The development of good detail drawings is a real engineering accomplishment and art.  Students should develop a stylized drawing technique that conforms to the rigid conventions of line drafting with added variations of artistic techniques to produce a very individualized finished drawing.

 Lettering

Lettering heights will be in accordance with the commendations of the ANSI Standards.  General lettering and dimensioning use 3/32″.

 Drawing Numbers

All drawings will be numbered using the standard description for structural drawings.  All drawings are numbered repeatedly with the related drawing letters preceding the number as like

S- Structural steel (S-1, S-2, S-3, etc.).

R – RCC          (R-1, R-2, R-3, etc.).

X – Fabrication (X-1, X-2, X-3, etc.).

A – Architecture (A-1, A-2, A-3, etc.).

  Drawing number should receive the greatest emphasis and have a height greater then 1/4”.

 Drawing Scales

The standard unit of structural measurement is “FEET”.  The scale is always noted as FEET and INCHES. Such as 1/8″ = 1′ -0” or 1/4″ = 1′ – 0″.  The word SCALE is always written to identify what is being read, for example:  SCALE: 1/8″ = 1′ -0″. 

 Any scale specified on an “Architect’s Scale” can be used on structural drawings.  Generally plan views and elevations are drawing using a scale of  1/8″ = 1′ -0″  or  1/4″ = 1′ – 0″.  Connection details use scales of

1″ = 1′ – 0″, 1 1/2″ = 1′ -0″  or  3″ = 1′ – 0″ for smaller details.  Shop drawings use a scale of 1″ = 1′ – 0″ for beams 21″ or less and a scale of 3/4″ – 1′- 0″ for beams greater than 21″.

 Titles

All entities on a drawing must have a title whether it is a elevation, symbols legend, section, plan view, detail, note column, etc.  Titles should be lettered catchy to viewer’s eye.  Normally the lettering is between 1/4″ and 3/8″ high.  To intonation the titles even more they are underlined.  Underlining can consist of a single line, a double line, or a combination of thick and thin lines.  The underlining can be centered with the lettering, be flush, or be broken as shown when using circle call‑outs.  A few examples of titles and underlining are shown below.

Section Marks

           Section marks are used to indicate where sections are being taken or cut.  Structural drafting practices are very similar to that used in engineering drawing.  Because of the complexity of structural drawings cutting plane lines are generally omitted and only the arrow indicating the direction of sight of the section view is shown.  The section call‑out consists of a 1/2″ diameter circle, an arrow indication the direction of sight, and two numbers.  The upper number/letter indicates the name of the section on the sheet and the lower number refers to the sheet where the section view is drawn.

         The lettering in the section call‑out circle is always horizontal regardless of the direction of the arrow.  The arrow is a 45 degree line, tangent to the circle.

        The arrow can be left open or colored in.  The short line segments extending from the circle represent the cutting plane line.  They can be single lines, double lines, or alternating thick and thin lines to conform to the overall drawing style.

             The objective of the framing plan is to indicate the horizontal location of each framing member. What is not shown are the profile (slope) of the beams and how any connections are achieved. Details or other drawings must be provided for this information.

             The plan should also indicate supports for the framing, including individual columns and any bearing walls. The walls beneath the framing are shown as dashed lines, although not all are actually supporting walls for the framing. Note: these drawings are somewhat abbreviated and used primarily to illustrate the form of the structure.  For actual construction, it is necessary to study the work carefully and be sure that al critical information is given on drawings or in the specifications.

             The foundation plan is usually drawn as a horizontal section cut above the basement floor, or a slab on grade floor, showing buried elements in dotted line. This type of plan indicates the lower level of building one. Such a plan may be used to indicate the floor structure as well as other sub grade construction.

• Structural computations
• Written specifications
• Structural working / construction drawings

 Structural computations

            The computations must be legible as others may need to review them. It is essential to use standard formats, terminology, and notations, and to cite references for any data or formulas used. The end products of the computations should be items that mirror information provided on the drawings or in the specifications. For example, the required size of a beam may be noted on drawings. And the material to be used and any standards used for its production or installation should be noted in the specifications.

 Written specifications

            Specifications are written in fairly legal form; they may need to stand up to cross examinations in court. In general, any items of fact that can be covered in the specifications should be done there and not on the drawings, mainly to avoid possible conflict. Whenever possible, the drawings should refer to the specifications for exact data.

 Structural working / construction drawings

            The principal purpose of the drawings is to explain the layout and details of the construction. The drawings may be pictorial, that is, show parts of the construction in fairly realistic form. However, the drawings also may use symbols. But it is essential to see the existing standard forms so that the drawings do not confuse anyone who needs to use them. Construction drawings are no place for original artistic style.

            For large buildings, a set of drawings called the structural drawings is produced. These drawings generally do not show the entire construction, but rather views of the stripped-down structure. Structural drawings are intended for use by the persons who fabricate and install the structure.

                —Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman. Architecture: from Prehistory to Post-Modernism. p223.

“The Mausoleum of the Taj Mahal at Agra stands in a formally laid-out walled garden entered through a pavilion on the main axis. The tomb, raised on a terrace and first seen reflected in the central canal, is entirely sheathed in marble, but the mosque and counter-mosque on the transverse axis are built in red sandstone. The four minarets, set symmetrically about the tomb, are scaled down to heighten the effect of the dominant, slightly bulbous dome. The mosques, built only to balance the composition are set sufficiently far away to do no more than frame the mausoleum. In essence, the whole riverside platform is a mosque courtyard with a tomb at its centre. The great entrance gate with its domed central chamber, set at the end of the long watercourse, would in any other setting be monumental in its own right.”

“The interior of the building is dimly lit through pierced marble lattices and contains a virtuoso display of carved marble. Externally the building gains an ethereal quality from its marble facings, which respond with extraordinary subtlety to changing light and weather.”

—Sir Banister Fletcher. A History of Architecture. p624, 630.

Details

On a platform 22′ high and 313′ square.

Corner minarets 137′ tall. Main structure 186′ on a side, dome to 187′.

The mausoleum is 57 m (190 ft) square in plan. “The central inner dome is 24.5 m (81 ft) high and 17.7 m (58 ft) in diameter, but is surmounted by an outer shell nearly 61 m (200 ft) in height.”

—Sir Banister Fletcher. A History of Architecture. p630.

Specific design credit is uncertain, and is given by different sources to Istad Usa, Ustad Ahmad Lahori, Isa Muhammad Effendi, or Geronimo Veroneo.

            What is structural analysis? You must recognize every spot of structural analysis before applying it to your building construction. Structural analysis is – A prediction about activities of any building with admiration to certain laws and methodologies. It will give you clear idea about how any building structure will act under certain conditions after it gets fulfilled. This calculation is made as per various mathematical calculations and engineering mechanics.

            Structural analysis depends deeply on these calculations. These mathematical calculations are stand on constant laws and principals of physics and mathematics. Like these structural analyses also expect on how stable your building will be after construction completed. Structural analysis will give following important information about building’s conduct: 

• Calculations of deformations
• Internal forces – how your building structure will react against certain internal forces between various building components like beams, windows, stairs etc
• Stresses – How much your building is capable to deal with stresses
• Loads – calculating about how well building will survive internal loads, external loads
• External forces – Structural analysis will give you detailed information about how your building will face external forces such as rain and more

            From above it is quite clear that after systematic structural analysis of any planned building structure, you will be pretty confident about how to proceed further in your building construction. You will be able to easily find right options for your building construction as per your requirements.

          Structural drawings can be defined as diagrams or pictorial representation of pre- fabricated building components that are going to be used in building construction. They give set of diagrams that illustrate complete information about measures, different dimensions and specifications of various building parts. These drawings are very useful for builders, contractors, architects and structural engineers to completely understand technical aspects about building structure.

          Consequently they will have clear accepting of building structure and can plan best possible construction technique to build their proposed building structure. Structural drawings are used for various purposes such as:

• Preparing various structural CAD drawings
• Structural steel drawings creation
• Providing efficient solutions for structural drawings projects for Infrastructure projects
• Shop drawings, cabinet shop drawings
• Rehabilitation projects
• High rise buildings
• Low rise buildings
• Foundation Plan Drawings
• Structural steel shape drawings
• Industrial plants, factories, mills, shed, complexes

           One of the benefits of using structural drawings is that they are easy to use and implement. Moreover, if you want some changes or alterations as per your requirements then you can re-correct them swiftly without much headache. Clear, detailed information about various building components with maximum accuracy makes these structural drawings much better option to use for getting success in your business in short time span.

Structural engineers often specialize in particular fields, such as bridge engineering, building engineering, pipeline engineering, industrial structures or special structures such as vehicles or aircraft.