Recent News In Structural Steel Design

Steel Connection Design
30 Good Rules for Connection Design, Modern Steel Construction, May 2004, discusses principles of economical steel connection design. Some examples:

• Limit the number of bolt diameters used (to reduce errors in fabrication or the field).
• Avoid different grade bolts with the same diameter.
• Avoid overhead welding.
• Limit maximum fillet weld size to 5/16-inch (the maximum size that can be completed in a single pass). Longer, smaller thickness welds are preferred over shorter, thicker welds.

For structural designers and others interested in gaining a better appreciation of steel connection design friendly to fabricators and erectors, this article is a good reference.

Architectural Exposed Structural Steel
Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel, Modern Steel Construction, May 2003, discusses guidelines for the design and specification of exposed steel structure. This lengthy article includes extensive sample specification language, commentary, color photographs, and detailed cost data. This article is recommended reading for architects and specifiers concerned with this type of construction.

The information contained in this article is also available on the American Institute of Steel Construction web site's AESS Guide Specification page. This information has also appeared as a continuing eductation series article in the 06.04 issue of Architecture Record magazine.

Propriety Steel Connection for Seismic Load Conditions
SOM receives patent for novel seismic structural joint, Building Design & Construction, describes a new structural steel joint system designed and patented by architecture/engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The "Pin-Fuse" joint is a hinged connection that remains rigid under moderate structural loads. However under extreme seismic load conditions, the joint may rotate while dissapating the dynamic energy of the seismic forces. According to the article, the Pin-Fuse joint can be used with either steel or concrete structural frames, and should allow reduced structural frame member sizes in comparison to alternative design strategies for such extreme loadings. (At the time of this writing, this article could be viewed online here.)

More Info
For more on the fundamentals of steel connection details, see pages 386 - 395 in the textbook.