Introduction
The reading of drawings is a much underrated skill, learnt primarily through being frequently exposed to them and driven by the need to understand their contents. Their sole purpose is to convey information in order for a
structure to be designed, measured and constructed. This is fundamental to every drawing produced by a structural engineer, be it a simple sketch in an email or an A0 sized General Arrangement drawing.
This Technical Guidance Note describes the basic knowledge required to read drawings that are produced by structural engineers. It explains the symbols and nomenclature used and also the relationship they have
with drawings produced by other members of the design team and/or sub-contractors. This guide has been written with bias towards building structures and therefore the contractual responsibilities highlighted, reflect this.