Architectural Working Drawing II ARCH 3205

1 Introduction
Construction drawings (often called working drawings) visually communicate
the design and the information required to bring it into reality to everyone who is
involved in the building process. These drawings generally follow a set of architectural drawing
conventions that are widely accepted in the industry. However, there is not just one right

way to do construction drawings. The office staff and project size, office
standards, and the detail needed for custom fabrications can require construction
drawings that vary from the conventions.

A variety of types of drawings are needed to accurately describe a project to the various

tradespeople who will do the work. The two main types are what are generally called

Architectural and Engineering drawings. For example, a concrete wall may be

described as to its size and finish on the architectural drawings, but an engineering drawing
is also needed to spell out the exact structural components, such as size and spacing of steel
reinforcing in the wall.

1.1 Definition and purposes of Engineering Drawings

The term ‘Engineering drawing’ includes Structural drawings which are the province of

structural engineers, and building engineering Services drawings which are commonly
prepared by building services engineers. Building services are generally assumed to include
hot and cold water supplies, above and below ground drainage, including sanitary
appliances, refuse disposal, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and electrical
installations including lighting, telecommunications, gas installations, fire protection,
mechanical conveyors and security systems.

So Engineering Drawing are drawings produced to show the structural and mechanical

system of a building.

The purpose of engineering drawing are to communicates an exact requirement, or

specification, which cannot be misinterpreted and which may form part of a legal contract
between supplier and user.

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1.2 Types of Engineering Drawings

Structural Drawings: show the structural support components and details of the
project from the foundation to the roof.

Mechanical (HVAC) Drawings: show the building systems that provide the heating,

ventilation, and air conditioning for the project.

Plumbing Drawings: show piping plans, piping schematics, materials, and fixtures

used in the installation of all piping, fixtures, and appliances associated with sanitary and

storm drainage, venting and water supply.

Electrical Drawings: show the materials, systems, and equipment necessary to provide

for the lighting, electrical power, fire alarm, and electrical equipment needs for
the project.

1.3 Differences between Architectural and Engineering drawing

A building can be understood to be the physical embodiment of a number of systems and

subsystems that must necessarily be related, coordinated, and integrated with each
other as well as with the three-dimensional form and spatial organization of the

building as a whole. Architectural and Engineering drawing are used to describe

precisely the building system which are an assembly of interrelated or

interdependent parts forming a more complex and unified whole and serving a
common purpose.

Architectural drawings show the enclosure system where as the engineering drawing

represent the structural and mechanical system.

The enclosure system is the shell or envelope of a building, consisting of the roof,
exterior walls, windows, and doors.

• The roof and exterior walls shelter interior spaces from inclement weather and control
moisture, heat, and air flow through the layering of construction assemblies.
• Exterior walls and roofs also dampen noise and provide security and privacy for the
occupants of a building.

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• Doors provide physical access.

• Windows provide access to light, air, and views.
• Interior walls and partitions subdivide the interior of a building into spatial units.

The mechanical systems of a building provide essential services to a building.

• The water supply system provides potable water for human consumption and
sanitation.
• The sewage disposal system removes fluid waste and organic matter from a building.
• Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems condition the interior spaces of a
building for the environmental comfort of the occupants.
• The electrical system controls, meters, and protects the electric power supply to a
building, and distributes it in a safe manner for power, lighting, security, and
communication systems.
• Vertical transportation systems carry people and goods from one level to another in
medium- and high-rise buildings.
• Fire-fighting systems detect and extinguish fires.
• Structures may also require waste disposal and recycling systems.

The structural system of a building is designed and constructed to support and

transmit applied gravity and lateral loads safely to the ground without exceeding
the allowable stresses in its members.

• The substructure is the underlying structure forming the foundation of a building

• The superstructure is the vertical extension of a building above the foundation.
• Columns, beams, and loadbearing walls support floor and roof structures.

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2 Structural Drawing (ST)

2.1 General
Structural engineering drawings help those, whose job it is to fabricate, erect, supervise

and integrate the structural engineering work. ST drawings are prepared by

structural engineer acting as part of the tender documentation, the architect are involved in
the preparation of the site and other general arrangement plans. The main contractors are
involved in the preparation of temporary work drawings, including shoring and form work.

2.1.1 Definition and purpose of structural drawing

Structural drawings are drawings made for the formwork and supporting members of

structures such as columns, beams, slabs, shear walls, frames, roof trusses,
and great virility of structural members of a building. Structural engineers and
structural engineering technicians produce drawings for a wide range of structural methods,
including structural steelworks, reinforced concrete using in situ, precast and

prestressed concrete, structural brickwork and blockwork, and structural

timber work.

Drawing requirements for Structural Drawings include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Design load information

• Foundation plans, details, sections, and schedules.
• Floor and roof framing plans, sections, and details
• Structural steel framing plans, sections, and details
• Pre-engineered steel building design certificates
• Precast concrete plans, details, and sections
• Slab-on grade, and slab plans, sections, and details
• Shoring/underpinning information and details

The general purpose of any structural drawing is to communicate information in a

reliable and unambiguous manner on how structural support components and

details of the project are built. Summarizing the purpose of Structural drawing:

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• Show the structural skeleton of the building and appropriate details

necessary for the erection of the structure.
• Explain the shape and position of all the parts of the structure

• They provide the detailer with the layout information required to specify the steel

reinforcement (type, number, size, quality of reinforcement).

• Means of communications b/n structural designer and contractor.

Structural detailing: The process of preparing working drawings for structural

engineering work is generally referred to as structural detailing. The general principle

followed is to break down the total structure into individual elements such as columns,
beams, floor slabs etc., and then to detail each element in turn.

2.1.2 Nomenclature of building structural parts

Columns

Columns are rigid, relatively slender

structural members designed primarily to
support axial compressive loads applied to
the ends of the members.

Beams

Beams are rigid structural members designed to carry and transfer transverse loads across
space to supporting elements.

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Trusses

A truss is a structural frame based on the

geometric rigidity of the triangle and
composed of linear members subject
only to axial tension or compression.

Frames & walls

A beam simply supported by two

columns is not capable of
resisting lateral forces unless it is
braced. If the joints connecting the
columns and beam are capable of
resisting both forces and moments,
then the assembly becomes a rigid frame.

Plate structures

Plate structures are rigid, planar, usually monolithic structures that disperse applied loads
in a multidirectional pattern, with the loads generally following the shortest and stiffest
routes to the supports. A common example of a plate structure is a reinforced concrete slab.

Structural units

With the principal

structural elements of
column, beam, slab,
and loadbearing
wall, it is possible to
form an elementary
structural unit
capable of defining and
enclosing a volume of
space for habitation.
This structural unit is the
basic building block for the structural system and spatial organization of a building.

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• Horizontal spans may be traversed by reinforced concrete slabs or by a layered,

hierarchical arrangement of girders, beams, and joists supporting planks or decking.
• The vertical support for a structural unit may be provided by loadbearing walls or by
a framework of columns and beams.

Foundation systems

The foundation is the lowest division of a building—its substructure—constructed

partly or wholly below the surface of the ground. Its primary function is to
support and anchor the superstructure above and transmit its loads safely
into the earth. Because it serves as a critical link in the distribution and resolution of
building loads, the foundation system must be designed to both accommodate the form and
layout of the superstructure above and respond to the varying conditions of soil, rock, and water
below.

2.1.3 Symbols, conventions and standards

Drawing lines types

Lines vary in thickness and form according to their purpose and importance.

Construction lines: They are setting-out or guide lines, and they should be drawn as light as
possible. They are generally covered over by stronger final lines.

Thick active lines : are continuous, and used to indicate important parts of structures such as
rebars.

Thin active lines are continuous, and used to show items the faces of reinforced concrete
members

Hidden lines are broken lines, and can be either thick or thin depending on their important.

Centre lines are thin chain dotted lines and are used as the name implies, to show the centre of
things - e.g. the centre of a beam.

Break lines are thin continuous lines with a zig zag in them to show a break in the continuity
of the line or view.

Dimension lines and projectors may be shown in thin lines with arrows heads.

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Types of letter & guide lines

The two main groups of letters are ‘CAPITAL LETTERS’ and ‘lower-case letters’. The use of
lower-case letters is generally restricted to notes, but capital letters can be used for both notes
and titles. It is easier to produce legible capital letters than lower-case letters, it is suggested
that initially you use only capital letters on your drawings. It is important that all letters be
formed between guide lines. A lower and upper guide line should be drawn as lightly as
possible so that you can just see them. Drawing them takes a little extra effort but is worth the
trouble.

2.1.4 Principles of structural supporting systems

The manner in which we select, assemble, and integrate the building structural

systems in construction should take into account various factors. The selection of a structural
system and its members is influenced by the following:

• meeting building code requirements,

• Environmental Impact,
• satisfying design elements,
• using the most logical system based on sound engineering principles,
• economic considerations, and
• simplicity.

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For most structures the main materials used are wood, concrete, structural steel,

masonry, light steel framing, and composite materials. For many structures a
combination of materials may be utilized. Once a material has been chosen for a specific
project, the architect and staff members will then develop a game plan for work with the
selected materials.

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