What Is Delegated Steel Connection Design?
On many steel projects, the engineer of record (EOR) designs the beams, columns, and braces but does not design every bolted and welded connection. Instead, the contract documents delegate connection design to the steel fabricator, who hires a licensed Professional Engineer to design those connections. That engineer is often called the connection engineer or delegated design engineer.
The connection engineer designs each connection for the forces the EOR provides, prepares signed and sealed calculations, and reviews the connection details on the shop drawings. The EOR then reviews the submittal to confirm the connections meet the design intent.
The Three Ways Connection Design Gets Handled
The AISC Code of Standard Practice for Steel Buildings and Bridges describes three common approaches, and the contract documents should say which one applies:
- The EOR designs the connections and shows them fully in the structural drawings. The detailer simply draws what is shown.
- Simple connections are selected or completed by an experienced detailer using standard tables, such as typical shear connections, based on the reactions and criteria the EOR provides.
- Connection design is delegated to a licensed engineer working for the fabricator. This is where PE-stamped connection calculations come in.
Problems start when the documents are unclear. If the specs say "connections by fabricator" but give no design forces, nobody can design the connections correctly, and the shop drawings stall.
What the EOR Must Provide
Delegated design only works when the connection engineer has the information needed to design. Before you start, make sure the contract documents or an RFI response include:
- Beam end reactions, or a clear rule for calculating them (for example, a percentage of uniform load capacity)
- Axial forces for collectors, drag struts, and braces, including any seismic or amplified loads
- Moment connection forces where moment frames are used
- Design standard and method (ASD or LRFD) and the governing code edition
- Material grades, bolt types, weld electrodes, and any preferred connection types
- Any special requirements, such as slip-critical bolts, field-weld limits, or architecturally exposed steel
If these are missing, send an RFI early. Guessing at forces is one of the fastest ways to get a submittal rejected.
What the Connection Engineer Delivers
- Connection design calculations, signed and sealed by a PE licensed in the project's state
- Connection details or typical connection sheets, coordinated with the shop drawings
- Review of the shop drawings for connection geometry, bolt and weld sizes, and edge distances
- Responses to EOR comments and revised calculations if forces or framing change
The connection engineer is responsible for the connections they design. The EOR remains responsible for the overall structure and for confirming that the delegated work meets the design criteria.
Does It Need a PE Stamp in Texas?
Yes, when it is engineering. In Texas, engineering design must be performed by or under the responsible charge of a licensed Professional Engineer, and the engineering documents must be sealed. Delegated connection calculations are engineering design, so they are sealed by a Texas-licensed PE. Shop drawings that only show what the EOR already designed usually do not need their own seal. For more detail, read our guide on when shop drawings need a PE stamp in Texas.
Common Reasons Connection Submittals Get Rejected
- Calculations use forces that do not match the EOR's criteria
- Seismic or amplified brace forces left out
- Calculations sealed by an engineer not licensed in the project state
- Shop drawings and calculations do not match (different bolt counts, plate sizes, or weld sizes)
- Missing checks such as block shear, prying action, or beam web local yielding
- No clear reference showing which calculation covers which connection mark
How to Keep the Schedule Moving
- Confirm the connection design option in the specs at bid time, so the cost is in your price.
- Collect all design forces before detailing starts, and send RFIs right away for anything missing.
- Bring the connection engineer in early, so typical connections are approved before the full detailing package.
- Submit calculations and shop drawings together, with connection marks cross-referenced.
- Track EOR comments in a log and close every one in the resubmittal.
Need PE-Stamped Connection Design?
PRIMECOST provides delegated steel connection design, PE-sealed calculations, and shop drawing review for fabricators, detailers, and contractors. Our engineers hold PE licenses across 49 states, including Texas, and we coordinate directly with your detailer and the EOR so your submittal is complete the first time.
Learn more about our PE sign and stamp services, shop drawings, and structural engineering, or call (832) 234-6456 for a quote.
