Plan Views and Member Location Information
Erection drawings include plan views of each framing level — showing column grid, member locations, and piece marks at their grid positions. The plan view must show every member's piece mark in its correct location. Members that look similar but are different piece marks must be distinguishable by their position or orientation on the plan. Column elevations or grade elevations may be shown directly on the plan or in a separate column schedule.
Erection Sequence and Priority Marks
When a project releases steel in packages or phases, the erection drawing should indicate which members are in which phase. Erection sequence numbers help the crew build in the right order — especially on moment-frame structures where certain members must be plumbed and pinned before others can be installed. Priority members that must be erected first to allow adjacent work to proceed should be flagged.
Field Connection Information
Field connections — the bolted or welded connections made on site between pre-fabricated members — must be shown on the erection drawing with enough detail that the ironworker can execute them without pulling the shop drawing for every piece. For standard field connections, a typical detail box showing the standard field bolted connection (bolt size, grade, pattern) is sufficient. For non-standard or complex field connections, a detail reference directs the crew to the appropriate shop drawing for full information.
Anchor Bolt Plans and Column Base Information
The anchor bolt plan is often included as part of the erection drawing set — specifically as the first sheet issued, because anchor bolts must be set before the steel arrives. The anchor bolt plan shows the column grid, anchor rod dimensions from the grid intersection, rod projection above the concrete, sleeve or template requirements, and any special embedment details. Coordinate with the structural drawings to confirm that the anchor bolt projection shown matches the base plate thickness, leveling nut height, and grout pad thickness. Base plate elevations — the finish elevation at the top of the base plate — should appear on the anchor bolt plan so the ironworker and concrete contractor can set anchor rods at the correct elevation.
- Column grid dimensions to anchor rod centrelines
- Anchor rod diameter, grade (ASTM F1554 Grade), and thread length
- Anchor rod projection above top of concrete (not top of grout)
- Template or sleeve requirements for cast-in-place installation
- Base plate elevation (top of steel)
- Grout pad thickness where required
Elevation Views and Vertical Framing
For multi-story structures, elevation views are as important as plan views. A north elevation of each frame line allows the ironworker to confirm that member depths, connection heights, and floor-to-floor dimensions match the physical structure being erected. Braced frame elevations are particularly important — the brace connection geometry, including gusset orientation and work-point location, is often clearest on the frame elevation rather than the plan. Elevations should show column splices, brace connection locations, and horizontal member references at each floor level. Member piece marks should be labeled on the elevation view just as they are on the plan.
Typical Details and Notes
Every erection drawing set should include a notes sheet or standard detail sheet that defines the conventions used throughout the set. Required items include: the governing specifications (AISC Code of Standard Practice, AWS D1.1, project specification section), the standard field bolt installation requirements (snug-tightened, pretensioned, or slip-critical per the project spec), the standard field weld details for any repetitive field welds, the camber notation convention, the piece mark identification system, and any project-specific erection requirements (e.g., 'all column splices must be aligned to within 1/16" before final bolt tightening'). Notes that appear only on individual drawing sheets are frequently overlooked by the field crew; collecting key requirements on a single standard notes sheet increases the probability that they are read and implemented.
Coordination Between Erection Drawings and Shop Drawings
Erection drawings and shop drawings must be kept in sync. When a shop drawing is revised — a member length changes, a connection is revised, a piece mark is modified — the erection drawing that shows that member's location must also be revised. Erection drawings that reference superseded shop drawing revision levels create ambiguity in the field: the ironworker looking at the erection drawing may not know that the shop drawing has been revised and that the detail shown on the erection drawing no longer matches what was fabricated. The detailer's revision control procedure should require that erection drawings be reviewed and updated whenever any shop drawing revision affects a member's location, orientation, or field connection.