Free checklist
Special inspectionHigh-strength bolting special inspection checklist
A bolted connection is inspected before it disappears behind decking, fireproofing and finishes. The independent inspector's job is to confirm the assembly is what the documents call for and that pretensioning was actually achieved, and to hold the proof that it was.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Inspection scope and approvals
Bolting scope confirmed in the statement of special inspections
Which connections need observation, and whether it is continuous or periodic, read from the statement and the approved connection details.
No photoSlip-critical joints and faying-surface class identified
Joints the drawings mark slip-critical listed with their surface class; any coated faying surface matched to its approved submittal and slip-class test report.
No photo
Fastener assemblies and documentation
Fastener type, grade and finish match the approved documents
Bolts, nuts and washers are the specified assembly; markings legible and consistent across the lot.
Manufacturer certifications on file for the lots delivered
Certified test reports trace to the fastener lots on site, not a generic catalog sheet.
Assemblies stored and protected to keep lubrication intact
Kept dry and in original containers; no rusted or dried-out assemblies pulled into the work.
Pre-installation verification
Pre-installation testing performed for each combination and lot
Rotational-capacity or tension-calibrator check witnessed for the fastener/hole/method combination in use.
Installation method confirmed against the connection type
Snug-tight where specified; a documented pretensioning method where the connection is slip-critical or pretensioned.
Tension calibrator and wrench calibration records current
Calibration tag or record current for the calibrator; calibrated wrenches set against assemblies from the lot actually in use.
Installation and completion
Joint brought to snug-tight condition before pretensioning
Plies in firm contact; the sequence photographed on a representative joint.
Faying surfaces correct for the connection class
Slip-critical surfaces free of paint, oil and mill scale where the documents require it.
Pretensioning achieved and verified by the specified method
Match-marks, twist-off ends or a calibrated indicator photographed after final tightening.
Hardened washers placed as the approved details show
Washers under the turned element and over oversized or slotted holes wherever the approved connection details call for them; none missing.
Discrepancies and reporting
Inspected joints marked on the steel with their status
Accepted and rejected joints paint-marked and logged by gridline; once the erector corrects a rejected joint, it is re-tested by the same method and re-marked.
Bolting items still open at cover named on the inspection report
Joints not corrected before decking, coating or fireproofing listed by gridline on the report to the engineer of record and the building official.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Pretensioning claimed on a summary sheet with no photo of a marked or verified connection.
- Faying surfaces coated or contaminated on a slip-critical connection that called for a clean surface.
- Fastener assemblies mixed on site so the lot verified in pre-installation testing is not the one installed.
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this high-strength bolting checklist cover?
- 14 items across 5 sections, covering inspection scope and approvals, fastener assemblies and documentation, pre-installation verification, installation and completion, and more. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- A third-party or owner's-rep special inspector for structural steel, alongside the erector's bolt-up crew.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- At fastener delivery, before installation begins, and at each connection during and after tightening, before it is covered or coated.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 11 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 17 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a high-strength bolting inspection?
- Pretensioning claimed on a summary sheet with no photo of a marked or verified connection. Faying surfaces coated or contaminated on a slip-critical connection that called for a clean surface. Fastener assemblies mixed on site so the lot verified in pre-installation testing is not the one installed.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Related checklists
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 17 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.