Structural design documents can be broadly grouped into 2
categories - drawings and calculations. Both are equally important in
ensuring a building’s ability to carry its design loads, and both undergo
scrutiny during permitting.
Once construction gets underway, however, drawings assume a more critical
role.
Calculations help engineers determine which structural members and
connections are best-suited in a given project. Through calculations,
engineers can figure out the strength, stiffness, size, and layout of these
elements.
Drawings are the language engineers use to convey a project’s design
requirements to contractors. They show the types of members and connections,
their locations, and how they interface.
The clarity of structural drawings, as well as the level of detail they
contain directly impact a contractor’s ability to read and understand what
they should be building.
Quality drawings reduce permitting revision cycles, help contractors arrive
at an accurate estimate, and lessen the risk of Requests for Information
(RFIs) and change orders during construction.