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Architectural Design & Drawing (Drafting Standards, Structural Symbols, Cutting Length & Mass Calculation)

Rebar Worker Certificate 鉄筋技能士 (Grade 1/2 theory) · 技能検定「鉄筋施工」1級・2級 学科 · Written by Tokutei Pass based on the official study texts; not copied verbatim.

Architectural Drawing Standards (JIS A 0150): Scale, North Orientation, Dimensions, and Line Types

Under JIS A 0150 (Architectural Drawing Standards), the standard unit of dimension is the millimeter (mm) with the unit symbol omitted. Dimension numbers written on drawings always indicate the 'actual full-size dimension' regardless of the drawing scale.

For example, a wall drawn 45 mm long on a 1:100 scale drawing has an actual length of 45 mm × 100 = 4500 mm (4.5 m). Site plans and floor plans are oriented with 'North at the top of the sheet' in principle.

Line types include solid lines (continuous), dashed lines (short equal dashes), chain lines (alternating long dash and single dot), and double-dot chain lines, combined with thick, medium, and thin line weights.

Cut section outlines use thick solid lines; visible outlines use medium solid lines; dimension, extension, and leader lines use thin solid lines; hidden outlines use dashed lines; and grid reference lines (tōrishin) and centerlines use thin single-dot chain lines.

Key points


  • Dimensions are in millimeters (mm) with the unit symbol omitted, and floor plans place North at the top in principle

  • Hidden edges use dashed lines (hasen), while centerlines and structural grid lines use single-dot chain lines (itten sasen)

  • Section outlines use thick solid lines, visible edges use medium solid lines, and dimension lines use thin solid lines
WordMeaning
Architectural Drawing Standards (JIS A 0150)
solid line, dashed line, chain line, and double-dot chain line
structural grid line (tōrishin) and centerline
dimension line, extension line, and leader line

Types of Design Documents (Site Plan, Floor Plan, Elevation, Section, and Structural Drawings)

Architectural design documents consist of general architectural drawings showing layout and exterior appearance, structural drawings showing framing dimensions and reinforcement, MEP drawings, and written specifications (shiyōsho) defining material quality and workmanship.

A 'site plan (haichizu)' shows the lot boundaries, roads, and building footprint. A 'floor plan (heimenzu)' is a horizontal section cut through each story at window height (about 1.2–1.5 m above the floor) viewed from above, showing rooms, walls, columns, and openings.

An 'elevation (ritsumenzu)' shows the exterior views from north, south, east, and west. A 'section (danmenzu)' is a vertical cut through the building showing story heights, ceiling heights, and eave heights; a large-scale (1:20–1:30) detailed wall section from foundation to roof is called a 'kanabakarizu.'

Structural drawings include 'structural framing plans (kōzō fusezu: foundation plan and floor framing plans)' viewed from above, 'framing elevations (jikugumizu)' along grid lines, and 'member section schedules (danmen list)' tabulating column, beam, and slab reinforcement.

Key points


  • A floor plan is a horizontal cut viewed from above; an elevation shows the exterior facade from the side

  • A section is a vertical cut showing story and ceiling heights; a detailed large-scale wall section is a kanabakarizu

  • Structural drawings comprise framing plans (fusezu), framing elevations (jikugumizu), and member section schedules
WordMeaning
site plan, floor plan, elevation, and section
detailed wall section (kanabakarizu) and written specifications
structural framing plan (foundation plan and floor framing plan)
framing elevation (jikugumizu) and member section schedule

Material Section Symbols, Door/Window Symbols, and Dimension Symbols (JIS A 0150)

Under JIS A 0150 material section symbols, plain concrete is shown by groups of three parallel diagonal lines with dots, whereas 'reinforced concrete (RC)' alternates groups of three thin diagonal lines with a single thick diagonal line representing reinforcement.

'Ground (soil)' is indicated below the ground line by alternating three-line diagonal hatches oriented perpendicular to adjacent groups; 'cobblestone (wariguri-ishi)' is shown as oval stones, and 'gravel' as small scattered circles.

In floor plan door/window symbols: a single swinging leaf shows a 'single-swing door (katabirakido)'; two symmetrical swinging leaves show a 'double-swing door (ryōbirakido)'; two parallel overlapping lines with arrows show a 'double-sliding window/door (hikichigai)'; and a fixed line with a short center tick shows a 'fixed window (FIX).'

For dimension symbols: 'φ' indicates diameter, 'D' indicates deformed bar size, 'R' indicates radius, '□' indicates the side of a square section, 't' indicates plate/wall/slab thickness, '@' indicates center-to-center spacing (pitch), and 'L' indicates length.

Material Section Symbols, Door/Window Symbols, and Dimension Symbols (JIS A 0150)

Key points


  • In JIS A 0150, alternating 3 thin lines and 1 thick diagonal line represents RC; alternating 3-line hatches below grade represent soil

  • One swinging leaf is a single-swing door, two symmetrical leaves are a double-swing door, and two parallel sliding panels are a double-sliding window

  • Dimension symbols: φ = diameter, R = radius, □ = square side, t = thickness, @ = spacing (pitch)
WordMeaning
section symbols for reinforced concrete and ground
single-swing door, double-swing door, and double-sliding window
diameter (φ), radius (R), and square side (□)
thickness (t) and bar spacing (@: pitch)

Structural Member Symbols, Level Datum Marks, and Slab Symbols

Standard member symbols on structural framing plans and schedules are: 'C' = Column, 'G' = Main Girder, 'B' = Secondary Beam, 'S' = Floor Slab, 'W' = Wall, 'SW' = Shear Wall, and 'F' = Footing.

Compound symbols include: 'FG' = Foundation Girder, 'FB' = Foundation Beam, 'FS' = Foundation Slab, 'CS' = Cantilever Slab, 'CG' = Cantilever Girder, and 'CB' = Cantilever Beam.

For elevation datums, the permanent reference point established on site for leveling is the 'BM (Benchmark)'; 'GL' is Ground Level, 'FL' is Floor Finish Level, 'SL' is Structural Slab Top Level, and '▽' is the elevation marker.

Inside the circular slab symbol drawn on a structural floor framing plan, the two numbers indicate the 'slab thickness (e.g., 150 = 150 mm thick)' and the 'level drop (depression) of the top of the slab from the reference beam top (e.g., -50 = 50 mm drop).'

Key points


  • Member symbols: C = column, G = main girder, B = secondary beam, FG = foundation girder, S = slab, CS = cantilever slab, F = footing, W = wall

  • Level marks: BM = benchmark, GL = ground level, FL = finished floor level, SL = structural slab top level

  • The circular slab symbol on framing plans shows the 'slab thickness' and 'slab top level offset (drop)'
WordMeaning
member symbols (C, G, B, S, W, F)
foundation girder (FG), foundation slab (FS), and cantilever slab (CS)
benchmark (BM) and GL, FL, SL
slab thickness and level drop notation on framing plans

Reading Column/Beam Section Schedules, Rebar Shop Drawings, and Bar Lists

In structural 'member section schedules (column schedule and beam schedule),' cross-sectional dimensions (width × depth) and the diameter, number, and spacing of main bars, hoops, stirrups, and side-face bars are tabulated by story and member mark.

In a beam section schedule, main girders are shown separately for 'end sections (left/right ends)' and 'midspan section' because rigid-frame girders have top tension at ends and bottom tension at midspan. A dimension note such as '400×750' means 'beam width 400 mm × beam depth 750 mm.'

Based on the structural design drawings, detailed drawings prepared for actual fabrication and placing—showing splice locations, anchorage lengths, joint detailing, clear spacing, and cover—are called 'rebar shop drawings (tekkin sekōzu).'

The schedule compiled from the shop drawings listing shape codes, steel grades, bar sizes, bend dimensions, cutting length per bar (kirisun), required bar counts, and total mass is called a 'bar bending schedule / bar list (kakōchō).' Each fabricated bundle is tagged with an identification tag (kakō efu).

Key points


  • Beam schedules show 'end' and 'midspan' sections separately; '400×750' means 400 mm width by 750 mm depth

  • Detailed drawings showing exact bar arrangement, splices, and joint details are called rebar shop drawings (tekkin sekōzu)

  • The table summarizing bar shapes, cutting lengths, quantities, and weights is the bar list (kakōchō), and bundles carry fabrication tags (efu)
WordMeaning
member section schedule (beam width × beam depth)
beam end section and midspan section
rebar shop drawing (placing detail drawing)
bar bending schedule (bar list) and fabrication tag (efu)

Calculating Rebar Cutting Length (Kirisun), Hook Allowances, and Bend Extensions

When a reinforcing bar is bent, its outer fibers stretch, making the sum of the outside dimensions (gaisun) larger than the actual straight cutting length (kirisun). Standard shop formulas convert outside dimensions into exact cutting lengths.

For each intermediate 90° bend, a bend deduction of '2d' is subtracted from the sum of outside dimensions: for one 90° bend with outside legs A and B, 'Cutting length L = A + B − 2d'; for a U-bar with two 90° bends and outside dimensions A, B, and C, 'L = A + B + C − 4d.'

For each end hook, the net allowance added to the outside dimension is: (1) '+5d' for a 180° hook (4d tail, 3d inside bend diameter), (2) '+7d (or standard +6d to +8d)' for a 135° hook, and (3) '+8d (or +10d for a 12d main-bar hook)' for a 90° hook.

For a '45° bent-up (cranked) bar' of vertical offset height H, the inclined hypotenuse is 1.414H (approx. 1.4H) compared with its 1.0H horizontal projection, so '+0.4H' is added to the overall horizontal length per 45° bend (+0.8H for two symmetric bends) to obtain the cutting length.

Calculating Rebar Cutting Length (Kirisun), Hook Allowances, and Bend Extensions

Key points


  • Outside-dimension cutting length: one 90° bend gives 'L = A + B − 2d'; two 90° bends give 'L = A + B + C − 4d'

  • 180° hooks (≥ 4d tail), 135° hooks (≥ 6d tail), and 90° hooks (≥ 8d or 12d tail) must satisfy the specified minimum inside bend diameter D and tail length

  • A 45° bent-up bar of height H has an inclined length of 1.4H, adding '+0.4H' per 45° bend to the horizontal length
WordMeaning
cutting length (kirisun) and outside dimension (gaisun)
90° bend deduction (−2d per bend)
cutting length of closed square hoop (4A + 8d)
extension of 45° bent-up bar (+0.4H per bend)

Calculating Required Number of Bars by Pitch and Total Rebar Mass

When distributing slab bars, wall bars, column hoops, or beam stirrups at a center-to-center pitch P over a placing length L, a bar is placed at both the starting end and the finishing end, so the required number of bars N equals the number of spaces plus 1.

Thus the formula is 'Required bars N = (Placing length L ÷ Pitch P) + 1.' If L ÷ P is not a whole number, round the quotient UP to the next integer before adding 1. For example, placing bars at @200 (200 mm pitch) over a 4000 mm length requires (4000 ÷ 200) + 1 = 20 + 1 = '21 bars.'

If bars are placed at @200 over a 3500 mm length, 3500 ÷ 200 = 17.5, which rounds up to 18 spaces, giving 18 + 1 = '19 bars.' Forgetting to add the '+1' starter bar is the most common exam mistake.

Total rebar mass (kg or t) is calculated as 'Cutting length per bar (m) × Number of bars × Unit mass (kg/m).' For example, 40 bars of D16 (unit mass 1.56 kg/m) each 5.0 m long have a total length of 5.0 × 40 = 200 m and a total mass of 200 × 1.56 = '312 kg (0.312 t).'

Key points


  • Number of bars over length L at pitch P is 'N = (L ÷ P) + 1'; round any fraction in L ÷ P up before adding 1

  • Placing bars at @200 over 4000 mm requires 4000 ÷ 200 + 1 = 21 bars (not 20 bars)

  • Total rebar mass (kg) = Length per bar (m) × Number of bars × Unit mass (kg/m)
WordMeaning
bar count formula (placing length ÷ pitch + 1)
rounding up fractional spaces
total bar length (cutting length × number of bars)
total rebar mass (total length × unit mass)

Calculating Outside Hoop/Stirrup Dimensions and Practical Drawing Takeoff Calculations

To find the 'outside fabrication dimension (kakō gaisun)' of a column hoop or beam stirrup from the concrete section dimensions on a structural drawing, subtract 'twice the concrete cover (both sides)' from the concrete dimension, because cover is measured to the outer surface of the hoop or stirrup.

For example, in a 600 mm × 600 mm square column with a 40 mm concrete cover to the outside of the hoop on all four sides, the outside hoop dimension A is '600 − 40 × 2 = 520 mm' (be careful not to subtract cover on only one side).

Similarly, for a main girder 400 mm wide by 700 mm deep with 40 mm design cover, the stirrup outside width is '400 − 40 × 2 = 320 mm' and outside height is '700 − 40 × 2 = 620 mm.'

When the center-to-center column span is 6000 mm and the columns are 600 mm × 600 mm centered on the grid lines, the 'clear span L0 between column faces' is '6000 − 300 − 300 = 5400 mm.' Adding the required anchorage lengths at both ends to L0 yields the main bar cutting length.

Key points


  • Outside dimension of a hoop or stirrup = Concrete section dimension − 2 × Concrete cover

  • For a 600×600 mm column with 40 mm cover, hoop outside size is 520×520 mm; for a 400×700 mm beam with 40 mm cover, stirrup outside size is 320×620 mm

  • Clear span between column faces L0 = Center-to-center span − Column half-depths at both ends
WordMeaning
outside hoop/stirrup dimension (section size − 2 × cover)
center-to-center span and clear span (L0)
column centerline (grid line) and column face
main bar cutting length calculation (clear span + end anchorages)

Architectural & Shop Drawings

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