Plan Review: 126 Issues Found

Summary: Note 6 specifies base plate anchor rod holes to be 1/8" oversize for rods 1" and smaller, and 5/16" oversize for larger rods. However, IBC 1901.7.1 requires cast-in-place concrete elements to follow ACI 117 placement tolerances (which typically allow ±1/2" variance for anchor rod placement). A 1/8" to 5/16" oversize hole provides only 1/16" to 5/32" of placement clearance, making it physically ...

Why it matters: Fabricating base plates with tight standard-bolt hole clearances instead of proper anchor rod clearances guarantees that the fabricated base plates will not fit over the installed anchor rods in the field. The steel erector will be forced to ream or flame-cut the holes on site, causing significan...

Suggested next step: Revise Note 6 to specify anchor rod hole sizes that accommodate standard ACI 117 placement tolerances (e.g., using AISC recommendations, which typically require a minimum of 13/16" oversize for anchor rods) and specify appropriately sized heavy plate washers to cover the overs...

RFI draft: Revise Note 6 to specify anchor rod hole sizes that accommodate standard ACI 117 placement tolerances (e.g., using AISC recommendations, which typically require a minimum of 13/16" oversize for anchor rods) and specify appropriately sized heavy pl...

Summary: Note 4 dictates a uniform '4" PROJECTION ABOVE TOP OF PIER OR FOOTING ON ALL ANCHOR RODS'. However, the Base Plate Schedule details a 2 1/2" thick base plate (Type 6). Subtracting the 2.5" plate thickness from the 4" projection leaves only 1.5" of anchor rod extending above the base plate. Because heavy hex nut thickness is generally equal to the rod diameter (and a 2.5" thick plate requires la...

Why it matters: If anchor rods are cast into the concrete with only 4" of projection, the structural columns with thick base plates cannot be properly secured. The nuts will not fully thread onto the rods, compromising the structural connection and requiring extremely costly field fixes such as cutting and weldi...

Suggested next step: Please revise Note 4 to specify anchor rod projections based on the varying base plate thicknesses and rod diameters to ensure full nut engagement per IBC 2204.3.

RFI draft: Please revise Note 4 to specify anchor rod projections based on the varying base plate thicknesses and rod diameters to ensure full nut engagement per IBC 2204.3.

Summary: Elevation 2 details the top horizontal member of the braced frame as "^10x2 1/2Z12 (PUR) (OCBF)", designating a 12-gauge cold-formed steel purlin as an Ordinary Concentrically Braced Frame (OCBF) member. Note 1 requires all SFRS connections to use pretensioned A325 bolts. This violates IBC Section 2205.2.1, which mandates structural steel seismic force-resisting systems be designed using struct...

Why it matters: A 12-gauge cold-formed purlin lacks the thickness and strength to safely withstand the high clamping forces of pretensioned A325 structural bolts, which will cause localized crushing and yielding of the thin cold-formed steel. Relying on a cold-formed purlin as the primary strut in a structural s...

Suggested next step: Clarify the member size for the top beam at Grid A.1 in Elevation 2. Should this be revised to a hot-rolled structural steel shape (such as a W-section or HSS) rather than a cold-formed purlin, to correctly function as an OCBF strut and safely support the required pretensioned...

RFI draft: Clarify the member size for the top beam at Grid A.1 in Elevation 2. Should this be revised to a hot-rolled structural steel shape (such as a W-section or HSS) rather than a cold-formed purlin, to correctly function as an OCBF strut and safely sup...

Summary: The architectural North Elevation (A300.0) shows aluminum storefront windows (48"x48") on the north face of the building (Grid E side), near grids 2-4. However, the structural sheeting elevation at Grid E (G7.04, G7.05) shows continuous PBR-36 wall panels with NO window openings on the north face. Conversely, the structural sheeting elevation at Grid A (G7.01) shows multiple 4'-0" x 4'-0" frame...

Why it matters: This is a fundamental design conflict that will directly impact construction. If windows are framed and sheeted on the wrong wall, it would require costly rework of both the structural framing and the wall cladding. The metal building fabricator (GEM) has already detailed framed openings on Grid ...

Suggested next step: Please clarify which wall face (Grid A / south or Grid E / north) should receive the 48"x48" window openings. The architectural North Elevation on A300.0 shows aluminum storefront windows on the Grid E face, but the structural sheeting on G7.04/G7.05 shows no openings on Grid ...

RFI draft: Please clarify which wall face (Grid A / south or Grid E / north) should receive the 48"x48" window openings. The architectural North Elevation on A300.0 shows aluminum storefront windows on the Grid E face, but the structural sheeting on G7.04/G7...

Summary: Architectural First Floor Plan A200.0 depicts a "20 TON CRANE W/75' SPAN" that utilizes a "100' - 0\" CRANE RAIL EXTENSION" to travel outside the building envelope from Grid 9 to Grid 13. This operational path requires a completely clear span of at least 75 feet along Grid 9 (between the runway beams at Grids B.1 and D.8) to allow the bridge crane to exit the building. However, Structural Crane...

Why it matters: If fixed structural columns are erected on Grid 9 across the crane span, the bridge crane will be physically trapped inside the enclosed building, rendering the 100-foot exterior crane rail extension completely unusable. A coordinated clear-span structural header and a large specialized crane doo...

Suggested next step: Please confirm if the "W14X48 (COL)" columns shown on Grid 9 between Grids B.1 and D.8 are intended to be permanent, full-height columns. If so, how will the crane access the exterior "100' - 0\" CRANE RAIL EXTENSION"? Please provide coordinated architectural and structural de...

RFI draft: Please confirm if the "W14X48 (COL)" columns shown on Grid 9 between Grids B.1 and D.8 are intended to be permanent, full-height columns. If so, how will the crane access the exterior "100' - 0\" CRANE RAIL EXTENSION"? Please provide coordinated a...

Summary: General Note 6 specifies a 1/8" oversize for anchor rod holes 1"Ø and smaller, and a 5/16" oversize for larger rods. This is a clear mistake according to standard AISC detailing practice (AISC Steel Construction Manual Table 14-2), which recommends significantly larger oversized holes (e.g., 5/16" oversize for 3/4" rods, 1/2" oversize for 1" rods) to accommodate allowable tolerances in cast-in-...

Why it matters: A 1/8" oversize only provides a 1/16" tolerance in any direction. Cast-in-place anchor rods typically have placement tolerances of up to 1/4" according to the AISC Code of Standard Practice. Base plates manufactured with only a 1/8" oversize will almost certainly fail to fit over the installed an...

Suggested next step: Please confirm if Note 6 should be revised to specify anchor rod hole dimensions that comply with standard AISC practice (e.g., AISC Manual Table 14-2) to adequately accommodate concrete placement tolerances.

RFI draft: Please confirm if Note 6 should be revised to specify anchor rod hole dimensions that comply with standard AISC practice (e.g., AISC Manual Table 14-2) to adequately accommodate concrete placement tolerances.

Summary: Detail C14 limits screw/bolt holes in purlin and girt flanges to a maximum of 1/4" diameter, and in the web to a maximum of 1/2" diameter. However, Details C2 and C8 specify 1/2" diameter bolts passing through the Z girt flanges. Furthermore, the project specification (Bolted Connections, 4.B) requires all bolted connections to use "standard holes." A standard clearance hole for a 1/2" bolt is ...

Why it matters: The restrictive hole sizes in Detail C14 make it physically impossible to install the 1/2" bolts required by the connection details. Attempting to force 1/2" bolts through undersized holes or creating non-standard exact-fit 1/2" holes violates the standard hole clearance requirements of the speci...

Suggested next step: Please clarify the allowable hole sizes for purlins and girts in Detail C14. Should the maximum flange and web hole sizes be increased (e.g., to a minimum of 9/16") to accommodate the standard holes required for the 1/2" diameter bolts specified in the cold form connection det...

RFI draft: Please clarify the allowable hole sizes for purlins and girts in Detail C14. Should the maximum flange and web hole sizes be increased (e.g., to a minimum of 9/16") to accommodate the standard holes required for the 1/2" diameter bolts specified i...

Summary: The Overall Wall Framing Plan shows a total structure dimension of 310'-0" (comprising 210'-0" from grids 1 to 9 and 100'-0" from grids 9 to 13). The specification building layout defines the building as type 'FF-' with a width of 100.0000' and a length of 210.0000', with both Left and Right end wall expansions explicitly set to 'N' (no expansion). The sidewall bay spacing further confirms the ...

Why it matters: All Wall 2 sidewall girt designs (girt locations at 10.33', 15.50', 20.67', 25.83', 31.00'), panel design, and associated structural calculations for shear, moment, deflection, and bolt bearing are based on a 210'-long building with 8 bays of 26.25'. If the actual structure extends 310' as shown ...

Suggested next step: Clarify the overall building length: Is the structure 210' or 310' long? If 310', provide structural design calculations for the wall framing in the 100' section (grids 9-13), including girt design, panel design, bracing, and bay spacing. If 210', correct the Overall Wall Fram...

RFI draft: Clarify the overall building length: Is the structure 210' or 310' long? If 310', provide structural design calculations for the wall framing in the 100' section (grids 9-13), including girt design, panel design, bracing, and bay spacing. If 210',...

Summary: The drawing annotates the wall panel as 'PBR-36 WALL PANEL 26 GA (35) @ 36'-11" (SADDLE TAN)', indicating a panel length of 36'-11" (36.917 ft). However, the specification's Wall 4 Panel Design data for Bay 8 shows the panel height as 36.16 ft (approximately 36'-2"), with the panel spanning from 0.00 ft to 36.16 ft across seven girt spans. This is an approximately 9-inch discrepancy. The drawin...

Why it matters: This discrepancy would cause panels to be fabricated at an incorrect length. The 9-inch difference significantly increases the unsupported top span between the last girt at 31.00 ft and the panel top by approximately 15%. Since the panel's wind suction utilization ratio is already 0.99 for the de...

Suggested next step: Clarify the correct wall panel height at Grid E. The drawing shows 36'-11" while the structural panel design calculates a panel height of 36.16 ft (≈36'-2"). Confirm which dimension governs and whether the Wall 4 panel design (currently at 0.99 UC for the top span under wind s...

RFI draft: Clarify the correct wall panel height at Grid E. The drawing shows 36'-11" while the structural panel design calculates a panel height of 36.16 ft (≈36'-2"). Confirm which dimension governs and whether the Wall 4 panel design (currently at 0.99 UC...

Summary: The Overall Wall Sheeting Plan repeatedly specifies "X-BRACING (OCBF)" (Ordinary Concentrically Braced Frames) for the structural bracing. However, the project specification mandates "IBC 21" code compliance, "Seismic Zone 'D'", and indicates a building eave height of 36.83 ft ("Y_Coord 36.8333") and peak of 41 ft. Under IBC 2021 / ASCE 7, structural steel OCBFs are prohibited in Seismic Design...

Why it matters: Specifying a prohibited seismic force-resisting system will result in permit rejection, failed structural reviews, and potentially catastrophic structural failure during a seismic event. The structural system must be upgraded to a compliant system (e.g., SCBF - Special Concentrically Braced Frame...

Suggested next step: Please verify the permissible use of OCBF for this structure. Because the building is in Seismic Zone D, exceeds 35 ft in height, and is a heavy precast crane building, OCBF is prohibited by IBC 2021. Provide updated drawings detailing a compliant seismic framing system (e.g.,...

RFI draft: Please verify the permissible use of OCBF for this structure. Because the building is in Seismic Zone D, exceeds 35 ft in height, and is a heavy precast crane building, OCBF is prohibited by IBC 2021. Provide updated drawings detailing a compliant...

Summary: The East Elevation architectural drawing (representing the 100'-0" wide Endwall) clearly details a massive '76' - 8" CRANE OPENING' and a '24' - 0" CUSTOM DOOR OPENING'. However, the structural specifications for the 'Endwall Design Input' explicitly list '0' under the 'WIDE OPENING LAYOUT' section. This indicates that the structural frame and girt design for this endwall do not account for the...

Why it matters: Because these large wide openings are entirely omitted from the structural design, the endwall's columns, wind columns, and girts are incorrectly engineered as a solid enclosed wall. Fabricating the steel to the current structural specifications will result in an endwall that physically blocks th...

Suggested next step: Please review the East Elevation architectural drawing against the Endwall Design Input. Update the structural specifications to incorporate the 24'-0" custom door opening and 76'-8" crane opening, and provide the revised endwall framing and wind load calculations to accommoda...

RFI draft: Please review the East Elevation architectural drawing against the Endwall Design Input. Update the structural specifications to incorporate the 24'-0" custom door opening and 76'-8" crane opening, and provide the revised endwall framing and wind ...

Summary: The structural specification designates the main exterior column (Member 3) as 'Grid E Col' and models its base at X=98.25 ft (Node 6). However, the architectural floor plan indicates that the structural grid at X=98.25 ft is actually Grid D.9. This is verifiable geometrically: Grid B.1 (crane column) is at X=21.25 ft; adding the 75'-0" crane span places the opposite crane column at Grid D.8 (X...

Why it matters: If the structural fabricator and erector rely on the 'Grid E' designation from the structural schedule and erect these main columns on the architectural Grid E line, the building frame will be built 1'-9" too wide on that side. This will cause the 75-foot overhead crane to miss the runway rails a...

Suggested next step: Clarify the grid line designations between the architectural and structural documents. Confirm that the structural column modeled at X=98.25 (Node 6) is intended for Grid D.9, and verify if Grid E on the architectural plan is meant to be a non-structural roof overhang.

RFI draft: Clarify the grid line designations between the architectural and structural documents. Confirm that the structural column modeled at X=98.25 (Node 6) is intended for Grid D.9, and verify if Grid E on the architectural plan is meant to be a non-str...

Summary: The First Floor Plan labels the overhead crane as '20 TON CRANE W/75' SPAN'. The structural specification geometry data defines the crane support nodes at X=4.25 ft (Node 10/12) and X=73.00 ft (Node 9/11), yielding a crane column center-to-center spacing of 68.75 ft (68'-9"). Crane vertical and horizontal loads (CrVL, CrVR, CrHL, CrHR) are applied at these same nodes (11 and 12 at Y=22.00 ft), ...

Why it matters: A 6'-3" discrepancy in crane span is critical for both crane procurement and building construction. A crane bridge ordered for a 75' span will not fit between runway rails spaced at 68'-9". Conversely, if the building is constructed per the structural model, the crane shown on the architectural p...

Suggested next step: Request clarification on the correct crane span. Is the crane span 75'-0" as shown on the First Floor Plan (A200.0), or approximately 68'-9" as indicated by the crane column node positions (X=4.25' and X=73.00') in the structural model? The building frame design and crane proc...

RFI draft: Request clarification on the correct crane span. Is the crane span 75'-0" as shown on the First Floor Plan (A200.0), or approximately 68'-9" as indicated by the crane column node positions (X=4.25' and X=73.00') in the structural model? The buildi...

Summary: The framing elevation at Grid 9 consistently labels wall girts as '10x2 1/2Z14 (GRT)' and '10x2 1/2Z12 (GRT)', indicating 10-inch deep Z-section members with 14-gauge and 12-gauge thicknesses. The specification Wall 4 Girt Design calculations consistently specify '8X25Z16' and '8X25Z12' parts, indicating 8-inch deep Z-section members with 16-gauge and 12-gauge thicknesses. This applies across a...

Why it matters: A 2-inch difference in girt web depth fundamentally changes the member section properties, weight, and connection geometry. All girt-to-column clip angle connections, bolt locations, and flange brace details shown on the drawing were presumably designed around a specific member depth. If fabricat...

Suggested next step: Please clarify the correct girt member size for the wall framing at Grid 9 (Wall 4). The drawing specifies 10-inch deep girts (10x2 1/2Z14 and 10x2 1/2Z12) while the specification girt design is based on 8-inch deep members (8X25Z16 and 8X25Z12). Please confirm the correct gir...

RFI draft: Please clarify the correct girt member size for the wall framing at Grid 9 (Wall 4). The drawing specifies 10-inch deep girts (10x2 1/2Z14 and 10x2 1/2Z12) while the specification girt design is based on 8-inch deep members (8X25Z16 and 8X25Z12). ...

Summary: The structural analysis model places the Main Header (HSS_RECT 8X4X3/16) at node elevation Y=33.50 ft (33'-6" above finish floor), as defined by Nodes 15, 18, 19, and 16 all at Y=33.50. The drawing shows the bottom of the HSS8X4X3/16 (GRT) (LLH) member at 31'-5 1/4" above finish floor, placing its centerline at approximately 31'-9" (assuming 8" vertical depth). This results in approximately 1'-...

Why it matters: A nearly 2-foot error in the main header elevation would cause the wind columns above and the crane support structure below to be incorrect lengths. It would alter the structural load path, change unbraced lengths of columns and wind columns, and invalidate the structural analysis results. During...

Suggested next step: Request the structural engineer clarify the correct elevation of the Main Header (HSS 8X4X3/16). The structural analysis specifies the Main Header node at Y=33.50 ft (33'-6" above FF), while the drawing shows the bottom of the HSS8X4X3/16 (LLH) at 31'-5 1/4" above FF. Please c...

RFI draft: Request the structural engineer clarify the correct elevation of the Main Header (HSS 8X4X3/16). The structural analysis specifies the Main Header node at Y=33.50 ft (33'-6" above FF), while the drawing shows the bottom of the HSS8X4X3/16 (LLH) at...