6/28/2016 TipsforBeginnerStructuralDesigners

TipsforBeginnerStructuralDesigners

AbdulrahmanSalah

StructuralDesigner/DetaileratOmraniyounConsulting

Inthepast,Ihavepassedthroughvarioustypesofsmalltomediumraiseconcretebuildings.Ihave
encounteredsomanyproblemsandgetlessonsforeachnewprojectIdesignedandpreparedthestructural
shopdrawings.

Inthispost,IwillsharesomeimportanttipsthatIhavelearnedwhileworkinginmanystructuraldesign
projects.

1.Theclientshouldbeclearandnothingtobeassumedinitially,trytogetalltheinformationneededtostart
theprojectdesignwork.Commonly,youneedtoknowtheprojectpurposeandthelocationconditions
"soilreport",thematerialstobeuseddependingontheavailableresources,aswellasthebudgetofthe
projectandthelevelofconstructionaccuracyandqualitycontrol.
2.ContacttheProjectArchitecttounderstandtheArch.drawingsandtoknowtherequirementsthatimpact
thestructuralsystem.
3.WhilestudyingtheArch.drawings,manyimportantthingstobetakenintoconsiderationsuchas:Shafts
openings,Stairsandtheirrelationshipswithbeneath/abovefloor,theArch.floorslevelsandconverting
themtoS.S.L(F.F.Lfinishingthickness),theelevatorscoreslocationsandentrancerelationshipwiththe

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6/28/2016 TipsforBeginnerStructuralDesigners

building.
4.Beforeestablishingthecolumnsproposal,thestructuralsystemhastobeselectedincooperationwith
theArchitectandtheClient.
5.StarttheStructuralDrawingsbysettingtherequireddrawings,theirtitlesandseriesnumberssoatthe
end,thelistofstructuraldrawingsistobesubmittedasthestructuralpackage.
6.IntheAutoCADfileoftheproject,includetheArch.Drawingssoyoucomparethemwhile workingin
columnsproposalandotherstructuralelements.
7.TobemoreefficientinusingAutoCAD,starting

fromprevioustemplatesofoldprojectsisagoodandfasteridea.PuteachfloorArchplaninfrontofthe
structuralplanofthesamefloor.Establishseparatecolumnslayoutforeachfloorandincludeallnotes
regardingtochangesincolumns,plantedorstoppedcolumns.
8.Whenputtingeachplan,tryputtingthemequallyspacedwithknownandcommonnumbersowhen
copyingformoneplantotheother,youwillbeabletocopywithoutbasepointandjustinsertthespace
betweentheplans,check

thesimpleillustrationbelow.

9.Alwaysbeforestarting

modellingtheproject,startbydrawingslabslayoutandcolumnsofeachfloorandthenstudythe
changesofcolumnsineachfloor.ThebordersofslabsistobetakenformtheArch.drawingsandmake
surethatitcoversbothbeneathandabovefloors.
10.Trytohaveanarchivingsystemsoeventuallyyousubmitawork

packageandyoustillhavethesourceofyourworksoyoucangetthereeasilyifyouareaskedtosubmit

ofresubmitanyprojectattachmentstotheclient.checkthedesignprocessflowchartbelow.

11.preparethedesigncalculationsheetsandnotesstepbystepstarting

fromthedesigncriteriaandcontinuedevelopingituntiltheendoftheproject.
12.Whateversoftware

thatyouareusingformodeling,draftingorcalculations,alwayshasareadycopyforsubmissiontothe
client.
13.TryusingnewtechnologiesinyourdesignsuchasBIMtechnologysoyouwillbeuptodateasthe
constructionindustryworks

aroundyou.
14.Thegeneralnoteshavetobereadatleastthreetimesandmakesureofeachpointsotheycomplywith
thedesignandthedrawings

AllthepointsaboveistobeupdatedinfuturedependingonwhatcometomymindortechniquesthatI
rememberaswellasyourcommentsandnotes.

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