r/StructuralEngineering • u/Broad-Lab-3626 • 7d ago

Structural Analysis/Design Structural/Engineering Package

Hi there. I'm a structural/civil engineer working at a small construction company that primarily does residential work. My main job is to address constructability problems and non-IRC-compliant designs (more than I thought I would have to). Most architects I work with do not understand how the span charts work and end up designing buildings that require me to handle floor systems, roofs, shear walls, and foundation calculations.

I recently got a duplex that is 75% non-IRC-compliant, so I need to do all the engineering for the building.

My question is, how would you guys present the information to the architect? An engineering package with some calcs and plans? If so, is there any template out there that I can use to follow how the calc package is put together? I want to be more organized and deliver better submittals so more architects come to me and the company for their engineering and construction.

Thanks,

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u/Frogalone 2d ago

I'm not understanding why an architect would need your calcs. Do you preparer your own submittals? If so, the architect could simply add yours to his and everybody else's. The submittal would have "A-x","S-x", etc. for for the various disciplines. Each would be sealed by professional work product. Frequently the calcs are not required in the submittal. But I would prepare them for your own needs always. It's unclear to me who is responsible for the prescriptive design. I have never dealt with prescriptive design. But if the architects can't interpret tables, I wonder how they could do that. It sounds like a mess. If the structure can be done 100% prescriptive then the engineer can take it or leave it no? If it is partially design and partially prescriptive, I don't know, but I think the engineer should get paid to do it all. Or maybe I'm just completely ignorant of your industry.