Thread: Structural engineer wanted

Connell Wagner
We're a bit busy in Mackay, but the paramatta office may be able to help

from memory there is some form of registration scheme, so almost anyone you find in the Yellow pages will be suitable.

But after you pay the fee, it may be cheaper to buy a commercial play structure.


ian

Is this completely kosher? Tread lightly. Upover here, such practise (certifying someone ELSE's work) is strenuously (very strenuously) frowned upon by professional licensing boards. There are work-arounds, e.g. taking over the work of a previous practitioner absent due to death or other unavailabilty, but in general the new engineer must more or less duplicate the earlier design work. Your engineer will likely be alert to his risk. YMMV.

Joe

Joe who designs domestic buildings - Architects right? How do the architects know that there designs are structurally sound? - they send their designs to a structural engineer to check them and make changes if necessary.

If changes are not necessary the plans get stamped. If changes are required the engineer will issue amendments and specifications.

In this case I will issue the engineer copies of the relevant Australian standards that I have based my design around because playground construction standards are a bit uncommon (they contain all the formulas for working out stress forces and load ratings ) and the relevant stress gradings and dimension of timber, and construction details.

It could very well be different over there.

If I asked an engineer to design a swing set I would end up with RSJ's with stainless steel cable tensioners with reinforced prestressed concrete footings ....
As it is I'm using 200 x 200 seasoned ironbark

Oh ..Joe I best add that it is a pastime for landscapers to bag engineers over here as engineer's design solutions usually require copious amounts of concrete.

Originally Posted by Bleedin Thumb

If I asked an engineer to design a swing set I would end up with RSJ's with stainless steel cable tensioners with reinforced prestressed concrete footings ....

If you don't use an engineer you will likely to end up with what you have outlined!

I find it funny when someone says they have "over engineered" something. It usually means they have under-engineered it

So if a client asks me to design a swing set do I say no thats the job of a structural engineer?


Where does that leave all the architects and designers ..are we here to decorate the structural engineers work?

And the civil engineers work

I didn't mean to question the quality of your design, just the practise of certifying work done by other than the engineer, not under his/her direct supervision. By signing and sealing contract documents, the design professional takes full responsibility for their adequacy. Architects are usually expected to be qualified in the structural design of smaller structures such as residences; conversely, in some states engineers are permitted to do limited architectural design of smaller elements within a larger works, such as the control house of a movable bridge. If your design exceeds the requirements of the engineer's independent calculation, he/she should have minimal qualms. It becomes a source of grief only if things go wrong and developments advance to trial at court.

Google ["plan stamping"] (with quotes to marry the keywords) for some insight. Each state has its own licensing board, and statutes and interpretations may vary. I raise this issue for the benefit of other visitors, not just the five of us.

As I said, YMMV. Best of luck (sincerely, not sarcasm).

Joe

Originally Posted by Bleedin Thumb

So if a client asks me to design a swing set do I say no thats the job of a structural engineer?

Where does that leave all the architects and designers ..are we here to decorate the structural engineers work?

yes and no

take your architect — she will design a building, including the spaces inside and the shape of the roof.
she will give the design to a bunch of "knuckle dragging" engineers who will design the floors to just stand up under the design load (and the roof to blow off when the wind blows too hard) and then they'll get stuck into the size of pipe required to carry sewerage from the upper floors to the ground and water for fire fighting and toilet flushing to the top floor and an air conditioning system — all the while worrying about how economical it will be to build the damn thing and how much they have to charge so that they can pay their professional idemnity insurance (which must be kept current till their estate is wound up after they die — over engineer it to buggery and the premium goes down)

then she'll give it to the landscaper whose job it will be to make the air conditioner condenser "disappear" when viewed from the street and select plants that don't require watering and grass that doesn't need mowing.


but back to your quest, if you have to give an engineer the applicable Australian Standard for the structure you've designed, find another engineer — one who already knows about playground equipment and will thus be practising within his area of expertise.


ian

Thanks Joe I havent come across YMMV before. Looked it up...can I use that?

I was BTW being a bit facetious ...I get the point though.

Gingermick - Civil engineers! Don't get me started on those bastards! Also I have used Connell Wagner in the past when I did BIG things - doubt that they would want to know about this (read that as too expensive)

Ian re the point about "if they dont know the standards" etc that is a very good point. What i should have asked is does anyone know of a structural engineer that specializes in playground equipment......what chance do you think i would have of finding one?

Two I reckon..and one would be Buckley's...

Thanks everyone I have a quote from someone fairly local - I'll give him a go.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Bleedin Thumb

Thanks Joe I havent come across YMMV before. Looked it up...can I use that?

Might as well. I stole it myself.

Joe

Originally Posted by Bleedin Thumb

Gingermick - Civil engineers! Don't get me started on those bastards!.

We are not bastards. I have a Father.