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Geotechnical Information drawings the design criteria (including

Unless they are qualifed, structural applicable codes, materials and loads)
engineers should not provide opinions used for the analysis and design. The PSE
on the bearing capacity of soils for foun- should also state in the specifcations the
dation support. However, when clients overall structural intent of the design,
or prime consultants have not retained a the elements that are to be designed by
geotechnical engineering frm to prepare specialty engineers, and specify indepen-
a geotechnical report, structural engineers dent testing and inspection of products
may assume values based on their experi- and materials that would be required for
ence in the area and must clearly indicate quality assurance.
on the drawings those design assumptions
used to prepare foundation designs. When Structural Calculations
estimated geotechnical values are used, the The PSE must prepare calculations to sup-
PSE should advise the prime consultant port the structural design of the primary
that these selected design values must be structural system. The calculations should
verifed by a geotechnical engineering frm contain a table of contents or index and
prior to construction, and that if conditions must clearly show and delineate service
are found to differ, the designs may have to loads, factored loads and factored load
The PSE should have a quality assurance combinations. The structural calculations
be changed. The PSE should also advise the
process to confrm the adequacy and should be dated, legible and retained in a
prime consultant that additional design and
appropriateness of the design, and also for project fle.
construction costs and project delays can
the construction documents to confrm
result if site conditions that were assumed
they convey the design intent and are suf- A copy of input and output of computer
are not actually realized. As well, the doc-
fcient for their intended use. The quality analysis should be included in the project
uments must contain a specifc reference
assurance documentation should identify fle, along with a description of the soft-
to having a geotechnical engineering frm
the engineers who prepared the design and ware used.
verify soil conditions under foundations
documents, and also those who carried
prior to foundation placement.
out the quality assurance process. In general, structural calculations typically
Although this “design-and-confirm”
strategy is not ideal, clients may exercise will include:
Primary Structural System Design
that option and engineers should address a) the design criteria;
In conjunction with designing the primary
it in a manner that preserves the safety and b) a discussion and description of the
structural system, the PSE shall:
integrity of the foundation design. design basis, including assumptions;
1. with respect to primary structural
c) the standards referenced, with edition
elements, connection details and
For more information, refer to the practice dates;
proprietary products:
guideline Professional Engineers Providing d) a list of live loads, environmental
a. specify types of elements, their
Geotechnical Engineering Services. loads such as wind, snow and seismic
positions within the structure
criteria, and any other special loads;
and methods of connecting to the
Design and Construction e) specifcations for materials used;
primary structural system; and Documents f ) geotechnical report information and
b. determine and specify in the The PSE should oversee the creation of design criteria;
contract documents the elements construction documents for the primary g) defection limitations of structural
that are to be designed by other structural system that comply with the elements and systems;
specialty engineers, and specify building codes and good engineering h) location diagrams for structural
loads and design criteria for use practice at the time of design. The con- elements;
by SSEs in their design. struction documents include calculations, i) vertical load analysis and design
2. with respect to non-structural construction drawings and specifcations. of roof structures, foor structures,
elements attached to the primary
frames or trusses, columns, walls and
structural system, the PSE shall: Construction drawings are graphical foundations;
a. design the primary structural sys- and pictorial documents describing the j) lateral load analysis and design for
tem to accept and support such design and characteristics of the elements seismic and wind forces;
elements; and necessary for construction of the primary k) computer analysis and design results;
b. indicate the assumed design building structure. and
loads applied to the prima-
l) special analysis, such as dynamic and
ry structural system by the In preparing the fnal plans and speci- vibration analyses.
non-structural elements. fcations, the PSE should state on the

12 Structural Engineering Design Services for Buildings

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