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I. Cambering

1. Purpose

To ensure that Seacoast Inc.'s cambering process incorporates effective controls for the fabrication, cambering, verification, and inspection of cambered members, it is important to note that the fabrication of cambered members at this facility will be rare.

2. Definitions

For readability, this section uses the following abbreviations and terms.

  • 2.1 Camber: The intentional upward curvature built into a structural member to offset expected deflection under load, ensuring proper alignment and performance.
  • 2.2 CWI: As certified by the American Welding Society.
  • 2.3 RFQ: Request for Quote

3. References

The following references support this section:

  • 3.1 AASHTO/AWS D1.5M/D1.5 Bridge Welding Code
  • 3.2 The ASTM material specification applicable to the cambered member.
  • 3.3 ANSI/AISC Code of Standard Practice for Steel Buildings and Bridges

4. Responsibilities

  • 4.1 Owner: The Engineering Manager is responsible for reviewing and approving changes to this procedure. The procedure will be reviewed periodically, at a minimum, annually.
  • 4.2 Specialty Engineer: The Specialty Engineer prepares the cambering procedures and meets all contract, technical, and standards requirements.
  • 4.3 Shop Engineer: The Shop Engineer collaborates with the Specialty Engineer and coordinates across departments to ensure smooth project execution. Review and understand cambering procedures, ensuring compliance with quality standards. Monitor quality control processes to ensure all requirements are met throughout the project.
  • 4.4 Shop Foreman: Oversees the cambering process to ensure it aligns with the fabrication plan. Manages day-to-day operations in the fabrication area to maintain efficiency and quality.
  • 4.5 Purchasing Manager: Manages the procurement of materials, ensuring they meet the required specifications and are available on time. Coordinates sublet purchase orders with qualified suppliers.

5. Quality Records

Unless otherwise noted, all Quality Records follow the Seacoast "Policy for Maintenance of Quality Records" documented in the QCM Quality Control Plan Article 9. Control of Quality Records.

  • 5.1 Subcontract and Supplier annual reviews (Form ESS-1 & Form ESS-2): When subcontracting the cambering process, the ESS forms will be reviewed before sending an RFQ or placing a purchase order.
  • 5.2 Cambering Quality Record Form: Any additional Quality Record Forms associated with the Cambering Procedure are retained per company policy "Control of Quality Records."

6. Documentation

6.1 Overview

The cambering process involves intentionally curving structural members to counteract expected deflection under load, ensuring proper alignment and performance once in service. The process generally includes the following steps:

  1. Planning and Design: Project Managers and Field Operations plan the cambering requirements based on contract requirements and customer-provided plans and specifications.
  2. Approval and Coordination: Fabrication drawings are submitted for customer approval. Once approved drawings are stamped, Released for Construction.
  3. Department Involvement:
    • Engineering: Provides expertise on cambering procedures, ensuring that all technical requirements are met and that cambered members are correctly verified. The department determines whether the cambering process can be handled in-house or if it requires specialty engineering and subcontracted procedures, particularly for complex, fracture-critical, or heavy members.
    • Fabrication: When directed, the cambering process is carried out in the shop, applying the specified curvature following the cambering procedure.
    • Purchasing: Manages the procurement of materials required for cambering and ensures timely delivery. For subcontracted cambering, the purchase order includes any special quality control inspections mandated by the Specialty Engineer and records needed from the subcontractor.
  4. Execution: When directed, the shop performs the cambering process following established procedures to achieve the desired curvature.
  5. Inspection and Quality Control: The final cambered members are inspected to ensure they meet drawing requirements and quality standards before integration into the construction project.

This approach ensures that cambered members maintain structural integrity and alignment throughout their service life and that fabrication meets contract requirements and customer-provided plans and specifications.

6.2 Cambering Procedure

The following table outlines the procedures and requirements for Seacoast Inc.'s cambering process. It details the roles of Seacoast engineering, specialty engineering, cold forming and heat bending methods, control criteria, inspection points, and quality standards.

  • 6.2.1 Seacoast Engineering Department: The Seacoast Engineering Department oversees the cambering process, ensuring that all technical requirements are met, whether in-house or through a Specialty Engineer. The department evaluates the complexity of each project and decides if cambering procedures will be developed internally or outsourced to a Specialty Engineer. The department also ensures that all procedures, regardless of origin, adhere to Seacoast's quality standards and customer requirements and standards.
  • 6.2.2 Specialty Engineering: When required, specialty engineering will be outsourced to prepare a cambering procedure. For shapes fabricated with camber, such as through cutting curved webs and rolling plates for flanges, Seacoast Inc. will adhere to the procedures prepared by the Specialty Engineer. These procedures will detail the required curvature support and restraint locations.
  • 6.2.3 Outsourced Cold forming or heat bending of members: Outsourced services will provide members with cold forming or heat bending for the camber. Seacoast Inc. will require the subcontractor to have Specialty Engineering performed and quality control measures in place to verify the location and magnitude of external forces for cold bending or the location, temperatures, and heat patterns for heat bending. The Cambering Procedures prepared by the Specialty Engineer must include these parameters, as well as blocking requirements, restraint requirements, controlled cooling requirements, and final dimensions.
  • 6.2.4 Other Control Criteria: Other control criteria will be based on the cambering procedures.
  • 6.2.5 Inspection points: The cambering procedure will include the required forms for proper documentation of inspection points.
  • 6.2.6 Cambering Quality: The cambering procedure will define all control points and the desired quality levels beyond those required for structural steel fabrication. Control points will include the frequency of monitoring, dimensions, temperatures, or details to be monitored, and durations for parameters such as cooling. Inspections will follow these guidelines.

6.3 Performance Qualifications

Seacoast Inc.'s shop personnel will be trained in plate girder fabrication and certified in welding to ensure high quality and safety standards.

If specific control points or qualifications required by the Cambering Procedure are unavailable within the organization, the shop engineer will determine the tasks to be outsourced to qualified personnel.

The Specialty Engineer must meet the contract's minimum requirements and be a registered Professional Engineer specializing in Structural Engineering.

7. Revision History

Revision Date Approved By
2026-05-12 Engineering Manager

Summary of Change: Reformatted to standard procedure template.