Checking Models in Structural Design

A large proportion of structural failures are due to human error in the design stage of a structural engineering project, and many of these failures could have been averted if there had been adequate design checking. Results are reported herein from surveys investigating the effectiveness of three typical design‐checking processes: self‐checking, independent detailed design checking, and overview checking. Following a review of current work in this area, appropriate mathematical models, which examine the effects of error magnitude, time, and experience, are proposed for each design checking process. These are compared to the limited data obtained from the surveys. Although preliminary, the results have interesting implications for practitioners.