Regular site visits are important and should be done by the structural engineers accountable for designing and assessing drawings during the construction period of a building. Some of the essential structural elements which need site visits during construction are: foundation, crop walls, transfer chunks, floor structuring and the roof. With deep observation and comparison to the plan and drawings of the building, structural engineers acquire more understanding of the project in construction and may acknowledge any needed changes that should be made to accommodate field conditions. Also, the engineers need to understand the constructability and find out how the details can further be improved in the next construction.
Here is a list compiled to allow the best engineering firms in Miami Florida prepare their engineers on what should be done before, during after their site visits.
When preparing to go for a site visit, a structural engineer should:
- Conduct a meeting with the Project Manager to get details on the present status of the project and know the critical zones which need to be investigated.
- Assess the proposal of the project for the scope of construction work.
- Assess the construction program (foundation and structuring)
- Assess project specs, contract, structural drawing and shop drawing. It is important to analyze the latest structural drawings and related shop drawings to the site for orientation.
- Evaluate prospective safety hazards and get the needed Personal Protective Equipment such as hats, gloves, safety glasses, protective vest, flashlight etc.
- Gather all the important equipment such as measuring tape, pen or pencil, camera, rain kit, spray paint, field book and shoes, as needed.
- Dress as per the requirement and carry your business card along.
When the structural engineer has arrived:
- Speak to the Construction Manager and not the contractor to mention your visit to the site.
- If the engineer has visited the site for the first time, then meet with the safety manager of the site to know about the safety program. It is important to know about the on-site safety record.
- Assess the building structure condition.
- Find out the type of structural defects such as cracks, honeycombs, etc. the building has.
- Find out any indication of structural distress and deformation such as deflection.
- Find out any indication of material weakening.
- Assess the loading on the building structure for instance any overload with material like parts of windows, wall etc.
- To find out any deviancy from the desired use, abuse and mismanagement which can lead to overloading.
- To click pictures of the complete construction progress and any location which needs to be documented and assessed in the future.
Once the site visit is complete, the structural engineer should:
- Inform the Construction Manager about the deficiencies which need instant attention.
- Assess observations made at the construction site and discuss the progress with the Project Manager.
- Set up a field observation report stating the assessed conditions and recommending remedies if needed.
The engineers at the Eastern Engineering Group are well-trained, educated and experienced to perform these duties.
Statement: Most bachelor’s degrees require at least three years or more to complete. however, if you intend to study engineering part-time, national university programs may take up to four years to finish. That’s a shame; even if it’s our goal, not all of us can afford to put other tasks on hold in order to pursue education. Many people believe that all bachelor’s degrees from national institutions will be accepted by professional engineering organizations like the Professional Engineers Board (PEB) and Institute of Engineers Singapore (IES).