I received this question from one of my clients last week. “Can we add to our specs, language that forces the contractor to hire one company to design all the seismic and point load designs for all trades?”
Any thoughts?
No reason why you couldn’t create a new Section under 01 81 00 or 01 88 00.
Still, as long as you clearly identify ASCE 7 or other Code or FM dictated requirements and the other salient aspects involved for your project location and systems requiring seismic design, why would the Owner care whether everything is designed by one Engineer?
Depending on the type of project you’re involved with there can be a lot of people affected. If there is special equipment such as high-tech lab or hospital equipment, or products that require warranties, or delegated design items such as fire-suppression systems, each trade, supplier, or manufacturer may consider this as a violation of their engineering seal.
I usually see this included under individual delegated design requirements; not sure of the benefits.
Tommy - I would check with the S.E. on the Project for their thoughts.
That’s a lot of responsibility/liability for one firm
Definitely talk with the SE.
What type of project and why does your client want this to happen? What are the expectations of the Owner?
Doubt that you want to be absolute with one engineer. The engineering and anchorage of the building skin is typically provided by the sub doing the work.
There can be advantages to having a unified approach to supporting and anchoring stuff hung from the floor or roof above. This can reduce congestion in the ceiling space. Several firms such as ISAT and Mason will provide a package service whereby they work with the trades to develop a rational layout and then provide not only the design but the hardware.
You need to figure out how you will coordinate the interface between the elements designed by the specialty engineer and the SE. You do not want to have the SE reviewing the calculations of the specialty engineer.
Make the specialty engineer responsible for identifying any special inspection or other testing and inspection requirements.
Tomas,
We have a Division 01 Section 018123 - SEISMIC REQUIREMTNS FOR NON-STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS. As expected it is addressed to the GC/CM versus an individual subcontractor. How the GC/CM divides up the work is out of your hands unless the Owner assigns a contractor or subcontractor.
It can include:
A. Nonstructural components and their attachments to the structure shall meet all requirements of the contract documents, including the governing seismic design code as specified in the contract documents, which includes the requirements of ASCE 7-025, Section 9.6.
[B. This section includes seismic design requirements for design/build nonstructural components.]
[C. This section includes seismic design requirements for nonstructural components including, but not limited to, the following]:
- Mechanical equipment and conveyances.
- Electrical equipment and conveyances.
- Medical equipment.
- Medical gas systems.
- Alarms and fire suppression systems.
- Communication systems.
- Data systems.
- Cladding.
- Glazing.
- Partitions.
- Suspended ceilings.
- Elevator systems.
- Access floor systems.
There could be advantages to NOT having the same engineer. If an engineer has particular experience with seismic calculations for a particular trade, it may result in a simpler installation for the subcontractor and potentially lower cost. This may not apply if you’re referring to very similar trades such as MEP, but for dissimilar ones perhaps.
Tommy, IMHO, this is a VERY project specific question and I agree with Rich & Mark 100%… you better talk to your SE before making any decision on this. Especially along with Mark’s comments:
"You need to figure out how you will coordinate the interface between the elements designed by the specialty engineer and the SE. You do not want to have the SE reviewing the calculations of the specialty engineer.
Make the specialty engineer responsible for identifying any special inspection or other testing and inspection requirements."
Thanks for some great responses. I will be talking with my client on Friday to get some clarification on his request.
Tommy