Modern Steel Construction 2011

MSC
March 2011
mODErN Steel cONSTrUcTION
three-Part Perfection
in tHiS iSSue
the legal Side of Green

AiSCs Steel Solutions
Center turns 10
Steel Centurion:
the eads Bridge
March 2011
32
in every issue
40
departments
6
Editors notE
stEEl intErchangE
12
stEEl quiz
16
nEws & EvEnts
resources
63
NEW PrODUcTS
64
marKETPLacE
65
EmPLOYmENT
features
24
26
32
Comments on MSC at 50
Notes from longtime readers of Modern
Steel Construction in response to the
retrospective article published in the
January 2011 issue.
93,000 and Counting: the AiSC

Steel Solutions Center Celebrates
10 Years
BY JIm TaLBOT
48
tips for design Constructable

Steel-Framed Buildings
BY cLIFFOrD W. SchWINGEr, P.E.
The industrys one-stop-shop for structural

steel information enters its second decade
of service.
here are 26 ways engineers can enhance

constructability by keeping connections in
mind as they make design decisions.
dancing to a new Beat

BY rachEL caLaFELL aND KarIm ZULFIQar, P.E.
the 2011 nASCC opportunity
columns
steelwise
52
BY ThOmaS L. KLEmENS, P.E.
Lighweight composite steel plate and

elastomer deck shaves months off project
schedule and millions off budget.
Corrosion Protection and

Connection design
BY JacINDa L. cOLLINS, P.E., LEED Ga, aND
ThOmaS J. SchLaFLY
58
Painting the Way to a new Horizon

BY DaN KaUFmaN
as aISc and SSPc support a new, single

standard, what does that mean for the
industry and you?
safety issues
60
new Perspectives on Accident/

incident investigation
BY LarrY WILSON
Surprisingly enough, most people cant

even count the number of close calls
theyve had that could have killed them.
people to know
66
engineer by day, Musician by night

Picking up his horn again after more than 20
years brought some welcome balance back
into the life of curtis T-Bone mayes.
choosing which protection system to

employ affects how you should design the
connections.
the dawson Bridges Quick rehab

BY JEFF DIBaTTISTa, P.ENG., Ph.D., KrIS LIma,
P.ENG, aND ShIraZ KaNJI, P.ENG
quality corner
This iconic bridge at St. Louis, still a vital link

today, marked the first steel crossing of the
mississippi river.
From education to socialization, this years

Steel conference offers something for
everyone in the structural steel industry.
40
the eads Bridge: A revolution in

Bridge Building
BY TaBITha STINE, S.E., P.E., LEED aP
Vibration concerns set the stage for a new

dance facility.
36
44
sustainability
56

BY GEOFF WEISENBErGEr, LEED Ga, aND
aNGELa r. STEPhENS, LEED aP-BD&c
Taking part in a green project means living

up to certain green expectationsand
taking steps against potential green
litigation.
on tHe CoVer: rehabilitating the 100-year-old Dawson Bridge in Edmonton, alberta, canada, included blast cleaning all structural
members, then applying a three-part zinc/epoxy/urethane coating to provide protection well into its next century of
service. Photo: Dialog.
mODErN STEEL cONSTrUcTION (Volume 51, Number 3. ISSN (print) 0026-8445: ISSN (online) 1945-0737. Published monthly by the american Institute of Steel
construction (aISc), One E. Wacker Dr., Suite 700, chicago, IL 60601. Subscriptions: Within the U.S.single issues $6.00; 1 year, $44; 3 years $120. Outside the
U.S.single issues $9.00; 1 year $88; 3 years $216. Periodicals postage paid at chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address changes
to mODErN STEEL cONSTrUcTION, One East Wacker Dr., Suite 700, chicago, IL 60601.
aISc does not approve, disapprove, or guarantee the validity or accuracy of any data, claim, or opinion appearing under a byline or obtained or quoted from
an acknowledged source. Opinions are those of the writers and aISc is not responsible for any statement made or opinions expressed in mODErN STEEL
cONSTrUcTION. all rights reserved. materials may not be reproduced without written permission, except for noncommercial educational purposes where fewer than
25 photocopies are being reproduced. The aISc and mSc logos are registered trademarks of aISc.
Modern Steel ConStruCtion march 2011
editors note
editorial offices
1 E. Wacker Dr., Suite 700

chicago, IL 60601
312.670.2400 tel
312.896.9022 fax
editorial Contacts
A FeW WeeKS AGo, MY dAuGHter WAS HoStinG A SleePoVer And AS You MiGHt
eXPeCt, tHe PArtY WAS loud. But unlike the parties I remembered from decades past, while
the music was loud there didnt seem to be as much conversation as I would have expected.
Curious, I poked my head downstairs and was
bemused by the site of three girls lying on the
floor texting. The next day, after the other girls
had departed, I asked my daughter about it. It
turned out they were texting mutual friends
and each other! They were talking, just not
out loud.
While that level of extreme online interaction
is probably limited to teenagers, the use of cell
phones and tablets as mobile hubs beyond mere
voice is a phenomenon that stretches into every
area, even conferences. Today, its not unusual
to see audience members using the social
networking site Twitter to tweet the highlights
of a presentation, tweet questions to the
speaker, and tweet their comments about the
subject in general. And its become increasingly
popular to offer conference-specific apps.
Given this growing activity, were torn on
whether to create apps for NASCC: The Steel
Conference. Rather than simply dive in, though,
we decided to quickly (and rather unscientifically)
survey our attendees. We werent looking for
a definitive answer, but rather an indication of
which way the wind was blowing. We sent out
an email blast with a link to a survey to the prior
years attendees and within a couple of days had
nearly 300 responses. I thought Id share some of
these results.
Not surprisingly, more than nine out of 10
respondents regularly used a cell phone. The
most popular? Slightly more than a quarter of
the respondents use some type of Blackberry,
followed closely by iPhones and Android-based
phones at 25% and 23% respectively. And
given those numbers, as expected 77% had a
data plan with their phone.
The biggest surprise to me was that our
respondents were right in line with the general
populations social network use. The best
statistics I could find (and there are a lot of
conflicting reports) show that around 47% of
the general population visit social networking
sites regularly, which is almost exactly what

our respondents reported. We found that
40% regularly use Facebook, but the numbers
drop dramatically for other social networking
tools. Next most popular was LinkedIn with
28%, Twitter with 8%, and steelTOOLS
with 6%. (Interested in learning more about
social networking? One resource is David
Nours blogs, which you can read at www.
relationshipeconomics.net. Another place
to get started is with AISC. You can join our
Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or visit
www.steeltools.com.)
However, around 60% of the respondents
would be interested in trying an app to help
schedule what events to attend at the Steel
Conference and nearly half would like one to
help find exhibitors. Less than one-in-three,
though, would use it to communicate with
other attendees.
So will we develop a special app for this
years conference (May 11-14 in Pittsburgh
visit www.aisc.org/nascc for complete
information and to register)? The jurys still
out. The biggest obstacle is since our audience
is so evenly split between the three major
operating systems (Blackberry, Apple, Android)
wed need to develop three apps (though if
our attendees are similar to those at other
events its the Apple and Android folks who are
most likely to use such an app). The simplest
solution would be web based, but as you might
expect, cell service is not always reliable inside
a convention center (though its much better
than it used to be).
So will we develop an NASCC app? Come to
Pittsburgh and find out!
EDITOr & PUBLIShEr

Scott L. melnick
312.670.8314
melnick@modernsteel.com
SENIOr EDITOr
Thomas L. Klemens, P.E.
312.670.8316
klemens@modernsteel.com
EDITOrIaL aSSISTaNT
alison Trost
312.670.5447
trost@modernsteel.com
DIrEcTOr OF PUBLIShING
areti carter
312.670.5427
areti@modernsteel.com
GraPhIc DESIGNEr
Kristin Egan
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egan@modernsteel.com
AiSC officers
chaIrmaN
David harwell
VIcE chaIrmaN
William B. Bourne, III
TrEaSUrEr
Stephen E. Porter
SEcrETarY & GENEraL
cOUNSEL
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PrESIDENT
roger E. Ferch, P.E.
VIcE PrESIDENT aND chIEF
STrUcTUraL ENGINEEr
charles J. carter, S.E., P.E., Ph.D.
VIcE PrESIDENT
Jacques cattan
VIcE PrESIDENT
John P. cross, P.E.
VIcE PrESIDENT
Scott L. melnick
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Louis Gurthet
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Address Changes and

Subscription Concerns
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reprints
SCott MelniCK
EDITOr
Betsy White
The reprint Outsource, Inc.
717.394.7350
bwhite@reprintoutsource.com
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steel interchange
iF YouVe eVer ASKed YourSelF WHY? about something related to structural steel design or construction, Modern
Steel Constructions monthly Steel Interchange column is for you! Send your questions or comments to solutions@aisc.org.
Width-thickness limits
When reviewing the width-thickness ratios of elements in

a custom shape, I found the term NA under p in ANSI/
AISC 360-05 Table B4.1. Does that signify that for this case,
the shape having this element may be considered compact
until the width-thickness ratio of that element reaches the
limit defined by r?
No. Some of the cases in Table B4.1 are for use when computing
the axial strength, Pn, per Chapter E of the AISC Specification,
while some are for computing the flexural strength, Mn, per
Chapter F.
For compressive strength calculations, the AISC Specification
Chapter E considers two situations for a W-shape column and
other types of sections are similar: those with and those without
slender elements. A section with non-slender elements can
achieve yielding at the flange tips (note this does not necessarily
mean full yielding of the entire section, which is not required in
a column) before local buckling. A section with slender elements
cannot. Therefore, only one limiting b/t ratio is required to define
the boundary between slender and nonslender elements. These
are called r and Case 3 in Table B4.1 is an example. The key
word in the description is uniform compression which indicates
that they are used for a column.
Contrast this to the situation for flexural strength calculations.
Chapter F of the AISC Specification considers three situations:
compact, noncompact and slender elements. Sections with
compact elements are able to achieve M p and a significant
inelastic rotation before the elements locally buckle. Sections
with noncompact elements can achieve some yielding, but not full
yielding, before an element locally buckles. Sections with slender
elements cannot achieve yielding before an element buckles
locally. Because there are three classifications, two boundaries
must be provided. p is the boundary between compact and
noncompact. r is the boundary between noncompact and slender.
Brad Davis, S.E., Ph.D.
Snug-tight tC Bolts
Is it acceptable to use twist-off type tension control bolts

(TC bolts) in a connection specified as snug tight? If TC
bolts are used in a connection specified as snug-tight, are the
procedures for pre-installation verification, installation (snug
tight joints, then pretension by starting with most rigid part
of joint) and inspection required?
It is acceptable to use TC bolts in a snug-tight joint. Heavy
hex head and TC bolts are treated as equivalents in the AISC
Specification and will actually be grouped together and referred to
as Group A or Group B bolts in the 2010 AISC Specification to
clarify this. (The 2010 AISC Specification is now available as a free
download at www.aisc.org/2010spec.) Group A includes ASTM
A325 and F1852. Group B includes ASTM A490 and F2280.
Preinstallation verification and pretentioned installation and
inspection procedures are not required for a TC bolt used in a
snug-tight joint. A TC bolt used in a snug-tight joint is subject to
the same requirements as a heavy hex head bolt used in a snugtight jointno more and no less.
Larry S. Muir, P.E.
Production lots for Bolts
How many high-strength bolts comprise a typical lot?

There is no standard practice for lot size in the industry. There is
a wide variation of lot size allowed in ASTM, and a large variation
occurs in practice. The relative demand for a specific ASTM
designation, a specific fastener diameter, as well as for a particular
length within that diameter each plays a role. In addition, there
are preferred production practices that vary by manufacturer.
Some specialty fastener manufacturers may produce a dozen
fasteners in a lot, whereas the lot size for other manufacturers
making a more typical grade of fastener can range from the tens
of thousands to the hundreds of thousands of units.
Charles E. Hundley
Fillet Weld for a Skewed Connection
What is the practical maximum angle between two pieces of

steel that may be connected by a fillet weld on the open
side? Clearly at a 180 angle, a true fillet weld is no longer
feasible; but at what point between 90 and 180 does it
become unreasonable to consider the use of a fillet?
This is one of those instances where a picture is worth a thousand
words. The answer to your question is found in Figure 3.11 of
AWS D1.1. The maximum angle is 135, if the weld is to be
applied to the face of the plate. However, detail (C) of Figure
3.11 indicates a weld applied to the edge of plate (which in some
instances will have to be prepped/beveled). In this arrangement,
the 180 angle you thought out of the question is possible.
Larry S. Muir, P.E.
Plastic design
What does plastic design of steel mean?

Plastic design is a design methodology that once was fairly
common for steel structures. At the present time, it is not used
as frequently because it is somewhat difficult to implement using
a computer program and most engineers rely on computerized
analyses. Note that many of the benefits of plastic design are
already captured in the basic design methods we have used in
ASD and LRFD for many decades.
In plastic design, the basic idea is to utilize structural
continuity to redistribute moments and find the load that would
cause actual collapse of the continuous beam or frame thats being
designed. A simple example is a two-span continuous beam with
equal spans and equal loads. The negative moment at the middle
support is larger than the positive moments near the middle of
the spans. At some magnitude of load, the negative moment will
reach the plastic moment, Mp, and remain constant as additional
load is applied. This application of additional load will not cause
the beam to collapse, however. Moment redistribution will take
place and the positive moments will increase. At some point, the
load will be large enough that the positive moments reach Mp and
a collapse mechanism results. No additional load can be applied.
The same idea is used in yield line analysis for plates and slabs.
Plastic design is described in some advanced steel design
textbooks and specifically addressed in AISC Specification Appendix 1.
march 2011 Modern Steel ConStruCtion 9
steel interchange
Shear Strength of round HSS
The 1989 AISC ASD Specification, Section F4 specifies the

allowable shear stress for round HSS as Fv = 0.4Fy. The 2005
AISC Specification, Section G6 specifies Vn = Fcr Ag /2 and Fcr
0.6Fy for round HSS. Considering that v = 1.67, the 2005
Specification results in a maximum allowable stress, Fv = 0.18Fy.
Why does the current steel code penalize the shear capacity of
the round HSS by a factor of 2 from the previous code?
In the 1989 ASD Specification, Section F4 states that the allowable
shear stress is Fv = 0.4Fy, which is the same as Fv = 0.6Fy /1.50,
where the 1.50 corresponds to what we now call . It does not
indicate how fv is to be calculated for a pipe or other hollow
round shape. Therefore, that step is left to the engineer.
The value of fv could be determined using the mechanics of
materials equation, fv = VQ/(It). If you set fv = Fv, you can back out the
allowable shear force, Va = Fv (It)/Q. The quantity (It)/Q can be thought
of as the shear strength area. This area is roughly equal to the Ag /2
term shown in 2005 AISC Specification Equation G6-1. In other words,
the appropriate shear stress area to use for round HSS with both the
1989 ASD Specification and the 2005 Specification is Ag /2.
You are correct that the 1989 Specification does give a higher
allowable strength, but thats because the 2005 Specification uses
= 1.67 for round HSS as compared to the value of 1.50 that was
used in the 1989 Specification. The comparable allowable shear
stress based on the 2005 Specification is Fv / = 0.6Fy / = 0.36Fy.
This is very close to the 0.4Fy allowed in the 1989 ASD Specification.
Connection design
What is the standard of practice for connection design by the

Structural Engineer of Record (SER)? Is it sufficient for the
SER to provide connection loads and require an engineer
working for the fabricator to provide the connection designs?
Is the delegation of connection design appropriate for
connections related to lateral force resisting systems? What
about special seismic systems in moderate-high Seismic
Design Categories?
Standard practice related to connection design can vary from one
industry sector to another and from one region of the country
to another. It is common in the East for connection design to
be delegated to the fabricator. In the West this practice is less
common, but it does happen in all regions.
Revisions have been made to Section 3.1.2 of the 2010 AISC Code
of Standard Practice to clarify the requirements when the SER delegates
connection design. Connection design delegation is referred to as
option 3 in the 2010 AISC Code. Provisions covering connection
design also have been made in Section 4 to correspond with the
addition of option 3 in Section 3.1.2. One of the key elements to
successfully delegating connection design is proper communication of
the loads and any other requirements placed on the connection design
by the SER; that and many other considerations are addressed in the
way the 2010 AISC Code has been written.
Design of connections within the lateral force resisting system
can be delegated. This applies equally to structures with low and
high seismic demand. Note that the connections and members
often are interrelated in their designs, and care is required to
communicate when connection design is delegated.
Larry S. Muir, P.E.
10 Modern Steel ConStruCtion march 2011
Static loads on Bolts
Section 4 of the 2009 RCSC Specification allows snug-tight

shear bearing joints with tension as long as the tension load
is static. What is the definition of a static load? Are wind
or seismic loads considered to be static loads?
Wind and seismic loads are considered to be static loads (as
opposed to loads that cause fatigue). This is stated in Section
B3.9 of the 2005 AISC Specification. The 2010 AISC Specification
will more clearly define statically loaded as not subject to
significant fatigue stresses. Gravity, wind and seismic loadings are
considered to be static loadings.
ASTM A325 bolts subjected to forces resulting from wind
and seismic loads are not required to be pretensioned in the
general case. However, if one of the cases requiring pretension
in Section 4 of the RCSC Specification applies, pretension may
be required for another reason. Similarly, if the structure must
meet the requirements of the AISC Seismic Provisions, AISC 341-05
Section 7.2 requires that all bolts in the seismic load resisting
system must be pretensioned.
Larry S. Muir, P.E.
Prying Action
When evaluating prying action using the 13th Edition AISC
Steel Construction Manual, the equation for tc has changed
from the previous editions. The equation in the 13th Edition
uses Fu whereas the equation in the previous editions is
based on Fy. Why did the 13th Edition change to base the
calculation of tc on Fu?
This calculation was changed in the 13th Edition Steel Construction
Manual because the use of Fu in the calculation of tc results in a
better match to the available test data on prying action. It may
seem less rational to use Fu, but its use in this equation provides
a better prediction of actual strength and behavior.
Amanuel Gebremeskel, P.E.
The complete collection of Steel Interchange questions and answers is available online.
Find questions and answers related to just about any topic by using our full-text search
capability. Visit Steel Interchange online at www.modernsteel.com.
heath mitchell is director of technical assistance and charlie carter is vice president and
chief structural engineer at aISc. Larry muir, Brad Davis and amanuel Gebremeskel are
consultants to aISc. charles E. hundley is with Unytite, Inc., Peru, Ill.
Steel Interchange is a forum to exchange useful and practical professional ideas and
information on all phases of steel building and bridge construction. Opinions and
suggestions are welcome on any subject covered in this magazine.
The opinions expressed in Steel Interchange do not necessarily represent an official
position of the american Institute of Steel construction and have not been reviewed. It is
recognized that the design of structures is within the scope and expertise of a competent
licensed structural engineer, architect or other licensed professional for the application of
principles to a particular structure.
If you have a question or problem that your fellow readers might help you solve, please
forward it to us. at the same time, feel free to respond to any of the questions that you
have read here. contact Steel Interchange via aIScs Steel Solutions center:
One East Wacker Dr., Suite 700

chicago, IL 60601
tel: 866.ASK.AISC fax: 312.803.4709
solutions@aisc.org
steel quiz
looKinG For A CHAllenGe? Modern Steel Constructions monthly Steel Quiz tests your knowledge of steel design and
construction. The answers for many of this months questions can be found in the 2005 aISc Seismic Provisions for Structural
Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 341-05), which is available as a free download at www.aisc.org/freepubs.
True/False: When designing

Ordinary concentrically Braced
Frames (OCBF) with seismic
isolation systems using the aISc
Seismic Provisions for Structural
Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 34105), the bracing connection
requirements of Part 1, Section
14.4 apply.
What are the limiting widththickness ratios for a tee section

to be considered seismically
compact?
a) None
b) 0.38 E/Fy
c) 0.45 E/Fy
d) 0.30 E/Fy
True/False: The compactness limits

in Table I-8-1 of ANSI/AISC 341-05
apply only to the axis about which
bending or buckling occurs.
True/False: Braces in Special

concentrically Braced Frames
(SCBF) and OCBF must be
designed for 0QE.
In the design of building structures, which seismic design categories (SDC) permit the use
of steel systems not specifically
detailed for seismic resistance?
a) SDC A and B only
b) SDC B and C only
c) SDC A only
d) SDC A, B, and C only
True/False: The aISc Seismic

Provisions (ANSI/AISC 341-05)
is used for the design of the lateral force resisting system (LFRS)
when required by governing
building code.
True/False: hollow Structural Sections (HSS) are permitted for use in

Ordinary Moment Frames (OMF).
True/False: When designing

using ANSI/AISC 341-05, the
overstrength factor (0) is applied
to the seismic loading prescribed
in the applicable building code
only when specifically required
by the aISc Seismic Provisions.
how many prequalified special

moment frame (SMF) and
intermediate moment frame (IMF)
moment connection types currently
are covered in the AISC 358-05
including Supplement No. 1?
a) 3
b) 4
c) 5
d) 6
10
Which of the following are ductile limit states used to create

system fuses in the seismic structural systems prescribed in the
aISc Seismic Provisions?
a) Member and connection yielding
b) Bearing deformation at bolt holes
c) Buckling of compression
elements
d) All of the above
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TURN TO PAGE 14 FOR ANSWERS
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steel quiz
aNSWErS
1 True. The last sentence of aNSI/
Download our
UPDATED standards.
(theyre still FREE)
STEEL DECK
INSTITUTE
AMERICAN NATIO
NAL STANDARD
S INSTITUTE/ STEEL
NC - 2010
DECK INSTITUTE
Non-Composite Steel FloStandard for

or Deck
2 (d) According to Part 1, Section 8.2b

and Table I-8-1 of ANSI/AISC 34105, both the stem and flanges must
meet a limit of 0.30E/Fy for a tee
section to be considered seismically
compact.
3 False. The compactness limits in
Table I-8-1 of ANSI/AISC 341-05 are

intended to prevent local buckling
in the inelastic range. They are independent of the axis about which
bending or buckling occurs.
STEEL DECK
INSTITUTE
AISC 341-05 Part 1, Section 14.1

(Scope) states that OCBF above
seismic isolation systems need not
comply with 14.2 and 14.3, but
shall comply with 14.4 and 14.5.
Therefore, the required strength
for bracing connections for OcBF
bracing connections above base
isolation systems must meet the
requirements in Section 14.4.
S INSTITUTE/ STEEL
NAL STANDARD
AMERICAN NATIO
DECK INSTITUTE
RD - 2010 Standard
copyright 2010
steel deck
for
Steel Roof Deck

institute
4 False. In aScE 7, Eh = QE, unless
steel deck
copyright 2010
institute
Our recently updated American

National Standards Institute
(ANSI) / Steel Deck Institute (SDI)
standards for Steel Roof Deck
(RD - 2010), and Non-Composite
Steel Floor Deck (NC - 2010) are
now available for FREE download
on our website. Visit www.sdi.org.
P.O. Box 25 Fox River Grove, IL 60021

(p) 847.458.4647
w w w.s d i . org
UPDAT0E1D0
FALL 2
14 Modern Steel ConStruCtion march 2011
specifically noted otherwise. (To clarify, QE is not in the load combinations; E is.) Neither ASCE 7-05 nor
ANSI/AISC 341-05 require the use of
the amplified seismic load (0) in the
design of bracing members in OcBF
(or SCBF). The brace size is typically
governed by compression or slenderness (ANSI/AISC 341-05 Part 1, Section 14.2).
5 Both answers B and D are acceptable.
Per aScE 7-05, Table 12.2-1,

the option to design the structure
as Steel Systems Not Specifically
Detailed for Seismic resistance,
Excluding cantilever column
Systems (often referred to as an R=3
system) is permitted in SDC B or C.
SDc a does not require use of an R
factor in the design of the system and
the typical system used in SDc a is
essentially the same as an R=3 system
in terms of its details. an R=3 system
cannot be used in SDc D, E, or F.
6 True. When the governing building
code requires compliance with

ANSI/AISC 341-05 (as in when an
R=3 system is not permitted or not
used), all members of the lateral
force resisting system have to
comply with the provisions of aISc
341. There are also non-building
structural systems in chapter 15
of SEI/aScE 7 that do not require
compliance with the aISc Seismic
Provisions.
7 True. hSS can be used in OmF as long
as the requirements of aNSI/aISc

341-05 are met. The connections
required and preferred depend upon
the configuration and members being
framed, economics, and fabricator
preferences. Design guidance for
hSS moment connections can
be found in the 13th Edition AISC
Steel Construction Manual (available
for purchase at www.aisc.org/
bookstore) and AISC Steel Design
Guide 24, Hollow Structural Section
Connections. (Steel Design Guide 24
is available at www.aisc.org/epubs
as a free download for aISc members
and for purchase by others.).
8 True. In the aISc Seismic Provisions,
the use of the overstrength factor

is only necessary where the use
of amplified seismic loads is
specifically required (see aNSI/
AISC 341-05 Part 1, Section 4.1).
In addition to the requirements in
ANSI/AISC 341-05, the applicable
building code may also require the
use of load combinations including
the overstrength factor (0) for the
design of specific members and
connections.
9 (c) There are currently five prequali-
fied connection types included

in AISC 358-05 with Supplement
No. 1: the reduced beam section
(RBS) connection, bolted unstiffened
and stiffended extended end-plate
(BUEEP and BSEEP) moment connections, bolted flange plate (BFP)
moment connection, welded unreinforced flange-welded web (WUFW) moment connection, and Kaiser
bolted bracket (KBB) moment connection (a proprietary connection).
10 (d) Ductile limit states include member
and connection yielding and bearing

deformation at bolt holes, as well as
buckling of members that conform
to the width-thickness limitations of
ANSI/AISC 341-05 Part 1, Table I-8-1.
rupture of a member or a connection
and buckling of a connection element
are not considered to be ductile limit
states.
anyone is welcome to submit questions and

answers for Steel Quiz. If you are interested in
submitting one question or an entire quiz, contact
aIScs Steel Solutions center at 866.aSK.aISc or
at solutions@aisc.org.
Why
Castellated Steel?
Lightweight
Long Spans
Adaptable
Economical
Architecturally Appealing
www.cmcsteelproducts.com
800-308-9925
news
MaRCH 2011
People and Firms
This Month in MSC

Youre not alone if youve ever turned to the AISC Steel Solutions Center with a
question. AISCs director of technical marketing Tabitha Stine looks back at how
the SSC has evolved into a powerful industry resource beginning on page 26.
Have you considered the legal ramifications related to green projects? Minimize
your risk by reviewing the 11-point checklist on page 56.
Actively avoiding close calls is a lot better than just escaping them, writes safety
expert Larry Wilson. His four-step plan provides a simple and effective way to
proactively prevent accidents. The article starts on page 60.
COMING NEXT MONTH: The April issue of MSC will feature reviews of
selected upcoming presentations from the 2011 NASCC: The Steel Conference,
plus an advance look at new products being introduced at the exhibition.
CORRECTION
Victor Shneurs name was spelled incorrectly in the February 2011 MSC
article The Best Tips of the 21st Century. MSC regrets the error.
Newly Certified Facilities: January 131, 2011

To find a certified fabricator or
erector in a particular area, visit
www.aisc.org/certsearch.
Existing Certified Fabricator Facilities
Newly Certified Fabricator Facilities
Existing Certified Erector Facilities
Newly Certified Erector Facilities
Existing Certified Bridge Component Facilities
Newly Certified Bridge Component Facilities
Newly Certified Fabricator Facilities

Imperial Ornamental metal co., Inc., Fenton, mo.
Industrial constructors/managers, Inc.,
Pueblo, colo.
KcB Towers, Inc., highland, calif.
Tri-Steel Fabricators, Inc., Trenton, N.J.
Newly Certified Erector Facilities

anderson charnesky Structural Steel, Inc.,
Beaumont, calif.
castle Steel Inc., Phoenix, ariz.
The Erection company, Inc., arlington, Wash.
Tri city Erectors, Inc., New Tripoli, Pa.
Union Erectors, LLc, Las Vegas, Nev.
Newly Certified Bridge Component Facilities
Tri-Steel Fabricators, Inc., Trenton, N.J.
16
MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION march 2011
Dennis C.K. Poon, P.E.,

has been named one of
the 25 Top Newsmakers
of 2010 by the editors
of Engineering NewsRecord magazine. Poon
is managing principal
of Thornton Tomasetti
and an aISc Professional
member. he is being recognized for
his influence on chinas building codes
regarding supertall structures.
Mark Kisasonak has been promoted to
head of engineering for Weld Tooling
corporation, manufacturers of Bug-O
Systems automated welding equipment. The company also has named
Dave Bloom its North american sales
manager and Mark Binder its director
of sales.
The engineering and architectural firm
Mead & Hunt, Inc., has merged with
RPM Engineers. With offices in 13
states from coast to coast, the organization will operate under the name of
Mead & Hunt.
John W. Fisher, P.E., Ph.D., professor
emeritus of civil engineering at Lehigh
University and director of its aTLSS
Engineering research center will present the 2011 Landis-Epic Lecture at
the University of Pittsburgh on march
17. The title of his talk is Fatigue and
Fracture: a challenge for Existing and

Future Steel Bridges. There is no
charge for admission and attendees will
receive one PDh. For more information,
call 412.624.6814.
Fumihiko Maki has received the 2011
aIa Gold medal from the american

Institute of architects. The award rec
ognizes an individuals legacy contri
bution to the field of architecture and
is considered the professions
highest
individual honor. maki is one of Japans
most eminent living architects and has
studied, worked, and taught both in
the U.S. and Japan. his buildings convey a quiet and elegant moment of
reflection, wrote his colleague Toshiko
mori, FaIa, in recommending maki.
The 4 World Trade center building now
under construction in New York is one
of his recent U.S. designs.
With the largest blasting & liquid coatings facility

around, Greiner is the ideal job shop for your really big
(and not so big) projects.
Blast House
Liquid Coatings
Metalizing
81,000 square feet 500 feet long 34-foot by

34-foot doors a 100-ton four-point pick-and-carry
crane system that runs the entire length of the facility.
AISC Sophisticated Coatings Endorsement

SSPC-QP3 Certication for the Application of Protective Coatings
PA DEP Environmentally Compliant
100-Foot Long Heated Staging Area
100-Foot Long Steel Grit Blast Booth
3 Separate 200-Foot Long Coating Booths
31-Foot Hook Height of All Overhead Cranes
Up to 4 Coat Epoxy Coatings
Metalizing for Food Grade and Highly Corrosive Environments
Personnel trained in accordance with the NACE International
Corrosion Society Program to conduct surface preparation and
application of coatings
Call 800-782-2110 for a free quote on your next project.
www.greinerindustries.com
Structural Steel Fabrication

Steel Plate & Sheet Metal Fabrication
Miscellaneous Metals
Machining
Rolling & Forming Services
Cutting Services
Industrial Coatings
Industrial & Electrical Contracting
Crane Rental & Trucking Services
Heat-Bending Services
(AISC Certied for Major Steel
Bridge Fabrication)
news
StAndArdS
the 2010 AiSC Specification is now Available

The 2010 AISC
Specification for Structural
Steel Buildings is now
available for free downloading at www.aisc.
org/2010spec. The
Specification is the standard for the design,
fabrication and erection of steel buildings in the U.S. and the
2010 version will be the basis for the 14th
Edition AISC Steel Construction Manual,
which will be available in the summer
of 2011. The 2010 Specification includes
user notes and a commentary to assist the
reader in applying its provisions.
The 2010 Specification continues to
address both the allowable stress design
(ASD) and load and resistance factor
design (LRFD) methods. A concerted
effort was made to minimize the number of changes in the 2010 Specification;
however, ongoing research, innovations,
and evolutions in industry practices have
led to some revisions. Although many of
18
the changes are clarifications and minor

adjustments, there are important substantive changes that include the following:
The scope statement has been
revised to reflect seismic design
requirements (Chapter A).
Structural integrity requirements are
addressed (Chapter B).
Stability design procedures are
simplified and better organized
(Chapter C, Appendices 7 and 8).
Expanded and new provisions are
included for composite member
design (Chapter I).
The available shear strength values for bolts have been increased
(Chapter J).
Slip-critical design provisions have been
simplified and revised (Chapter J).
HSS connection design equations
have been reorganized in a tabular
format for ease of use (Chapter K).
A new chapter has been added on
quality control and quality assurance
(Chapter N).
Inelastic analysis and design pro-
visions have been expanded and

improved (Appendix 1).
Recent issues of Modern Steel Construction
have highlighted a few of these topics.
Please see the following: March 2010 for
background on the new Chapter N on quality control and quality assurance; August
2010 for a discussion of changes in Chapter
I regarding composite member design; and
September 2010 for a summary of revisions
to connection design in Chapter J.
For a complete summary of the new
Specification, as well as an overview of the
14th Edition Steel Construction Manual,
attend session N29 at NASCC: The Steel
Conference in Pittsburgh, May 1114,
2011. The 2010 Specification and the new
Manual also will be the subjects of a session at the SEI Structures Congress in Las
Vegas, April 1416, 2011.
Cynthia J. Duncan,
director of engineering, AISC
Steel Fabricators, you have a choice !

Buy direct from a manufacturer
packed, labeled and shipped per your specifications.
To get a rip your face off can koozie,

visit us at the NASCC in Pittsburgh, PA
May 11-13, 2011
Booth# 1104
800-237-7059
sales@stlouisscrewbolt.com
http://www.stlouisscrewbolt.com/
news
COMPETITIONS
Student Steel Bridge Competition Season Opens in Texas

Nine teams from Texas and four from Mexico
met at Texas Tech University on January 15
to compete in the first regional Student Steel
Bridge Competition of 2011. This years
design requirements for a cantilever span
and smaller individual member dimensions
and deflection limits than recent years have
required students to rethink their design
philosophies. At Texas Tech this resulted in
a challenging competition with a visually
interesting and diverse array of bridges.
It is refreshing to observe the effort,
ingenuity and character displayed by all of
the students who participate in the Student
Steel Bridge competition, said AISCs
director of education Nancy Gavlin.
The best way to appreciate the exciting
atmosphere is to attend a competition, and
with 17 more regional events to come and
the National Competition in May, there
are many opportunities.
Upcoming 2011 Student Steel Bridge
Competitions:
March 19
University of North Dakota
March 26
California State University, Los Angeles
Mississippi State University
Tennessee Tech University
April 2
United States Air Force Academy
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
University of Michigan
University of Alaska, Anchorage
April 16
North Carolina State University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Drexel University
California State University, Sacramento
University of Akron
West Virginia University
April 30
Kansas State University
University Laval
LEcole de Technologies Superienure
May 20-21 National Finals
Texas A&M University
For detailed information about the

Student Steel Bridge Competition see
www.aisc.org/steelbridge. Or to find
out more about the regional competitions
listed above, which are held in conjunction
with ASCEs annual student conferences,
go to http://bit.ly/dM2nXm.
To read about the 2010 competition, go
to www.modernsteel.com/archives and
select Real-Life Lessons in the July 2010
issue. To view a gallery of photos from the
2010 national finals at Purdue University,
go www.modernsteel.com/photos.
The University of Texas austins entry in the aISc/aScE Student Steel Bridge competition
full-spectrum
coding to simplify
US Aduses
7"1/8
x 5":- color
27.01.2011
17:05construction.
Uhr Pagehere
1 team members prepare to
compete in the first regional competition of the 2011 season.
Time & money

why not save both?
Nancy Gavlin
No drilling or welding
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erection
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No damage to steel or
protective coatings
US projects on the
new website
Free connection design!
www.lindapterusa.com
Steel Connections
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New catalog out now!

Available from Authorized Lindapter Distributors
20
Updated Steel Deck Information is available

I came across a letter from Alex Bonnar
of McNamara/Salvia, Inc., in the January
2011 edition of Modern Steel Construction
(page 20) requesting sources for United
Steel Deck datasheets. I am writing to
inform the readers that United Steel
Deck is still in existence proudly producing the same quality products as
before, now as a division of Canam Steel
Corporation. United Steel Deck, a division of Nicholas J. Bouras for almost 40
years, was purchased by Commercial
Metals Company (CMC Joist & Deck)

in 2007 and was recently acquired by
Canam in August 2010. Despite the
changes in ownership, United Steel
Deck maintains its vast experience in the
industry as it is still operated by many of
the personnel from Nicholas J. Bouras.
Much of the information from the
past United Steel Deck datasheets has
been updated and incorporated into
our CanamUnited Steel Deck Design
Manual and Catalog of Steel Deck
letters
Products available at www.canam.ws.
However, any past datasheets or additional information can be obtained by
contacting me by phone or email at
908-561-3484 or michael.martignetti@
canam.ws. Thank you in advance for
addressing this matter and we appreciate all of the contributions that Modern
Steel Construction makes to the industry.
Michael Martignetti
Product Engineer, Canam USA,
a division of Canam Group Inc.
EDUCaTION
aISC Spring Seminars announced

Whether youre designing industrial
buildings or office buildings, AISCs Louis
F. Geschwindner Seminar Series is a
great opportunity for structural engineers
and other designers to increase their
knowledge and earn continuing education
credits. With seven exciting live seminar
topics and two Steel Camp events being
offered in 25 cities from now through July,
theres bound to be one thats right for
you. Complete information is available at
www.aisc.org/seminars.
Step-By-Step Design for Commercial
and Industrial Buildings

Step-By-Step Design of a LowRise Office Building with Seismic
Considerations
Seismic Braced FramesDesign
Concepts and Connections
Practical Connection Design for
Economical Steel Structures
HSS Connections / Dos & Donts of
Steel Construction
Design Steel Your Way II: Efficient
Analysis for Steel Design using the

2005 AISC Specification
Listen to the Steel: Duane Miller on
Welding
Steel Camp (covers 4 topics in 2 days)
Visit www.aisc.org/seminarmap to
search AISCs spring seminars by state.
For more information on registration and
pricing, visit www.aisc.org/seminars.
march 2011 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION
21
At least it was to the construction team on the Missouri River Bridge

project when their initial concrete design priced over budget at almost
$45 million. They then had to scramble for other options.
Turned out the solution was steel. After coming up with a new design,
they turned to Nucor. And we were able to help them build a
beautiful, easy to maintain and environmentally friendly bridge at less
than half the cost of concrete. Who wouldve thought.
www.nucoryamato.com
Its Our Nature.
Here are several notes from longtime readers of Modern Steel Construction in
response to the retrospective article published in the January 2011 issue.
To read the article online, go to www.modernsteel.com/backissues.
Modern Steel Construction is a valuable tool to

the industry and AISC
members. Its articles
on technical information as well as other
subjects affecting steel
construction are very
valuable and worth the
effort and expense to
continue to promote its
existence. I wish I was
50 again.
Robert P. Stupp
Stupp Brothers, Inc.,
St. Louis
24
As a 40-year veteran of the fabricated structural steel industry, it

has been a pleasure to watch the
evolution of Modern Steel Construction from a very basic publication
to a monthly magazine of which
the industry can be truly proud.
The arrival of Scott Melnick on
the editorial staff and the adoption of full color were just two of
the highlights. In addition to being
informative, Scotts editorials have
provided an easy way to keep up
with the activities of his children.
Interesting project articles and
steel industry updates are two of
the things I enjoy each month.
Stephen E. Egger
Chairman, Egger Steel
Company, Sioux Falls, S.D.
I have been a fan of MSC since

1968, the year I arrived for graduate study at Lehigh University. One
of my first assignments was an evaluation of the very heavy box columns of the famous World Trade
Center, which was one of the featured structures. Since then MSC
has expanded greatly, in coverage
and depth of discussions and most
of all in practical usefulness for all
areas of steel design, fabrication
and construction. Practicing engineers really pay attention to MSC.
It is now a serious journal that is
used and relied upon by thousands
of professionals. Congratulations
on the 50th!
Reidar Bjorhovde, Ph.D.
President, The Bjorhovde
Group, Tucson, Ariz.
Looking back through the

highlights of steel construction over the past 50 years
brings back memories of
the variety of projects that
have been trendsetters in
steel construction. Certainly structural engineers
and those in the construction industry have actively
pushed the envelope over
the last half-century. Modern
Steel Construction has been an
important part of this progress, keeping engineers and
fabricators aware of these
key developments.
Roger Brockenbrough, P.E.
Pittsburgh
Wow! Fifty years of Modern

Steel Construction magazine,
and from the very first issue
each issue continues to present the latest in steel construction. I have been reading
MSC since the mid-1960s. I
have always found something
in each issue, not only from
the articles but also from the
advertisements, that assisted
me professionally. In recent
years (I dont know when it
started) my colleagues and I
would race to read the Steel
Quiz first, and then quiz
other members of the firm to
see if we could stump them
with the questions. I look
forward to enjoying many
more years of reading MSC.
James M. Fisher, Ph.D.
Computerized Structural
Design, S.C., Milwaukee
Publications generated by AISC

over the years have focused on the
versatility of structural steel, the
innovation within the design and
construction communities and the
advancements within academia.
MSC was focused on the presentation of structural steel as the
material of choice and therefore
provided an enlightened approach
to the structural steel industry.
MSC, although steel construction oriented, has been, and still is,
structured to appeal to a variety of
readers; architects, engineers, contractors and construction managers,
as well as owners and developers.
MSC has successfully conveyed
the message of steel, its strength,
its beauty and its versatility for 50
years. We, the structural designers of today, owe MSC and AISC
a very large thank you for your
contribution to the design and
construction communities.
David I. Ruby, S.E., P.E.
Chairman and Founding
Principal, Ruby + Associates, Inc.,
Farmington Hills, Mich.
Congratulations on a great article on

the history of Modern Steel Construction in the January 2011 issue.
When I joined AISC as regional
engineer in Pittsburgh in 1959,
MSCs predecessor was called Steel
Construction Digest. The only articles were reprints from magazines
such as Engineering News-Record.
There was no advertising and the
magazine was quite thin.
I was promoted to AISC headquarters in New York City in 1961
and to chief of the regional staff
of 32 licensed engineers in 1963.
Although I had no direct connection with the magazine, I was a fan
and in a position to help when it
changed to Modern Steel Construction with original articles. The editor, Dan Farb was a good friend and
I helped with engineering aspects
and encouraged the regional engineers to solicit and write articles.
Under Scott Melnicks leadership, MSC has become one of the
best construction magazines in
the country.
Robert O. Disque, P.E.
Milford, Conn.
Modern Steel Construction has been a valuable

asset in my teaching and
research career. Its articles on the design and
construction of interesting and innovative steel
buildings and bridges
have been very helpful
in my teaching, and they
were always an inspiration to my students, in
the past half Century.
Of especial use are the
many drawings of framing and connection
details. These sketches
greatly help students
to visualize how steel
structures fit together.
Theodore V. Galambos
Emeritus Professor of
Structural Engineering,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
25
The aISc Steel Solutions center

celebrates 10 Years
93,000 and counting:
BY TaBITha STINE, S.E., P.E., LEED aP

No, there IS a premium to specify and order A36 these days.
How soon can you send us over the drawings?
Is your column layout exible? What kind of architectural constraints do
you have?
The steel option for this project could shave three months off your schedule.
Structural steel is readily availablelet me get you in contact with a local
service center in your area.

No, you dont need to paint your structural steel. Let me email you one of our
FAQs that address this common misconception.
WAlK tHrouGH the AISC Steel Solutions Center on any given day and
youre likely to hear one of our advisors providing answers just like these
answers weve provided nearly 100,000 times during the past decade. On
July 2, 2001, the AISC Steel Solutions Center officially opened for business
and its staff quickly grew from one to five engineers (plus part-time consultants) dedicated to creating a one-stop-shop for free technical information,
marketplace support, and conceptual solutions for structural steel projects.
Conceptual Solutions
One of the challenges of designing any structure is striking the right
balance between the project requirements of cost, schedule, and projectspecific needs (such as column-free space or flexibility for future modifications or structural changes). The AISC advisors are experts at evaluating
these needs and creating conceptual solutions for owners, architects, and
other front-end decision makers. These conceptual solutions are tailored
to meet the specific project needs and to optimize economy in material,
labor, and schedule, while also finding and incorporating new and evolving
innovations in structural systems.
26
The industrys one-stop-shop for structural steel

information enters its second decade of service.
Excerpt from typical conceptual study packages submitted to clients.
The Steel Solutions Center works with the project team members to
develop steel framing solutions that meet all the functional and architectural requirements. Several framing systems are often discussed, weighing the benefits and drawbacks of each system. These systems can range
from standard composite beam construction to more specialized systems
like staggered truss, in-wall beam, open-web joist, or Girder-Slab (visit
The Steel Solutions Center provides these free conceptual

solutions to projects that are either already designed in a material other than steel or are designed in steel but in danger of
being converted to another material. During the past decade,
the Steel Solutions Center has completed more than 775 conceptual solutions, with around 40% resulting in a steel-framed
project. And with an average of 800 tons per project, that
equates to nearly 120,000 tons of structural steel.
But the reach of the Steel Solutions Center is greater than
just these projects. As the database of conceptual solutions
grows, the Steel Solutions Center analyzes projects for similarities and then produces prototype studies. The prototype dives
into general benefits, basic tonnage information, and schedule
constraints that may impact a project. Currently, prototype
studies are available for healthcare projects, parking structures,
multi-story residential buildings, and office buildings. You can
download these prototypes directly from the AISC website at
www.aisc.org/myproject.
structural
STEEL
structural
:53
02/10/2010 16:41
STEEL
Expansion
Indian River
ACU2
DataBase: SICUP
Your connection to
i e
ern
Your connection to
i e
the
healthcare
structure
prototype i
Composite Framing
Exploring Conventional
ern
the parking
structure
prototype iii
Exploring Conventional
Composite and
Castellated Composite Framin
g Options
www.girder-slab.com to learn more about this extremely

economical low floor-to-floor height system utilizing structural steel and hollow core plank). Following these discussions,
a detailed study of the structure will be developed after structural analysis and modeling have taken place which locates all
beams and columns, their approximate sizes, and overall weight
of the structural system in tons and lb/sq. ft (psf). The study
also includes various non-structural materials such as corrosion
protection recommendations, fire protection requirements,
and constructability/erection trends for various specialty framing applications. The typical turnaround time for a project is
two to three weeks from the time the request is received by the
Steel Solutions Center.
One caveat is that these are intended as conceptual solutions
and do not include connection design specific structural details.
In no way do they replace the work of the projects structural
engineer. Instead, they are intended to demonstrate the viability
of a structural steel solution with respect to cost, schedule and
specific project requirements. In the 10 years since our inception, we have completed more than 775 unique conceptual studies. In addition, many times, due to urgent requests from clients,
similar studies are passed on which represent a structure with
similar structure height, footprint, location (for similar wind and
seismic parameters), and structure end use. These similar studies
are slightly tweaked to have them as similar to the new request
as possible, and usually within one to two business days, a basic
tonnage and psf can be shared with the client.
This technical information is often supplemented with
both cost and schedule information, including the costs of the
related non-structural items such as fire protection. The Steel
Solutions Center, in conjunction with AISC regional engineers,
works with both AISC member steel fabricators and general
contractors to provide this necessary information. Using this,
the structural frame can be integrated into the overall project
plan including impact on the overall construction schedule.
An example of the conceptual solution process is The
Alexan at Lenox, a now completed 300-unit residential project in Atlanta. Schedule was the critical path for this project,
which almost always works to steels advantage. However, the
owner was skeptical and was leaning toward either masonry
or a cold-formed metal stud system. AISC member fabricator
Tom Bourne of Universal Steel, Lithonia, Ga., worked with the
owners local design team and then contacted the Steel Solutions Center. Several alternative steel systems were analyzed
before an in-wall beam system was selected based on both its
economy and fast erection speed. The system uses steel girders located along the demising or corridor walls with concrete plank spanning between the corridor and exterior walls.
In addition to speed, the system allows for low floor-to-floor
heights because the structural floor depth is only 8 in.
The involvement of AISC and the AISC Steel Solutions
Center was pivotal to the success of this steel conversion,
explained Bourne. They offered ideas and suggestions. Without them, this project would not have gone steel and the owner
would not have had his building completed on time.
Two typical protoypes available at www.aisc.org/myproject.
Of course, AISCs involvement doesnt necessarily end with

a conceptual solution. The Steel Solutions Center also provides support throughout the design and construction phase
through its technical assistance program. Questions are usually
answered within one business day and, best of all, the service
is free.
technical Assistance
93,000. Thats how many questions the AISC Steel Solutions Center has answered since its inception. Today, we average about 200 questions per week with three out of four coming
from structural engineers. While many questions are unique,
not surprisingly many questions get asked over and over again.
Topics range from code interpretations to understanding the
Specification to investigating various approaches to bolted connections. And while we used to receive just as many inquiries
march 2011 Modern Steel ConStruCtion
27
contact Volumes Since Inception

Illustrating a 3-month moving average
900
800
700
Volume
600
e-mail
500
400
300
200
calls
100
0
12/1999 12/2000 12/2001 12/2002 12/2003 12/2004 12/2005 12/2006 12/2007 12/2008 12/2009
Date
SSc Launched
Whos Who at the Steel Solutions Center

the legacy
Since its inception in 2001, aIScs Steel Solutions center has been staffed by a number of talented people.
Bobbi Marsteller, P.E., was the centers first employee.
an experienced engineer from halvorson and Partners,
chicago, she came to aISc specifically to establish a
central clearinghouse to provide structural steel related
information. Following its successful launch and several
years of operation, marsteller moved into the role of
aIScs vice president of certification where she served
for several more years.
Bert Purba was one of the original Steel Solution
center advisors, along with Jason erickson, S.E., who
several years later became the centers director. While
Erickson was at the Steel Solutions center, he developed a number of electronic spreadsheets for specific
utility functions that the staff shared with interested
engineers. In time these became the core Steel Tools
offered on the aISc website. Erickson is now with the
structural engineering software company cSc.
todd Alwood, LEED aP, who is now the manager of certification business development for aISc, first joined aISc
in 2002 as an advisor with the Steel Solutions center. he
later became the regional engineer for the upper midwest.
Bill liddy joined aISc as a regional engineer after
many years with american Bridge company. Liddy had
always loved answering questions and coming up with
solutions, so when he retired from that position in
2002 he came to work in the Steel Solutions center.
Liddy served as and integral part of the core knowledge base until his retirement in the spring of 2007.
Shortly thereafter aISc presented him with the Lifetime
achievement award.
Kurt Gustafson, S.E., P.E., joined the Steel Solutions center as aIScs director of technical assistance
in 2004. his decades of experience included an early
28
stint at american Bridge, where he had worked with

Liddy, and involvement with many chicago landmarks
such as the John hancock center, Standard Oil Building
(now aon center) and Sears Tower (now Willis Tower).
Gustafson redefined aIScs role with regard to technical
assistance and immediately became a key resource to
colleagues, committees and engineers in the industry.
he remained a vital part of the organization until his
death in June 2010.
Amanuel Gebremeskel, P.E., who came aboard
after Liddys retirement to work alongside Gustafson,
has recently taken on a consultant role and continues to
provide answers to the industry.
Several current aSIc regional engineers have been
a part of the Steel Solutions center team as well. erika
Winters-downey, P.E., now the Great Plains regional
engineer, served as a Steel Solutions center advisor for
two years before moving to Lenexa, Kan. In 2010 both
Jacinda Collins, P.E., and Monica Shripka, LEED aP,
(formerly Stockman) took on the role of regional engineer after being Steel Solutions center advisors.
Other familiar names from the team include Kimberly Swiss, who continues today as a consultant with
aISc certification, Colleen Stack, Keith Mueller and
Sergio Zoruba.
Liddy
Gustafson
on our toll-free number (866.ask.aisc), today around 80% of

the inquiries come via email (solutions@aisc.org).
Because many of the questions asked are of more general

interest, we take six to 10 questions each month and print
themalong with answersin the Steel Interchange section of Modern Steel Construction (www.modernsteel.com).
And some of them also become the basis for the magazines
the SSC Staff today

after a year as a Steel Solutions center advisor and nearly three
years as an aISc regional engineer, tabitha Stine, S.E., P.E.,
became aIScs director of technical marketing and head of the
Steel Solutions center in 2008. Prior to joining aISc, Stine earned
a bachelor degree in civil engineering from Southern Illinois University at carbondale and a master degree in structural engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in chicago. She also
worked for the chicago engineering firm Sargent & Lundy.
Heath Mitchell, P.E., is aIScs director of technical assistance.
he joined the Steel Solutions center in November 2010 and coordinates all of the answers to technical questions submitted to aISc
through the Steel Solutions center. mitchell previously worked for
aISc from 1999 to 2001. Since then he has been employed by
PcS Structural Solutions, Tacoma, Wash., while maintaining his
involvement with aISc as a committee volunteer.
Matthew Brady, P.E., joined the Steel Solutions center
team in December 2010. In addition to providing conceptual
studies to decision makers on a wide variety of building projects looking to utilize structural steel as their framing system,
he also answers incoming technical questions. Prior to joining
aISc, Brady worked in chicago designing buildings at holabird
& root, and bridges for alfred Benesch, as well as working for
Lockheed martin on Faa-related projects. he also is company
commander for the 631st Engineer Support company of the
Illinois army National Guard.
Stine
mitchell
Brady
monthly Steel Quiz. Finally, as we see patterns emerge, we

produce longer, more detailed answers in SteelWise, a technical feature appearing in most issues of MSC.
steeltoolS
A few years ago, one of AISCs staff engineers was tinkering
with Excel and wrote some pretty useful utility programs for
such things as aiding in torsional analysis and calculating the
surface area of a wide flange section to determine the amount
of paint needed. These Steel Tools were posted on the AISC
website and quickly became popular with the design community. And it turned out that a lot of engineers were writing
similar small programs, which led to the obvious question:
Why shouldnt engineers collaborate to avoid the reinvention of the
wheel? Why not share these Steel Tools with their peers?
The result was the creation of an AISC social networking website (www.steeltools.org). While the primary use
of the site has been for file sharing, the site also allows visitors to post comments on existing steelTOOLS and discuss
relevant topics.
erin Criste is an aISc staff engineer providing technical

assistance in the Steel Solutions center. She attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., for undergraduate studies in
civil engineering earned a master degree in structural engineering from rice University in houston in 2002. She subsequently
worked for Nelson architectural Engineers in houston and Dallas for three years, and for LSc Design, York, Pa., also for three
years, coming to aISc in 2008.
Martin Anderson, LEED aP, holds a Bachelor of arts in literary theory from Vanderbilt University, and master of arts in English and american literature from Washington University in St.
Louis, which led him into technical writing. Specializing in software, he worked on a number of books and proprietary manuals before embarking on an extended trip around the world.
Upon his return, he entered the field of environmental and ecological design, with a particular interest in the adaptive reuse of
existing structures. he joined the Steel Solutions center team
in 2006. he also recently completed the construction management program at the Illinois Institute of Technology, chicago.
Carlo lini became the newest member of the Steel Solutions
center team in February 2011. a civil engineering graduate of
michigan Technical University, Lini earned his master degree
in structural engineering from Purdue University in 2004 and
since then has been a staff engineer with ruby + associates,
Farmington hills, mich.
criste
anderson
Lini
29
steelTOOLS is a free online community with many useful features, including:

the full set of previously released AISC Steel Toolsin an open
access file format that enables users to download, update, and
modify the tools as they see fit
a file-sharing platform for all members of the design and construction industry to download or post files, vote, and comment
on others design tools and software utilities
a full-service social networking environment that includes the
ability to connect with others, read current hot topics, and discuss blogs about issues that interest designers and practitioners
The site is open to all members of the construction industry, and
any construction-related tools and files are welcome. Since the launch
of steelTOOLS.org on SteelDay in September 2009, more than 210
tools/files have been posted, in addition to the dozen AISC has developed and made available. The site averages nearly 200 unique visitors
per day who have downloaded more than 16,500 tools to date.
Marketplace Support
The Steel Solutions Center doesnt just deal with questions that
focus on the details of designing with structural steel. The Steel Solutions Center is also where fabricators, contractors, architects, engineers
or project developers turn when they have questions about cost trends,
availability of material, supply chain issues, new technology, innovative
systems or general information regarding the use of structural steel.
the Future of the Steel Solutions Center

Despite the difficult economy, AISC is committed to the
Steel Solutions Center and continues to fund its operation.
Currently, there are six full-time staff plus several outside consultants working on both technical assistance and producing
conceptual solutions.
Remember, if you have a question about steel, simply call
866.ask.aisc or email solutions@aisc.org.
Tool posted by user redem Legaspi Weld capacity calculator.

Tool posted by aISc Steel Solutions center Floor Framing.
resources from the AiSC Steel Solutions Center
steelwise
30
The Steel Solutions center contributes a monthly column

in Modern Steel Construction magazine on various steel
design and construction topics. check out the entire suite
at www.modernsteel.com/steelwise.
&
Find almost every aISc document in electronic form,
including aISc Steel Design Guides, Engineering Journal
articles, and project case studies. Download your favorites
at www.aisc.org/epubs.
steel interchange
steelTOOLS
monthly in Modern Steel Construction, the Steel Solutions

center answers technical questions posed by readers that
address topics related to material availability, sustainability,
and anchor rods... just to name a few. read each monthly
set at www.modernsteel.com/steelinterchange.
a free file sharing site facilitated by the Steel Solutions

center. Users can post their own steelTOOL shortcut
spreadsheets or download those posted by others to help
simplify the design and construction of structural steel.
Visit www.steeltools.org today.
engineering FAQs
Steel talks
Over time, the Steel Solutions center has compiled frequently asked questions and answers on a wide range of
topics related to structural steel. Visit www.aisc.org/faq
to learn more.
aISc engineers and staff are available to give steel-related

presentations to fabricator and engineering associations.
For a current list of topics and to request a Steel Talk at
your next meeting, visit www.aisc.org/steeltalks.
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Vibration concerns set the stage for a new dance facility.
Walter P moore
g
n
ci
an
D
to a
New Beat
WHen it oPenS in early spring 2011, Houston Ballets Center

for Dance will be the largest professional dance company facility
in the United States. The sleek 115,000-sq.-ft, six-story steel structure will house nine dance studios for the Houston Ballet and its
Academy, a 200-seat dance lab, administrative offices, and support
spaces. The anticipated final project cost is $53 million.
Located in the heart of the Theater District in downtown Houston, the Center for Dance was constructed adjacent to Wortham
Center, the theater at which the Houston Ballet has performed
since 1987. A private-access steel trussed bridge spans 130 ft diagonally from the Center for Dance to backstage of Wortham Theater
Center so the dancers can easily walk in costume from the practice
facility to the performance stage. The ultra-modern looking bridge
engages the public into Houstons Theater District, the second
largest theater district in the United States, as it spans over the
main entrance to downtown from the north.
The new facility will more than double the space that Houston Ballet has had at its home since 1984, a renovated commercial building approximately three miles from downtown. That
structure was not designed for floor vibrations resulting from
dancing, so occupants in conference rooms and offices were often
32
BY rachEL caLaFELL aND KarIm ZULFIQar, P.E.
disturbed by vibrations resulting from dancers leaping overhead.

The new prime location, structural design to reduce vibration, and
enhanced use of space make the new Center for Dance a tremendous improvement for Houston Ballet.
Steel Backbone
The use of steel was an ideal choice for the Center for Dance
due to the unique requirements for the facilitys use of space, which
includes underground parking, a ground-level vehicular drivethrough and two-story dance lab, and support spaces, offices, and
two-story studios for the academy and professional dancers on the
upper levels. These programming requirements resulted in 32 ft
floor-to-floor heights in the dance lab and studios to enable lifting
of ballerinas, spans up to 62 ft in length, and transferring columns
above the dance lab to provide a column-free theater space.
Walter P Moore engineers conducted full analyses of both a
concrete and a steel structure and determined the steel structure
was more economical because of the post-tensioning required for
a reinforced concrete structure with the long spans and the expense
of shoring the two-story heights. In addition, the atypical column
grid due to the distinctive requirements of each space would have
View of the two 62-ft-long transfer trusses

installed at Level 3, above the dance lab.
Walter P moore
a 3D revit model was created to develop the structural drawings.
involved the use of many custom built forms

for the reinforced concrete option. The
ducts required through the transfer girders
and catwalks around the girders would have
been difficult to accommodate with solid
concrete transfer girders, while steel transfer
trusses have open regions and can be much
narrower than concrete transfer girders.
Double-angle inverted steel chevron
braced frames provide lateral support for
the new steel structure. Typical sizes of the
braces are 2L8658 for the 33-ft to 40-ft
spans between columns, and 2L64
for the shorter spans. All columns are
W14s. The braces are hidden from view
in mechanical spaces, storage rooms, and
along the east wall.
Although all of the upper floors were
built of composite concrete framing, a 12-in.
structural concrete slab was constructed at
the first elevated level to minimize the floor
depth and therefore the amount of excavation required for the basement. The extent
of excavation was a concern due to the high
water table level at the project site.
Levels 2 through Roof Level are constructed using 4-in. normal-weight concrete on 2-in., 18-gage composite metal deck.
Due to the thickness of the concrete deck, no
fireproofing was applied to the steel framing
members. The roof level was constructed
with a composite deck due to the mechanical equipment located on it, which is hidden
from view by means of screen walls.
To provide a column-free space in the
two-story dance lab at ground level, two
62-ft-long trusses were required to transfer
the column load from upper levels to outer
columns at Level 3. Because a dance studio is located on Level 3 directly above the
dance lab, the transfer truss designs were
controlled by stiffness. The transfer trusses
are 10 ft deep, with W24335 top chords
and W14550 bottom chords. A 275-ton
crane was used to erect the 50,000 and
60,000 lb transfer trusses. Due to the building location in downtown Houston and the
limited space on site, the tower crane used
for steel erection was located in the center
of the new building.
Some transfer truss members had flanges
more than 2 in. thick that were welded
with complete joint penetration welds, so
ultrasonic testing of the steel member and
weld material was performed to verify that
lamellar tearing and other defects were not
present at the connections.
The project site was tight in a busy urban location.
Walter P moore
Good Vibrations
An extensive analytical vibration analysis
was conducted on the floors of the new facility, including the dance studios and neighboring office spaces and conference rooms,
due to the classes and rehearsals of Houston
Ballet that will occur in the studios. Engi-
neers used results from a time history analysis to determine the required composite
floor thickness and girder sizes necessary to
limit vibrations to an acceptable level.
The procedure outlined by AISC Steel
Design Guide 11, Floor Vibrations Due to
Human Activity, was followed for areas with
Rachel Calafell is a graduate engineer and Karim

Zulfiqar, P.E., is a principal
and project manager with
Walter P Moore. Both are
AISC professional members. They can be reached at
713.630.7300.
33
Fabrication under way on one of the 62-ft-long transfer trusses.
Photos this page by Walter P moore.
Erection of the 130-ft-long Pratt truss bridge connecting

the center for Dance to Wortham Theater center.
Installation of cold-formed metal framing for back-up of

the black granite cladding.
rhythmic excitation. The jumping exercise loading was applied,

which is more stringent than the general dance loading. In an effort
to balance occupant comfort and an economical design, engineers
consulted with the owner to determine the required level of vibration
control for the structure. Optimization strategies employed in the
vibration study included alternating the orientation of beams in adjacent bays and adding an additional girder in the center of some bays
to reduce beam spans. In addition, based on recent industry research,
the stiffness of full-height interior partitions was considered in the
vibration analysis. Because the partition locations generally coincided
with steel beam locations, stiffness provided by the partitions was
accounted for by applying modification factors to the beam stiffness.
Without considering floor vibration the weight of the steel
for this structure would have been 10 lb per sq. ft (psf) to 12 psf.
Because of the planned use of the building and its unusually long
bay widths, providing the required stiffness would have increased
the steel weight to 22 psf. However, application of these optimization strategies lessened the required increase in tonnage resulting
from vibration design and resulted in a steel weight of just 16 psf.
For acoustical purposes, some of the new dance lab floors incorporate floating slabs and the walls include 18 in. of air space for
soundproofing.
Ballerina Bridge
The private-access Ballerina Bridge, a signature element of the
new Center for Dance, spans 130 ft across the intersection of Smith
and Preston Streets. The bridge is clad with futuristic-looking metal
panels, which have images of leaping dancers lightly screened onto
the top portion, while the bottom portion is slotted for ventilation
and for lighting effect at night. Vehicles traveling under the bridge
or pedestrians might glimpse dancers traversing the bridge on the
evenings of performances.
The bridge cross section measures 8 ft wide by 11 ft tall and the
concrete abutments at each end are constructed on augercast piles.
The typical size of the Pratt truss bridge diagonals and verticals
are 2L33516. The bridge top chords are W1226 and the bottom
chords are W1235. Steel moment frames using W1265 members
were provided above each abutment to resolve wind loads perpendicular to the bridge span. The 34-ton steel bridge was shipped in
two 65-ft-long segments, which were spliced together at the site
prior to lifting the bridge into place with two 90-ton cranes.
Structural Feet and Skin
Due to the sites poor soil conditions and the water table being
almost at grade level, 18-in.-diameter, 95-ft-deep augercast piles
were a more economical option for the project than drilled piers.
Proximity of the structure to the neighboring bayou made site
drainage an important consideration. To alleviate drainage concerns, a building setback was incorporated and provisions were
made for a future stairwell to the bayou.
Several value-engineering items were incorporated in the project to reduce the construction cost because the original cost estimate was approximately 50% over budget. These items included
eliminating a proposed seventh story of the new structure, reducing the size of the floor plan, and selecting a cladding system of 3
cm black granite, CMU and plaster on the east wall, and ceramicetched glass as opposed to other cladding systems considered,
such as wood paneling.
34
Walter P moore
View of the center for Dance facing northeast (left) and southeast (right).
With its unique architectural appearance and structural features,

the Center for Dance is an icon in Houstons Theater District.
This state-of-the-art facility allows Houston Ballet to significantly
expand its education and dance training programs and facilitates
its commitment to improving the art form of ballet on all levels.
When the Center for Dance opens in the spring of 2011, Houston
Ballet will truly be dancing to a new beat.
owner
houston Ballet, houston
Architect
Gensler, houston
Structural engineer
Walter P moore, houston
General Contractor
W.S. Bellows construction corporation, houston
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Pittsburgh, the Steel city, offers

those coming to the 2011
NaScc: The Steel conference
a wide variety of historical and
cultural opportunities in addition
to a full slate of educational and
networking events.
The 2011
nASCC Opportunity
BY ThOmaS L. KLEmENS, P.E.
From education to socialization, this years Steel Conference offers

something for everyone in the structural steel industry.
it MAY SeeM early to be thinking in detail about the upcoming

2011 NASCC: The Steel Conference, but May is just around the
corner and the offerings this spring are abundant. Two fledgling
programs are poised to soar at the conference: This years sustainability track has a full complement of informative sessions, and
students and educators are being encouraged to take advantage of
the Students Connecting with Industry Sessions (SCIS), slated for
Thursday May 12, and the annual educator session on Wednesday
May 11. Of course, the meat of each years conference is in the
technical sessions, and this year is no exception.
One early registrant, Matt Trammell, structural engineering
manager at Brentwood, Tenn.-based TRC Worldwide, said he
comes to NASCC: The Steel Conference each year for a variety of
reasons. I just go to see as much as I can, said Trammell. Plus,
you can get all the PDHs you need for the year at a minimal cost
per hour. Then you add the networking and other activities and
making the decision to go is easy.
Sean Smith, division vice president of Gresham, Smith and Partners, Nashville, is one of two people from his firm planning to attend
NASCC: The Steel Conference. The thing we are looking forward
to is the technical program, Smith said. Those sessions are always
important to us. Secondly, the networking opportunities this conference offers are tremendous. I have enjoyed very much getting to
meet colleagues at the conference through the years. We often find
ourselves as competitors; this conference is a great place for us to be
36
engineers striving for a common goal. Smith says he also is looking

forward to the student sessions in the SCIS program and to being
involved with the Technology Integration committee.
Sessions at nASCC
The 2011 NASCC: The Steel Conference offers more than 90
technical sessions, complete with professional development hour
(PDH) credit availability. A complete list of sessions is offered in the
2011 Advance Program available online at http://bit.ly/fqtyyt.
The two keynote sessions are certainly worth making plans
to attend, beginning with a midday Wednesday presentation by
David Vater of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.
Vater will review the citys establishment in the mid-18th century
on what was then the nations western frontier, its development as
the Steel City, and its transformation into the vibrant and thriving
center of technology that it is today.
The second keynote session begins Friday at 12:30 p.m. and
features this years T.R. Higgins Award Lecture by Charles W.
Roeder, P.E., Ph.D. A professor of civil engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, since 1977, Roeders research over the
years has focused on bridges and the seismic performance of steel
and composite buildings. Present research studies include development of design methods for improved seismic performance of
concentrically braced frames and their gusset plate connections,
evaluation of riveted bridge gusset plate connections, evaluation
{ }
of pile to wharf connections for port facilities, and development dinner Thursday evening at Heinz Field. Additionally, they are eliof economical and efficient concrete filled tube applications. Fol- gible for a $100 stipend to use toward travel expenses.
lowing Roeders initial T.R. Higgins lecture in Pittsburgh, he will
Initiated by AISC in 2010 to boost student attendance, the prepresent the material at various locations throughout 2011.
cursor of the SCIS program attracted about 150 students to the conTechnical sessions begin on Wednesday afternoon, with six one- ference in Orlando. Given this years locationPittsburgh is within
hour sessions beginning at 3 p.m. and another 13 from 4:15 p.m. 500 miles of half the U.S. population, as well as many colleges and
to 5:45 p.m. Many, but not all also are offered a second time. For universities with engineering and architectural programsthe anticexample, session N12, Quality Control and Assurance: Are You ipation is high for a significant increase in student attendance.
Ready for Chapter N?, is offered both Wednesday afternoon and
From the students perspective there are some really interestThursday morning. A day-by-day grid showing the times for each ing things going on at NASCC this year, said Brian Quinn, who
session begins on page 19 of
with Lisa Willard is organizthe 2011 Advance Program.
ing the Students ConnectFor a stand-alone version of
ing with Industry Sessions
this schedule, go to http://
program. It begins with two
bit.ly/hynqLw.
seminars Thursday mornSee You Again next Year?
For an early preview
ing covering tips related to
In may, ray Tide will continue an annual tradition that
of one of this years
career advice and leadership.
started more than 40 years ago in cleveland where in 1971
technical sessions, see Cliff
The afternoon session
Tide attended his first Steel conference. Then a newly hired
Schwingers article Tips for
is a really unique opportuaISc regional engineer, he later became the chief structural
Constructable Steel-Framed
nity for students to connect
engineer for a major steel fabricator and today is a principal
Buildings on page 48 of this
with industry leaders and
with Wiss, Janney, Elstner associates Inc. (WJE)
issue of MSC.
various people from differI only missed one Steel conference since then, Tide said.
Other
educational
ent companies, Quinn said.
That was the year I had an opportunity to go to amsterdam
opportunities include short
Unlike the traditional career
at the same time as the conference and couldnt say no.
courses, offered on Wednesfairs that universities tend
Over the years he remembers hearing Lynn Beedle give
day and Saturday, and the
to have, our goal is to offer
the first T.r. higgins lecture, as well as many other preStructural Stability Research
more of a mentoring session.
sentations by others. If you hear a presentation one year,
Council (SSRC) sessions.
For the companies that are
then an update on the same topic a year or two later, thats
The six Wednesday morning
there, its not about whether
not bad, he said. It gives you a better understanding of
short courses each include
they are hiring people right
the subject.
either 3 or 4 PDHs and cover
now. Rather, its going to
Tide says the technical sessions are only part of what
both technical and profesbe about helping give menbrings him back every year. his other primary reason for
sional development topics.
toring advice on anything
attending is for the networking opportunities.
An additional fee is required,
the students want to know
Im on a number of committees, with aWS, aISc, and
with a substantial discount
about, such as the best things
rcSc, and the Steel conference is a great chance to get
for AISC members.
they can do to further their
together with others in the industry, to sit down and talk
An eight-hour short course
careers, or where they might
things over, Tide said. Thats where things really get
is available on Saturday May 14.
look for good opportunities.
accomplished. Then you take what youve come up with
Louis F. Geschwindner will
In addition, students are
into the committee meeting and present it.
present An Introduction to
encouraged to explore the
the 2010 Specification for Strucexhibition hall and to attend
tural Steel Buildings and the
other sessions. We will have
14th Edition Steel Construction
available printed tip sheets
Manual. Those attending this
that highlight areas of particcourse earn 8.0 PDHs.
ular interest to engineering students, Quinn said. Well also help
The SSRCs Annual Stability Conference runs concurrently with guide them in their selection of conference sessions they would
NASCC: The Steel Conference. Task groups meet Tuesday from find beneficial or interesting.
2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eleven SSRC technical sessions occur throughout
the conference. See the Advance Program for details.
opportunities for Students and educators
With sessions focusing on their very specific informational needs,
the 2011 NASCC: The Steel Conference is an excellent place for
engineering and architectural students as well as their instructors.
NASCC offers students an opportunity to see aspects of the
steel industry they wouldnt ordinarily be exposed to, said Nancy
Gavlin, AISCs director of education. And its fun.
As always, students who are AISC members (membership is
available for free to qualified students) receive free admission to
NASCC including the SCIS program. Students who attend the
full SCIS program will receive free admission to the conference
Thomas L. Klemens, P.E., is

senior editor of Modern Steel
Construction. He first attended
NASCC: The Steel Conference
in 2010 and is looking forward
to the 2011 conference in his
home town of Pittsburgh.
37
More information on the student sessions is available at http://bit.ly/hxzOHD.

To learn more about becoming a student
member, go to www.aisc.org/join.
The annual educator session, scheduled
for Wednesday morning, will include an
update on AISC research by AISCs director
of research Tom Schlafly and a P.E. licensing update by Gavlin. Thomas M. Murray,
Virgina Tech, will moderate a panel of leading design engineers discussing what todays
employers are expecting in new hires.
CEU certificates and a travel stipend
of up to $300 are available to faculty who
attend this session. More information is

available at http://bit.ly/f0DcKj.
Sustainable Steel at nASCC
The future continues to be bright for
the sustainable green buildings market.
According to McGraw-Hill Constructions
Green Outlook 2011: Green Trends Driving Growth, green buildings accounted for
one-quarter of all construction in 2010. The
green portion of the construction market
has seen its value increase from $42 billion in
2008 to $71 billion last year and is expected
to increase to $135 billion by 2015.
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10-NMBS-13_MSCcasthalf.indd 1
1/26/11 3:43 PM
AISC has long acknowledged this trend

and structural steels role in it, and this
years NASCC will feature a Sustainable
Steel conference within a conference,
consisting of eight sessions.
Jim DAloisio will address the issue of
steel and thermal bridging in a Wednesday
afternoon session, including examples of
practical solutions and how to compare the
energy-loss potential of various steel details.
Five sessions on Thursday will address
various aspects of sustainability as it relates
to steel structures. The 8 a.m. session features three well-known experts describing
how new approaches to seismic design go
beyond keeping buildings from collapsing
in an earthquake, allowing them to remain
operational and safe. Following that, Tom
Faraone of Banker Steel and AISCs Geoff
Weisenberger will review the LEED rating
system as it relates to the steel fabricator.
The afternoon opens with a candid look
at the legal ramifications of being involved
in green design and construction, presented by Angela Stephens of the legal firm
Stites and Harbison. A preview of her session is in this issues sustainability column
on page 56.
Next, Atlas Steel Tubes Jelani Rucker
and Tom Muth will talk about the companys installation of the largest rooftop solar
array in North America at one of its Canadian production facilities. They also will
share how using steel HSS for the rooftop
supports made it a win-win project.
Closing out the days sustainability
sessions, AISCs Weisenberger and Luke
Faulkner will look at the areas where steel
and sustainability interact, and how current
and evolving technologies increase opportunities for building team members, such
as fabricators, to become involved earlier in
the project design process.
The two sustainability sessions Friday morning deal with two outstanding
success stories of projects demonstrating
steels fundamentally sustainable nature.
Kirk Kestner (Walter P Moore), Shaun
Franklin (KL&A Engineers), and Erika
Winters-Downey (AISC) will describe how
reclaimed steel can be used in new construction projects, including a case study on
the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Research Support Facilities in Golden,
Colo. Larry Kruth (Douglas Steel) and Jeff
Gasparott (Ruby and Associates) will share
insights on the building a ship in a bottle
project described in their article An Inside
Job, which appears in the December 2010
issue of MSC. It can be accessed online at
www.modernsteel.com/backissues.
For more information about the 2011
NASCC, visit www.aisc.org/nascc.
Have you seen

what we do?
The industrys largest educational and networking event
returns for a third successive year. Come and visit the
structural steel industry across the country. Follow us on
Twitter @SteelDay.
September 23, 2011

www.SteelDay.org
The 3rd Annual SteelDay
SteelDay is an annual event hosted by the American

Institute of Steel Construction, its members and
partners. Plan your SteelDay visits and see firsthand
why it makes sense to build with steel.
Theres always a solution in steel. Now you know where to find it.
American Institute of Steel Construction
One East Wacker Drive, Suite 700
Chicago, IL 60601
312.670.2400
www.aisc.org
Lightweight composite steel plate and elastomer deck shaves

months off project schedule and millions off budget.
The Dawson Bridges
Quick rehab
By JEFF DIBaTTISTa, P.ENg., Ph.D., KrIS LIma, P.ENg., aND ShIraZ KaNJI, P.ENg.
Photos: Dialog
CITY OFFICIaLS RECENTLY were able to both save a historic Edmonton bridge and avoid massive structural repairs and
upgrades by opting for a lightweight steel deck system overlaid with asphalt instead of the traditional concrete replacement
deck. The system uses composite panels consisting of steel
plates with a solid elastomeric core. Although the material has
been used in shipbuilding for years, its use in bridge construction is relatively new. In addition to providing an effective and
economical solution, using this steel deck system also cut construction time significantly.
Bridge History
The North Saskatchewan River winds its way from the Rocky
Mountains, across Alberta, and through the heart of Edmonton
on its way toward Lake Winnipeg. Its shores have been populated at Edmonton by aboriginal peoples for millennia, with
the first European influence appearing in the late 18th century.
During World War II, Edmonton acted as a staging area for
construction of the Alaska Highway, and today is the capital of
Alberta with a regional population of over one million.
Historic Dawson Bridge has been a vital link for the people
of Edmonton for generations, entering its 100th year of service
in 2011. Originally known as the East End Bridge, it is a fivespan riveted steel through-truss with a clear width of 26 ft, 8 in.
40
and a total length of 776 ft: three spans of 142 ft, a navigation
span of 250 ft, and an east approach span of 100 ft.
Originally constructed to carry horse-drawn wagons and
electric trains to the Dawson Coal Company mine located on
the east bank, the bridge opened on October 8, 1912 with a
construction cost of $145,000. Only the second bridge to cross
the North Saskatchewan River at Edmonton, Dawson Bridge
quickly became a vital link for the citys growth, allowing coal
to be transported quickly into the heart of the city for industry
and home heating.
After closure of the Dawson Mine in 1944, the bridge was
converted to carry only highway vehicles. Today, the bridge has
one lane of traffic in each direction and accommodates about
17,000 vehicles each weekday. As a link to Edmontons extensive
multi-use river valley trail system, the two sidewalks on Dawson
Bridge serve many pedestrians and cyclists.
Condition assessment
In 2007 the city of Edmonton commissioned Dialog to conduct a condition assessment for Dawson Bridge. Field inspection revealed the nearly 100-year-old superstructure in need of
significant repair, including total replacement of the bridge deck
and complete recoating of all steelwork. Structural analysis also
identified numerous truss members requiring strengthening or
city of Edmonton
general plan from 1913 of the East End Bridge, now known as
the Dawson Bridge, in Edmonton, alberta, canada.
With an overall length of 776 ft, the Dawson Bridge consists

of five simply supported trusses that cross the North Saskatchewan river on the east side of Edmonton.
replacement in order to increase the service life of the bridge

and meet the target reliability indices of the Canadian Highway
Bridge Design Code 2006. In addition, the original narrow sidewalksonly 5 ft widecaused safety problems due to mixed use
by pedestrians and cyclists.
Especially problematic was the existing 6-in. steel-fiber
reinforced semi-lightweight concrete deck, cast in 1986 on top
of old timber subdecking from the 1940s. Though its relative
light weight was beneficial for limiting dead loads, the thin
concrete deck was too flexible to resist cracking. In particular,
the city had continual maintenance problems with the methyl
The Dawson Bridge rehabilitation included upgrading critical connections by replacing the original rivets with high-strength bolts.
methacrylate membrane wearing surface at details where the

concrete deck passed over the transverse floor beams. The concrete deck section was reduced to only 2 in. thick to clear the
top flange of the floor beams, making it nearly impossible to
control cracking.
As part of the assessment, a load rating of Dawson Bridge
was conducted using a 4-axle, 63.5 ton Alberta CS3 rating vehicle, the largest vehicle that might practically access the bridge
considering its vertical clearance restrictions and location. That
assessment concluded that numerous truss members required
strengthening or replacement to meet the required level of
safety and to extend the life of the bridge.
As options for rehabilitation were developed, it became
clear that the bridge could be rehabilitated economically only
if a lightweight deck replaced the existing deteriorated deck.
A traditional concrete deck would require costly replacement
or strengthening of many truss members along with difficult
a hydraulic jacking system was used to relieve the load on truss
members in need of strengthening or replacement as the work
was performed.
Jeff DiBattista, P.Eng., Ph.D., is a principal

and Kris Lima, P.Eng., is an associate with
Dialog, an integrated design firm specializing in engineering and architecture. Shiraz
Kanji, P.Eng., is chief bridge engineer for
the City of Edmonton.
41
The old, deteriorated concrete deck was

sawcut and removed in march 2010.
Top left and inset: all members were

blast cleaned in preparation for applying
a three-part zinc/epoxy/urethane coating
system, providing protection well into the
bridges next century of service.
Fabrication of the SPS components,

which consist of two 38-in. steel plates
connected with perimeter bars and continuous fillet welds then filled with a liquid elastomer that quickly solidifies.
upgrading of existing connections. Additionally, it might overload the piers, abutments, and foundations. The design team
concluded that replacing the existing semi-lightweight concrete
deck with a lightweight steel deck would allow the dead load
savings to be applied to carrying additional live load and widening the sidewalks. Only steel offered viable lightweight deck
options: grating, orthotropic deck, or an innovative composite
steel plate and elastomer system called the Sandwich Plate System (SPS) developed by Intelligent Engineering (Canada) Ltd.
Grating was quickly eliminated as an option for the deck
because increased road noise would be detrimental to the nearby
Riverdale community. Orthotropic steel deck was judged a suitable option, but detailing would be challenging where the deck
had to clear the tops of the floor beams without raising the
grade line. There also were concerns about its susceptibility to
fatigue cracking. After considerable research, the design team
recommended the patented SPS solution, judging that SPS
technology offered the best combination of light weight, thin
profile, and ease of erection for the Dawson Bridge Rehabilitation project.
Innovation and Risk Control
The SPS composite steel plate and elastomer system was
originally developed by UK-based firm Intelligent Engineering
Ltd. for ship hulls and decks in the marine industry. Application
of this technology in the bridge industry began about a decade
ago. After its use on several bridges around the world, SPS technology is gradually gaining acceptance by bridge engineers.
SPS makes use of two relatively thin steel face plates connected by an injected thermosetting elastomer core. The final
product is a composite panel with high stiffness and strength,
but relatively low weight.
Deck panels are fabricated in the shop using conventional
steel fabrication techniques. First, solid perimeter bars are
welded along each edge of the bottom plate using a continuous
fillet weld. The top plate is then lowered onto the perimeter
42
bars and fillet welded all around forming a panel with a sealed
void. The liquid elastomer, which cures into solid form within
an hour, is injected through a port to form the core. For Dawson Bridge, the 38-in. steel face plates sandwich a 1-in. elastomer core, forming a composite deck panel with a total thickness
of only 13/4 in. These prefabricated panels are typically 6 ft, 1 in.
wide and 28 ft long.
Risk is inherent in the application of all new technologies
in all industries. Perceived risk and its associated liability often
dissuade engineers from trying innovations that might advance
the state of the art in their area of practice. Potential liability places a constriction on the pace of innovation that, in the
long run, is most often a disservice to society. Striking the right
balance between innovation and risk control is the key to success. Thus, when Dialog recommended SPSa relatively new
technologyto the City of Edmonton, that recommendation
came with the proviso that an intensive risk control program
must be implemented, especially because Dawson Bridge is an
important and expensive asset. As a progressive bridge owner,
the city welcomed that innovation and directed the design team
to proceed with SPS as the basis of design for the deck.
The risk control plan developed for the deck comprised six
key elements:
Extensive background research in the available literature;
Site visits by the design team to other bridges with SPS
decks, and interviews with the bridge authority managing
those structures;
Development of improved connection details in consultation with Intelligent Engineering;
Fatigue testing of full-scale sample connections in the
laboratory;
Enhanced quality control and quality assurance programs
during deck fabrication and erection; and,
Monitoring of deck performance over the lifetime of the bridge
as part of the Edmontons bridge maintenance program.
Dialog judged the most important aspect of the risk control
plan to be the development of new connection details between

adjacent SPS deck panels. Of the handful of bridges around the
world built using SPS technology, all have involved significant
field weldinga method that is costly and makes quality control
difficult. Risks associated with field welding include fit-up outof-tolerance, the potential for excessive heat input that might
debond the elastomer from the steel, and undesirable weld flaws
that might inadvertently result in premature fatigue cracking.
Taking to heart the golden rule shop weld and field bolt,
the Dialog design team developed unique bolted details for
connecting the SPS deck panels that completely eliminate the
need for field welding. Bolted connections drastically increase
speed of erection, significantly reduce cost, and improve fatigue
performance from Detail Category D (depending on the specifics of the weld geometry) to Detail Category B when using
slip-critical connections.
To connect adjacent SPS deck panels, a top splice plate is
fastened by a single row of countersunk pretensioned 3/4-in.
ASTM A325 bolts. Countersunk bolts provide a flat surface for
the finished deck, except for the thickness of the splice plate
itself. This surface, once grit blasted, is prepared to receive a
waterproof membrane and asphalt.
Longitudinal deck splices are designed to align with floor
stringers below. This arrangement enables the top flange of the
stringers to act as the bottom splice plate for the connection,
saving both weight and complexity. The new stringers chosen
W1850are larger than required for flexural strength but offer
a flange wide enough to accept a row of bolts on each side of the
web. At transverse deck joints, located away from floor beams to
avoid clashes, bolted splice plates are used both top and bottom.
In all cases enough bolts are used so that sealing requirements
are met and negative moments in the deck can be transferred
across the supporting stringers. This very simple approach to
connections makes the deck very easy to fabricate and simple
to erect. Using similar bolting details, the traffic barriers along
the length of the bridge are also bolted down through the deck
to the edge stringer.
Placement of one of the SPS 6 ft by 28 ft deck

pieces on the Dawson Bridge in august 2010.
Deck connection detail, showing a325 bolts countersunk into the top connection plate while the
beam flange serves as the lower connection plate.
Laboratory sample of a typical steel plate and elastomer connection detail for the Sandwich Plate System.
SPS deck construction sequence: a) Steel deck in
place; B) The surface is grit blasted; c) The steel is
covered with a waterproof membrane; D) The asphalt
wearing course is placed.
Also as part of the risk control plan, three small 1:1-scale

samples of the longitudinal bolted deck connection detail
were built and tested under fatigue loading at the University
of Alberta with the assistance of professor Gilbert Grondin,
P.Eng., Ph.D. Those tests demonstrated that the new connection detail can withstand fatigue loads nearly double in magnitude to those expected in actual in-service conditions.
Reaping the Benefits of Innovation
Because the composite steel deck panels could be fabricated
entirely in the shop and bolted quickly into position on the
bridge, erection of the deck was completed in only six weeks
during July and August 2010. This speed allowed the $17 million rehabilitation to be finished in only 12 months: the bridge
closed to traffic on January 4, 2010, and reopened on December
20, 2010. A traditional concrete deck would have extended the
project schedule to at least 18 months, added millions of dollars
of extra truss strengthening work, and caused numerous other
technical issues.
The Dawson Bridge project has successfully advanced the
state of the art in bridge technology and has achieved cost savings for the City of Edmonton, while allowing the rehabilitation work to be completed within a single construction season.
Today, Dawson Bridge is fully rehabilitated with the worlds
largest SPS deckthe only installation built entirely without
field weldingand it stands prepared to serve Edmontonians
for many generations to come.
Owner
city of Edmonton, alberta, canada
Structural Engineer
Dialog, Edmonton, alberta, canada
Steel Detailing
Empire Iron Works Ltd., Edmonton, alberta, canada
(NISD member)
General Contractor
concreate USL Ltd., crossfield, alberta, canada
43
This iconic bridge at St. Louis, still a vital link today,

marked the first steel crossing of the Mississippi River.
The Eads Bridge:
a revolution in Bridge Building

By JIm TaLBoT
S te
ce
nt
ur
ionS
Steel centurionS
SPANNING 100 YEARS
our nations rich past was built on immovable

determination and innovation that found a
highly visible expression in the construction
of steel bridges. The Steel centurions series
offers a testament to notable accomplishments
of prior generations and celebrates the
durability and strength of steel by showcasing
bridges more than 100 years old that are still
in service today.
44
THE EaDS BRIDGE, named for its designer, chief construction engineer, and visionary champion James Buchanan Eads, officially opened
on July 4, 1874. Eads, a self-taught engineer, essentially willed the
bridge across the river, dealing with financing, legislative obstruction,
balking steel companies, and the opposing interests of ferryman, river
traffic, and rival Chicago. Along with the famous Gateway Arch nearby,
it stands as a primary civic symbol of St. Louis.
The Eads Bridge represents a masterpiece of engineering for its
time, notable for the following:
First major bridge to cross the Mississippi River
First to make extensive use of steel and span bracing
First with arch spans of 500 ft
First to use cantilevered construction, avoiding falsework that
would hinder river traffic
First in the U.S. to use the pneumatic caisson for deep underwater pier construction
The bridge connects St. Louis, on the Missouri side of the river,
with East St. Louis, Ill. With its construction, St. Louis hoped to continue its role as the gateway to the west. The burgeoning growth of
Chicago to the north jeopardized that role.
This mammoth project greatly advanced the science and art of
bridge design and construction. When completed, the bridge was the
longest arch bridge in the world with three spans of 502 ft, 520 ft, and
502 ft. Four massive stone piers anchored to bedrock support the spans.
The total bridge length with approaches stretches to 6,442 ft. The Eads
Bridge provides an 88-ft clearance to the river below.
Wikipedian Kbh3rd
The Eads Bridge across the mississippi river at St. Louis, 2009.
Perfecting the Steel alloy

The contract called for testing of every part with rigid
specifications regarding elastic limits and modulus of
elasticity, which at the time were unfamiliar terms to the
steelmakers and fabricators. Six months went by before
they fashioned a single cylindrical tube stave worth testing,
of which six were needed to form each arch tube. Eventually a rival steel firm, with the aid of a metallurgist imported
from Europe, found an acceptable formula that solved the
steel tube problem.
Vision Becomes Reality

Pier construction began in 1867, shortly after the Civil
War. The west pier was completed with a cofferdam,
despite massive difficulties. Workers had to cut through a
veritable junkyard of sunken steamboats and debris. For
the east pier, Eads switched to a pneumatic caisson, having observed its use on a smaller bridge project while traveling in Europe for health reasons. He greatly improved
the design of the caissons and while he was at it, invented
the sand pump to remove gravel, sand, and silt from them
to expedite progress. The east abutment reached a record
103 ft below mean water level. At these depths and air pressures, caisson disease, which was not well understood at the
time, overtook some of the workers, resulting in 14 deaths
and more than 100 cases of severe disability.
Once the piers were in place, early in 1871, Eads turned
his attention to the steel superstructure. Each of the three
arches consists of four tubular ribstwo on each side of the
bridgeconnected by steel bracing. The tube sections are
18 in. in diameter and 10 ft to 12 ft long. Couplings join the
straight tube sections at a slight angle to form the arch. Altogether the bridge has 1,036 tubes, 1,024 main braces, and
112 huge anchor bolts, plus tension rods, nuts and bolts.
The Eads Bridge was the first to use cantilevered construction,

avoiding falsework in the river.
Linda hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology
Jim Talbot is a freelance technical writer

living in Ambler, Pa.
45
.pmd
Consulting Services, Inc.
a Mississippi River Man

James Eads is one of historys most interesting engineers. his whole life
revolved around the mississippi river. This self-taught engineer initially made
his fortune in salvage, walking the river bottom under a diving bell to find
sunken ship cargoes.
Eads designed, built, and financed the iron-clad river gunboats that had
devastated confederate river fortifications and did much to ensure Union victories in the western campaigns of the civil War. Following that he managed
against all odds (with more government hindrance than help) to build the
bridge that today bears his name across the mississippi river.
Eads also fought for legislation and financed the building of narrow jetties at the mouth of the mississippi to open up commerce on the river. often
the channels through the delta were not deep enough for ships to pass, and
many would be stuck for long periods waiting to get in or out. With his jetty
design, the rivers velocity did the job of scouring and creating depth.
The anchor bolts that secured the iron

skewbacks to the piers, most of which were
steel, also proved troublesome. Each was
34 ft long and weighed more than 3,000 lb.
Initially, the testing machine was breaking 80% of them. Eads would not relax his
standards. By mid-summer the steelmakers

managed to make bolts that survived test
ing in sufficient quantities.
Much of 1872 was spent finding ways

to create the couplings that would join the
arch tubes. Few were surviving the testing
machines. Eventually trial and error plus
the greasing of palms solved this particular
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Closing the arches

By the spring of 1873 work began on
the cantilevered construction of the arches.
That was none too soon, as a loan of a half
million dollars from the House of Morgan
in London depended on the arches being
closed by September 19, 1873.Work crews
first erected temporary wooden towers atop
the piers. The towers supported cables to
hold the arch halves and bracing in place
as they crept in space towards each other
to meet in midstream between piers. The
cables themselves consisted of sections of
steel bars about 1 in. thick, 6 in. to 7 in.
wide, and 27 ft long.
Eads specified the arch tube lengths
slightly longer than the actual distance
required because the arches would compress once the cables were removed. Originally Eads figured the arches would lap
each other by about 21/4 in. But the estimate
of the steels modulus of elasticity proved
too low. Later he estimated the arch tubes
would lap by 31/4 in.
Eads wasnt worried. He had already

devised a solution to close the arches if
needed. His idea was to cut duplicates of
the final arch tubes in half, take 5 in. off
their length, and cut opposing screw
threads inside two ends. He would have
ready wrought iron plugs with corresponding screw threads on each end. These
extensible links would close the arches,
using the threads to adjust the distances as
needed. Steel bands would later cover the
exposed threads.
It turned out that this solution was necessary. Unseasonably hot weather offset the
action of cable jacking and 60 tons of ice to
shorten the final tubes sufficiently. Finally
giving up, the crews used Eads extensible
links to close the arches two days ahead of
the loan deadline.
When the bridge was finally completed,
Eads assembled 14 large locomotives, as
many as were available to him, to test the
structure ahead of the grand opening.
Their tenders filled with coal and water, the
locomotives crisscrossed the bridge several
times in various configurations. Designed
to carry 3,000 lbs per linear ft, the bridge
currently can carry 5,000.
The bridge opened to great fanfare on
July 4, 1874. In attendance were President
Ulysses S. Grant, who had been elected
shortly after the pier construction for the
bridge began, as well as governors, mayors, legislators, financiers, and more than
150,000 onlookers. A 14-mile parade, a fireworks display, and saluting guns on each side
of the river contributed to the festivities.
adapting to the Times
The bridge has two decks. The original
top deck carried horse-driven vehicles and
missouri history museum, St. Louis
offered two lanes for pedestrians. The bottom deck originally served passenger and
freight railroad traffic. Surprisingly, the
railroads boycotted the bridge for more
than a year after its opening. They preferred to continue the practice of unloading cargo, ferrying it across the river, and
reloading it on the other side.
The year 1974, 100 years after its opening, marked the bridges last regular train
service across the lower deck. In 1991
deterioration and lack of traffic completely
closed the bridge. But two years later Metro,
the St. Louis regions public transportation
agency, made use of the lower deck for its
light-rail system MetroLink. And spearheaded by the city and regional TrailNet
system, the widened upper deck reopened
on July 4, 2003 with four lanes for automobile traffic and a refurbished south lane for
walkers, runners, and cyclists.
Metro and the city of St. Louis currently share ownership of the bridge. The
city maintains the top deck and Metro
takes care of everything else. Reportedly,
MetroLink runs roughly 290 trains daily
across the bridge. Occasionally the top deck
of the Eads Bridge is closed to automobile
traffic while it serves as a site for festivals
and celebrations. A new nearby bridge over
the Mississippi will open in 2014, reducing automobile traffic demand. A design
competition underway has the Eads Bridge
playing an integral role in renewal of the
St. Louis Gateway Arch grounds.
Metro recently acquired funding from
the American Reinvestment and Recovery
Act of 2009 to completely rehabilitate the
bridge. The three-year project includes
replacing aging support steel, sand blasting and painting the entire superstructure,
and repairing the MetroLink track system.
MetroLink will maintain service in both
directions on one track while working on
the other. The tracks interlock, meaning
trains can cross from one to the other.
Now a National Historic Landmark and
tourist attraction, this iconic and beautiful
137-year-old bridge continues to arouse
the emotions and pride of the St. Louis
populace. Additionally it functions as an
effective intermodal form of transportation across the Mississippi River. The rehabilitation work under way will preserve this
engineering masterpiece for many years to
come. Its easy to imagine the Eads Bridge
celebrating 200 years of service as a significant connection between Americas east
and west. Hail to this Steel Centurion.
The Eads Bridge in the 1920s, offering trolley service on the top deck.
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NASCC: THE Steel CONFERENCE
Tips for Designing Constructable

Steel-Framed Buildings
By cLIFForD W. SchWINgEr, P.E.
Here are 26 ways engineers can enhance constructability by

keeping connections in mind as they make design decisions.
48
Do not prohibit one-sided connections such as single-
angle connections and single-plate shear connections.

These types of connections have been used successfully
for decades without problems.
Consider how connections will be designed and detailed
even when delegating connection design work to an engineer
working for the fabricator. Designers who consider how connections will be designed and detailed are more likely to configure their
framing in a manner that will allow for fabrication of constructable
and economical connections.
Frame beams to column webs and girders to column
flanges. Its easier to maneuver small beams between column
flanges than to maneuver larger girders into place. Girders with
large reactions can be connected to column flanges with double
angle connections. Beams with smaller reactions can be connected to column webs with single angle connections, although
this may result in trapped bolts.
Consider deeper columns for easier beam-to-column
web connections. Single- and double-angle connections can
be made to the webs of W10, W12 and W14 columns. Bolts
must be staggered in connection angles for connections to W10
and W12 column webs, but not for W14 columns. Again, beware
of trapped bolts.
Minimize the number of skewed connections. All fabricators can detail and fabricate skewed connections; however
skewed connections are more expensive than standard square
shear connections, primarily due to the need to shop weld
skewed plates or fabricate bent plate connections. Where columns are involved, consider column orientation. Square connections to columns are less complicated than skewed connections (see Figure 1). If given the choice between skewed
connections to the column web or to the column flange, opt for
the skewed connections to the flange.
Frame heavily-loaded members such as transfer girders to supporting members to permit square connections.
Connections with large reactions can be most economically
THE TERM CONSTRUCTaBILITY defines the ease with

which structures can be built. The more constructable a structure is, the more economical it will be. There are four principles
of constructability:
Simplicity = economy.
Least weight does not always equal least cost.
The fewer the number of pieces, the more economical
the design.
Efficient connection design = economical design.
Decisions made by engineers during design affect
constructability. Seemingly small changes in framing configurations, geometry and connection design requirements, can
significantly affect the cost of the structure, as can numerous
other variables.
There are usually several good solutions to design challenges.
There is, however, one common thread in the suggestions offered
belowthey all relate, in one way or another, to connections.
If designers think about connections during design, they will
enhance the constructability and economy of the steel-framed
structures they design. Here are some specific suggestions.
Show actual reactions, connection moments and member forces on the structural drawings and permit fabricators to design and detail their preferred connections. This
is the single most important thing engineers can do to enhance
constructability and reduce the cost of an already efficiently
framed steel structure. Designers should avoid globally specifying that all connections be full depth or referring to beam reaction tables that list one size fits all conservative reactions for
beams of specific depths. Likewise specifying that connections be
designed to support arbitrary percentages of beam uniform load
capacities for given spans is usually excessively conservative, but
on occasion can be the exact opposite and seriously understate
the required strength of a connection. The latter can occur when
heavy concentrated loads occur near the ends of spans.
Avoid mandating arbitrary connection design requirements more restrictive than those required by the building
code, AISC 360-05 or AISC 341-05. Much research has gone
into the development of safe and reliable structural steel connections and procedures for designing those connections. Here
are three examples.
Do not require all bolted connections to be designed and
detailed with slip-critical bolts, except where required by
AISC 360-05 or AISC 341-05.
Do not require that all bolt holes be standard sized holes.
Fabricators and erectors need adjustability to accommodate fabrication and erection tolerances.
Fig. 1: orient columns to minimize the number of skewed

connections.
Fig. 2: Square connections to columns are the most efficient; skewed connections to
columns are the most complex.
fabricated when the connections are square. If

heavy skewed connections to columns cannot be
avoided they preferably should be made to the
column flanges. Figure 2 illustrates a comparison
of three girder-to-column connections designed
for the same reaction. The square connection is
clearly the most efficient, and the skewed connection to the column web the most costly.
Avoid skewed columns in braced frames.
Do this at all costespecially when the diagonal braces would frame on a skew to the column web. Large reactions often occur at diagonal brace connections to columns. Figure 2
illustrates the inefficiency of having to design
skewed connections to columns. Strive to configure columns in braced frames so that bracing
connections are square to the columns.
Head off steeply skewed connections.
Steeply skewed connections can require large
beam copes and limit connection options, primarily due to difficulty installing field bolts to
the webs of the supported beams. When skew
angles are steep and reactions are large, consider heading off skewed members to simplify
connection geometry (see Figure 3).
Size columns to avoid the need for stiffener plates. Installation of column stiffener
plates at beam-to-column moment connections
adds cost and complexity. Connections to the
column web will become more complex due to
interference with the stiffeners. See Figure 4.
Configure framing so that no more than
one member frames to any one side of a
column. While computer software can easily
design framing with multiple members connecting to one side of a column, detailing and
fabricating connections for such conditions can
be difficult. The biggest challenge is usually
that of access for bolt installation.
Where skewed connections occur to HSS
columns, favor round over square or rectangular columns. All beam-to-pipe column connections are square connections, regardless of
the angle at which the beam frames.
Increase beam depth to avoid reinforcing
webs at large copes. Large copes at the ends
of beams can occur where high beams frame to
low girders or at steeply skewed connections
between beams and girders.
Configure braced frames with optimal
column orientations, brace geometry and
brace types. Orient columns square with diagonal bracing, preferably connecting bracing to
the column flanges. Configure diagonal braces
to have slope angles between 35 and 55.
Select appropriate brace types. Single
angle cross bracing is good for loads in tension
only; efficient bolted connections. Double angle
bracing using double shear bolts has very effi-
Fig. 3: head off steeply skewed beams.

Fig. 4: column stiffeners add complexity and cost.
Clifford Schwinger is quality assurance manager at The

Harman Group, Consulting Structural Engineers and
an AISC Professional Member. He has more than 30
years experience designing building structures and serves
on the AISC Manuals Committee. He can be reached at
cschwinger@harmangroup.com.
49
cient connections. HSS braces provide more

strength per lb than any other type of brace
but the connections are more involved.
W-shape braces can resist large axial loads,
but connections are also more involved.
Do not use a Seismic Response Coefficient greater than R=3 unless required
by code. Seismic Design Category B and
C structures in areas of low to moderate
seismicity are most economically designed
using R=3. The use of higher Seismic
Response Coefficients will impose additional and more stringent connection and
member design requirements.
Avoid arbitrarily specifying CJP
groove and all around fillet welds.
Requiring welds larger than those required
for strength is wasteful and inefficient.
Consider large fillet welds instead
of CJP groove welds. Backing bars, weld
access holes and bevel preparations are not
required when beam flanges are momentconnected with fillet welds.
Use 516-in. or less fillet welds when
possible. Fillet welds up to 516 in. can be
made with a single pass, so when given the
option of using a 3 8-in. fillet weld or using
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a longer 516-in. fillet weld, use the longer

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16-in. fillet weld.
Use AISC 360-05 Equation J2-5
when designing transversely loaded fillet welds. Equation J2-5 permits up to a
50% increase in weld strength for transversely loaded fillet welds.
Use beams with flanges wide enough
to accommodate bolts at bolted flange
plate moment connections. Generally
beam flanges must be at least 5 in. wide to
accommodate 3/4-in. diameter bolts, and 6
in. wide for 78-in. diameter bolts.
Coordinate beam web penetrations
and design reinforcing at web penetrations where required. Do not delegate
the design of reinforcing around beam web
penetrations under the guise that such reinforcing is part of connection design. Doing
so may lead to beam web penetrations slipping through the design process that are
too large to be efficiently and economically
reinforced.
Camber intelligently. Do not camber
beams less than 25 ft long, beams in braced
frames, beams with moment connections
at one or both ends, nor beams smaller
than W14. Do not specify camber ordinates less than 3/4 in. Anticipate that there
will be some loss of camber by the time the
beam is erected. Do not require that the
indicated beam cambers shall be the cambers measured after the framing is erected.
Doing so is contrary to the AISC Code of
Standard Practice. See the AISC website for
additional information regarding cambering.
Configure framing to minimize the
number of beams. The fewer the number
of beams, the fewer the number of pieces
to fabricate, ship and erect. Where bays
are rectangular, beams should be oriented
spanning in the long direction if doing so
reduces the number of beams. Likewise,
slabs-on-metal deck should be selected so
as to maximize the slab span in order to
reduce the number of beams. These recommendations not only reduce the number of beams, they have the added benefit
of putting more tributary floor area on the
beams which in turn permits a greater live
load reduction (when live load reduction
is permitted) leading to reduced steel tonnage. Larger tributary areas on beams also
can reduce vibration. Thicker floor slabs
increase the efficiency of composite beams.
Discuss preferred connection details
with fabricators. Most fabricators are more
than willing to share their thoughts with
regard to preferred connection details and
the economy of proposed framing schemes.
Engage in early, proactive communication with other consultants to avoid
inefficient framing configurations. This
will head off problems early in design when
coordination issues are easy to deal with.
Summary
Efficient connection design is the single
most significant element required in order
to enhance the constructability of steelframed building structures. Engineers who
consider connection issues during design
will improve the constructability and economy of their designs.
This article is an abbreviated preview of 50
Tips for Designing Constructable Steel-Framed
Builings which the author will present at
NASCC: The Steel Conference, scheduled for
May 11-14 in Pittsburgh. Learn more about
The Steel Conference at www.aisc.org/nascc.
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Corrosion Protection and

Connection Design
By JacINDa L. coLLINS, P.E., LEED ga, aND ThomaS J. SchLaFLy
Choosing which protection system to employ

affects how you should design the connections.
THERE aRE a NUMBER of methods that can be used to

protect structural steel from corrosive environments. As
they are evaluated, designers must consider that the choice
of corrosion protection system affects the best practices that
should be followed in designing and detailing the connections for that structure. The difficulty is that a good practice
for use with one system may cause problems if used with a
different system.
Understanding the fundamentals will help engineers and
detailers make the right choices in connection design and
detailing. Good choices lead to economical and effective
connections, while bad choices can lead to expensive connections that are ineffective in protecting against corrosion.
The following article provides a brief overview of considerations for connections as they relate to three popular corrosion protection systems.
The Basics
Good corrosion protection design involves the proper
selection of the protection system for the projects environment. Factors that impact this selection include the intended
service life of the structure, severity of environmental exposure, cost of both the initial application and future renewals,
owners preference, and compatibility of the various components comprising the corrosion protection system. However,
no method can overcome the effects of a design that does
not consider corrosion and eliminate the details that are
known to be troublesome.
Structural steel details that trap water and/or chemicals will suffer corrosion issues regardless of the corrosion
protection method employed. Care must be taken to detail
connections in corrosive environments to avoid crevices and
gaps where water and/or chemicals can collect. See Chapter
1.2 of Good Painting Practice, SSPC Painting Manual Vol. 1, for
more detailed information.
In addition, care must be taken by the designer to review
the specification of materials used in the connection. There
are instances where corrosive reactions can occur where two
dissimilar metals come in contact. The reactions can cause
corrosion or can increase the rate of corrosion for exposed
elements. Typically the structural steel materials listed in
Chapter A of the AISC Specification (ANSI/AISC 360-10)
will not have increased corrosion due to contact of the connection materials. Table 2-6 of the 13th Edition AISC Steel
Construction Manual contains an overview of the reactions of
dissimilar metals in contact, and gives guidance about which
combinations are the most suitable for structural steel. One
method for avoiding corrosion of dissimilar metals is to put
the contact surfaces of the dissimilar metals in a dry location
so electrolytes will not be present in the contact areas. More
information about the use of dissimilar metals is available
in the commentary of AWS D1.6, Structural Welding Code
Stainless Steel.
Structural steel used in interior applications usually does
not need corrosion protection but it may be painted for
other reasons, such as aesthetics. Extra precaution to prevent
crevices is not necessary in these controlledclimate conditions.
Jacinda L. Collins, P.E., LEED

GA is AISCs Mid-Atlantic
regional engineer. Thomas J.
Schlafly is director of research
for AISC, Chicago.
52
Coated SteelPainted
One of the most popular methods of protecting structural steel is painting the steel.
Connections using bolts in bearing may
have the faying surfaces for the connection
painted or unpainted prior to erection of the
steel. Typically the faying surfaces of connections assembled at the fabrication shop are
left unpainted to prevent the need to prepare
and paint the members and parts prior to
assembly. Bolted connections completed in
the field are often painted, eliminating the need to mask the
faying surface.
For slip-critical bolted connections the faying surfaces of
the connections may be clean mill scale or coated with a coating tested using Appendix A of the 2009 RCSC Specification for
Structural Joints Using High-Strength Bolts (the RCSC Specification). Connections assembled at the fabrication shop that
are required to be slip critical are rare; however, when they do
occur the fabricator typically will use clean mill scale to avoid
the cost of pre-blasting and pre-painting the members and
parts. Slip-critical connections assembled in the field often
are shipped with the faying surfaces painted with a primer.
The zinc-rich paints often used for structural steel primers
are typically qualified as Class B surfaces.
For welded connections of painted structural steel, the
designer must be aware of both quality and safety considerations. If welding occurs prior to painting the steel at the fabrication shop, this means ensuring that the weld area is properly
clear of slag and is clean of smoke residue from the welding
process prior to painting. Solvent cleaning is defined in the
standard SSPC-SP1 Solvent Cleaning and is a requirement
of any of the other common surface preparation standards.
When welding is to occur in the field, the connection may be
masked from primer and top coat painting of the members at
the fabrication shop, and the connection will be primed and
painted after welding is performed in the field.
Welding can be completed through some paint systems;
however, caution should be taken if this is to occur. Some
paints interfere with the welding process causing undesirable
results, and fumes from welding on some paints can be unsafe
for the welder. If welding is to be performed on a painted
surface, the procedure should be evaluated and the welder
should be protected as directed by a safety professional. A better practice is to remove the paint by grinding prior to welding. In this case the welder still needs appropriate respiratory
protection, and in both cases the joint will have to be touched
up with paint after the weld is complete.
Weathering Steel
The use of weathering steel is a popular outdoor corrosion protection method. With weathering steel, a protective
patina forms on the surface of the steel that prevents corrosion. Weathering steel works well in most environmental conditions. However, it is not as effective in areas of aggressive
chemistry, in tunnel like conditions (constant moisture in the
air), immersed water conditions (consistently wet), and routine salt environments (coastal conditions).
Jacinda collins
Coated Steel Galvanized

Galvanizing structural steel is another popular method
used to protect the steel. During the galvanizing process, the
steel is immersed in pickling acid, flux and finally in molten
zinc. Flux, acid, or water that is trapped in crevices or pockets
in the steel assembly will weep from the galvanized product
and can cause potentially dangerous pressure in the zinc bath.
ASTM A385 and similar literature available from the American Galvanizers Association (www.galvanizeit.org) give
guidance on how to avoid these problems. Common recommended procedures to avoid the build up of pressure are to
either seal the liquids out of crevices and pockets or provide
vent holes in the steel assembly to permit liquids to drain.
Seal welding will require variances from the provisions
in AWS D1.1 Structural Welding CodeSteel. Variances to
the welding provisions should be clear, understood, and
accepted prior to fabrication of the steel to prevent conflicts
during production. The article Use Caution When Specifying Seal Welds, by Duane Miller, provides good guidance
on the variances required for seal welding.
For bolted connections, whether bearing or slip-critical,

the elements are individually galvanized and then assembled.
The galvanizer will simply ensure that the bolt holes are not
blocked with excessive amounts of zinc. The faying surfaces of
galvanized slip-critical connections are then roughened prior
to assembly. Roughening is done with a hand wire brush that
leaves visible marks on the structural steel. Power wire brushing of the steel is not permitted by RCSC.
Unlike painted connections there is no common way
to mask the area where welding is to occur to ensure that
this area of is free of the zinc coating after galvanizing has
occurred. Therefore, if welding is to occur in the field, the
typical procedure is to galvanize the steel and remove the
zinc coating from the area of the weld in the field by grinding. Welding may occur over the zinc coating; however, care
should be taken to ensure cracking problems in the weld do
not occur and the welder is properly protected.
This photo provides an example of two popular corrosion

protection systemspainting and the use of weathering steel.
53
With weathering steel all of the

elements can be blasted to provide
an immediately consistent finish for
all of the components. Blasting is not
required if a period of inconsistent
color is acceptable early in the life of
the exposed structure. The weathering
steel will then continue to form the
patina and change color during and
after erection of the structure.
Fastener components for connections of weathering steel are designated
Type 3. Type 3 bolts, nuts, and washers
should be specified for weathering steel
bolted connections (e.g. ASTM A325
Type 3 bolt, with ASTM A563-C3 nut
and ASTM F436 Type 3 washer).
AWS D1.1 Clause 3.7.3 provides for
welds that have weathering characteristics or color matching. Alloy fillers are
also available that will provide weathering properties similar to the weathering
steel. Single-pass welds may not need the
alloy filler because intermixing of alloy
content from the base metal (weathering
steel) has been shown to sufficiently protect single-pass welds.
Resources
a number of resources are available not only for helping to select a corrosion protection
system, but also to determine the impacts of the scheme on the design and detailing of
the connections. The following were used in the creation of this article.
Specifications
aNSI/aISc 360-10, Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (available as a free

download at www.aisc.org/freepubs)
Publications
13th Edition aISc Steel Construction Manual,

(available for purchase at www.aisc.org/manual)
aISc Steel Design Guide 17, High-Strength

2009 Specification for Structural Joints BoltsA Primer for Structural Engineers (all
Using High-Strength Bolts (available as a aISc Steel Design guides are available as free
free download at www.boltcouncil.org) downloads for aISc members and for purchase by non-members at www.aisc.org/dg)
aWS D1.1/1.1m, 2010 Structural Welding CodeSteel (available for purchase aISc Steel Design Guide 21, Welded Conat www.awspubs.com)
nectionsA Primer for Engineers
Websites
aISc Steel Design Guide 23, Constructability

aISc Steel Solutions center: www.asic. of Structural Steel Buildings
org/ssc
Detailing for Steel Construction. 3rd Edition (availamerican galvanizers association: www. able for purchase at www.aisc.org/manual)
galvanizeit.org
Good Painting Practice, SSPc Painting
american Institute of Steel construction: Manual Volume 1 (available for purchase at
www.aisc.org
www.sspc.org)
american Welding Society: www.aws.org
The James F. Lincoln arc Welding Foundation: www.jflf.org
research council on Structural connections: www.boltcouncil.org
Selected ASTM Standards for Structural Steel

Fabrication (2011) (available for purchase at
www.aisc.org/astm)
Use caution When Specifying Seal
Welds, by Duane K. miller, Welding Innovation, Vol. XVI, No. 2, 1999 (available online
at www.jflf.org/papers)
MSC
54
aisC live
WEbinars 2011
ENHANCE YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Scooping up the CEUs.
Live Webinars
The Spring Live Webinar Schedule is underway! Visit www.aisc.org/webinars for more information.
April 14, 2011 High Strength Bolting: Geoff Kulak
June 9, 2011 Extended Shear Plate Connections: Larry Muir
sustainability
By Geoff WeisenBerGer, LeeD Ga, anD anGeLa r. stephens, LeeD ap-BD&c
Taking part in a green project means living up to certain green

expectationsand taking steps against potential green litigation.
WHAt doeS leed mean to you? Do you think of it as
a buzzword? Or a point system that rates buildings based
on their eco-friendly systems, materials and design and construction practices? Or maybe as that annoying thing thats
requiring me to do more paperwork?
Its true. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design, has certainly given fabricators,
producers, engineers and others in the steel supply chain
and in the construction world in generalmore to think
about in terms of tracking materials and answering questions about recycled content and location of recovery. And
as its use spreads and an increasing number of states and
municipalities mandate LEED certification, design and construction teams will have even more to think aboutin the
form of legal considerations.
As a matter of fact, the United States Green Building Council itself recently became the target of a class action lawsuit
in which the plaintiffHenry Gifford, a respected energy
efficiency expert and owner of Gifford Fuel Savingaccuses
USGBC of making misleading representations in the marketing promotion of their LEED product line. (USGBC is the
developer of the various incarnations of the LEED system.)
While its still unclear whether the suit will be successful or
even has any merit, what is clear is that USGBCs claims about
LEED buildings are being challenged from a legal standpoint.
Similarly, companies involved in LEED projectsor any projects with green goals or claimscould find themselves being
challenged as well when it comes to their role on a project.
Here is a list of 11 ways to minimize potential legal risks
relating to green projects. While some of these do not relate
directly to fabricators or engineers, they are important for

all members of the building team to be aware of.
1. Dont Promise More Than You Can Deliver. There
are many recognized benefits to sustainable design and construction such as energy and operational cost savings, healthier workspaces, increased worker productivity, increased tax
incentives, and financing incentives. However, make sure that
your marketing materials only promise what you can measurably deliver, and include clauses in your contracts that limit all
warranties to those expressly provided in the contract.
2. Dont Guarantee the Level of Certification. Likewise, do not guarantee the level of certification on any project unless required by law. In many cases, the determination
on whether a project achieves a certain level of certification
is regulated by a third party over which you have no control.
Instead of guaranteeing a certain level of certification, warrant that the work will be in accordance with the contract, the
plans and specifications, and accepted industry standards.
3. Identify the Participants, Their Roles, and Their
Responsibilities. On most sustainable construction projects, no one party is in control of obtaining all of the points
or goals. The parties must collaborate and work together
in order to obtain the projects goals, but most importantly
the parties must understand who is responsible for all of the
aspects of meeting the project goals. Additionally, owners
and contractors should select an experienced green building team and consider inserting clauses in their contracts
affirming that the contractor and/or subcontractor has read,
understands, and will comply with the LEED or green
requirements for the project.
4. Clarify the Standard of Care. There is
a lot of discussion over
whether architects and
engineers (and potentially
Geoff Weisenberger, LEED GA, is AISCs
LEED APs) are going to
director of industry sustainability. You can reach
be held to a heightened
him at weisenberger@aisc.org. Learn more
standard of care on susabout steel and sustainability at www.aisc.org/
tainable design and consustainability. Angela R. Stephens is an attorstruction projects. Dissatney with the Construction Law Service Group
isfied owners may argue
of law firm and AISC general counsel Stites &
that because certain Codes
Harbison, Louisville, Ky. You can reach her at
of Ethics require design
astephens@stites.com.
professionals to promote
56
sustainable buildings, they should be held to

a higher standard of care which ensures the
building is sustainable. In 2007, for example,
the AIA in its Standard Form of Agreement
between Owner and Architect, B101 (2007),
expressly identified the standard of care that
design professionals would adhere to in the
performance of the contract. It provides:
2.2 The Architect shall perform its services consistent with the professional skill
and care ordinarily provided by architects
practicing in the same or similar locality
under the same or similar circumstances.
The Architect shall perform its services as
expeditiously as is consistent with such professional skill and care and the orderly progress of the Project.
Similar language can be incorporated
into green construction contracts in an
effort to decrease the risk of being held to a
heightened standard of care.
5. Only Take Responsibility for
Delays You Can Control. On a sustainable
construction project, delays may arise from
lack of green material availability, the lack of
skilled workers in sustainable construction
technologies, longer durations to install new
materials and technologies, flushing out the
building, or the time to obtain certification.
The key is to only take responsibility for
delays that you can control.
6. Include a Mutual Waiver of Consequential Damages. Although many
construction contracts include mutual waivers of consequential damages, it is unclear
whether courts would consider lost tax
incentives and/or credits, decreased energy
savings, decreased water bill savings, green
grants, or future development rights consequential damages. To be certain that these
types of damages are deemed consequential
damages, and therefore, waived by the parties, they should be expressly included in the
clauses waiving consequential damages.
7. Insurance. In order to minimize the
level of exposure your company has on sustainable design and construction projects or
to know what exposure your company will
have, show your insurance agent a copy of the
contract before executing it, and talk with your
agent about what will be covered by insurance
in the event that the building fails to achieve
energy and operational cost savings, healthier
workspaces, increased productivity, tax incentives, and/or LEED Certification.
8. Dont Tie Payments to Achievement of Certification. The submission,
review, appeal, and award of credits may

take months or up to a year to be completed after substantial completion has
been reached. Therefore, dont tie payments to the achievement of a certain level
of certification.
9. LEED Rating System Appeals. Be
familiar with the LEED Rating System
Appeals process and timing established by
the Green Building Certification Institute.
Updates can be found on the GBCI website
(www.gbci.org). The current appeals policy
provides for two levels of appeal for decisions
on program requirements, prerequisites,
credits, or Credit Interpretation Requests:
First Level Appeal, and Final Level Appeal.
10. Include a Notice and Opportunity to Cure. Sustainable design and construction projects tend to use new materials
and technologies that do not have a proven
track record of performance. This may
lead to long-term maintenance and performance issues. Specify who will bear the
responsibility for maintenance of building
components, and who will bear the risk if
a manufacturer goes out of business or the

component malfunctions.
11. Evaluate the Need for Additional
Insurance for Green Projects. Owners, design professionals, and contractors
should make sure that they have adequate
insurance coverage in place to cover any
potential risks. However, insurance companies are still evaluating whether special
coverage is needed on sustainable design
and construction projects; currently, only
a few companies offer specialized coverage
for green projects.
These points and others will be covered in the session Legal Pitfalls of Green
Design and Construction at the Sustainable Steel portion of the upcoming
NASCC: The Steel Conference in Pittsburgh on May 12, 2011. To register for and
find out more about the conference, visit
www.aisc.org/nascc.
57
quality corner
Painting the Way to a new Horizon

By Dan Kaufman
As AISC and SSPC support a new, single standard,

what does that mean for the industry and you?
tHe SuBJeCt oF tHiS ColuMn should not come as
a shock or surprise to those familiar with the American
Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) or The Society for
Protective Coatings (SSPC). These two associations have
a long history of working together for common causes.
One example of this is the AISC Certification Programs
paint initiative.
Prior to 2005, the AISC certification program used
a checklist developed by SSPC as the criteria to certify
fabricators to the paint endorsements of P1, P2, and P3. In
addition, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between
AISC and SSPC stated that the P1, P2, and P3 endorsements
were equivalent to the SSPC QP3 Certification, for the shop
application of paint to structural steel. During this time AISC
also began a long-term plan of transitioning our certification
category criteria from checklist-based to standard-based, and
in 2005, the paint checklist was replaced by the Sophisticated
Painting Endorsement for Structural Steel Building Structures,
Bridges, and Bridge and Highway Metal Components. During that
transition period, AISC and SSPC continued to work toward
a joint standard that would be adopted by both associations.
While the path took a few twists and turns, the consensus development of a joint painting standard was completed
in 2010, and was followed by a new MOU signed by the
presidents of AISC and SSPC in July 2010. The new paint
standard, the Certification Standard for Shop Application of
Complex Protective Coating Systems, will become mandatory
for both AISC and SSPC certification participants on Janu-
Dan Kaufman is the AISC director

of certification programs and handles
issues affecting the existing certification program, including integrity of the
administrative process, and application of
the approved criteria. He can be reached
at kaufman@aisc.org or by phone at
312.670.7523.
ary 1, 2012. The new standard can be found under Documents at www.aisc.org/certupdates.
The scope of the new standard covers the coating quality
management system of a shop providing surface preparation and application of complex protective coating systems.
The certification includes all functions and responsibilities
that apply to surface preparation and coating application
in a shop environment for new steel or for steel which has
been previously coated, blast cleaned, and is now free of
any hazardous paint when it arrives at that shop. This standard does not include any in-field applications nor does it
guarantee the quality of the facilitys work. The reader can
review the full scope in Section 2 of the standard.
Significant changes from the previous paint standard,
Sophisticated Painting Endorsement for Structural Steel Building Structures, Bridges, and Bridge and Highway Metal Components, that are reflected in the new joint standard are
shown in Table 1. Minor editorial and grammar changes
are not included.
June 1, 2011, will begin a six-month transition period
during which program participants will be audited to both
standards. Participants will be responsible only for the criteria of the current standard, but the auditor will inform
the auditee of changes or possible non-conformances that
will take effect with the new joint standard (effective on
January 1, 2012).
The new joint standard becomes a benchmark for the
steel fabrication and coating application industries, and it
allows two well-respected associations to use the same criteria within their respective certification programs. In addition, it assists specifiers by eliminating the need to choose
between two standards. As both associations continue to
work toward common goals, additional advances are sure
to continue for the industrys overall benefit.
If you have commentspositive or negative about
the joint paint standard, please visit www.aisc.org/certfeedback and let us know what you think. If you have
questions about AISC Certification in general, were here
to answer them. Certification Programs can be reached at
certinfo@aisc.org.
Quality Corner is a monthly feature that covers topics ranging from how to specify a certified company to how long it takes to
become a certified company. if you are interested in browsing our electronic archive, please visit www.aisc.org/QualityCorner.
58
Section
number
description of requirements
Change
choosing not to paint during adverse environmental

conditions as a control option
prohibition removed for enclosed category
Definition of a complex coating system
added to clarify the scope of usage
management review meeting
added to document improvements in quality management
5.3.3
process equipment descriptions
added to clarify the tools required
5.3.4
inspection, measuring and test equipment descriptions
added to help define product quality measurements
5.4.5
20 ft demonstration piece for audit
20 ft restriction removed to reduce material waste
contract reviewconflicts to go to the owner or owners

representative for review
added to clarify the process
8.6
Documentation of customers requirements
revised to help provide a better record
10.4
records of suppliers evaluations
added to improve the painters records
11.2
coating materials storage environmental controls
added to reduce paint degradation during storage
5.2
12.2.1
Documentation of conditions during painting
revised to provide evidence of care
15
use of paint with expired shelf life
considered a non-conformance
16
corrective action procedure
revised to document solutions to quality problems
table 1: elements of the new joint aisc-sspc paint standard with significant changes.
safety issues
new Perspectives
on Accident/incident investigation
By Larry WiLson
Surprisingly enough, most people cant even count the number of

close calls theyve had that could have killed them.
MoSt ACCident/inCident investigations tend to
look at the injury or incident from an external perspective.
In other words, somebody else investigates the incident or
injury, instead of the person who was hurt doing the investigation himself. Obviously, in the case of a very serious injury
or fatality, this makes perfect sense.
But in other cases where the person wasnt seriously injured, it is still much more common for someone else to investigate it. Why? Some obvious explanations come to mind:
We want it to be impartial, we want it to be fair, only highly
trained and skilled individuals are competent and so on.
However, if the purpose of doing the investigation is not
to lay blame (at least, thats what everybody says) but only to
prevent the same thing from happening again, why is it that
the highly trained, skilled and competent people who investigate accidentsin some cases hundreds of accidents
dont do it for themselves when they get hurt?
For example, years ago I went to a seminar on accident/incident investigation put on by one of the safest companies in the
world. The seminar instructor, whovestigated many injuries
and incidents in his career before he became a seminar leader,
had a fresh gash the size of a nickel on the top of his head. Because he didnt have much hair, it was very noticeable.
At a coffee break, I asked him what happened. He said, I
know, I know its so embarrassing I was doing some wiring
in my basement and I just stood up too quickly.
What did you hit? I asked.
Just a wooden joist, he said.
Was there a nail sticking out of it or a really sharp edge?
I asked.
No, he said, I just forgot where I was and stood up
without even thinking about the lower ceiling.
So, what are you going to do to prevent something like
that from happening again? I asked.
Ill just have to be more careful, he said. Try to pay
more attention to where I am next time.
Ironically, Tell the employee to be more careful and pay
more attention next time was not part of the seminar.
Even more ironic, at least in my opinion, are safety professionals and consultants who have never used the word careless on an accident/incident investigation, yet they have told
their children hundreds of times to be careful. They know
that blaming the worker for being careless is useless. Yet, for the
people they love the most, theyve repeatedly said, be careful.
I once asked a group of corporate safety directors at a
60
major forest products company if they knew how to do root

cause accident investigation. As you can imagine, every one
of them put up their hand.
How many of you have taught it? I asked. Again, almost
everybody put up a hand. But then I asked, How many of
you have slammed a finger in a car door somewhere along
the line? About half of them put up their hands (which will
happen with almost any group of people). So, how many of
you did a root cause accident investigation? I asked. Not
too surprisingly, no one put up a hand. Why not? I asked.
One guy looked at me and said, Why would I do that? It
was just a stupid mistake.
With any luck at all, Try not to make any more stupid
mistakes has not been one of his recommendations when
he was investigating workplace injuries.
But seriously, why is it so much different when were investigating injuries that happen to other people? Why do
we give ourselves different recommendations than we give
others? If we think the process is so valuable, why dont we
do it for ourselves?
For a Moment, Forget the traditional Approach
Perhaps its because we dont have the right model to
work from. Perhaps its because were not listening to ourselves. Perhaps its because we accepted the teachings of
those gone by too literally. Or perhaps its because were not
looking at accident/incident causation from as many perspectives as we should.
Lets go back to the very basic building blocks: In order
to have an incident you must have some form of hazardous
energy and something unplanned or unexpected has to happen. In order to have an injury, you must have some hazardous energy, something unplanned or unexpected has to
happen, and this hazardous energy has to come in contact
with a person or the person has to contact it.
The perspective or focus traditionally has been on the
source of the hazardous energy and keeping that hazardous
energy from contacting the person through engineering
controls, rules, procedures and personal protective equipment. However, as everyone knows, there are limits to what
you can achieve with these measures.
That is not to say that the efficiency of these safeguards
should be understated or overlooked. Obviously, if you
can eliminate the hazard you dont minimize the risk, you
eliminate it.
But perhaps it would be more illuminating, at least in this

day and age, to look at the source of something unexpected
happening. Think about itthere are only three sources
of unexpected: Either you do something unexpectedly, the
other guy does something unexpectedly, or the equipment
youre operating does something unexpectedly. It will be
one of those three or a combination thereofunless of
course, its an act of God.
This is where the problems come in when someone else
does the investigation. Its impossible for the external investigator to know exactly what was going on, or not going on, in
the persons head at the instant the injury occurred. So we have
to rely on what the injured person tells us. Few people deliberately try to incriminate themselves, so they might not tell us
they werent thinking about what they were doing at that moment. If you accept what they say at face value, then it might
especially after dozens of investigationsdistort your perspective on how people really do get hurt, especially in terms of
short-term or acute injuries.
But you, as the injured person, know what was going on,
or not going on, in your own head at that moment. Instead
of thinking about how other people have been hurt, for the
following exercise, just think about how youve been hurt.
Building Your Personal risk Pyramid
How many serious or major injuries have you experienced so far this lifetime? How many broken bones, torn
ligaments, burns, etc., have you had? Most people between
30 and 50have experienced between one and five major
injuries, if they add them all up, including on the job, off the
job, driving their cars and sports (excluding contact sports).
How about minor injuriessuch as stitches, sprains and
significant muscle strains? How many of those have you
experienced? Again, most people between 30 and 50 have
experienced between five and 10 of these types of injuries.
Heres where the fun begins. If you drop down one
more level on the old risk pyramid, how many cuts, bruises
and scrapes have you experienced so far this lifetime? The
most common answer is lots. But when you ask people
(and Ive asked only about 45,000 people these questions,
so Im not saying its conclusive) if lots is hundreds or
thousands and if they think about their first 20 years or if
you get them to think of their own children they quickly
conclude that lots is thousands (including many they
cant even remember from early childhood).
And yet the most significant category of all is at the bottom of the pyramid. How many close calls have you experienced? How many times have you had to hit the brakes
quickly to avoid hitting another car, truck or pedestrian?
How many times have you had to jerk the steering wheel to
avoid hitting another vehicle? How many times do you think
you have almost fallen but managed to regain your balance
without actually falling? Most people, myself included, cant
even remember the number of times theyve fallen, let alone
almost fallen. What about all the times when the other guy
had to hit the brake for you, or jerk the steering wheel really
quickly to avoid hitting you?
Thus it is impossible for anyone to accurately count the

number of close calls theyve had in total. But surprisingly
enough, most people cant even count the number of close calls
theyve had that could have killed them. This is especially true if
you get them to think about the number of times theyve fallen
asleep or almost fallen asleep while driving. Its estimated that
between 13% and 20% of all fatal car crashes are caused by
people falling asleep at the wheel.
If you get people to look at their own personal risk pyramid
it looks something like Figure 2 (on the following page), which
means that most, if not all of us, have experienced more injuries
and significant close calls than the number of injury/ incident investigations that we ever will do. And to a certain extent, its more
reliable data because we know what we were thinking about or
not thinking about at those moments when we got hurt.
Now, after building your own personal risk pyramid, ask
yourself, What was the source of the unexpected? in each of
those injuries. You probably will find that for more than 90% of
your own injuries, the unexpected thing that entered the equation wasnt the equipment or the other guy.
Which area is left? More than 90% of serious injuries have
their root cause in the self area.
In other words, with the exception of a very small percentage of injuries, people hurt themselves. Its not the equipment
or the other guy. We do something ourselves, unexpectedly, to
cause the injury. And these percentages hold true, no matter
whether youre on the job, off the job or driving your car.
Pay Attention to All the Factors
So, where does that leave us? Should we just tell other
people the same things we tell our children? Youve got to be
more careful. No. That is old methodology and it doesnt work.
What we need to do is get them to realize how all of the factors
involved in an incident or accident are important (not just what
they told us in the investigation).
For instance, were you rushing or frustrated or overly
tired? Had you become so complacent with the job, task or
hazards that you werent thinking of the risk at the exact moment you got hurt?
Did any of these states or human factors cause you to make
a mistake or a critical error, such as eyes not on task, mind not
on task, moving into or being in the line-of-fire, or somehow
losing your balance, traction or grip?
Larry Wilson manages the health and

safety team at Electrolab Training Systems, Belleville, Ontario, Canada. He
is the author of SafeStart, an advanced
safety awareness training program, and
a frequent speaker at health and safety
conferences. He can be reached through
www.safestart-safetrack.com.
61
fataL
minor
inJuries (15)
minor
inJuries (510)
cuts, Bruises, scrapes
(510,000)
cLose caLLs
Fig. 2: the common personal risk pyramid.
More than 90% of all injuries anywhereon the job, off the
job, or on the roadare caused by these state-to-error risk patterns (see Figure 3).
Once you have explained the mechanics of how people get hurt,
then its easy enough to explain what can be done and what they can
do for themselves besides try to be more careful.
First of all, you can teach them to realize that when theyre
rushing, frustrated, tired or complacent, theyll be much more
likely to make one of the four critical errors.
If they can recognize when theyre in a rush or frustrated or tired, and then think about eyes on task, mind
on task, line-of-fire and balance, traction or grip, thats
usually enough to keep from making one of those errors. In other words, self-trigger on the state before you
make the error.
Finally, teach them to do this same analysis for themselves

even when its a very minor bump, bruise, cut or scrape, or even
when it was just a close call. That way, they can learn from all
of their mishaps, not just the serious ones. After all, all of us
have been hurt thousands of times. If we could just learn a bit
from each one, instead of writing it off as just another stupid
mistake, we all would be a lot better off.
But dont just say, even to your kids, Try to be more alert
or Try to pay more attention next time, or (get this) Try to
be more cognizant of your situational awareness next time. You
might as well say, Try to be more careful. Instead, teach them
what they really need to do to prevent the next injury:
1. Trigger on the state so you dont make the error.
2. Work on improving your habits.
3. Observe others for the state-to-error risk patterns that
increase the risk of injury (Once you see them, youll see
them everywhere.).
4. Analyze close calls and small errors. Learn from them, and you
probably wont have to agonize over the big ones.
Putting Safer Behaviors in Place

So when youre doing accident/incident investigations,
see if you can get your employees to tell you what mental
state they might have been in when the accidental injury
occurred. If they were rushing, frustrated or tired, talk to
them about the self-triggering technique. If they were
complacent, see if they can work on their habits so that
when their mind goes off task, they will have a safe behavior occurring automatically.
You might even want to let them know how valuable
observing others for these state-to-error risk patterns
can be. (Every time you do this, it automatically makes
you more aware of your own safety and helps you fight
the complacency factor creeping up on you.)
StAteS
rushing
frustration
fatigue
complacency
(cause)
errorS
eyes not on task

mind not on task
Line-of-fire
Balance/traction/grip
Fig. 3: state-to-error risk patterns.
62
(which cause)
This article was originally published in the January 2003 issue of Occupational Safety & Health, 1105 Media Inc., www.ohsonline.
com. It is reprinted with permission.
learning From experience

since this article was originally published, thousands of
work sites in more than 40 countries have trained their employees on these concepts and critical error reduction techniques to prevent injuries.
Because many safety professionals spend a lot of their
time with accident/incident investigations, and for the most
part their hearts are in the right place, they see no potential
harm in enhancing their accident/incident investigations
with these concepts. Going over the states and errors that
may have been involved, and discussing what critical error
reduction techniques might help to prevent similar injuries
in the future, seem like movements in the right direction.
however, experience has shown the importance of covering basic concepts with employees first, before moving into
self-evaluation mode. they must receive proper training before you can ask them to reflect on how to move their personal performance to a higher level of awareness.
leSS riSK
(to become)
maJor
minor
More riSK
maJor
to become
minor
cLose caLLs
cLose caLLs
hazards
hazards with
a critical error
new products
Each month Mscs product section features items from all areas of the steel construction
industry. in general, these products have been introduced within the past six months. if youre looking for a specific product,
visit mscs online product directory at www.modernsteel.com/products. you can browse by product category or search on
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high-performance Fastener coating
Zncoat technology from nof metal coatings north america inc. and curtis
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For more information, visit www.zncoat.com or call 586.939.2850.
steel Building design software
fastrak steel building design software from csc provides the

flexibility needed for the variety of project types and delivery
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design, documentation and Bim interoperability for both simple
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For more information, go to www.cscworld.com, call 877.710.2053,
or visit booth 1237 at the 2011 nASCC: the Steel Conference.
all products submitted are considered for publication, and we encourage submittals related to all segments of the steel industry: engineering, detailing, fabrication, and erection. submit product information via email to tom Klemens (klemens@modernsteel.com). to be included in MSCs online
products directory, contact Louis Gurthet (gurthet@modernsteel.com).
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people to know
engineer by day, Musician by night
After more than 20 years, picking up his horn again brought
some welcome balance back into the life of Curtis T-Bone Mayes.
iF You HAVe tAKen in any live big band music in the
Northern Colorado area in recent years, you may have been

listening to the velvet tones of Curtis Mayes, P.E. The director of pre-construction and engineering for Loveland, Colo.based AISC member LPR Construction Company, Mayes
also plays lead trombone with the Colorado Swing Big Band.
Operating out of Fort Collins, Colo., the Colorado Swing
Big Band specializes in the music of Duke Ellington, Count
Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Cole
Porter and many others. Formed in 2004 by electrical engineer Kip Scholl, the classic 18-piece big band includes a director, five saxophones, four trombones and four trumpets, piano,
bass, drums and vocalist. For smaller venues, they perform as
a 10-piece ensemble. At the peak of its activity, in 2007, the
group played about 30 gigs in northern Colorado.
That was a really busy year, Mayes said. It was great to be
playing again, but the combination of that many gigs in addition
to practice time, work and family was a real challenge.
Mayes took up the trombone as a junior-high student in
Lubbock, Texas. Why the trombone? Apparently I had a
long enough arm when I was in seventh grade, Mayes said,
and the decision turned out to be a good one. He played in
the high school band and continued his musical involvement
when he entered Texas Tech University.
At the university, Mayes started out playing in the marching band, concert band, and the jazz ensemble, which he says
was way too much extracurricular activity for a serious civil
engineering major. Gradually he dropped the marching and
concert bands, but stuck with the jazz ensemble for his entire
four years at Texas Tech.
As a newly graduated civil engineer, Mayes moved to Dallas/
Fort Worth and signed on with Derr Construction Co., where
he started his own family and spent the next two decades
in the steel erection business. In 2001, Mayes joined LPR
Construction and relocated his family to Colorado.
With Mayes arrival, the company began to assert its
expertise in considerably more challenging steel erection
projects. LPR Construction had originally been started
at the new marlins Ballpark

in miami, Lpr is using a
system mayes developed
to launch multiple roof
trusses erected on the same
falsework towers. Learn more
at http://bit.ly/e380uP.
in the late 1970s by three

friends from Indiana
Larry, Pete and Rockywho
moved to Colorado with the
dream of building houses.
As sometimes happens, the
timing wasnt quite right for that product. But the company
founders adapted, applying their construction and management expertise to commercial construction work, ultimately
growing the firm into its present form.
Meanwhile, as the Mayes two boys, Ryan and Matthew,
neared graduation, he and his wife, Ann, looked forward to
the coming change of pace. Ann returned to school to pursue a masters degree in counseling and Curtis dusted off his
long-dormant King 3B trombone.
These days Mayes rehearses with the band twice a month
at the Elks Club in Fort Collins, routinely making a beeline
straight from work to rehearsals in a self-imposed dash. But
after rehearsal, I come back home with a smile on my face
and a mellowness its as if I dont have a care in the world.
The group already has a handful of gigs on its 2011 calendar,
and for Mayes, those are good things to look forward to.
You know what happens to your stress level when you go
on vacation? he asks rhetorically. Being in the band is a lot
like that. When I look back at my life, playing the trombone
has always been like going on vacation for me. No matter if
I was a student in high school or college, or today as a professional engineer, if stress is in my life and I meet up with a
group of musicians, the stress just melts away as I start to play.
I think Im going to live a lot longer because I injected
music back into my life. When I look back at
those 20 years I wasnt playing, I was just a bit out
of balance. The missing piece was the music. Jazz
is really good medicine for me.
You can read more about the Colorado Swing Big
Band and hear sample tracks from their 2010 CD
Colorado Swing at www.coloradoswing.com.
curtis mayes plays with the colorado swing
Big Band. he also serves on the rcsc Bolt
council and the aisc Quality control chapter
task committee.
66
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