of did they build it per the shops/structural drawings, which is the special inspectors responsibility to check, unless you are requiring structural observations. Ultimately you are responsible for the design and are imo obligated to review the shops regardless of when it was installed. Contractors install items many times before shops are approved and assume the risk that they may have to take it back down and rebuild or fix in doing so.

 

[Aesur]

Another thought - maybe they didn't have any questions and built off of your drawings? Are shop drawings actually required or is it a courtesy review?

 

[JoelTXCive]

I would review the shop drawings like normal. Maybe there are no significant issues and the matter can be resolved with a stern scolding of the contractor.

 

[SteveMort]

We visited the site prior to the steel being installed and found some dimensional discrepancies of anchor bolt locations compared to our drawings. We notified the architect (whom with we are contracted) and requested as-built foundation plans including actual anchor bolt locations (we did not design the foundation but provided input as to the anchor bolt locations, concrete cover for anchor bolts, and loads). We never received any feedback so we were not in a position to approve steel shop drawings until we received that information. Now the steel has been installed without our shop drawing approval. There are no “issues” yet, but if something develops who is responsible? We should have had an opportunity to review the shop drawings “prior to fabrication” as it states in our general notes on the drawings.

 

[human909]

Who takes on responsibility for the installed steel?

The question is far too open ended. Pretty much most parties involved are responsible in one aspect or another for the installed steel from the architect, the builder, the fabricator and you the design engineers. And naturally some of the answers will depend on your jurisdiction, your legal and contractual obligations.

There are no “issues” yet, but if something develops who is responsible?

Without knowing what the issues nobody can say.

We should have had an opportunity to review the shop drawings “prior to fabrication” as it states in our general notes on the drawings.

That might cover you for some issues but not others.

Not having had the opportunity to review the drawings can actually reduce your responsibility. I know many engineers who never request review fabrication drawings. They do this as reviewing fabrication drawings is a low margin exercise and takes on greater responsibility if a tiny detail is missed in review, then the reviewing engineer could end up being responsible for the costs incurred.

By simply providing a design and then washing your hand of the detailing, fabrication and installation the engineer can move on and start earning fees on other jobs without worrying about the finicky details. (Though many clients might insist on a review to cover themselves.)

 

[dvd]

Was conformance to AISC standard stipulated - AISC Code of Standard Practice?

 

[SteveMort]

AISC is a referenced standard in the state building code.

 

[JLNJ]

Send the shop drawings back with your marks.

It does open an interesting question - if a design or drafting error is corrected on the shop drawings, is the change part of the contract documents? We often make important marks on the shops without changing the original engineering drawings - who makes sure it all happens correctly, and if it doesn't, who is responsible? Even something as simple as fixing a W14x43 instead of a W14x34 typo on a drawing (it happened to me - shown both ways on the original CDs). If it got marked but a bulletin was never issued, what's actually in the contract?

I know FOR SURE that sometimes our marks get overlooked or ignored due to schedule pressures and just plain lousy detailing practice.