Bolting and erection records that hold up at turnover
High-strength bolting is easy to do and easy to leave undocumented. The connection gets tightened, the ironworkers move on, and three weeks later the special inspector asks which lot went into the moment connections at C-5 and whether it passed pre-installation verification. This workbook keeps that record as the work happens. It covers structural bolt tightening with PIV on one tab, the erection sequence on the next, and flange bolt-up for the mechanical side on the third.
Tab 1: Structural bolt tightening log
Use one row per connection, or per group of identical connections. The columns match what the inspector checks:
| Column | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Connection ID / Grid, Piece Mark / Dwg | Where it is and which erection drawing shows it. |
| Bolt Grade | ASTM F3125 Grade A325 or A490, the F1852/F2280 twist-off grades, or A307. A325 and A490 are now grades within F3125. |
| Dia., Length, Qty | From the connection detail. Qty rolls up into total bolts by joint type. |
| Joint Type | Snug-tight, pretensioned, or slip-critical, as shown on the design drawings. |
| Faying Surface | For slip-critical joints: the surface class the design assumes. The mill scale, blast profile, or coating on the steel has to match it. |
| Tightening Method | Turn-of-nut, calibrated wrench, TC bolt, or DTI. |
| PIV Done / PIV Ref # | Which pre-installation verification covers this lot and method. |
| Installed By, Inspector, Date, Result | Who did it, who checked it, and the result. |
The Check column reviews each row in order: pretensioned or slip-critical with no PIV → PIV missing. PIV number not found or marked FAIL → PIV not passed. No tightening method → Method not set. Slip-critical with no faying surface class → Faying surface?. Then Awaiting inspection, Rework, or OK. Anything red is holding up acceptance.
Pre-installation verification record
Below the log, record each PIV: lot number, grade, diameter, length, method, calibrator ID, the required minimum tension, and three sample readings. The lowest sample has to meet the requirement for the lot to PASS. Enter the required tension from the pre-installation verification table in the RCSC Specification edition on your contract. The example values are only there to show the math. Log calibrated-wrench PIVs daily, and again whenever the lot, lubrication, or wrench changes.
What the inspector is really checking
- Turn-of-nut: matchmarks on nut and bolt end after snugging, and the correct rotation for the bolt length.
- Calibrated wrench: a daily calibration record for the lot and the wrench, and hardened washers where required.
- TC bolts: the spline sheared off, and no bolts spun or "pre-twisted" before the joint was snug.
- DTIs: the right side of the DTI facing the turned element, and feeler-gauge refusals in the required number of spaces.
- All pretensioned joints: the joint snugged fully before final tightening, working from the stiffest part of the joint outward.
Inspection requirements are in RCSC Section 9 and AISC 360 Chapter N. Verify against the editions on your project.
Tab 2: Erection sequence plan
A good sequence builds a stable, braced bay first and grows from it. For each pick the plan captures the area and members, crane and setup, member and rigging weight, radius, and chart capacity. It calculates total pick weight, % of chart, and lift class. Picks at or above your critical-lift threshold show CRITICAL, which means a written lift plan. Anything over 100% shows OVER CHART. The threshold is your company or site policy; 75% is only an example. Chart capacity has to come from the load chart for the actual configuration, not from memory or last job.
The plan also records bracing / guying, temporary connections, and hold points such as survey and plumb checks, EOR release, grout cure, special inspection, and weather holds. OSHA 1926.756(a)(1) does not let the load come off the hook on a solid-web member until it is secured with at least two bolts per connection, of the size and strength shown on the erection drawings, drawn up wrench-tight (or the equivalent specified by the EOR). Columns need at least four anchor rods (1926.755). Those minimums belong on the sheet the crew actually reads.
Tab 3: Flange bolt-up record
Flange leaks at hydrotest or startup usually come back to assembly: the wrong gasket, a dry stud, one pass at full torque, or a joint that was never finished. The record tracks each joint's flange size and class, gasket, stud size and quantity, stud/nut material, lubricant, and target torque from your procedure. You enter the pass percentages from your bolting procedure once in the header, and the sheet calculates the torque for each pass on every joint.
ASME PCC-1 (Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly) describes stepped torque passes in a cross pattern followed by circular passes at 100% until the nuts stop turning. The Status column follows that sequence: Pass n next → Final check due → Gap check due → Awaiting sign-off → COMPLETE. Record the tool ID on every joint so that if a wrench fails calibration, you know which joints to re-check.
Target torque depends on the lubricant. A nickel anti-seize and a moly paste have different nut factors, so the same torque gives different bolt loads. If the crew changes lubricant, the procedure torque has to change too.
Related free templates and references
- AISC steel shapes & bolts, explained
- WPS / PQR & NDT tracking log: the welding side of steel QC
- Weld log template
- Crane power line clearance chart
- Equipment inspection checklist
- JSA template: for rigging and steel erection tasks
- Field PM QA/QC workflows with hold-point sign-offs
Field PM runs QC inspections, hold points, and sign-offs from the phone, with photos attached and records filed to the job. Start a free 30-day trial.
