Quote Originally Posted by metric_taper View Post
I have to assume these beams were designed by a structural engineer, and included the strength of a proper weld in the calculation to safety and failure. I just know that a field hacked beam that is welded is not approved unless it is in the drawings for an inspector to validate as built to the PE approved drawing. And there will be many specifications as to ASME welding methods.
I've dealt with inspectors on my home projects here in Iowa. They are underskilled people hired by the county, and as they 'took the inspector class' they are now experts in all building methods. I see more that the building trades and contractors have paid campaign donations (read as bribes) to the county board of directors to ensure local code ordinances that inhibits DIY from doing any part of construction. I so far have been able to get permits, but that requires putting up with their anal efforts to stop all non hired out work. You are lucky you live in a state that has not taken your right to build from you.
Yep, I was the senior engineer in the company and had sometimes as many as 30 engineers in most fields on my staff. All card carrying members of KSE (Kuwait Society of Engineers) I even had my own licensed QA&QC for weld testing and welders certifications. Most of our major projects such as that one were overseen b y a consulting firm out of Holland. For a number of years my office our staff and the factory was utilized at night by many undergraduates to study and complete their required projects prior to receiving their diplomas. Even a few post grads would take advantage of our equipment and machines available for projects of their own. In 2018 I received an email from the KSE stating that my name was being dropped from roll for failure to complete a NOC ( no objection consent) since I had retired and was no longer in Kuwait I couldn't see any reason to keep up my dues renewal and hadn't paid since 2013.
I know what you mean by local Muni's building inspectors. back 30 years ago when I owned a company called Nationwide Installers I had to deal with some real looser in my time. Brooklyn, Queens, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Chicago just to name a few of the larger ones had some of the dare I say stupidest inspectors on their parole you could ever have the displeasure of dealing with. Some of them would remind you so some guy or gal who had been inspectors in small towns hired only because they had a heart beat. Plus there was the hand behind their back factor as well.
Funny you should mention Iowa though. I met a man in Davenport who had his head screwed on correctly and in my opinion was all around knowledgeable in his duties