CHAPTER 3 - DRAWINGS & SETTING OUT

GW Els

3.1 SCOPE

The objective of this chapter is to provide guidance for drawing and setting out control on site. These
subjects are important because it is imperative that drawings be available on time and that the work be
done in accordance with the latest revision thereof. Likewise accurate setting out is essential for a
functional and aesthetically pleasing end product.

3.2 DRAWING CONTROL

3.2.1 Introduction

The project drawings together with the standard drawings, are part of the documents forming the
contract and these various documents are to be taken as mutually explanatory of one another. For the
purposes of interpretation these documents are given a sequence of priority which may vary depending
on the terms of the contract. For example, in the case of the FIDIC Conditions of Contract as
amended by SANRAL, the project drawings are subordinate to the project specifications but take
priority over the standard specifications, the standard drawings and the schedules.

The drawings together with the Scope of the Works (Part C3) and the Pricing Data (Part C2) define the
nature, extent, limitations, quality and quantity of the works to be performed. A drawing issued is akin
to an instruction issued and it therefore follows that drawings are to be properly managed with regard
to their authority, first issue and any subsequent revisions.

3.2.2 Authority

The drawings, like the specifications and other documents

TIP
forming the contract, are in the custody and care of the
Monitoring staff must ensure
employer. Consequently a drawing, to have any authority, must
that they are familiar with the
in the first instance be signed by the employer who will
employers requirements for
require that it also be signed by the responsible professional
signatory for drawings, drawing
design engineer, before it may be issued to the contractor.
revisions etc
The same would apply to subsequent revisions of a drawing but
for the sake of expediency the engineer and employer may come to an agreement that revisions of a
drawing be issued with only the signature of the design engineer on it. Should there be such an
agreement then the contractor must be informed thereof in writing. Should a major revision be
required, then the signature of the employer should also be obtained. Great care must be exercised by
site monitoring staff not to take over the responsibilities of the engineer or designers as changes,
however well intended, may have unintended negative consequences.

3.2.3 Drawing Register

The drawing register is fundamental to good drawing control on site. The engineers representative is
responsible for producing and maintaining the drawing register which should reflect the following data
(see example in Appendix 3C):

A complete list of all project and standard drawings with drawing number and description of
each drawing that has or will be issued to the contractor
The date of first issue

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 The anticipated / required issue date of drawings not yet issued
The sizes and number of copies issued
The date and revision number of the latest revision issued.

It is important that a complete list of drawings be compiled at the start of the contract. Although not
desirable, it is often the case that certain drawings, e.g. reinforcement layout, bending schedules, joint
details etc., are not yet available when the site is handed over. Apart from being a record of drawings
issued, the register is therefore also a management tool to be used for ensuring that outstanding
drawings will be made available in good time.

Unless otherwise stated in the contract, it is customary to issue the contractor with one unreduced copy
of each drawing. By way of a prior arrangement the contractor may request that additional copies be
issued some of which may be in an A2 bound book format. Both ways the number and size of
drawings issued should be recorded.

The register should be in electronic format so that extracts can be made of it for use as follows:

At every site meeting a list should be tabled of all drawings issued since the previous meeting.
The purpose inter alia is to record confirmation that the contractor has received these drawings.
The list tabled should also show all drawings not yet issued to confirm that the anticipated or
required issue date is still acceptable in accordance with the latest construction programme.
The list of outstanding drawings with updated required issue dates should be communicated to
the design office to ensure timeous completion thereof.

It must be noted that a contractor will be quick to give notice of his intention to submit a claim for
delay and costs should construction drawings not be made available in good time. However, the
contractor has a duty to give notice to the engineer whenever the works are likely to be delayed or
disrupted if any necessary drawing is not issued to him within a reasonable time and on or before a
specific date (refer e.g. FIDIC clause 1.9). In order therefore to make a valid claim for delay the
contractor must first place a demand on the engineer that performance be made by a specific date. The
engineers representative should therefore insist that the contractor refrains from requesting drawings
as soon as possible but that reasonable and realistic dates be determined based on the programme
and with due regard for the lead time to order for example materials and equipment.

3.2.4 Revisions

It is almost inevitable that some of the drawings already issued, may require revisions. Such revisions
may come about for a number of reasons, be it as a result of a proposal, a revised specification, a
change in the scope of the works, an omission or the correction of an error. It can be initiated by the
contractor, the consultants team or the employer.

In this regard the engineers representative plays a very important role, namely to advise the engineer
on the financial and time consequences of a contemplated revision in so far as it will impact on the
contractors programme, possible abortive work, potential for delay and other not so obvious costs and
implications. A revision may therefore imply a variation order in terms of the applicable conditions of
contract.

The employer generally prescribes standard procedures for making revisions to a drawing (for
example refer clause 4.13.5 of the Code of Procedure for the Planning and Design of Highway and
Road Structures in South Africa).

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In managing revisions the responsibilities of the engineers representative are the following:

(a) Acknowledge receipt of the revised drawing.

(b) Ensure that the drawing has been numbered correctly and is signed.
(c) Ensure that the number and size of drawings required for own use and that of the contractor
have been received.
(d) Ensure that all amendments or additions to the drawing have been identified and compile a
list thereof.
(e) Withdraw the current edition of the relevant drawing from all sets amongst the monitoring
staff, mark them clearly as cancelled and put them into the archives.
(f) Bring the amendments and additions to the attention of all relevant members of the
monitoring staff.
(g) Issue the drawing to the contractor under cover of an issue slip and a site instruction or site
note which draws attention to the amendments as identified in (d) above. The issue slip must
be countersigned by the contractor and a copy kept on record.
(h) Update the drawing register.
(i) Initiate whatever processes are feasible to ensure that the revisions will be implemented.
(j) Ensure that in fast track multi-disciplinary projects, drawings are issued to all the disciplines
involved.

Subparagraph (i) is very important. The engineers representative does not have direct control over
the manner in which the contractor manages his drawings and the dissemination of information to his
staff. The only way therefore to ensure that a revision has or will be implemented is to monitor it at
the work face. That is why it is so important that monitoring staff are aware of the actual nature of a
revision so that they can pro-actively be on the lookout. Furthermore it is strongly recommended that
check lists should include an item to verify the revision number of drawings being used by the
workmen on site.

3.2.5 Supplementary Sketches

A distinction is to be made between revisions as described in paragraph 3.2.4 above, and

supplementary sketches, the purpose of which are to amplify or clarify existing details on a drawing.
Such sketches may be done on an A4 or A3 sheet either by the design office or the engineers
representative himself and even by hand. They will have no official status and will normally not be
taken up on the as-built drawings. They should however be given a unique number and should be
issued under cover of a site instruction or site note and thus become part of the site records.

If time is of the essence then it may happen that details of a revision will be put on sketches and sent
electronically to site with the revised drawing to follow. The engineers representative should obtain
confirmation from the engineer before issuing such sketches and if given the go-ahead, he should
follow the same procedure as described in paragraph 3.2.4 above.

3.2.6 Management of Own Drawings

The engineers representative will decide how many sets of drawings and the size thereof he and his
staff will require. As a general rule the number of sets should be kept to the absolute minimum. The
more sets the greater the likelihood of some sets not being up to date.

Furthermore the drawings should preferably be unreduced (usually A0 size) paper copies of the
original approved and signed drawings. It is customary to also request reduced size drawings e.g. A2

Drawings & Setting Out 3-3

in a staple bound book format similar to the tender drawings, for the ease of their transport and use
outside of the office. However, herein lies a danger in that cancelled drawings are not removed from
the book and revisions are not properly bound and may become detached. It is therefore
recommended that reduced size drawings also be issued loose. Those required to be taken with on an
inspection can be bound using detachable clamps.

3.3 SETTING OUT CONTROL

3.3.1 Introduction

The purpose of setting out control is to ensure that the structure will be built in its intended position
and to the intended profile, levels and dimensions.

In days gone by the geometry of structures were relatively simple and the instruments used for setting
out and control (theodolites, dumpy levels, tapes etc) were readily understood and useable by all
concerned. That is no longer the case. The geometry of structures have become more complex and
with the advent of electronic instruments and GPS based systems, the instruments used have become
specialised and require highly trained personnel (registered surveyors). Modern setting out procedures
have become almost peg-less. This however, should not deter the monitoring staff from establishing
a setting out control system which will serve its intended purpose. This system should follow a two-
prong approach, viz:

Strategized audits by an independent registered surveyor

Local reference pegs and lines for elementary checks.

3.3.2 Establishing Control

A control system consisting of strategically placed benchmarks will have been established when the
original survey was done for design purposes. Prior to or shortly after site handover the engineer will
arrange for a surveyor to verify the existing benchmarks and if necessary, put in more with the specific
purpose of controlling the setting out of the structure. It is important that at this stage the engineers
surveyor check and verify that the bridge control system correlates with that which will be used for
any adjacent works such as the approaches to the bridge or any other nearby structure.

The coordinates of these benchmarks will be made available to the contractor and the engineers
representative must ensure that the contractor adequately marks and protects them against any possible
damage.

The contractor is responsible for the setting out and control of the position, line, level and dimensions
of the structure to be built and to this end his surveyor will establish additional reference pegs. Prior
to this exercise the engineers representative should meet with the contractors surveyor to discuss the
approach and methodology which he intends to follow to ensure adequate control of each element and
phase of the construction process. It is advisable that the independent surveyor appointed by the
engineer and who will be auditing the setting out, attends this meeting.

The outcome of this discussion should be agreement on:

(a) The approach and methodology which the contractors surveyor will be following taking into
consideration the geometric and structural complexity of the structure and the topography of
the site,
(b) The approach and methodology to be followed by the independent surveyor which should be
different to that of the contractors surveyor,

Drawings & Setting Out 3-4

 (c) The critical elements which will require checking by the independent surveyor and the
timing thereof,
(d) The channel of communication and advance notice periods to ensure availability of the
independent surveyor when required,
(e) The procedure for signing off and approving the setting out before further work may
continue, and
(f) The position of sufficient reference pegs which will enable the bridge foreman and the
monitoring staff to continually verify important corner points, dimensions and levels using
elementary instruments such as a tape, a plumb bob and a level.

3.3.3 Exercising Control

The planning and strategy developed at the above mentioned meeting, should be recorded and
converted into milestone events which are inserted into the contractors programme and should also be
incorporated in a checklist for use by the monitoring staff (refer Appendix 3B).

The monitoring staff should never lose sight of the following:

(a) It is common cause that there will be incorrect coordinates, dimensions and levels on the
drawings. Therefore the joins between all coordinated points should be calculated and cross
checked with the dimensions and levels given on the drawings to verify their correctness.

The equation for determining the horizontal distance between two coordinated points is:

L= ( y1 y2 )2 + ( x1 x2 )2

where:
y1x1 are the coordinates of the 1st point and y2x2 that of the 2nd point.

(b) There is no easy or cheap solution for a foundation or TIP

column built out of alignment and the argument that Do not under estimate the value
it is the contractors problem offers little consolation of a trained eye to detect a
in practice. Therefore check and recheck never deviation from what should be
assume anything. symmetrical or uniform.

(c) The setting out must look right. This is especially true for smaller drainage structures, the
stake distance and angle of which were determined from survey drawings compiled many
months ago. Recent floods may have changed the watercourse characteristics which may
necessitate a slight repositioning of the structure and/or the angle thereof. If in doubt the
design engineer should be summoned to the site to investigate and a new survey should be
done to amend the layout and design.
(d) Survey information is not accurate to the nearest millimetre. Therefore in the case of a
structure for a road crossing over an existing rail or road, and notwithstanding the apparent
accuracy of the setting out data on the drawing, the alignment of the new substructure must
match that of the existing rail or road and the horizontal and vertical clearances must be
equal to or greater than those given on the drawings.

Drawings & Setting Out 3-5

 (e) Similarly, when an existing structure is to be widened the new work must tie in with the
existing. Therefore the dimensions and levels of the existing structure will take precedence
over any dimension or reduced level given on a drawing in the event of a discrepancy. The
document will normally have a clause which requires that the dimensions and reduced levels
of the existing structure be verified before any new work is constructed so that in the event
of any discrepancies, adjustments can be made timeously to the setting out data and the
bending schedules in particular.
(f) A perfectly set out and aligned formwork will only yield an equally perfect concrete element
if it is of adequate strength and stiffness and suitably braced refer chapter 6 for further
guidelines.
(g) Successive elements e.g. parapet panels, should be set TIP
out from the same base line and not from one to the Beware of the cumulative effect
next. Refer adjacent TIP. of small errors

(h) Great care should be taken in ensuring that wall and column starter bars are correctly and
accurately positioned as it is extremely difficult to rectify errors in their position.
(i) For a superstructure with a cross fall (bridge on a curve) the centre line at road level does not
coincide with the centreline of the substructure.
(j) For contiguous precast beams with small gaps (e.g. 30 mm) between their ends, special care
needs to be taken to match the actual length of the beams with the actual spacing between
supports taking the allowable construction tolerances into account.

Drawings & Setting Out 3-6

 INDEX TO APPENDICES

3A - DRAWING CONTROL

3B - SETTING OUT CONTROL

3C - EXAMPLE OF DRAWING REGISTER

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 APPENDIX 3A
DRAWING CONTROL CHECK LIST
CONSTRUCTION MONITORING CHECKLIST
PROJECT NO. / NAME: .......................................................................................................................................
INSPECTORS NAME (S): ...................................................................................................................................
STRUCTURE: ........................................................... ELEMENT: ..............................................................

APPROVAL
ACTIVITY AND DETAILS SIGNED DATE
Y/N N/A Comment
Complete list of required drawings

Drawing Register compiled

Number of sets & drawing sizes agreed

Control procedure for first issue

Control procedure for revisions

Control procedure for reporting at site

meetings
Un-issued drawing events built into
construction programme
Ongoing verification of drawing revisions
being used on site

Drawings & Setting Out 3-8

 APPENDIX 3B

SETTING OUT CONTROL CHECK LIST

CONSTRUCTION MONITORING CHECKLIST
PROJECT NO. / NAME: .......................................................................................................................................
INSPECTORS NAME (S): ...................................................................................................................................
STRUCTURE: ........................................................... ELEMENT: ..............................................................

APPROVAL
ACTIVITY AND DETAILS SIGNED DATE
Y/N N/A Comment
Benchmarks verified & protected

Independent surveyor appointed

Approach and methodology for setting out

agreed with Contractor
Approach and methodology for setting out
audits agreed and programmed
Required reference lines and pegs for
elementary checks agreed
Critical dimensions and coordinates on
drawings cross checked for discrepancies
Levels and dimensions of existing features
verified
Minimum clearances checked

Alignment & level of minor drainage

structures to match actual site conditions

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 Drawings & Setting Out

REGISTER OF DRAWINGS ISSUED TO CONTRACTOR

CONTRACT NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION: NRA N001-XXX-XXX: RECONSTRUCTION FROM CAPE TO CAIRO

No & Date Date Latest Date Previous Previous

DRAWING DESCRIPTION DRAWING NUMBER Date Issued Date Issued
Size Required Issued Revision Issued Revision Revision

BRIDGE 1234

Site Plan 2 H2580 - 20 - STA - 002 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07

General Arrangement Plan 1 H2580 - 20 - STA - 003 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07

General Arrangement Plan 2 H2580 - 20 - STA - 004 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07

Foundation Layout H2580 - 20 - STA - 005 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07

Pier 2 Concrete Details H2580 - 20 - STA - 006 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07

North Abutment concrete details 1 H2580 - 20 - STA - 007 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07 01 23/11/07

North Abutment concrete details 2 H2580 - 20 - STA - 008 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07 01 23/11/07

North Abutment reinforcement details 1 H2580 - 20 - STA - 009 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 16/11/07 15/11/07

North Abutment reinforcement details 2 H2580 - 20 - STA - 010 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 16/11/07 15/11/07

South Abutment concrete details 1 H2580 - 20 - STA - 011 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07 02 15/01/08 01 23/11/07

South Abutment concrete details 2 H2580 - 20 - STA - 012 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07

South Abutment reinforcement details 1 H2580 - 20 - STA - 013 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 23/01/08

South Abutment reinforcement details 2 H2580 - 20 - STA - 014 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 23/01/08

Deck Concrete Details H2580 - 20 - STA - 015 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07

Deck Reinforcement Details 1 H2580 - 20 - STA - 016 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/05/08

Deck Prestressing Details H2580 - 20 - STA - 017 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/05/08

Handrails and Barrier Details H2580 - 20 - STA - 018 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 01/06/08

APPENDIX 3C
Miscellaneous Details H2580 - 20 - STA - 019 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 08/10/07

Coping, pedestrian parapet and barrier RC details 1 H2580 - 20 - STA - 020 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 01/06/08

Coping, pedestrian parapet and barrier RC details 2 H2580 - 20 - STA - 021 - C - 00 2A0,1A2 01/06/08
3-17

Contractual Aspects and General Duties 3-1