Structural Steel Fabrication and Erection

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that structural steel elements have been fabricated and installed as per the relevant project documentation, Australian Standards and in compliance with other Hansen Yuncken HYer Standards and procedures.

Responsibilities

PROJECT MANAGER

  • Ensuring design changes are assessed for constructability risks.
  • Ensure any design constructability risks are assessed, controlled, and documented in the Project’s Risk Register.
  • Ensuring any constructability risks identified are communicated to workers performing the work and the HY project team.

HY PROJECT TEAM

  • Obtaining and reviewing project documentation, drawings, and specifications.
  • Managing workflows to document RFIs and design changes.
  • Managing the project’s document registry and communicating documentation to relevant parties.
  • Communicating requirements for submittals, warranties, and inspection and test plans to Subcontractors and other parties as applicable.
  • Ensure nominated subcontract users are registered in the QA platform and invited to the Project Profile.
  • Ensuring relevant quality control pre-work checks are complete prior to starting works.
  • Ensuring any applicable hold and witness points are in place and adhered to.
  • Receiving and controlling submittals, warranties, and inspection and test plans.
  • If required conduct an audit at the fabrication workshop.

SUBCONTRACTOR SUPERVISOR

  • Ensure personnel responsible for using the QA platform are registered and have means to access the platform via mobile or desktop devices.
  • Ensuring relevant quality control pre-work checks are complete prior to starting works.
  • Ensuring any applicable hold and witness points are adhered to.
  • Providing any required submittals, warranties, and inspection and test plans.

Quality Verification 

Hansen Yuncken predominantly utilises Autodesk platforms (BIM360 and ACC) to carry out quality control checks and verifications. Subcontractor supervisors or nominated representatives must have a registered Autodesk account and be invited onto the Project Profile by the HY project team. 

The Structural Steel – Fabrication and Structural Steel – Erection Checklists in the QA platform are to be completed prior to and throughout the relevant stages of works.  HY representatives are responsible for completing the header and site preparation sections. The subcontractor representatives are responsible for completing their respective sections. All hold points must be adhered to and verified by the HY representative to proceed.

Guidance on the use of software for Subcontractor users can be accessed via the Onboarding Induction and Training Procedure.

Note: Defence Projects and select Government Projects may have unique requirements regarding Quality Control and the use of software packages to carry out verifications.  The agreed methods and software packages will be determined at Project Commencement considering the specific project needs and client requirements.

Preparation

Project drawings and specifications will detail the locations and requirements for structural steel fabrication and installation. The latest revisions of drawings and specifications are to be referenced for the works, which are to be provided to the subcontractors carrying out the works.

Additionally, the HRCW Planning – Structural Steel inspection is to be completed in HammerTech to confirm safety requirements prior to starting works.

Welding Qualifications

Welders

Records of Welder qualification tests certificates are to be kept by the Subcontractor and provided to HY upon request. The qualification test certificate is to include the applicable Australian Standard the welder was tested against.

Welding Supervisors and Inspectors

Welding Supervisors are to be qualified to AS 1796 (“Certificate 10”) and/or AS2214.

Welding Inspectors are to be qualified to AS/NZS 1554.1 such as the IWI-S qualification.

Approvals 

Submittals, samples, and materials are to be identified, reviewed, and approved by the respective responsible parties in accordance with project specifications prior to works beginning. Any changes are to be captured via appropriate channels for the project (e.g., Aconex Workflow) and communicated to workers. 

The structural specifications will nominate what Construction Category (CC1, CC2, CC3) certification is required for the structural steel works. Only Structural Steel Subcontractors certified to the nominated Construction Category are to be engaged to carry out the works.

Structural steel and associated fixings are to be verified in accordance with the project drawings and specifications. 

The following must be confirmed prior to fabrication:

Details

  • Confirm the shop drawings have been approved by the structural engineer
  • Confirm shop drawings have been issued for fabrication.
  • Confirm the latest drawing number & specification is being used.
  • Confirm that the subcontractors ITP for fabrication and coatings has been approved by Hansen Yuncken prior to these works commencing.

Materials

  • Verify the Steel Grade used is in accordance with Structural design requirements.
  • Verify the Steel Grade is identifiable at all stages of fabrication and that markings have not damaged the material.
  • Verify that the abrasive cleaning system has been approved.

Welding

  • Development of welding procedure specification (WPS) by a qualified Welding Supervisor has been communicated to the welder(s).
  • Verify welder(s) are suitably qualified and have the required welding competency.

The following items must be verified prior to erection:

  • Confirm that the subcontractors ITP for installation has been approved by Hansen Yuncken prior to installation works.
  • Verify the concrete footings have reached the require concrete strength.
  • Verify holding down bolts have been tested (pull test) and approved for erection.
  • Provide details of grout used (product name / code).

Fabrication

The Structural Steel – Fabrication Checklist in BIM360 is to be used to verify structural steel elements being fabricated for the project. The details are to be completed by the structural steel subcontractor. Multiple checklists may be completed to ensure all elements are verified appropriately.

Throughout fabrication, the following is to be verified:

  1. Confirm steel members are of correct section and in accordance with Structural specifications.
  2. Steel members have been fabricated to correct dimensions in accordance with approved shop drawings.
  3. Connection plates are of correct size in accordance with approved shop drawings.
  4. All bolt holes are of correct size and location in accordance with approved shop drawings.
  5. Steel members have been fabricated to allow for services penetrations in accordance with shop drawings (if applicable).
  6. Welding
  7. Welding works are being supervised by a qualified Welding Supervisor.
  8. Verify weld non-destructive testing (NDT) has been carried out by a qualified Welding Inspector.

Surface Treatment

The following is to be verified for the surface treatment system:

  1. Verify that steel has been cleaned in accordance with the Specification.
  2. Verify protective coating is of correct type/grade and has been applied correctly to specified thickness and acceptable finish.

Specifications and Compliance – Fabrication

The following approvals are required: 

  • Shop drawings have been reviewed and approved and issued “For Fabrication”.
  • Surface treatment protective coating system has been approved.
  • Welding procedures and welder qualifications have been approved.
  • Subcontractor fabrication ITP approved.

The following supporting documentation or submissions are required from the subcontractor:

  • Steel Heat Grade/Mill Certificates.
  • Welding Procedure.
  • Personnel Qualifications/Competencies.
  • Protective Coating Compliance Certificate.
  • Hot-Dip Galvanising Compliance Certificate (if applicable).
  • Subcontractor completed QC record/checklist or ITP.

Erection

Delivery to Site

Upon delivery to site, the following must be confirmed:

  1. Confirm that the delivery has the correct members to be installed.
  2. Confirm all members have been delivered with no defects.
    • If there is damage due to transportation, an issue is to be raised on BIM360 and a suitable rectification method must be approved prior to any remedial works taking place.

Installation Documentation

  1. Confirm the subcontractor is using the approved installation ITP.
  2. Confirm the approved marking plan is being used.
  3. Verify bolts, nuts and washers comply with Structural design requirements & Australian Standards (AS/NZS 1252 & AS/NZS 1559).
  4. Steel members have been installed in the correct locations in accordance with structural design and approved shop drawings.
  5. Column verticality, alignment, and spacing of steel members are in accordance with specified requirements and suitable for subsequent trades.
  6. Site Welding:
    1. Development of an approved welding procedure by a Welding Supervisor, has been communicated to the welder(s).
    2. Verify welder(s) are suitably qualified and have the required welding competency.
    3. Welding works are being supervised by a qualified welding supervisor.
  7. Verify weld non-destructive testing (NDT) has been carried out by a qualified Welding Inspector which has identified no defects.
  8. Grouting to base plates has been correctly installed and complies with AS3600.
  9. Verify that all required base plates have been grouted.

Completion

On completion Hansen Yuncken must confirm that the following items have been actioned.

  1. Verify all items in the structural engineer’s report have been addressed and signed off.
  2. Confirm all issues raised in BIM have been closed with supporting documentation attached.
  3. As-Built Documentation has been provided and confirmed accurate. This includes any as-built drawings and final survey reports.
  4. Confirm checklist in BIM has been completed by the subcontractor and Hansen Yuncken and all documentation attached.

Specifications and Compliance – Installation

The following supporting documentation or submissions are required from the subcontractor:

  • Subcontractor ITPs
  • Verify bolts, nuts and washers comply with Structural design requirements & Australian Standards (AS/NZS 1252 & AS/NZS 1559).
  • Non-Destructive Test (NDT) Reports.
  • Steel Survey Report.
  • As-Built drawings

Hold/Witness Points to be adhered to throughout Wet Area Construction works:

  • Verify all items in the structural engineer’s report have been addressed and signed off.
  • Delivery inspection.

Definitions

NDT – Non-Destructive Testing

ITP – Inspection and Test Plan

NCC – National Construction Code

RFI – Request for Information

WPS – Welding Procedure Specification

References

  • NCC – Part B1 Structural provisions
  • AS/NZ 1554 – Structural Steel Welding Set
  • AS/NZ 5131 – Structural steelwork – Fabrication and erection
  • AS 3600 – Concrete Structures
  • AS 1252 – High strength steel bolts with associated nuts and washers for structural engineering.
  • AS 1559 Hot-dip galvanized steel bolts and associated nuts and washers for tower construction.

Associated Checklists and Documents

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