Over the last two decades, the practice of delegating the design of structural steel connections and structural steel stairs to an engineer retained by the steel fabricator has grown more and more popular. As such, the execution of these projects has seen many different methods to get to a final design and fabricated steel. This article is intended to provide some history into delegated design, a review of the documents that define standard practice, and some strategies and best practices for specifying delegated design.
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Author Archives : Michael A. Stubbs, P.E., S.E., DBIA
Michael A. Stubbs is the President of Stubbs Engineering, Inc., a full-service structural engineering firm Headquartered in Las Cruces, NM. (mstubbs@stubbseng.com)
Strategies for successful delegated design in structural steel.
…The world of Structural Engineering is in one of the most significant transitions we have seen in recent history. As we exit the more recent Great Recession and establish new normal economic conditions, we are also dealing with rapidly changing technology, the effects of a more global economy, and ever-evolving contract structures and delivery methods. The growth of the economy in the last few years has provided new opportunities and filled the backlog of most firms, but we still see pricing pressures. BIM, finite element modeling, and the growing sophistication of computer programs are changing workflows. Where we used to compete against a small group of local firms that we knew, we are now finding ourselves competing with firms across the country and even internationally. …
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