What should we send for a peer review?
Send current drawings and calculations, design criteria, relevant geotechnical information, a description of the issue to be reviewed, and the project schedule.
Specialty structural engineering
Structural Peer Review and Technical Input
A focused review of structural designs, calculations, details, or proposed changes, with the questions and extent of review agreed at the start.
What affects the designCoordination between systemsDesign alternativesConstruction changes
How it works
What a structural review can cover
A structural peer review examines another design. It may cover a connection, a set of calculations, or a proposed structural system. The findings apply to the elements and documents reviewed; a check of the wider structure requires a broader review.
For shoring and specialty foundations, a review may need both the structural calculations and the geotechnical criteria or construction sequence behind them. The engagement sets out what is checked, how comments are reported, and who remains responsible for the design and revisions.
Site conditions
A second technical opinion on a structural design
Cefali & Associates can review a proposed structural system, a connection detail, or a change encountered during construction. The review focuses on the design documents and the specific work the team needs checked.
- Coordination between systems
- Shoring, foundations, existing structures, and construction stages can require review across several disciplines.
- Design alternatives
- A second technical perspective can help compare options when cost, access, or schedule affects a proposed system.
- Construction changes
- Unexpected conditions or revised plans may call for targeted review of an existing design.
Engineering services
Technical findings for the design and construction team
A review may focus on one detail or cover a broader set of drawings and calculations. The engagement establishes what will be checked, how findings will be reported, and which follow-up work is included.
- Drawings and design criteria
- The review uses the current drawings, calculations, and design criteria for the system or condition being assessed.
- Technical evaluation
- The assessment examines the structural assumptions and details, including connections to other systems where relevant to the review.
- Comments and next steps
- Comments identify the findings and recommended next steps for the design or construction team.
We agree the drawings, calculations, and support during construction with you in the proposal.
Design considerations
A review focused on the work you need checked
Some teams need a second opinion on a support system. Others need a particular detail or field change checked. The review work and findings should match the part of the project that needs that assessment.
- System or detail under review
- A review can address the proposed system, a calculation, a connection, or a changed condition. Producing a replacement design is a separate service.
- Documents and assumptions
- Current drawings, calculations, design criteria, and geotechnical information establish the basis for the review. Missing information can limit the findings.
- Findings and follow-up
- Comments may lead to responses from the original designer or another review cycle. The engagement establishes the reporting and follow-up included.
Before you begin
Common questions
Can the review focus on one issue?
Yes. A review can focus on a specific system, detail, or changed condition. Send the relevant documents and describe what you need checked so the review can be scoped to that work.
Is a review of one detail the same as a review of the entire structural system?
No. A targeted review addresses the system, calculation, detail, or changed condition identified in the agreed scope. The documents and limits of the review should be clear before work begins.
Is peer review the same as redesign?
No. A reviewer evaluates a defined design or issue. Producing replacement calculations or drawings is separate design work and should be scoped separately.
Who remains responsible for the design after a peer review?
The review scope should identify who owns the original design, who responds to comments, and who prepares and approves any revisions. Those responsibilities should be agreed before the review begins.
Discuss your project
Tell us what you are planning.
Send the drawings, reports, and site information you already have, along with your schedule and the work you need help with. You do not need a complete design package to get in touch.
- A description of what needs to be checked and when you need the findings
- Current drawings, calculations, specifications, and design criteria
- Geotechnical and existing-condition reports where relevant
- Prior comments, revisions, and the expected findings format