SITE RECORD KEEPING, INSPECTION & TESTING ROLE OF ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER DURING CONSTRUCTION BASIC INFORMATION
Site Record Keeping, Inspection, and Testing Role Of Architect Or Engineer During Civil Projects
Site Record Keeping
Depending on contractual requirements for service during the construction phase, the architect may establish a field office.
In this event, dual record keeping is suggested between the site and architect’s office so that records required for daily administration of construction are readily accessible on site.
Contractor correspondence, field reports, testing and balancing reports, shop drawings, record documents, contractor payment requests, change orders, bulletin issues, field meeting minutes, and schedules are used continually during construction.
Computer systems and electronic mail make the communication process somewhat easy to control.
Inspection and Testing
Technical specifications require testing and inspection of various material and building systems during construction to verify that the intent of the design and construction documents is being fulfilled under field conditions.
Testing is required where visual observations cannot verify actual conditions. Subsurface conditions, concrete and steel testing, welding, air infiltration, and air and water balancing of mechanical systems are such building elements that require inspection and testing services.
Normally, these services are performed by an independent testing agency employed directly by the client so that third-party evaluation can be obtained.
Although the architect does not become involved in the conduct of work or determine the means or methods of construction, the architect has the general responsibility to the client to see that the work is installed in general accordance with the contract documents.
Other areas of inspection and testing involve establishing and checking benchmarks for horizontal and vertical alignment, examining soils and backfill material, compaction testing, examining subsurface retention systems, inspecting connections to public utilities, verifying subsoil drainage, verifying structural column centerlines and base-plate locations (if applicable), checking alignment and bracing of concrete formwork, verifying concrete strength and quality, and other similar items.
Site Record Keeping, Inspection, and Testing Role Of Architect Or Engineer During Civil Projects
Site Record Keeping
Depending on contractual requirements for service during the construction phase, the architect may establish a field office.
In this event, dual record keeping is suggested between the site and architect’s office so that records required for daily administration of construction are readily accessible on site.
Contractor correspondence, field reports, testing and balancing reports, shop drawings, record documents, contractor payment requests, change orders, bulletin issues, field meeting minutes, and schedules are used continually during construction.
Computer systems and electronic mail make the communication process somewhat easy to control.
Inspection and Testing
Technical specifications require testing and inspection of various material and building systems during construction to verify that the intent of the design and construction documents is being fulfilled under field conditions.
Testing is required where visual observations cannot verify actual conditions. Subsurface conditions, concrete and steel testing, welding, air infiltration, and air and water balancing of mechanical systems are such building elements that require inspection and testing services.
Normally, these services are performed by an independent testing agency employed directly by the client so that third-party evaluation can be obtained.
Although the architect does not become involved in the conduct of work or determine the means or methods of construction, the architect has the general responsibility to the client to see that the work is installed in general accordance with the contract documents.
Other areas of inspection and testing involve establishing and checking benchmarks for horizontal and vertical alignment, examining soils and backfill material, compaction testing, examining subsurface retention systems, inspecting connections to public utilities, verifying subsoil drainage, verifying structural column centerlines and base-plate locations (if applicable), checking alignment and bracing of concrete formwork, verifying concrete strength and quality, and other similar items.
