How do you review a complex civil engineering design?

1 Define the scope

Before you start reviewing the design, you need to define the scope of your review. What are the objectives, criteria, and standards that you will use to assess the design? What are the deliverables, timelines, and resources that you will need to complete the review? Who are the stakeholders, reviewers, and decision-makers involved in the process? By clarifying these aspects, you can set clear expectations, avoid confusion, and focus on the most relevant aspects of the design.

2 Check the data

The quality of the design depends largely on the quality of the data that supports it. Therefore, you need to check the data sources, assumptions, calculations, and references that the design is based on. Are they accurate, reliable, and consistent? Do they comply with the applicable codes, regulations, and specifications? Do they reflect the site conditions, environmental factors, and operational requirements? By verifying the data, you can ensure that the design is realistic, valid, and compliant.

3 Evaluate the alternatives

A complex civil engineering design often involves multiple alternatives or options that can achieve the same goal. However, each alternative may have different advantages, disadvantages, risks, and costs. Therefore, you need to evaluate the alternatives and compare them based on various criteria, such as technical feasibility, environmental impact, social acceptability, and economic viability. By doing so, you can select the best alternative or recommend the most suitable one for the project.

4 Review the drawings

The drawings are the main output of the design and the basis for the construction and operation of the project. Therefore, you need to review the drawings carefully and thoroughly. Are they clear, complete, and consistent? Do they show all the necessary details, dimensions, and annotations? Do they match the design calculations, specifications, and reports? Do they follow the drafting standards and conventions? By reviewing the drawings, you can ensure that they are accurate, understandable, and usable.

5 Identify the issues

No design is perfect, and there may be some issues or problems that need to be addressed or resolved. Therefore, you need to identify the issues and document them clearly and objectively. What are the nature, cause, and impact of the issues? How do they affect the design performance, quality, or safety? How can they be fixed or mitigated? By identifying the issues, you can communicate them effectively and facilitate their resolution.

6 Provide feedback

The final step of reviewing a complex civil engineering design is to provide feedback to the design team or the client. Your feedback should be constructive, specific, and actionable. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the design? What are the recommendations or suggestions for improvement? What are the next steps or actions to be taken? By providing feedback, you can help improve the design and ensure its success.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?