The role of the Engineer of Record or EoR in modern connection design

This article coincides with many others we are publishing at the moment whose aim is to enlighten and enrich all those engineers who have not yet taken the leap and embraced the new and efficient digital workflows that now exist.

Introduction

First of all, it may be prudent to define what (or who) an Engineer of Record is and what they do.

The term may or may not travel across borders and an EoR in one country may well be known as something else in another.

An Engineer of Record is a professional engineer who seals drawings or calculations for a project. The seal signifies that the EoR developed, coordinated or prepared drawings, calculations etc. for a project under the supervision of a professional engineer. Ultimately the EoR assumes professional responsibility for ensuring the buildings structural integrity.

Whichever way you read this it is a very important job!

Not every project will require an EoR. If a project is relatively simple and does not involve public safety then probably not. If the project is complex then probably yes. More often than not it is local building codes that will dictate if one is required.

In the USA, an EoR must be registered in the state they are practising in. In other countries they should be a member of an accredited institution.

What do they do in reality?

As well as preparing drawings and calculations, they can also build upon a concept design by others. They can also create calculations to size beams etc. and check those issued by others. They validate the design.

AISC have published an excellent video that can be accessed here. In the video the role and its responsibilities are discussed.

The challenges of traditional data sharing

In conventional workflows, EoRs often send simplified PDF drawings and generalized force results. This simplification leads to blanket forces being used for connection design, hiding critical load combinations that could impact the safety and performance of the structure. This can result in either overdesign or failure to identify the specific forces that the connection will face, increasing the risk of failure.

Moreover, engineers are often reluctant to share their entire global analysis model due to concerns about exposing their intellectual property. This hesitance results in the use of overly simplified information that may not fully capture the true behavior of the structure.

The problems associated with data

Usually, this information takes the form of drawings and reams of results rather than adding to the information already created it is re-created in a different form. Some think of this as increasing the Level Of Detail or LOD.

LOD100	Conceptual design
LOD200	Schematic design
LOD300	Detailed design
LOD350	Construction documentation
LOD400	Fabrication and assembly
LOD500	As-built information

Drawings take the form of PDF files (or actual paper versions) and results can be anything from markups to schedules. Results tend to be over simplified and factored up (again) rather than those required, which leads to over design to make the connection work for the published load effects. Why engineers still do this is another story. Suffice to say, such workflows have been engrained into far too many engineers for far too long!

It is a well-known fact that engineers are very reluctant to hand over their global analysis models as these contain ALL their engineering input and expertise. However, there should be no such reluctance when it comes to sharing key design information as that has the basis in their validated design.

Solving the problem with Checkbot and Viewer

IDEA StatiCa’s Checkbot and Viewer tools offer a solution to these challenges, enabling a more efficient and accurate flow of data from the EoR to connection designers. Checkbot acts as a data bridge between the original analysis model and the connection design, allowing EoRs to securely share only the critical data without exposing the full FEA model. This helps mitigate the issues associated with vague blanket forces that often result in either unsafe connections or costly overdesigns.

Checkbot retains specific load combinations and geometry from the global analysis model, ensuring that every important detail is considered in the connection design. Engineers can finally move away from blanket forces, embracing a design process based on actual, validated results rather than assumptions.

Viewer complements this by providing a clear, detailed view of the connection model, allowing both EoRs and connection designers to visualize the load mechanisms and spot any issues before final approval. This ensures that critical details aren’t missed, reducing the likelihood of errors and rework.

What are we doing differently?

Here, at IDEA StatiCa, we are promoting a digital workflow where the EoR can publish their project information into a database using the functionality of a solution called Checkbot. Within this database is the geometry contained with the global analysis model together with the relevant results. This removes the barrier of sharing the actual global analysis model, which many engineers hesitate to do.

The other advantage of this approach is that it will automatically categorize the connections based on the structural arrangement and member sizes. This will allow the EoR to design the structure in a more targeted manner.

In a move which may surprise some we are making this functionality free to use. To take this information and create connection designs, however, will require a paid for license.

Viewer, meanwhile, enhances transparency by providing clear visualizations, ensuring no detail is overlooked before final approval. This minimizes risks of oversight and ensures safer designs. I have prepared a sample project here if you are interested in seeing the potential of this technology.

If you are interested in seeing this in action, then please reach out to your local IDEA StatiCa office or reseller.

The other piece of news is that I will be presenting a class on this and associated workflows at the upcoming Autodesk University in San Diego on Thursday, October 17 at 12:00 P.M. If you are going let me know – maybe we can meet up and ‘connect’!