Structural Steel Detailing
Steel Erection Drawings Explained: Plans, Elevations and Field Information
What erection drawings are for, which field information they must carry, and how they differ from shop piece drawings and design plans.
Erection drawings are the field crew’s map of the frame. They show where each marked piece goes, how it is oriented, which bolts are field bolts, and which temporary or permanent bracing must be in place. A perfect shop drawing does not replace that map.
Crews work in weather, on lifts, and from plots that get wet. The erection set has to be readable at that distance. Tiny piece-drawing fonts and exploded 3D views that look impressive in the office often fail on site.
This article explains what to put on erection plans and elevations, and how they relate to fabrication drawings and approval drawings.
Who reads an erection drawing
The audience is the raising gang, the connector, and often the inspector who wants to know which brace is permanent. They are not re-detailing connections. They need location, mark, orientation and field fasteners. If they need a connection detail, the erection drawing should point to it, not reprint it at an unreadable scale.
Plans, elevations and the minimum field set
- Roof and floor erection plans with piece marks
- Key elevations for wall framing, bracing and crane beams
- Anchor-bolt setting plan if the steel fabricator provided it
- Field-bolt lists or a clear pointer to them
- North, grid and level references that match the site survey
- Notes on temporary bracing only when the contract or engineer requires the fabricator to show it
Marks and orientation
A mark that can be applied upside down needs an orientation note: “TOP,” an arrow, or a distinct mark for mirrored pieces. Shipping pieces that only fit one way should say so on both the piece and the erection plan. Field crews should not have to phone the detailer to find the top flange.
Field bolts, welds and hold points
Show field connections clearly. If a splice is shop, it should not appear as a field task. If a moment splice is field-welded, the erection drawing should send the crew to the weld detail and the no-paint zone, not hide the weld in a general note on sheet A of the shop set.
| Field question | Where it should be answered |
|---|---|
| Which piece lands here? | Erection plan / elevation mark |
| Which way is up / north? | Orientation note and north arrow |
| What fasteners? | Field-bolt note or list |
| Is this brace permanent? | Bracing elevation plus notes |
| Is this area on hold? | Hold cloud visible at plot scale |
Relationship to approval drawings
Reviewers often want erection plans in the approval package because they show bracing and overall geometry. That does not mean the approval GA is the only plot the field should use. After comments, issue a field set with current marks. Do not send the first approval PDF to site six revisions later.
A practical workflow
- Confirm marks with the shop set and BOM.
- Draw erection plans that can be plotted at a field-usable scale.
- Add elevations for bracing and wall framing.
- List field bolts and any field welds.
- Stamp holds. Issue a field transmittal separate from shop-only changes that do not affect location.
Engineering tips
- Use larger mark text than you think you need. Crews read plots from a metre away.
- Keep a consistent mark location on members so they can be found after painting.
- If you colour-code in CAD, still make the set readable in black-and-white plots.
Common mistakes
Sending only 3D isometric views
They help in the office. They are hard to scale and dimension in the field. Give plans and elevations.
Omitting grid bubbles on erection sheets
The site lives on grids. Match the survey.
Updating shop marks but not erection plans
Then the piece on the truck does not exist on the field sheet.
Checklist
- Marks match shop drawings and BOM
- North arrow and grids present
- Orientation of ambiguous pieces noted
- Field bolts/welds identified
- Bracing shown as permanent or clearly out of scope
- Holds visible
- Plot scale readable outdoors
- Revision letter matches the steel on the truck
Frequently asked questions
Are erection drawings part of the approval set?
Often the key plans are. Full field packages may follow after approval. Quote the contract.
Should erection drawings show every hole?
No. They should show the piece and the field connection. Hole details stay on shop/connection sheets.
Who owns erection sequence?
Usually the erector, unless the contract assigns it. Do not draw a sequence that implies engineering you have not performed.
What about PEB buildings?
PEB erection plans still need marks, rigid-frame labels, secondary members and bracing. Manufacturer standard sheets help, but openings and cranes still need clear field notes.
Where this leaves the work
If the raising gang can locate every mark without opening a piece drawing, the erection set is doing its job. Everything else is supporting detail.
Keep numbering consistent with your drawing numbering system so the field can ask for “sheet E-04 rev C” and get one file.
This article provides general educational information. Project-specific structural design, calculations and drawings should be reviewed by appropriately qualified engineering professionals and checked against applicable project requirements and standards. StruTools does not replace engineering judgement or professional design review.