Fabrication Tolerances

The tolerances on structural steel fabrication shall be in accordance with the

requirements in Section 6.4.1 through 6.4.6.

Commentary:
Fabrication tolerances are stipulated in several specifications and codes, each
applicable to a specialized area of construction. Basic fabrication tolerances are
stipulated in this Section. For architecturally exposed structural steel, see Section
10. Other specifications and codes are also commonly incorporated by reference in
the contract documents, such as the AISC Specification, the RCSC Specification,
AWS D1.1, and the AASHTO Specification.

6.4.1. For members that have both ends finished (see Section 6.2.2) for contact
bearing, the variation in the overall length shall be equal to or less than Q in. [1
mm]. For other members that frame to other structural steel elements, the variation
in the detailed length shall be as follows:

(a) For members that are equal to or less than 30 ft [9 000 mm] in length, the
variation shall be equal to or less than z in. [2 mm].
(b) For members that are greater than 30 ft [9 000 mm] in length, the variation shall
be equal to or less than 8 in. [3 mm].

6.4.2. For straight structural members other than compression members, whether
of a single standard structural shape or built-up, the variation in straightness shall
be equal to or less than that specified for wide-flange shapes in AST A6/A6M,
except when a smaller variation in straightness is specified in the contract
documents. For straight compression members, whether of a standard structural
shape or built-up, the variation in straightness shall be equal to or less than 1/1000
of the axial length between points that are to be laterally supported.
For curved structural members, the variation from the theoretical curvature shall
be equal to or less than the variation in sweep that is specified for an equivalent
straight member of the same straight length in ASTM A6/A6M.

In all cases, completed members shall be free of twists, bends and open joints.
Sharp kinks or bends shall be cause for rejection.

6.4.3. For beams that are detailed without specified camber, the member shall be
fabricated so that, after erection, any incidental camber due to rolling or shop
fabrication is upward. For trusses that are detailed without specified camber, the
components shall be fabricated so that, after erection, any incidental camber in the
truss due to rolling or shop fabrication is upward.

6.4.4. For beams that are specified in the contract documents with camber, beams
received by the fabricator with 75% of the specified camber shall require no further
cambering. Otherwise, the variation in camber shall be as follows:
(a) For beams that are equal to or less than 50 ft [15 000 mm] in length, the
variation shall be equal to or less than minus zero / plus 2 in. [13 mm].
(b) For beams that are greater than 50 ft [15 000 mm] in length, the variation shall
be equal to or less than minus zero / plus 2 in. plus 8 in. for each 10 ft or fraction
thereof [13 mm plus 3 mm for each 3 000 mm or fraction thereof] in excess of 50 ft
[15 000 mm] in length.

For the purpose of inspection, camber shall be measured in the fabricator’s shop
in the unstressed condition.

Commentary:
There is no known way to inspect beam camber after the beam is received in the
field because of factors that include:

(a) The release of stresses in members over time and in varying applications;
(b) The effects of the dead weight of the member;
(c) The restraint caused by the end connections in the erected state; and,
(d) The effects of additional dead load that may ultimately be intended to be
applied, if any.

Therefore, inspection of the fabricator’s work on beam camber must be done in

the fabrication shop in the unstressed condition.

6.4.5. For fabricated trusses that are specified in the contract documents with
camber, the variation in camber at each specified camber point shall be equal to or
less than plus or minus 1/800 of the distance to that point from the nearest point of
support.

For the purpose of inspection, camber shall be measured in the fabricator’s shop in
the unstressed condition. For fabricated trusses that are specified in the contract
documents without indication of camber, the foregoing requirements shall be
applied at each panel point of the truss with a zero camber ordinate.

Commentary:
There is no known way to inspect truss camber after the truss is received in the
field because of factors that include:

(a) The effects of the dead weight of the member;

(b) The restraint caused by the truss connections in the erected state; and,
(c) The effects of additional dead load that may ultimately be intended to be
applied, if any.

Therefore, inspection of the fabricator’s work on truss camber must be done in the
fabrication shop in the unstressed condition. See Figure C–6.1.
6.4.6. When permissible variations in the depths of beams and girders result in
abrupt changes in depth at splices, such deviations shall be accounted for as
follows:

(a) For splices with bolted joints, the variations in depth shall be taken up with filler
plates; and,
(b) For splices with welded joints, the weld profile shall be adjusted to conform to
the variations in depth, the required cross-section of weld shall be provided and
the slope of the weld surface shall meet the requirements in AWS D1.1.

Figure C-6.1. Illustration of the tolerance on camber for fabricated trusses with
specified camber.

Shop Cleaning and Painting (see also Section 3.1.6)

Structural steel that does not require shop paint shall be cleaned of oil and grease
with solvent cleaners, and of dirt and other foreign material by sweeping with a
fiber brush or other suitable means. For structural steel that is required to be shop
painted, the requirements in Sections 6.5.1 through 6.5.4 shall apply.

Commentary:
Extended exposure of unpainted structural steel that has been cleaned for the
subsequent application of fire protection materials can be detrimental to the
fabricated product. Most levels of cleaning require the removal of all loose mill
scale, but permit some amount of tightly adhering mill scale. When a piece of
structural steel that has been cleaned to an acceptable level is left exposed to a
normal environment, moisture can penetrate behind the scale, and some “lifting” of
the scale by the oxidation process is to be expected. Cleanup of “lifted” mill scale is
not the responsibility of the fabricator, but is to be assigned by contract
requirement to an appropriate contractor.

Section 6.5.4 of this Code is not applicable to weathering steel, for which special
cleaning specifications are always required in the contract documents.

6.5.1. The fabricator is not responsible for deterioration of the shop coat that may
result from exposure to ordinary atmospheric conditions or corrosive conditions
that are more severe than ordinary atmospheric conditions.
Commentary:
The shop coat of paint is the prime coat of the protective system. It is intended as
protection for only a short period of exposure in ordinary atmospheric conditions,
and is considered a temporary and provisional coating.

6.5.2. Unless otherwise specified in the contract documents, the fabricator shall, as
a minimum, hand clean the structural steel of loose rust, loose mill scale, dirt and
other foreign matter, prior to painting, by means of wire brushing or by other
methods elected by the fabricator, to meet the requirements of SSPC-SP2. If the
fabricator’s workmanship on surface preparation is to be inspected by the
inspector, such inspection shall be performed in a timely manner prior to the
application of the shop coat.

Commentary:
The selection of a paint system is a design decision involving many factors
including:

(a) The owner’s preference;

(b) The service life of the structure;
(c) The severity of environmental exposure;
(d) The cost of both initial application and future renewals; and,
(e) The compatibility of the various components that comprise the paint system
(surface preparation, shop coat and subsequent coats).

Because the inspection of shop painting must be concerned with workmanship at

each stage of the operation, the fabricator provides notice of the schedule of
operations and affords the inspector access to the work site.

Inspection must then be coordinated with that schedule so as to avoid delay of the
scheduled operations.

Acceptance of the prepared surface must be made prior to the application of the
shop coat because the degree of surface preparation cannot be readily verified
after painting. Time delay between surface preparation and the application of the
shop coat can result in unacceptable deterioration of a properly prepared surface,
necessitating a repetition of surface preparation.

This is especially true with blast-cleaned surfaces. Therefore, to avoid potential

deterioration of the surface, it is assumed that surface preparation is accepted
unless it is inspected and rejected prior to the scheduled application of the shop
coat.

The shop coat in any paint system is designed to maximize the wetting and
adherence characteristics of the paint, usually at the expense of its weathering
capabilities. Deterioration of the shop coat normally begins immediately after
exposure to the elements and worsens as the duration of exposure is extended.
Consequently, extended exposure of the shop coat will likely lead to its
deterioration and may necessitate repair, possibly including the repetition of
surface preparation and shop coat application in limited areas.

With the introduction of high-performance paint systems, avoiding delay in the

application of the shop coat has become more critical. High-performance paint
systems generally require a greater degree of surface preparation, as well as early
application of weathering protection for the shop coat.

Since the fabricator does not control the selection of the paint system, the
compatibility of the various components of the total paint system, or the length of
exposure of the shop coat, the fabricator cannot guarantee the performance of the
shop coat or any other part of the system. Instead, the fabricator is responsible
only for accomplishing the specified surface preparation and for applying the shop
coat (or coats) in accordance with the contract documents.

This Section stipulates that the structural steel is to be cleaned to meet the
requirements in SSPC-SP2. This stipulation is not intended to represent an
exclusive cleaning level, but rather the level of surface preparation that will be
furnished unless otherwise specified in the contract documents if the structural
steel is to be painted.

6.5.3. Unless otherwise specified in the contract documents, paint shall be applied
by brushing, spraying, rolling, flow coating, dipping or other suitable means, at the
election of the fabricator. When the term “shop coat”, “shop paint” or other
equivalent term is used with no paint system specified, the fabricator’s standard
shop paint shall be applied to a minimum dry-film thickness of one mil [25 μm].

6.5.4. Touch-up of abrasions caused by handling after painting shall be the

responsibility of the contractor that performs touch-up in the field or field painting.

Commentary:
Touch-up in the field and field painting are not normally part of the fabricator’s
or the erector’s contract.

6.6. Marking and Shipping of Materials

6.6.1. Unless otherwise specified in the contract documents, erection marks shall
be applied to the structural steel members by painting or other suitable means.

6.6.2. Bolt assemblies and loose bolts, nuts and washers shall be shipped in
separate closed containers according to length and diameter, as applicable. Pins
and other small parts and packages of bolts, nuts and washers shall be shipped in
boxes, crates, kegs or barrels. A list and description of the material shall appear on
the outside of each closed container.
Commentary:
In most cases bolts, nuts and other components in a fastener assembly can be
shipped loose in separate containers. However, ASTM F1852/F1852M twistoff-
type tension-control bolt assemblies and galvanized ASTM A325, A325M
and F1852/F1852M bolt assemblies must be assembled and shipped in the same
container according to length and diameter.

6.7. Delivery of Materials

6.7.1. Fabricated structural steel shall be delivered in a sequence that will permit
efficient and economical fabrication and erection, and that is consistent with
requirements in the contract documents. If the owner or owner’s designated
representative for construction wishes to prescribe or control the sequence of
delivery of materials, that entity shall specify the required sequence in the contract
documents. If the owner’s designated representative for construction contracts
separately for delivery and for erection, the owner’s designated representative for
construction shall coordinate planning between contractors.

6.7.2. Anchor rods, washers, nuts and other anchorage or grillage materials that
are to be built into concrete or masonry shall be shipped so that they will be
available when needed. The owner’s designated representative for construction
shall allow the fabricator sufficient time to fabricate and ship such materials before
they are needed.

6.7.3. If any shortage is claimed relative to the quantities of materials that are
shown in the shipping statements, the owner’s designated representative for
construction or the erector shall promptly notify the fabricator so that the claim can
be investigated.

Commentary:
The quantities of material that are shown in the shipping statement are customarily
accepted as correct by the owner’s designated representative for construction, the
fabricator and the erector.

6.7.4. Unless otherwise specified in the contract documents, and subject to the
approved shop and erection drawings, the fabricator shall limit the number of field
splices to that consistent with minimum project cost.

Commentary:
This Section recognizes that the size and weight of structural steel assemblies may
be limited by shop capabilities, the permissible weight and clearance dimensions of
available transportation or job-site conditions.

6.7.5. If material arrives at its destination in damaged condition, the receiving entity
shall promptly notify the fabricator and carrier prior to unloading the material, or
promptly upon discovery prior to erection.