Set the retained-and-removed boundary before work starts
On current drawings, mark demolition limits, cuts, retained members, connections and interfaces. Add member identifiers, grids, levels and orientation so records map to the site. If drawings differ from observed conditions, log the discrepancy and confirm the working reference before finalising scope.
Separate steel to be removed, left untouched and modified, exposed or disconnected. A retained beam may acquire a cut edge, or a nearby brace may be removed. A structural steel inspection can record agreed locations; the brief should state the engineering question the evidence will inform. For project context, see NDT & Inspection for Construction.
Before work changes the evidence, photograph relevant faces and map visible damage, corrosion, deformation, repairs and weld condition. Distinguish existing observations from new findings. Where history is unavailable, record that gap rather than implying a clean baseline.
If a member number cannot be read or a concealed connection differs from the drawing, mark it provisionally and raise the discrepancy with the project team. A dated sketch locating the uncertainty is more useful than assigning an incorrect label that follows the steel into later reports. Repeatable identifiers also help separate a pre-existing mark from damage found after a particular removal stage.
Record load-path assumptions as engineering inputs
Provide the inspector with the responsible engineer’s current load-path understanding, sequence-sensitive members and expected stage changes. These are engineering assumptions to be confirmed by that engineer, not inferred from a local NDT examination.
Identify relevant locations, such as a connection near a proposed separation or a weld with a reported indication. Share design information and acceptance basis where available. If sequence or scope changes, update assumptions and the inspection brief with the engineer.
Keep inspection, structural assessment and demolition methodology distinct. Inspection describes conditions or responses; engineering interpretation considers these alongside design and loading. Temporary works, including propping and restraint, need separate design and controls.
Choose examination areas and methods for a stated question
Start with visual examination and mapped locations; use targeted NDT for a defined question. A suspected surface crack may suit a surface method; an internal weld question may suit ultrasonic examination where geometry and access permit. Material, detail and acceptance basis guide selection. See weld inspection.
NDT does not provide a complete view by default. Coatings, dust, rough cuts, services, geometry and access can limit coverage. Record examined and excluded areas. Before cutting or covering a location, agree with the engineer whether an earlier examination is useful.
Avoid generic percentages or an undefined ‘pass’. Specify component, location, method, extent, procedure or criteria, and who reviews findings. Resolve any missing acceptance basis with the responsible party before testing.
| Planning prompt | Example evidence or action | Boundary to keep clear |
|---|---|---|
| What is being retained? | Marked-up drawing, member IDs and site photographs | Inspection does not verify the demolition boundary |
| What condition needs investigating? | Mapped weld or connection, history and stated question | A test response is not an engineering disposition |
| What can be examined now? | Access, preparation, method and coverage notes | Unexamined areas remain unknown |
| Who reviews an unexpected finding? | Named project contact and review point | Do not proceed based on an assumed acceptance |
Sequence access and hold points around the work
Review stages with the demolition supervisor, engineer and inspection provider. Map when targets are accessible or exposed, and when cutting, debris or coverings may affect examination. Choose windows around the question and sequence.
Agree review points before relevant cuts, removal, covering or next-stage work. Specify who is notified, what record is needed, who reviews it and how project controls govern the next step. Communicate findings promptly with limitations.
Coordinate access and site controls separately from NDT scope. For broader staging context, see Australia Network’s demolition mistakes guide; it is not a substitute for the project’s engineered sequence.
A brief stage record can identify what was removed, what newly became visible, which agreed locations were examined and which could not be reached. If the sequence changes, ask whether the planned inspection window still answers the original question. Do not carry an uncompleted hold point forward as though it were closed merely because the crew has moved to another area.
Pay attention to damage at welds and connections
Cuts and removal can affect nearby connection plates, weld toes, bolts, stiffeners and interfaces. Mark these as observation points without assuming damage. Record unintended contact, gouging, heat effects, distortion or deviation from the planned cut, with location and stage.
For newly exposed surfaces, note whether they are as-cut, prepared or coated. Preparation and access affect methods. Do not remove material, dress a weld, repair or coat over an indication before agreed evidence capture and review.
Refer new concerns to the nominated reviewer. Follow-up may require further examination, engineering assessment or repair planning. Neither a clear local result nor an unresolved indication accepts the whole retained structure.
Report findings with uncertainty and limitations intact
Identify structure, member, date and stage; list locations, method, coverage, criteria, observations and supporting images. Record surface and access conditions, omissions and scope changes. State when a location could not be identified confidently.
Explain method limits and uncertainty. An indication may need interpretation; no reportable response describes only the examined area. Surface condition, geometry and probe position can affect comparisons, so do not present small differences as definite change without review.
Send results to nominated reviewers, including the engineer where structural decisions are involved. Understanding inspection reports offers review prompts. Retain reports, marked-up drawings, photos and decisions together.
At handover, list outstanding findings and exclusions against the same member references used on site. Record who owns each assessment, what additional evidence is requested and the decision document that eventually resolves it. This prevents an inspection report from being mistaken for approval of the retained frame or a substitute for the engineer's staged assessment.
Practical planning checklist for the project team
Assign an owner to each action. These prompts are not a demolition procedure, temporary-works plan or sign-off form; confirm project responsibilities and controls.
- Mark removed, retained and modified steel on current drawings; check identifiers on site.
- Record baseline condition, history, repairs, concerns and information gaps.
- Obtain the engineer’s load-path assumptions and the question inspection should address.
- List target members and connections; agree methods and criteria.
- Map access windows, preparation needs, exclusions and areas soon to be concealed.
- Name review contacts and hold points; agree how findings affect the next stage.
- Keep temporary-works design separate from NDT and condition reporting.
- Record each finding’s reviewer, decision and action; retain unresolved items.