I am remain convinced that everything scheme I put together works perfectly and such is my conviction, people seldom challenge me. I would however add that the challenge often lies in getting the ideas from the paper into the real world as that is when the fun starts.
Having an eye to how to get things put together, invariably in a tight space is I feel key to being regarded as a successful engineer. In my college days, before BIM, it was called buildability but really its simple common sense.
This extends to understanding the weights of the materials you’re expecting someone to carry onto the site so a 3.0m length of 6×2 timber will weigh ??kg, a similar length of a 178x102x19kg steel beam section will weigh 57kg, whereas a 3.0m long 203x203x46kg steel column section will weigh 138kg. An additional consideration is often whilst the material is delivered by lorry and unloaded using mechanical means, it has to be carried by hand into position – normally at the rear of the property before being lifted into position.
There was a tale often told where I used to work where a large 2.0m x 1.0m x 0.05m thick steel packer plate had to be carried up an embankment for installation under the bearing of a bridge. The guys watched incredulously as the forklift nearly died lifting the steel plate off the back of the lorry onto the ground. Sensing there was a problem the guys on site send a message back to the design office stating that they couldn’t lift it. Quick as a flash the response came back showing the kg plate fitted with a pair of handles welded to the sides …
<<insert picture / sketch >> will justification work?
On most of our domestic installations, genie lifts are utilised. These are normally hired in and once they are levelled the beam is placed on the tines and winched up into position. Then it is a simple case of moving the beams over the bearing points before it is lowered down into position. Here’s one we did earlier when a new steel lintel was installed over our new bi-fold door to our garden room extension
<<genie lift picture>>
