Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, 4th ed.c

Step 7: Construction Administration (CA) Phase 87

the designer consulted with the structural engineer on information such as max-

imum span length of steel beams. This information would help the architect, con-

tractor, and owner to determine a good design and estimated project cost.

Step 5: Design Development (DD) Phase

In the design development (DD) phase, the architect designer laid out the loca-

tions, sizes, and orientations of the reception areas, examination rooms, labora-

tories, business administration offices, maintenance facilities, entrances to the

physician office building and the street. The arrangement of these rooms along

with the maximum span length of steel beams are used to determine the locations

of supporting columns. These column locations are the basis the architect used

to set-up the gridlines. Gridlines are a set of lines running in two directions. As

a convention, one set of lines is named in alphabetical order. The second set of

lines is named in numerical sequence. When a new gridline is inserted between

two existing lines, the new line would either be name C.# or 3.# depending on

the direction of this new gridline. The “#” sign represents a number between 1

and 9 depending on the relative location of the new line with respect to the two

existing ones. Gridlines are used by the design and construction teams to refer-

ence the location of all components in the project.

The structural engineer provided the size of major support components of

the building such as beams, columns, and foundations. Non-load bearing com-

ponents would be neglected in this phase. However, the contractor would

include them in the cost estimate. The mechanical and electrical engineers then

provided their preliminary mechanical and electrical designs.

A set of architectural drawings with superimposed structural, mechanical, and

electrical information was then provided to the clinic from the contractor. Through

multiple review and revisions, the “final” layout of user space and estimated proj-

ect cost was approved, the project moved to the construction documentation phase.

Step 6: Construction Documentation

(CD) Phase

All the detailed comprehensive designs: architectural, structural, civil, interior,

mechanical, electrical, plumbing, etc. were performed during the construction

documentation (CD) phase. The project manager who represented the architect

during all the construction meetings was responsible for overseeing the comple-

tion of the design and document produced in this phase. The project manager

also compiled a set of specifications for the project and checked that the design

conformed to the current building codes. Each engineering group provided the

specifications pertinent to the group. Some building codes requirements included

the number of handicap parking spaces, number of exits and their locations, and

minimum dimensions of public areas and corridors, in addition to safety require-

ments set in the engineering specifications.

During this phase, the civil engineer was responsible for the grading of the

surface outside the building such as parking lot, sidewalk, handicap parking signs

and other signs, drainage of the paved surfaces to the storm water line, connec-

tions from the clinic to the city water line and sewer line.

The structural engineer was responsible for the design of all the load bearing

and non-load bearing components and connections. Some of the designs included

the sizing of steel beams, steel columns, isolated reinforced concrete footings,

bracing necessary to support wind load, steel joists to support the roof and snow

loads. In addition, the structural engineers also provided additional design details

to support the roof top unit ( mechanical system for heating and air conditioning)

and x-ray equipment. The documentation of the structural design included a set

of very detailed drawings of the layout of the beams, columns, and their sizes;

steel joist sizes and spacing; connections between beams and columns, joists and

beams, columns and footings, etc; steel reinforcing details of the footings; masonry

wall sizes and steel reinforcements, metal studs spacing. The structural drawings

also included special details to support door and window openings, and other

architectural components such as canopy at entrances.

Since the clinic and the physician office building share a common gridline

and the beams from the clinic at this common gridline were supported by the col-

umns designed by the engineers of the physician office building, the structural

engineer at the architects provided design information to the engineer for the

physician office building.

Step 7: Construction Administration (CA)

Phase

During the construction administration (CA) phase, there were weekly meet-

ings between the site superintendent (from the contractor), the project manager

(from the architects), representatives from different subcontractors such as elec-

tricians, plumbers, steel erectors, etc. The site superintendent was responsible

for the logistic of the construction process and all the communications among

all the subcontractors, project manager, and the clinic. His primarily responsi-

bilities were to ensure the construction progress as scheduled, supplies were avail-

able when needed, informed the project manager when concerns or issues arose

during construction. Minutes from each construction meetings were recorded by

the project manager and distributed to all parties.

Source: Karen Chou

Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).

圀圀圀⸀夀䄀娀䐀䄀一倀刀䔀匀匀⸀䌀伀䴀圀圀圀⸀夀䄀娀䐀䄀一倀刀䔀匀匀⸀䌀伀䴀