13.1 Navigating Structural General Notes, Material Specs & Inspection Schedules
Key Takeaways
Start with the member mark on the plan, then follow the sheet and detail references to the requirements for that member.
Read the mix ID, strength and test age, water-cementitious materials ratio limit and other specified properties from the applicable project documents.
For reinforcement, verify the ASTM designation, grade, coating and any approved welding details before concealment.
Select a lap length from the applicable schedule row and column, including any coating and casting-position conditions. Check whether modifiers are already included.
Use the approved Statement of Special Inspections and the adopted code to identify which checks are periodic and which activities require continuous coverage.
Navigating Structural General Notes, Material Specs & Inspection Schedules
Start by identifying the member on the plan. The grid location leads to the member mark, which connects to the schedule and detail. The Structural General Notes and project specifications supply requirements that may apply across many members. A particular member or zone can have additional requirements shown on a plan or detail. Confirm the scope of each note before applying it.
Navigating electronic plan exhibits
The International Code Council (ICC) provides electronic plan exhibits in the closed-book 47P Plans module. The ICC exam FAQ describes the tutorial for opening, closing, scrolling and zooming exhibits. Use the exhibit index where provided. Practice tracking the sheet and detail number as you move between views.
Suppose a foundation plan on S1.1 identifies column C3 at grid B/4. Find C3 in the schedule on S2.1 and check whether the schedule has different entries by story. If the first story calls for eight No. 9 bars and 5,000 psi concrete, use those entries when reading the dowel lap detail. A reference to a lap table on S0.1 gives the next location to check. Read the lap table heading and footnotes for the strength, bar grade, coating and casting condition before taking a number from it. Other projects can use different sheet names or put the lap requirements directly on a detail.
| Where to look | What to extract | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation or framing plan | Grid, member mark, elevation and detail callouts | Match the floor or placement segment to the question. |
| General notes and specifications | Mix and material criteria, typical requirements and referenced standards | Look for stated exceptions or references to member-specific requirements. |
| Schedule and section | Member dimensions, reinforcement, cover, spacing zones and splices | Confirm the member mark, level, orientation and whether the detail applies. |
| Approved revisions | Changed dimensions, notes or approved alternatives | Confirm the revision applies to the member and location being inspected. |
Reading notes and details together
Look for a written dimension or a schedule entry. If the project instructs readers to use figured dimensions, use the written value and ask for a missing dimension through the project’s clarification process. For example, a typical detail says “lap lengths per schedule.” The schedule supplies the length for the actual bar and mixture. The two instructions work together.
An unresolved inconsistency is different. Two current sheets might give different written thicknesses for the same wall at the same location. Verify the sheet revisions, scope of each dimension and applicable contract instructions. The AIA A201 standard form treats the drawings and specifications as complementary. Some projects specify a priority in the supplementary conditions. Without a controlling instruction or an approved clarification, notify the contractor and document the conflict. Under International Building Code (IBC) Section 107.4, a change that departs from approved construction documents goes through approval as amended construction documents.
Concrete design criteria and mix verification
A plan may call out the concrete class at the member while the notes contain the mixture criteria. The supplier’s approved submittal identifies the mixture for those criteria. At delivery, compare the ticket’s mix identifier and applicable delivery data to the approved submittal. Use the submittal or supporting batch records for properties the ticket does not list. ACI 318-19 Section 19.2.1.3 uses 28 days for specified compressive strength unless the construction documents specify another age.
| Member on this sample project | Specified strength at 28 days | Maximum | Nominal maximum aggregate | Air requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Footings and grade beams | 4,000 psi | 0.50 | 1 in. | See mixture submittal and exposure notes |
| Columns and shear walls | 6,000 psi | 0.40 | 3/4 in. | See mixture submittal and exposure notes |
| Suspended slabs and beams | 5,000 psi | 0.45 | 3/4 in. | See mixture submittal and exposure notes |
| Exterior ramps in Exposure Class F2 | 4,500 psi | 0.45 | 3/4 in. | 6% target, with project tolerance |
Here is the water-to-cementitious materials ratio by mass. If a suspended slab ticket names the 4,000 psi footing mixture, record the mismatch and notify the contractor. Read the member mark and mixture schedule first so a compliant delivery for one element does not get used at a different element.
Nominal maximum coarse aggregate size
ACI 318-19 Section 26.4.2.1(a)(5) generally limits nominal maximum coarse aggregate size to the least of one-fifth the narrowest dimension between form sides, one-third the slab depth where applicable, and three-fourths the minimum specified clear spacing between reinforcement or the other items listed in that provision. The provision allows an exception based on the licensed design professional’s judgment about workability and consolidation without voids or honeycombs.
Suppose the narrowest dimension between form sides is 10 inches, the slab is 4.5 inches deep, and the minimum specified clear bar spacing is 1.5 inches. The three values are 2.0, 1.5 and 1.125 inches. The 1.125-inch value controls, so a specified 3/4-inch size fits all three. Read the actual form and reinforcement dimensions before applying the comparison.
Durability requirements in the notes
ACI 318-19 Tables 19.3.1.1 and 19.3.2.1 distinguish four exposure categories. F covers freezing and thawing, S sulfate exposure, W contact with water and C corrosion protection of reinforcement. The 2019 code includes W0, W1 and W2. W2 is the class for contact with water where low permeability is required. The project’s assigned classes can affect air content, maximum , strength, cementitious materials, chloride limits and cover. Apply the requirements that govern the specified mixture. Read any finish-specific air limit in the project documents, especially where a hard-troweled floor is specified.
Reinforcement designation and welding notes
Read ASTM specification and grade as separate entries. A callout of ASTM A706 Grade 60 identifies both the material standard and the specified yield grade. A delivered bar with the same size and grade but a different ASTM designation requires review before substitution. A706 bars have controlled chemistry for weldability. ACI 318-19 also allows qualifying ASTM A615 bars in certain seismic applications when the conditions of Section 20.2.2.5 are met.
Under ACI 318-19 Section 26.6.4.2, welding nonprestressed bars follows the American Welding Society (AWS) D1.4 requirements. For reinforcement other than ASTM A706, check the required mill test report showing material properties for verifying weldability. The applicable carbon-equivalent calculation and welding procedure depend on the bar specification. The 0.55% limit for ASTM A706 is a material specification limit. Welding personnel and procedures must satisfy the applicable welding requirements.
For cage assembly, ACI 318-19 Section 26.6.4.2(b) restricts welding crossing bars, with exceptions for the front face of brackets or corbels and other cases permitted by the licensed design professional. An unapproved weld on crossing bars can weaken a bar locally. If a drawing calls for tied intersections and the crew has tack welded them, document the location and actual work and notify the contractor. Follow the discrepancy process if it remains uncorrected.
Lap splice schedules and casting position
For deformed bars in tension, ACI 318-19 Table 25.5.2.1 sets Class A at the greater of and 12 inches, and Class B at the greater of and 12 inches. Class A requires at least twice the reinforcement area needed by analysis over the splice length and no more than half of the reinforcement spliced within the required lap length. Use the class and lap shown for the member, including any special detailing restrictions. Compression laps have separate requirements under Section 25.5.5. A vertical bar can be in tension under some load combinations.
| Bar in this example project’s Class B, Grade 60 schedule | 4,000 psi, other bars | 4,000 psi, top-cast | 5,000 psi, other bars | 5,000 psi, top-cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 5, uncoated | 30 in. | 39 in. | 27 in. | 36 in. |
| No. 8, uncoated | 60 in. | 78 in. | 54 in. | 71 in. |
For an uncoated No. 8 horizontal bar in 5,000 psi concrete with 18 inches of fresh concrete placed below it, use 71 inches from the stated schedule. The top-cast column already accounts for the casting position and rounding. Do not multiply the listed length again. Table 25.4.2.5 uses a casting-position factor of 1.3 for horizontal reinforcement with more than 12 inches of fresh concrete placed below it. The product of the coating and casting-position factors need not exceed 1.7. If a bar is epoxy coated and the exhibit has no applicable entry, look for a project note for that condition.
Statement of Special Inspections
Locate the approved Statement of Special Inspections (SSI) in the permit documents. IBC Sections 1704.2.3 and 1704.3 address submission and preparation. The SSI may be a separate document or included with the drawings. Match the activity to its frequency under the approved SSI and the adopted IBC.
| Concrete activity | Model IBC Table 1705.3 | Inspection focus |
|---|---|---|
| Reinforcement placement, cast-in anchors and formwork geometry | Periodic | Verify the specified layout, anchor locations and formed dimensions while the work is accessible. |
| Use of required mix | Periodic | Match approved mixture and delivery records to the member. |
| Specimen fabrication and specified fresh-concrete tests before placement | Continuous | Observe the tests when performed. Check the sampling frequency separately. |
| Concrete placement | Continuous | Observe placement and consolidation, including where the concrete is deposited. |
| Specified curing methods and temperatures | Periodic | Verify the stated techniques and temperature maintenance. |
For example, a pre-placement visit can cover reinforcement, anchors and form dimensions while they remain visible. Schedule coverage of the placement operation and the applicable testing when those activities occur. Report work and tests that could not be verified.
Two current structural sheets give different written thicknesses for the same wall at the same location. The project documents provide no priority and no approved revision resolves it. What should the inspector do?
Document the conflict, notify the contractor and obtain an approved clarification through the project process.
Use the general notes because text always has priority over a drawing.
Use the larger dimension because it is necessarily more conservative.
Use the shop drawing as the latest approved design.
Under ACI 318-19 Table 25.4.2.5, when does the 1.3 casting-position factor apply to straight deformed reinforcement developed in tension?
When the horizontal bar is within 2 inches of the finished top surface.
When the bar is in a cantilever regardless of how concrete is placed.
When more than 12 inches of fresh concrete is placed below the horizontal reinforcement.
When the bar is above the neutral axis of a flexural member.
The drawing calls for tied intersections in a wall cage. The crew tack welds crossing bars and the licensed design professional has given no permission for the change. What is the inspection finding?
The welds conform if the bar is ASTM A706.
The welds are a discrepancy. Record and report them to the contractor.
The welds conform if the welder used a low-hydrogen electrode.
The welds conform because assembly welds do not affect reinforcement.
The exhibit’s lap table lists 54 inches for an uncoated No. 8 bar in 5,000 psi concrete in the other-bars column and 71 inches in the top-cast column. The placement puts 18 inches of fresh concrete below the horizontal bar. Which lap does the exhibit specify?
71 inches
54 inches
70.2 inches by substituting a calculation for the table value
92.3 inches by multiplying the top-cast entry again
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.