Structural Peer Review Guidelines

STRUCTURAL PEER REVIEW INFORMATION

General Information Rev. 02/26/24  

Structural Peer Review:

The purpose of the Structural Peer Review is to provide independent verification that the structural design of the Structure* is in general conformance with the requirements of the Florida Building Code, and all related structural codes and technical standards.

*STRUCTURE: The structural frame and the load supporting parts of floors, roofs, walls, foundations, cladding, cladding framing, stairs, equipment supports, railings and other secondary structural items are included in this definition of “Structure”.

Structural Peer Review is required for:

1)  Buildings included in Structural Occupancy Category IV as defined in the Florida Building Code.

2)  All residential and commercial buildings greater than 3 stories or greater than 50 feet in height, measured from grade level to the average height of the highest roof surface.

3)  Buildings where a Structural Peer Review is specifically requested by the Building Official.

4) Buildings where Light Gage Steel Framing comprise the floor and wall structural elements

 Selection of the Reviewing Engineer:

The Structural Peer Review shall be performed by a qualified independent structural engineer who has been retained by, or on behalf of, the Owner of the property. This Reviewing Engineer shall meet specific qualification requirements, including demonstrable experience in the structural design and/or peer review of structures similar in scope and complexity. The Owner of the property shall submit to the Building Official the names of up to three (3) Florida-licensed engineers specializing in structural design.

The final selection will be made by mutual consent; after which, a meeting between the Building Official and the Engineer must be scheduled prior to commencement of the Structural Peer Review.

Extent of the Structural Peer Review:

Scope: The Reviewing Engineer shall review the plans and specifications submitted with the original permit application, and all subsequent revisions thereto. Said review shall be for compliance with the structural and foundation design provisions of the Florida Building Code and all related structural codes and technical standards. The Reviewing Engineer shall perform the following tasks, as a minimum:

1). Confirm that the design loads conform to the applicable codes.

2)  Confirm that other structural design criteria and design assumptions conform to the applicable codes

and are in accordance with generally accepted engineering practice.

3)  Review geotechnical and other engineering investigations that are related to the foundation and

structural design and confirm that the design properly incorporates the results and recommendations

of the investigations.

4)  Confirm that the structure has a complete load path.

5)  Perform independent calculations for a representative fraction of the systems, members and details to

check their adequacy. The number of representative systems, members and details verified shall be

sufficient to form a basis for the reviewer’s conclusions.

6)  Confirm that the structural integrity provisions of the applicable codes are being followed.

7)  Verify that performance-specified structural components (such as certain precast concrete elements)

Structural Calculations: The structural calculations prepared by the structural engineer of record shall be submitted to the Reviewing Engineer, upon his/her request, for reference only. The Reviewing Engineer shall not be obliged to review or check these calculations. If the design criteria and design assumptions are not shown on the drawings or in the computations, the structural engineer of record shall provide a statement of these criteria and assumptions for the reviewer.

Structural Peer Review Report, and Plans Processing:

General. The Reviewing Engineer shall submit a report to the department stating whether or not the structural design shown on the plans and specifications generally conforms to the structural and foundation requirements of the Florida Building Code.
Contents. The report shall demonstrate, at a minimum, compliance with items 1 through 11 of“Extent of the Structural Peer Review” above. Additionally, the report shall also include:

1)  The codes and standards used in the structural design of the project.

2)  The structural design criteria, including loads and performance requirements.

3)  The basis for design criteria that are not specified directly in applicable codes and standards. This

1. should include reports by specialty consultants such as wind tunnel study reports and geotechnical reports. Generally, the report should confirm that existing conditions at the site have been investigated as appropriate and that the design of the proposed structure is in general conformance with these conditions.

Phased submission. If an application is submitted for a permit for the construction of foundations or any other part of a building before the construction documents for the whole building have been submitted, then the Structural Peer Review and report shall be phased. The Reviewing Engineer shall be provided with sufficient information upon which to perform a Structural Peer Review for the phased submission.

Approval Stamps: Upon the approval of the plans, the reviewing engineer shall sign, date and stamp each drawing page with the language “PEER REVIEWED in accordance with City of Miamirequirements for Structural Peer Review, and verified for Code Compliance”.

Responsibility:

Structural Engineer of Record. The Structural Engineer of Record shall retain sole responsibility for the structural design. The activities and reports of the Reviewing Engineer shall not relieve the Structural Engineer of Record of this responsibility.

Reviewing Engineer. The Reviewing Engineer’s report states his or her opinion regarding the design by the engineer of record. The standard of care to which the Reviewing Engineer shall be held in the performance of the Structural Peer Review and report is that the level of skill and care are consistent with Structural Peer Review services performed by professional engineers licensed in the State of Florida for similar types of projects.