Modern

STEEL CONSTRUCTION

August 2017
 Engineer, Detail & Fabricate
with Tekla Software
SIGN A UMEN BRICATE
DE DET IL OC T FA ER ECT
D

Tekla Software: Truly Constructible

Creating a truly constructible model enables the Engineers, Detailers, and
correct level of detail at every stage of a project. Fabricators are using Truly
From Construction Documents to Shop Drawings, Constructible models to improve
any deliverable is possible with a Tekla model. their efficiency and profitability
Link analysis & design Learn more at:
Produce documentation
tek.la/trulyconstructible
Pass information downstream
Fabricate from accurate CNC Files

TRANSFORMING THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS

 August 2017

features
27 What’s Cool in Steel
Once again, it’s time for our annual
compendium of fun projects showcasing
steel. This year’s Cool List takes us deep
into history, deep into a volcano and deep
into the woods.

49 Hot Products
Hot Products are here! A look at innovative,
productivity-enhancing offerings from
the exhibit hall at the 2017 NASCC:
The Steel Conference.

57 On to Oregon!
BY GEOFF WEISENBERGER
Oregon State University welcomed
43 bridge teams to the unusually sunny
Pacific Northwest as the host of this year’s
National Student Steel Bridge Competition.

columns
specwise
17 Sheer Improvement
to Shear Design
BY BRAD DAVIS, SE, PHD
A look at member shear strength in the
2016 AISC Specification.

business
23 Best Practices for
Preparing Fee Proposals
BY ANNE SCARLETT
Finally, you receive a long-anticipated RFP!
Don’t let all your prep work go to waste by
submitting a lackluster fee proposal.

in every issue
departments
6 EDITOR’S NOTE
9 STEEL INTERCHANGE
12 STEEL QUIZ
62 NEWS
66 STRUCTURALLY SOUND

resources
65 MARKETPLACE & EMPLOYMENT
27
ON THE COVER:
Reflecting on the Phoenix Zoo’s new administration building, p. 44. (Photo: David Schacher)

MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION (Volume 57, Number 8) ISSN (print) 0026-8445: ISSN (online) 1945-0737. Published monthly by the American Institute of
Steel Construction (AISC), 130 E Randolph Street, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60601. Subscriptions: Within the U.S.—single issues $6.00; 1 year, $44. Outside the
U.S. (Canada and Mexico)—single issues $9.00; 1 year $88. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send
address changes to MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION, 130 E Randolph Street, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60601.
DISCLAIMER: 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 Modern Steel logos are registered trademarks of AISC. Printed on paper made
from a minimum of
4 AUGUST 2017 10% recycled content.
 “ For everyday projects,
try VisualAnalysis.
”

Structural Software
Easy. Versatile. Productive.
VisualAnalysis is powered by engineers like you, for accurate
design of steel projects both large and small. Model entire frames and
trusses in multiple materials using VisualAnalysis.

800.707.0816
www.iesweb.com info@iesweb.com
 editor’s note
Editorial Offices
130 E Randolph Street, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60601
312.670.2400
Editorial Contacts
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
Scott Melnick
312.670.8314
melnick@modernsteel.com
SENIOR EDITOR
Geoff Weisenberger
312.670.8316
weisenberger@modernsteel.com
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Tasha Weiss
312.670.5439
weiss@modernsteel.com
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS
Keith A. Grubb, SE, PE
312.670.8318
IN THIS AGE OF ALTERNATE FACTS, IT SHOULDN’T SURPRISE ME TO READ SOME grubb@modernsteel.com
OF THE WIDELY PROMULGATED MYTHS ABOUT CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Erika Salisbury
So while I’m not surprised, I’m still ➤ Does the environmental impact 312.670.5427
disappointed, especially when journalists analysis include the waste material salisbury@modernsteel.com
GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER
don’t make even a cursory check using left after harvest? Kristin Hall
widely available information. My favorite ➤ Does the analysis include the disposal 312.670.8313
hall@modernsteel.com
myth, and one I see constantly repeated of the wood (typically incineration)?
almost every time an article about tall wood ➤ Does it take into account both pre- AISC Officers
CHAIR
buildings is written, is that cross-laminated and post-consumer waste and the James G. Thompson
timber (CLT) is as strong as steel. But it impacts related to the disposal of VICE CHAIR
turns out that a spruce-pine-fir CLT panel that material? David Zalesne
has a tensile strength of 1,375 psi in the If you really want to cut through the myths SECRETARY/GENERAL COUNSEL
David B. Ratterman
major strength axis (parallel to grain) about wood and sustainability, check out PRESIDENT
and even less in the minor strength axis AISC’s white paper at www.aisc.org/discover. Charles J. Carter, SE, PE, PhD
(perpendicular to grain). By comparison, Perhaps the most tragic myth being SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Scott Melnick
today’s structural steel typically has a promulgated is that wood doesn’t burn,
VICE PRESIDENT
minimum tensile strength of 50,000 psi. it chars. (Think about that the next time John Cross, PE
And from there, the myths just keep you’re roasting marshmallows over a VICE PRESIDENT
multiplying. I often read that the Empire State campfire.) But even if you accept the Anne-Marie Eischen
Building could be built with CLT. Of course charring myth, you still need to think VICE PRESIDENT
Lawrence F. Kruth, PE
it could, but there wouldn’t be any leasable about how you extinguish the fire and how VICE PRESIDENT
space and the cost would be colossal. much water is needed to completely put it Tabitha S. Stine, SE, PE
Or there’s the myth that wood is far out. You also need to consider long-term VICE PRESIDENT
Mark W. Trimble, PE
more sustainable than other structural impacts of mold and the long-term odor of
VICE PRESIDENT/
materials. But many of the environmental burnt wood. And you need to consider how NSBA MANAGING DIRECTOR
claims of wood products neglect to consider to reinforce the building to make up for the Danielle D. Kleinhans, PE, PhD
the real world and instead appeal to change in structural capacity after charring. Editorial Advisory Panel
people’s emotions. Some of the questions There are some rational reasons for Caroline R. Bennett, PE, PhD,
University of Kansas
that you should be asking include: considering wood, but they apply more Keith R. Griesing, PE,
➤ What species of wood is used? to meeting a specific aesthetic—through Hardesty and Hanover
➤ If looking at manufactured products finishes, flooring and accents—than to Steve Knitter, Geiger and Peters
such as CLT, is the impact of the structure. So the next time you read a Janice Mochizuki, PE, Arup
additional chemicals considered? bubbly endorsement of the future of Dylan Olson, Olson Steel
➤ Is the wood harvested from wood construction, make sure you Advertising Contact
ACCOUNT MANAGER
sustainable forests (which comprise examine those claims with a healthy dose Louis Gurthet
less than 7% of U.S. forests)? of skepticism. 231.228.2274
➤ Is the wood from old or young trees? gurthet@modernsteel.com

Address Changes and

Subscription Concerns
312.670.5444
SCOTT MELNICK subscriptions@aisc.org
EDITOR Reprints
Erika Salisbury
312.670.5427
salisbury@modernsteel.com
6 AUGUST 2017
 O F
C E
E N
E R
I F F
E D
TH

Software that
CONNECTS.
“Design Data, and the implementation of SDS/2,
has bolstered Delta Structural Steel Services’ ability
to elevate the quality of product that we offer our clientele.
Prior to SDS/2, Delta was using another popular CAD program
of which we were becoming increasingly disappointed. Our initial
investment in SDS/2 began with two seats, and we have since grown
to 17. Because of their outstanding product development and impeccable
customer service, we feel Design Data has helped make Delta Structural Steel
Services the multi-million dollar business we are today.”

Paul Hemenway CM-BIM

Estimating/Production Manager, Delta Structural Steel Services

1501 Old Cheney Rd., Lincoln, NE 68512 // 1-800-443-0782 // sds2.com

 If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why?” about something
related to structural steel design or construction,
Modern Steel’s monthly Steel Interchange is for you!
Send your questions or comments to solutions@aisc.org.
Steel Headed Stud Anchors Welded to
Bent Plate
We have conditions where ¾-in.-diameter steel headed
stud anchors cannot be placed directly on the beam flange
and instead must be attached to bent edge plate that is in
turn welded to the beam. I have two questions: 1.) If we
weld the ¼-in. bent edge plate adequately to the trans-
fer the shear force from the stud to the top flange of the
beam, can the shear studs be attached to the edge plate
rather than the beam flange? 2.) What is the required
shear force that needs to be transferred from the plate to
the beam flange?
This does not seem like an optimal condition. Generally, the
bent plate should be held back from the centerline so that the
steel headed stud anchors can be attached directly to the beam
flange. However, I will provide some guidance related to the
condition you have described.
I think a rational argument could be made that the flow of
internal forces for the approach you are proposing—welding
the headed studs to the bent plate—is not significantly differ-
ent than what occurs with a built-up steel shape that is used
for composite construction.
So, to answer your first question, I believe conceptually that
it should be acceptable to attach a steel headed stud anchor to
a plate that is then attached to the beam. However, there are
restrictions in the Specification (Section I8.1) on the relation-
ship between the stud diameter and thickness of connected
element and a ¾-in.-diameter stud on a ¼-in.-thick plate would
not adhere to these provisions. I8.1 states that the headed stud
diameter shall not be greater than 2.5 times the thickness of the
base metal the stud is attached to, which would limit you to a
stud diameter of no more than 5∕8 in. in your case.
Your second question about the shear force that needs to
be transferred is going to depend on your specific member
forces and beam design. Essentially, you would need to trans-
fer the same amount of force that is being transferred from
your studs to the concrete. You should be able to extract this
information from your design/analysis and, in addition to
using it for sizing your plate welds, use it to determine the
size and spacing of a smaller diameter stud that doesn’t vio-
late the provision noted above.
Susan Burmeister, PE
Eccentricity in Combined Axial and Shear
Beam End Reaction
When both axial and vertical beam end reactions coex-
ist at single-plate connections configured similar to the
single-plate shear connections shown in Part 10 of the
AISC Steel Construction Manual, must the out-of-plane
eccentricity between the center of the single-plate con-
steel
interchange
nection and the center of the beam web be considered in
the design of the single-plate connection?
I know little about your particular conditions, so you must use
your own judgment to determine what is appropriate for your
situation. However, I will provide some thoughts.
Even though your condition may not be designed to
satisfy the AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings
(ANSI/AISC 341), the AISC Seismic Design Manual has several
examples which provide some guidance, including Examples
5.2.4, 5.3.12 and 8.4.2, for single-plate connections subjected
to axial loads (both publications are available at www.aisc.org/
publications). The example calculations do not consider the
eccentricity between the plate and the beam web. I’m not aware of
any other practical design-oriented publications on this topic, but I
provided further information below to help with your decision.
Based on my research on bracing connections, for connec-
tions subjected to compression I believe the continuity at the
plate-to-beam connection is the primary variable affecting the
eccentric moment in the plate. The eccentricity between the
plate and the beam web causes a moment that must be resisted
somewhere within the connection. In many situations, the beam
will be much stronger and stiffer than the connection plate. In
these cases, the moment in the plate can be neglected, but the
local strength of the beam web must be adequate to properly
transfer the moment into the beam flanges. You may also want
to review the research by Thomas (2014), who tested extended
single plate connections in compression.
For connections subjected to tension, self-alignment
decreases the eccentricity. I recall some older tests have shown
this. It is also discussed in the commentary to Section D3 of
the Specification. The magnitude of the eccentricity reduc-
tion is probably dependent on the connection geometry, the
boundary conditions, the ductility of the welds and the level
of continuity at the plate-to-beam connection. An estimate of
the elastic eccentricity reduction is 1/(1 + Pr /Pe), where Pr is
the axial tension load and Pe is the Euler elastic flexural buck-
ling load of an equivalent plate in compression. This estimate
would likely be very conservative to use in design because it
does not account for inelastic deformations.
Reference:
Thomas, K. (2014), Design and Behavior of Extended
Shear Tabs under Combined Loads, Master’s Thesis,
University of Alberta.
Bo Dowswell, PE, PhD
Specifying Welds to Develop the Strength of
the Base Metal
I am an engineer who has to specify weld requirements
on design documents. I have a number of questions about
complete joint penetration (CJP) groove weld symbols.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 9
 steel interchange
1. If the contract documents provide a weld symbol
with no throat specified, should a CJP groove weld
be provided by default?
2. Where the strength of the connected parts must be
developed, should the engineer always indicate CJP in
the tail?
3. AWS D1.1 Clause 2.2.5.3 states: “Contract documents
do not need to show groove type or groove dimensions...
The welding symbol without dimension and without
CJP in the tail designates a weld that will develop the
adjacent base metal in tension and shear...” Is it true that
only a CJP groove weld will “develop the adjacent base
metal in tension and shear?”
4. Must the engineer specify welds using the symbols
shown for prequalified welds table 8-2 of the
Manual, including backer bars, etc.?
5. My understanding is that it is the contractor’s
responsibility to determine the best type of groove
weld even if I specify the use of backing and a par-
ticular joint preparation. Is this correct?
I have addressed your questions below:
1. No. Clause 2.3.5.3 of AWS D1.1:2015 states that: A
weld symbol without dimension and without CJP in the
tail designates a weld that will develop the adjacent base
metal strength in tension and shear; a weld symbol with-
out dimension and with CJP in the tail designates a CJP
groove weld; and a partial joint penetration (PJP) groove
weld must specify the required effective throat.
2. No. If your goal is to simply develop the adjacent base
metal strength in tension and shear, then it may be better
not to put CJP in the tail. It is often possible and more
economical to develop the strength of the base metal
using a fillet weld or a PJP groove weld with fillet weld
reinforcement. There may be some conditions (most likely
related to fatigue or seismic) where it is important to have
a CJP groove weld as opposed to the other alternatives.
For optimal economy, a CJP groove weld should only be
designated when a CJP groove weld is required for the
performance of the structure.
3. No. As stated above, it is often possible and more econom-
ical to develop the strength of the base metal using a fillet
weld or a PJP groove weld with fillet weld reinforcement.
4. No. AWS D1.1 recognizes that structural engineers
often have limited experience related to welding. It also
recognizes that fabrication practices vary based on fabri-
cator preference and equipment. Clause 2.2.5.3 is written
so that the engineer would not have to specify details
that are not critical to the performance of the structure.
Allowing the contractor to make these decisions will
likely lead to a more economical structure.
5. No. Weld symbols must conform to the AWS require-
ments. Providing unnecessary information can cause as
much confusion as not providing necessary information.
It is interesting that your expectation is that the welder
will disregard some portion of your instructions. This is not
10 AUGUST 2017
consistent with the intent of AWS and illustrates the sorts of
problems that can be caused by improperly specifying welds.
The fabricator is left asking, “Which parts of your instructions
did you want to be followed and which did you not?”
For more on groove welds from a guru of the welding
world (Duane Miller) visit www.aisc.org/2017nascconline
and view the recording of the 2017 NASCC: The Steel Con-
ference presentation “More Welding Questions Answered.”
Larry S. Muir, PE
Using Rubber Mats for Vibration and Sound
Can rubber mats be used in corridors to reduce the
effects of vibrations and sound due to walking?
Rubber mats may be effective in reducing sounds but not
structural vibrations.
The newly updated AISC Design Guide 11: Vibrations of
Steel-Framed Structural Systems Due to Human Activity, 2nd
Edition (available at www.aisc.org/dg), states: “Carpeting,
rubber mats and the like do not reduce the footfall forces
transmitted to the structural floor appreciably and thus are not
useful for reduction of walking-induced vibrations. Accord-
ing to Galbraith and Barton (1970), who studied the effect of
shoe and surface hardness, the variation from test-to-test using
the same footwear and surface was as great as the variability
between tests with different footwear and surface.”
However, Design Guide 30: Sound Isolation and Noise Control in
Steel Buildings (www.aisc.org/dg) states: “Resilient floor under-
layments are very effective for improving footfall noise isolation
of floating floor assemblies such as engineered wood, laminate
and vinyl floor products. This improvement extends to lower
frequencies for thicker underlayments.” It also states: “Resilient
underlayment products include recycled rubber mats, entangled
wire mesh products typically used under gypsum concrete, foam,
felt, fiberglass and cork. For naildown wood flooring, resilient
floor systems with built-in wood nailers are available.”
Larry S. Muir, PE
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.
Larry Muir is director of technical assistance at AISC. Susan Burmeister and Bo Dowswell
are consultants to AISC.
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 AISC’s Steel Solutions Center:
866.ASK.AISC • solutions@aisc.org
Greiner introduces a brand new 40,000
square foot facility dedicated to Metalizing.

Metalizing an 80-foot long x

6-foot deep girder.

Metalizing can provide corrosion protection

to steel for decades longer than paint alone.

We’re committed to leading the way with this alternative

coating process for structural steel and piping.

• 40,000 square foot, environmentally compliant facility

• Strict adherence to Joint Standard SSPC-CS 23.00 /
AWS C2.23M / NACE No. 12 Specification • Structural Steel Fabrication
• Steel Plate & Sheet Metal
• 70-ton overhead crane system Fabrication
• Dedicated blast booth for metalizing only • Miscellaneous Metals
• Machining
• Four operators can be metalizing at the same time
• Rolling & Forming Services
• Cutting Services
• Industrial Coatings
• Industrial & Electrical Contracting
Call us at 800-782-2110 for a free quote on your
• Crane Rental & Trucking Services
next metalizing project. • Heat-Bending Services
greinerindustries.com (AISC Certified for Major Steel
Bridge Fabrication)
 This month’s Steel Quiz is all about the AISC Steel Construction Manual,
steel 15th Ed., available this month at www.aisc.org/publications.

quiz (It’s also all about the True or False question format.)
Many thanks to Lutfur R. Khandaker, PE, and Raunac A. Khandaker of KBK Structural Design, LLC,
who contributed this month’s questions and answers.

1 True or False: The Manual requires that Table 14-2 must be
used for maximum anchor-rod holes sizes for base plates.
2 True or False: The effects of mill, fabrication and erection
tolerances all must be considered in the design and
construction of structural steel buildings.
3 True or False: The accumulation of the mill tolerances
and fabrication tolerances shall not cause the erection
tolerances to be exceeded.
4 True or False: Per Section 3.1.2 of the AISC Code of
Standard Practice for Steel Buildings and Bridges (ANSI/
AISC 303-16, available at www.aisc.org/standards)
there are three commonly accepted methods for
establishing criteria for connections.
5 True or False: The induced residual stresses due to
typical cambering and curving of structural steel
members do not affect the available strength since the
effect of residual stresses is considered in the provisions of
the AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/
AISC 360-16, available at www.aisc.org/standards).
6 True or False: The mechanical properties of steels are
largely unaffected by heating operations described in the
Manual under the section titled “Hot Bending.”
7 True or False: The inelastic deformations required in
common cold bending operations, such as for beam
cambering, normally fall well short of the strain-hardening
range.
8 True or False: All column base plates must be designed
and fabricated with a minimum of four anchor rods, per
the Specification.
9 True or False: The Manual includes both LRFD and ASD
approaches for the design of structural steel members
and connections.
10 True or False: For LRFD and ASD, the loads and load
combinations shall be those stipulated in ASCE 7.
TURN TO PAGE 14 FOR ANSWERS

T R A I N I N G ÷ F I E L D S U P P O R T ÷ T E C H N I C A L E X P E R T I S E

DuraSquirt DTIs ®

Bolt with confidence.

÷ Self-Marking
÷ Weatherproof
÷ Inspection on Your Schedule
÷ No Feeler Gage Required
Call for details

appliedbolting.com
1 800 552 1999 ÷ 1 802 460 3100 info@appliedbolting.com

12 AUGUST 2017
 ®

www.LindapterUSA.com

Fast HSS connections

without welding
or field drilling Hollo-Bolt
®

Project: Wilshire Grand Center, Los Angeles, USA

Hollo-Bolt was specified due to its high tensile and shear load
capacities as well as its ICC-ES approval for all seismic design
categories (A to F). Lindapter’s innovative connection eliminated
the need for external bolted plates and labor intensive welding
at this impressive downtown LA structure.
ICC
 Save time: Lindapter can design the connection
 Specify confidently: ICC-ES and LARR approved
 Safeguard the structure: strong and reliable Seismic Approved

 Delight the architect: barely visible connection

 Reduce project costs: efficient design and build

Save time and money on your next project using Lindapter’s innovative steel connections:

866 566-2658 inquiries@LindapterUSA.com www.LindapterUSA.com

 steel quiz ANSWERS

1 False. (Trick question!) Unlike the Specification,
which contains requirements, the Manual provides
recommendations. Even the title of Table 14-2
indicates that the values provided in the table are
“Recommended.” Refer to Table 14-2 on page 14-21 of
the Manual.
2 True. Refer to the section on tolerances on page 2-31 of
the Manual.
3 True. This is stated in Section 7.12 of the Code.
Additional information is also provided on page 2-31 of
the Manual.
4 True. In addition to Section 3.1.2 of the Code, more
discussion on this topic can be found on page 2-27 of
the Manual.
5 True. Additional information is provided on page 2-34 of
the Manual.
6 True. Refer to the section on hot bending on page 2-35
of the Manual.
7 True. Refer to the section on cold bending on page 2-35
of the Manual.
8 False. This is required per OSHA regulations. See Section
1926.755(a)(1) of the 29 CFR Standards for Steel Erection.
Note that posts (which weigh less than 300 lb.) are
excluded from the four-anchor-rod requirement. OSHA
requirements are summarized on page 2-6 of the Manual.
9 True. As indicated on page 2-9 of the Manual, the
“two approaches are equally valid for any structure for
which the Specification is applicable” and there is “no
preference stated or implied in the Specification.” Refer
to page 2-9 of the Manual for additional information.
10 Mostly true. Section B2 of the Specification states that
loads and load combinations shall be those stipulated
in ASCE 7 in the absence of a building code. As stated
in the discussion provided on page 2-11 of the Manual,
loads, load factors and load combinations are “usually
based on ASCE 7, which may be used when there is no
applicable building code.”
Everyone is welcome to submit questions and answers for Steel Quiz. If you
are interested in submitting one question or an entire quiz, contact AISC’s
Steel Solutions Center at 866.ASK.AISC or at solutions@aisc.org.

RFEM 5 Powerful, Intuitive & Easy

Structural Analysis
& Design Software

Steel Concrete Timber

Aluminum Tanks CLT
Glass Piping Cables
LACKNER + RAML Ziviltechniker – GmbH
© www.lackner-raml.at

DOWNLOAD JOIN US
Kauffman Center for
the Performing Arts
Kansas City, MI, USA
FREE TRIAL September 21-23, 2017 Dlubal Software, Inc.
© www.novumstructures.com
IABSE 2017 Philadelphia, PA
Vancouver, BC Canada (267) 702-2815
info-us@dlubal.com
October 12-13, 2017 www.dlubal.com
2017 NCSEA Summit
www.dlubal.com Washington D.C.

14 AUGUST 2017
 3$,//,'5(029(5
:,7+385&+$6(

5LJLG3RO\HWK\OHQH.HJ

'RQRWDFFHSWPHWDOFRQWDLQHUVZLWKSODVWLFOLGV
%ROWV1XWVDQG:DVKHUVDUHHQJLQHHUHGWRZRUNWRJHWKHU
7KHSDFNDJLQJFRQWDLQHUVDQGOLGVVKRXOGEHDVZHOO
6SHFLI\WKDWDOO\RXUEROWVEHSDFNHGLQ V

^ƚ͘>ŽƵŝƐ^ĐƌĞǁΘŽůƚ
ϮϬϬϬĐĐĞƐƐůǀĚ
^dZhdhZ>K>d^ DĂĚŝƐŽŶ͕/>ϲϮϬϲϬ
E,KZK>d^ WŚŽŶĞ͗ϴϬϬͲϮϯϳͲϳϬϱϵ
&Ădž͗ϯϭϰͲϯϴϵͲϳϱϭϬ
t>^dh^ ƐĂůĞƐΛƐƚůŽƵŝƐƐĐƌĞǁďŽůƚ͘ĐŽŵ
ǁǁǁ͘ƐƚůŽƵŝƐƐĐƌĞǁďŽůƚ͘ĐŽŵ
NOW EVEN FASTER
AT SAVING TIME AND MONEY
FOR ALL STEEL FABRICATORS
WORLD LEADING STEEL FABRICATION
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SOFTWARE,
USED WORLDWIDE TO REDUCE COSTS
WHILE MAXIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY
AND INCREASING PROFITABILITY.

STRUMIS V10.2 HAS BEEN RELEASED,

CONTAINING EXCITING OPTIMIZATIONS
SPANNING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.

10% DISCOUNT USING CODE STRUMISMSC

COME SEE THE STRUMIS FEATURES THAT OTHER

PROVIDERS ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT.
OTHERS PROMISE; WE DELIVER.

THE FUTURE OF STEEL FABRICATION.

Stay connected to STRUMIS: SALES@STRUMIS.COM | 610-280-9840 | WWW.STRUMIS.COM

SOFTWARE BY STRUMIS LLC. PART OF THE GLOBAL RDS GROUP

A look at member shear strength
in the 2016 AISC Specification.
CHAPTER G of the 2016 AISC Specification for Structural
Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360-16)—Design of Members for
Shear—has seen significant improvements thanks to research
conducted over the last decade.
The improvements specifically pertain to built-up I-shaped
members with webs that are thin enough to undergo shear
buckling. Such members are used as columns and rafters in
metal building systems and as transfer girders and other heavy
members in conventional buildings.
Web shear buckling.
Thanks to the inclusion of post-buckling strength, the web
shear strength of unstiffened built-up I-shapes with moderate
to high web slenderness is much higher in the 2016 Specification.
Additionally, the shear strength provisions for stiffened webs
have been improved by including an equation that applies to
members with small flanges, thus eliminating two of the ap-
plicability limits from previous specifications. Finally, shear
stiffener design provisions have been consolidated and clarified.
Strength of Webs without Tension Field Action
Let’s take a closer look at some of the changes in the 2016
Specification. Section G2.1, Shear Strength of Webs without
Tension Field Action, can be applied to any web panel, regard-
less of stiffener spacing, flange size and whether or not the
panel is at the end of the member. Note that this section does
include post-buckling strength, but not through the traditional
tension field action. It is the go-to section for unstiffened mem-
bers such as metal building system moment frame rafters, plate
specwise
SHEER
IMPROVEMENT
TO SHEAR
DESIGN
BY BRAD DAVIS, SE, PHD
girders without closely-spaced shear stiffeners and end panels
in plate girders with closely spaced stiffeners.
This section is significantly different from the 2010 Specifi-
cation, which is based on the paper Strength of Plate Girders in
Shear by Basler (1961). In Basler’s model, web panels without
fairly closely spaced transverse stiffeners have no post-buckling
strength. However, this assumption is very conservative for
webs with moderate to high web slenderness, h/tw.
The Swedish researcher, Höglund, developed the Rotated
Stress Field Theory, which predicts significant post-buckling
strength regardless of the presence of stiffeners. His 1997 paper
is the basis of the shear strength equations in Eurocode 3 (CEN,
2006). Lee et al. (2008) also developed a method that includes
post-buckling strength for members with widely-spaced stiffeners.
During MBMA- (Metal Buildings Manufacturers Associa-
tion) and AISC-sponsored research, Daley et al. (2017) inves-
tigated the accuracy and feasibility of various shear strength
prediction methods and determined that the simple equations
in Höglund (1997) provided the best combination of accuracy,
slight conservatism (allowing φ = 0.9 to match most other parts
of Chapter G), consistency and simplicity.
They converted Höglund’s equations to the familiar prod-
uct of the shear yield strength and web shear strength coef-
ficient, Cv , and made slight adjustments, resulting in the 2016
Specification Section G2.1(b) provisions. The shear strength of
members with low h/tw is the shear yield strength. For mem-
bers with moderate to high h/tw , it is the buckling plus post-
buckling strength. The main equations are repeated on the
next page.
Brad Davis (dbraddavis@uky.edu)
is an associate professor in the
Civil Engineering Department
at the University of Kentucky in
Lexington.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 17
 specwise
Vn = 0.6FytwdCv1
where
Cv1 = 1.0 if h/tw ≤ 1.1√kvE/Fyw
1.1√kvE/Fyw
Cv1 = if h/tw > 1.1√kvE/Fyw
h/tw
The web shear strength coefficient has been named Cv1 to
distinguish it from the traditional Basler-based Cv, called Cv2
in the 2016 Specification, that is used in the rest of Chapter G.
Figure 1, a summary of comparisons of measured and pre-
dicted shear strengths, indicates that the 2016 method is much
more accurate than the 2010 method.
Figure 2 is a comparison of 2010 and 2016 web shear
strength coefficients for Fy = 50 ksi. It indicates that the meth-
ods provide equal strengths at low h/tw , so the strength of stan-
dard hot-rolled shapes is unchanged. Daley et al. (2017) did not
include shapes with low h/tw , so no change was justified for
those. Note that the 2016 Specification also retains the special
case with φ = 1.0 that applies to almost all hot-rolled shapes.
The plot also indicates that the strength of webs with moderate
to high h/tw is much higher in the 2016 Specification.
Strength of Webs with Tension Field Action
As the name indicates, Section G2.2, Shear Strength of In-
terior Web Panels with a/h ≤ 3 Considering Tension Field Ac-
tion, applies to interior panels of members with closely-spaced
stiffeners. Section G2.2 is a substantial improvement, in that
it provides an equation for members with small flanges, thus
eliminating two of the 2010 Specification Section G3.1 limits.
The shear strength of members with low h/tw is the shear
yield strength. For moderate-to-high h/tw , it is the buckling
strength plus the post-buckling strength provided by tension
field action. By this model, the web is subjected to pure shear
until shear buckling occurs. After that, the compressive stress
component is constant while the tensile stress component
➤
Figure 1: Accuracy of Predictions – 2010 Specification Buckling
Strength vs 2016 Specification Post-Buckling Strength
6
2010
2016
5 Cv (2010),
Meas. / Pred. Strength
4
3 0.6
2 0.4
1 0.2
0 0
60 100 140 180 220
h/tw
18 AUGUST 2017
(Spec. Eq. G2-1) increases to resist additional applied shear until the ultimate
strength is attained. The net vertical stress and web out-of-
(Spec. Eq. G2-3) plane displacement would cause the flanges to move toward
each other if not for the presence of the vertical stiffeners that
(Spec. Eq. G2-4) restrain out-of-plane displacement of the web in their vicinities.
The resulting behavior is similar to that of a Pratt truss, with
tensile stresses in the web between the stiffeners and compres-
sive stresses in the web near the stiffeners.
Note that Höglund (1997) also provides equations for
additional post-buckling strength (above the post-buckling
strength utilized in Section G2.1) due to the presence of
closely-spaced stiffeners. Considering that Höglund’s re-
search is the basis of Section G2.1, it seems reasonable to use
his approach in Section G2.2 also. However, by his method,
additional shear strength is achieved through flange bend-
ing, which is a huge departure from traditional AISC shear
strength calculation methods. White and Barker (2008)
showed that Höglund’s method was not more accurate than
Basler’s for stiffened members. For these reasons, Section
G2.2 is based on Basler’s methods.
The strength of members with typical flange-web propor-
tions is computed using Equation G2-7, repeated below, which
is the full tension field action strength. The coefficient, Cv2 , is
identical to Cv in the 2010 Specification, and is plotted in Figure 2.
[ ]
1 – Cv2
Vn = 0.6Fywtwd Cv2 + (Spec. Eq. G2-7)
1.15√1+(a/h)2
In the 2010 Specification, tension field action was disallowed
for members with large web-to-flange area and width ratios
(Notes G3.1(c) and (d)). In the 2016 Specification Section G2.2,
the slightly reduced tension field action strength in Equation
2-8, repeated below, is used for members with larger ratios.
Equation 2-8 sometimes predicts lower strengths than the
Höglund-based equations in Section G2.1. In such cases, the
shear strength is the maximum of the two values.
➤
Figure 2: Comparison of Web Shear Coefficients
1 Cv1 (2016) (post-buckling)
Web Shear Strength Coefficient
Cv2 (2016) (buckling)
0.8
260 300 0 50 100 150 200 250
h/tw
 specwise

The bracketed parts of Equations G2-7 and G2-8 are plotted in Figure 3: Comparison of Equations G2-7 and G2-8
Figure 3 for a/h = 3 and Fy = 50 ksi.

Vn = 0.6Fywtwd Cv2 + [ 1 – Cv2

1.15[ a/h +√1+(a/h)2 ] ] (Spec. Eq. G2-8) 1
Eq. G2-7
Eq. G2-8
White and Barker (2008) studied the accuracy of various strength 0.8
prediction model from the literature. Boxplots of the measured-to-

Vn/(0.6Fytwd)
predicted ratios are presented in Figure 4. The left-most entry is for
0.6
the Basler method and the shear buckling coefficient from the 2010
and 2016 versions of the Specification. The Basler model performs
better than most of the methods and approximately as well as the 0.4
best performing ones.
0.2

Figure 4: Accuracy of Predictions for Stiffened Panels 0

(White and Barker, 2008) 0 50 100 150 200 250
h/tw
2.90, 2.90,
2.69 2.69
2.2

2
Extreme
Outlier (typ.) Outlier (typ.)
1.8

1.6
Vtest/Vn

1.4

see Note
1.2
Q3
1 Q2
Q1
0.8

see Note
0.6
Basler
(kVincent)

Basler
(kLee)

Cardiff
(kLee)

Cardiff
(kss)

Lee & Yoo

(kLee, Rd ≤ 1)

Lee & Yoo

(kLee, Rd = 1)

Davies and Griffith

(kss)

Davies and Griffith

(kLee)

Höglund
(kss)

Höglund
(kLee)

Höglund – SSRC
(kss)

Ajam & March

(kss)

Transverse Stiffener Design ➤ The 2016 Specification consolidates all shear stiffener
The 2010 Specification Section G2.2 provided stiffener de- design criteria into Section G2.3.
sign criteria for webs designed on the basis of buckling. This ➤ Local buckling is evaluated using Equation G2-12.
section requires that the stiffener moment of inertia be suf- The limit is identical to the Table B4.1a Case 1 limit for
ficient to develop the web shear strength computed without flanges of I-shapes and similar unstiffened elements.
tension field action. Section G3.3 provided criteria for webs ➤ The stiffener moment of inertia required to develop the
designed on the basis of tension field action. It requires that member required shear, Vr , is linearly interpolated be-
the width-to-thickness ratio not exceed a limiting value and tween: (i) Ist2 , the moment of inertia required to develop
that the moment of inertia be sufficient to develop the required the buckling strength, Vc2 ; and (ii) Ist1, the moment of
shear force. Here are a few changes: inertia required to develop the post-buckling strength,

20 AUGUST 2017
 Vc1, from Section G2.1 or G2.2.
This is illustrated in Figure 5.
➤ The 2016 Specification clarifies that
the interpolation is performed sepa-
rately for the panels on both sides of
the stiffener.
Ist1
Stiffener Moment of Inertia
➤ Höglund, T. (1997). “Shear Buckling ➤ White, D.W. and Barker, M.G.
Resistance of Steel and Aluminum (2008). “Shear Resistance of
Plate Girders.” Thin-Walled Transversely Stiffened Steel
Structures, 29(1-4), 13-30. I-Girders.” Journal of Structural
➤ Lee, S. C., Lee, D. S., and Yoo, C. H. Engineering, 134(9), 1425-1436.
(2008). “Ultimate Shear Strength
of Long Web Panels.” Journal of
Constructional Steel Research, 64(12),
1357-1365.

Required

Ist2

Vc2 Vr Vc1
Shear
Figure 5:
Stiffener Required Moment of Inertia

Shear Strength of Angles and

Other Members
The remaining sections, covering an-
gles, tees, HSS and other members, are
essentially identical to those in the 2010
Specification. Note that the Höglund-based
provisions from Section G2.1 do not apply
to these members, and the shear buckling
strength is computed using the Cv2 factor
from Section G2.2. ■

References
➤ Basler, K. (1961). “Strength of Plate
Girders in Shear.” Journal of the
Structural Division, 87(ST7), 151-180.
➤ CEN (2006). Eurocode 3: Design of Steel
Structures – Part 1-5: Plated Structural
Elements. EN 1993-1-5, European
Committee for Standardization,
Brussels, Belgium.
➤ Daley, A.J., Davis, D.B., and White,
D.W. (2017). “Shear Strength of
Unstiffened Steel I-Section Members.”
Journal of Structural Engineering, 143(3),
04016190.
➤ Höglund, T. (1973). Design of Thin Plate
I-Girders in Shear and Bending, with
Special Reference to Web Buckling, Bulletin
No. 94, Division of Building Statics and
Structural Engineering, Royal Institute
of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 21


Finally, you receive a long-anticipated RFP!
Don’t let all your prep work go to waste by
submitting a lackluster fee proposal.
IN THE ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING/PLANNING
(AEP) space, the selling cycle is often years in the making. Years!
During the process, you touch the prospective client in
myriad ways: networking events, meetings, project tours, con-
ferences, award dinners, ball games, golf outings and so on. You
also touch them via written communication: letters, emails,
promotional materials, custom reports specifically relevant to
their project, holiday greetings and more. It’s extensive, expen-
sive and exhaustive.
And then finally, you receive the request for proposal. At this
very moment, you are at a crossroads: You can either maximize
all of your earlier sales efforts, or you can diminish them.
Hopefully, throughout the whole process, you’ve created
a solid relationship with this prospective client—a relation-
ship that will stand strong against any mediocre writing or
mediocre fee proposal. But why take that chance? Shouldn’t
your proposal submission be as superb as the balance of your
sales activities?
Producing a Proper Proposal
Before you write the proposal, make sure you have all of
the required information. Ask yourself the following questions:
➤ Have you conducted a stringent go/no go? Did you assign
a probability to win the project, along with a budget to
prepare the proposal?
➤ Have you established a strategy and overarching mes-
sage that is based upon any preexisting knowledge you
have around the client’s needs, wants and preconceived
notions? (This is typically guided by whomever holds the
strongest relationship with the prospect.)
➤ Have you identified the team that will help assemble the
proposal? Further, have you deconstructed the require-
ments and delegated specific action items?
➤ Have you provided clarity on who needs to provide what
and when (specific deadlines) so that your marketing
coordinator staff is not rushing to assemble a final piece
in the eleventh hour (which, incidentally, is an unfair and
disrespectful expectation of their role)?
Writing Tips
With those questions answered, it’s time to start writing the
proposal. Here are some ideas to get you started:
business issues
BEST PRACTICES
FOR PREPARING
FEE PROPOSALS
BY ANNE SCARLETT
Crafting the cover letter and the project understand-
ing section. Conventional wisdom suggests that these two ele-
ments are the most essential and thought-provoking compo-
nents of an AEP proposal. They will require the most attention,
insight, and creativity, as they should not come from boilerplate
material. These aspects must be started right away to allow
plenty of time for gestation and refinement.
Quick Tip: Parrot some of the prospect’s language. You can
glean from either their written or oral communications. Years
ago, a fellow consultant told me, “No one can argue with their
own language.” It’s often true. Readers will find it comfortable
and familiar, even if they can’t quite place where they’ve heard
it before.
Explaining your project approach and scope of services.
Specificity is essential.
Quick Tips: Include details that fully cover what you’ll offer—
down to the number of meetings, expected content within each
deliverable and so forth. Because this can involve a lot of detail,
you must carefully consider the aesthetics of this section, such
as the layout, white space, color of text and consistent format-
ting, to avoid overwhelming your reader.
While it may feel risky to do so, here you must also cite
the specific responsibilities of the client. Defining expectations
will ensure that everyone is on the same page—that you’re all
in this together. This can include decision-making deadlines,
turnaround times for providing information, communication
preferences and commitments and lines of communication
(who will be interfacing with whom).
Anne Scarlett is president of
Scarlett Consulting, a Chicago-
based company specializing
in AEC-specific strategic
marketing plans, marketing
audits and coaching. She is
also on the adjunct faculty of
Columbia College of Chicago
and DePaul University. She can
be contacted via her website,
www.annescarlett.com.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 23
 business
issues

Craft this section as if the language is part of your formal asked for a line item menu of options or alternatives, give it to
binding contract. Sometimes, for smaller projects, the fee pro- them. If they insist that you provide hourly rates for individual
posal can indeed become your contract if you include the option team members, don’t resist.
to sign and commit. Cover yourself. Aim to underpromise (or When you ignore the specifics of how they want to receive
hit it on the mark) rather than overpromise. You’ll end up with the numbers, you run the risk of alienating the prospective cli-
a happier client in the long run. ent. If you are concerned, then ask them why they want the
Answering tough questions. Some clients will ask some fees presented in that particular way. Understanding their ratio-
tough questions: How will your firm nale will help you to better shape and
gain community support? What is strengthen your response.
your process for phasing a project
during occupancy? What are your Proposal Extras
methods for building consensus
Your proposal submissions After you’ve nailed the above-men-
amongst disparate user groups? Do tioned steps, you have an opportunity
you have examples of when the client
should be as superb as to add things to make your proposal
was completely satisfied with your stand out. Here are three of my rec-
value engineering efforts? the rest of your sales activities ommended extras:
Quick Tips: Create a library of bril- Elevate the technology compo-
liant responses to tough questions and not an afterthought. nent. Provide interactive interfaces,
(use tags to categorize them) so that such as links or QR codes for online
you’re not relying upon memory to viewing of special examples, draw-
dig up a former response. If you are ings or ideas. Even further, prepare
in a multi-office firm, make sure the entire marketing team has brief video vignettes if they will help the prospective client see
access to this library of answers. how your team works together or help the prospect learn more
Sure, you can get some inspiration from those prior pro- about the personalities of the team members prior to the proj-
posal responses. But even so, you must also determine what ect interview.
motivated this prospective client to ask the question in the first Ensure complete consistency among sub-consultants’
place. Within your response, consider subtly referencing some materials. Eliminate the need to reformat materials. Instead,
of their “backstory.” This will show you really listened during provide sub-consultants with a required template to complete.
the sales process. Specify not just the content, but also the sequence, aesthetic
Preparing the fee section: Many, but not all, AEP propos- design and layout and writing style.
als will ask for a fee within the proposal. While it may be dis- Customize resumes to the nth degree. It’s a given that
concerting, some people on the selection committee will turn you’ll customize the resumes in terms of relevant project expe-
straight to the fee section before reading any part of your pro- rience. But if you have time, you can also go through each
posal (even the cover letter). But let’s be honest here. When you resume and create a cross-reference to the prospective project
are a buyer of a service or product, aren’t you compelled to look or use parallel language to the RFP.
at the fee section first? Do you believe the sole purpose of an AEP proposal
It’s a given that you’ll keep the fee section straightforward, eas- is to get shortlisted for the formal interview? Do you
ily readable and with a bottom line final total. Depending upon believe that once the firms are shortlisted, all teams
the complexity of the project, you may even opt to proactively revert to a level playing field? This is a common line of
include line-item components for the client to make choices. thinking in our industry, and sometimes it’s true. But it’s
Quick Tips: Think about brief language, symbols, or imagery a risky assumption. Why not instead give 110% to the
that you could add to the fee section to strongly encourage the proposal component with the hope that some members
reader to delve into your actual proposal content. of the selection committee have long memories and will
Pay attention to how the prospective client has asked you to go into the interview process with a preconceived bias
format the fee. If they asked for a lump sum, provide it. If they towards your firm? Now, that’s worth the risk. ■

24 AUGUST 2017
Vulcraft delivers peace of mind.
Vulcraft’s progressive technology product innovation and
comprehensive service and support all work together to bring
our customers unrivaled success. We hang our hard hats on
continuously providing the best customer experience possible
and delivering better outcomes for all those involved.

>P[O=\SJYHM[`V\JHUL_WLJ[Z\JJLZZMYVTZ[HY[[VÄUPZO
>LWYV]PKLWLHJLVMTPUKI`ILPUNIL[[LYWHY[ULYZVɈLYPUN
better products and ensuring better outcomes. Every time.

Learn how Vulcraft delivers better outcomes

www.vulcraft.com

Having the
people in place to deliver
the products you need, when
and where you need them, is all
part of our relentless pursuit to
provide our customers with
successful outcomes
every time.

Better Partners. Better Products.

Better Outcomes.
THE PARTNERSHIPS WE BUILD ARE
STRONGER THAN STEEL.

SidePlate’s engineers give you an optimized structural design for your building, but

our work doesn’t end with calculations and drawings. We’re dedicated to your entire

project team, from the moment we shake hands until the final beam is in place. Learn

more at SidePlate.com/Service.

Toll Free: (800) 475-2077

Telephone: (949) 238-8900

www.sideplate.com/service
 Once again, it’s time for Modern Steel Construction’s
annual compendium of fun projects showcasing steel.
This year’s Cool List takes us deep into history,
deep into a volcano and deep into the woods.

what's
cool
in
STEEL
Courtesy of Wild Center

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 27

 what’s cool in steel
COOL
Attraction
THANKS TO ALL of its amusement parks,
Orlando is known for unique structures. One of
the newest, at Universal Orlando, is a steel-
framed volcano, which serves as the centerpiece
for the new Volcano Bay water park.
Designed by structural engineer GRAEF and fabricated by
Fabco Metal Products (an AISC member and certified fabricator)—
and filled with waterslides, not lava tubes—the 200-ft-tall volcano
is formed with space frames consisting of a series of vertical bent
trusses that rotate around multiple vertical axes. These trusses span
various lengths and are interlaced with secondary framing to sup-
port multiple platforms. To maintain consistency, all of the mem-
bers were W14 shapes, ranging from W14×30 to W14×398.
The complicated geometry of the project made it impos-
sible to use traditional hard copy drawings to clearly document
the framed members. Therefore, the volcano was analytically
modeled using finite element software that interacts with Revit
(Autodesk) to accurately capture its complexity. The model was
then exported from Revit, via the IFC file format, to Fabco
so that shop drawings could be generated in the Tekla model.
The engineering deliverables on the project were these 3D
28 AUGUST 2017
Images: Fabco Metal Products
IFC files, with the traditional paper drawings used for refer-
ence only. The steel detailer put in more than 20,000 hours
to incorporate the connections and to align and tweak all of
members into the Tekla model.
The structure consists of approximately 1,400 tons of
structural steel. The secondary steel was designed and fabri-
cated on a 6-ft × 6-ft grid to accommodate armatures support-
ing rebar clips that receive the rockwork skin, which consists
of a shotcrete base and a plaster top coat. Due to the geom-
etry of the design, no two pieces were alike. Because much of
the structure is in a consistently wet environment, all of the
framing was hot-dip galvanized. Approximately 90,000 bolts
were used to connect the frame. Due to the tight tolerances
required, round holes and slip-critical connections were used
for the connections, which made fabrication and erection
challenging. On top of that, all truss and secondary framing
connections used skewed plates, so Fabco workers had to use
the holes in the plates as the contact points. The workers used
iPads during every step of the fabrication process, which was
a must for this project.
The erector, Coastal Steel, Inc. (AISC member and certi-
fied erector) preassembled as much of the framing as possible
on the ground in order to minimize connections that would
need to be made in the air. Since the entire structure slopes in
multiple planes, it was imperative to minimize deflections until
the steel could be supported at the shoring towers. In addition,
Coastal had to install the waterslides and their supports within
the structure during the sequential erection.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 29
 what’s cool in steel

COOL
Roof

THE EPIC SYSTEM CORPORATION’S Deep Space

Auditorium dug deep to accommodate the healthcare soft-
ware developer’s spatial needs.
Designed by Cuningham Group Architects and Thorn-
ton Tomasetti, the 1.2-million-sq.-ft auditorium is located
on the company’s 800-acre campus in Verona, Wis. It can
seat 11,400 and can expand to accommodate 14,000. Exca-
vated into a hillside to preserve views across the campus,
the auditorium extends 74 ft underground and is covered
by an eight-acre green roof with vertical glazing for day-
lighting. The column-free, long-span roof is supported by
25-ft-deep trusses spanning 275 ft.
The auditorium is pie-shaped with 12 radial trusses
spanning approximately 270 ft and sloping to a 100-ft-long
header truss. The truss and its supporting columns used
the newly available W36×925 shapes in ASTM A913 Gr.
65 material.
Unique load considerations, including soil and gravel
depths of up to 16 in., and erection issues had a strong influ-
ence on the roof’s design. To ensure an efficient structure
and limit potential conflicts during construction, Thornton
Thornton Tomasetti

AUGUST 2017
Cuningham Group

Thornton Tomasetti
Thornton Tomasetti
Tomasetti proposed an innovative approach that integrated temporary works to erect
Thornton Tomasetti

the 4,200-ton roof.

Typically, a long-span roof is the last element of a structure to be constructed
but in this case, reversing the sequence would accelerate procurement and
fabrication of the steel as well as completion of the facility. The project team
employed a roof-lift approach, achieving construction efficiency and increased
safety by eliminating the need for expansive and tall shoring and construction at
elevation. The lift also allowed the use of smaller, more economical equipment
and less manpower.
Prior to the lift, all truss end connections and their support points were
scanned to verify that the structure would fit when put in place. The roof and
superstructure were designed to allow roof framing to be assembled on the
Thornton Tomasetti

ground, then the roof was lifted 59 ft into position via 18 custom lift platforms,
lift boxes and temporary connections, all modeled and fabricated using Tekla.
The models were housed on a cloud server, enabling the fabricator, LeJeune
Steel Company (an AISC member and certified fabricator) and Thornton Toma-
setti to work simultaneously on the development. Shop drawings were provided
by LTC, Inc., an AISC associate member detailer.
This inventive use of technology expedited the manufacturing and delivery
of the temporary works and permanent structures and played a crucial role in
meeting the tight 29-month design and construction schedule, which otherwise
would have taken an estimated 12 to 18 months longer.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION

 what’s cool in steel
COOL
Mezzanines
Michael Field
Tim Smith
THE SAN DIEGO Natural History Museum’s striking new
steel mezzanines are a distinctly modern homage to the beauty
of the natural world.
Designed by PLACE Architecture and Arup, the twin mez-
zanines are a key feature of the museum’s newly renovated Spe-
cial Collections Gallery, which showcases rare works by noted
naturalists and artists like John James Audubon. Supported by
artistically engineered, visually prominent steel trusses that call
to mind river reeds swaying in the wind, the mezzanines are
a prime example of how great design emerges from creative
approaches to complex engineering challenges.
The primary engineering challenge involved finding a struc-
turally elegant approach to introduce 2,000 sq. ft of additional
space to the building’s 19-ft-high second story. PLACE’s preferred
design solution was a mezzanine, but this was complicated by the
fact that the existing second-floor structure could not be modified
to support additional column loads. Arup’s design engineers pro-
posed using exposed steel trusses comprised of plate chords and
rod webs, spanning more than 40 ft between the building’s exist-
ing columns. Supporting the mezzanine at the bottom chord plate
allowed for the use of upturned trusses, which could do double
duty as guardrails while also preserving height on the lower floor,
noted Bruce Danziger, Arup’s structural engineer of record for the
project. Moreover, Danziger said, the open-web trusses offered the
benefit of preserving a feeling of openness and clearer sightlines.
32 AUGUST 2017
The design team quickly recognized that in addition to pro-
viding the necessary support, the structural steel could be used
to imbue the new gallery with unique architectural character.
To facilitate this design initiative, PLACE and Arup worked
together to develop an iterative, parametric design methodol-
ogy using a data exchange between structural analysis software
GSA, 3D design software Rhino and Rhino’s parametric design
plug-in, Grasshopper. The parametric modeling allowed for
rapid virtual prototyping of the truss structure. Various web
rod diameters, spacing configurations and angles were tested to
arrive at an optimized configuration that was both structurally
efficient and aesthetically striking.
The final truss design employs an array of 76 round steel rods,
welded to 1¼-in.-thick steel chord plates at the top and bottom,
with each individual rod sloped in two planes, in a semi-ran-
domized pattern. Rod diameters vary between 7∕8 in. and 1½ in.
depending on the demand force of each rod, and rod density was
maximized at the truss ends to meet high shear force demand. To
ensure occupant comfort, Arup carried out footfall analyses of
the mezzanine floors and trusses, and each rod was sized to meet
combined axial and bending load requirements to keep footfall
vibrations within acceptable limits and satisfy global deflection
limits under both dead and live loads. The A572 Gr50 steel used
for the truss elements is protected by spray-applied fire-resistive
material (SFRM) and topped with a finish coat.
 Arup
Arup

Tim Smith

Tim Smith

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 33

 what’s cool in steel

COOL
Mezzanines
Support for the trusses had to be inte-
grated into the existing structure to resist
loads both in the plane and perpendicular
to the plane of the truss, noted Toshiyasu
Yoza, SE, Arup’s lead engineer for the proj-
ect. The mezzanines’ floor structures com-
prise 3-in. steel deck topped with 7-in.-
thick reinforced concrete that spans 20 ft
between the rail truss and a steel channel
supported by existing columns at the two
ends, and a double-angle hanger system
at intermediate points. The double-angle
hanger system is in turn supported off of
the existing beams at the roof level.
The steel trusses were preassembled
off-site, and appropriate measures were
taken to minimize any distortion resulting
from the asymmetric welding of the web
Tim Smith rods to the chord plates. Once each truss

BENT ON SATISFACTION
11 Bending Machines
Easyway and Hardway: Beams, Tubes, Angles, Tees, Channels, Flats,
Pipe & Rail

Sheet/Plate
Shearing (to ½” x 20’), Forming, Rolling (to 1¼”), and Coning

6 Press Brakes
1000 Ton x 30’ 750 Ton x 24’
400 Ton x 23’ 3-225 Ton x (10’, 12’, 14’)

CNC Machining

Quality
WhiteFab’s patented structural bending process minimizes
deformation and provides smoother curvatures. Each bent
section is verified for accuracy along its arc.

Facilities Phone 205-791-2011

170,000 sq. ft. of production area, under roof Fax 205-791-0500
“IF QUALITY IS WHAT YOU NEED, E-mail: sales@whitefab.com
Web: www.whitefab.com
LET WHITEFAB TAKE THE LEAD”

34 AUGUST 2017
 “Elevating” Train Stations
with Elliptically Curved Pipe

Cermak-McCormick Place
Elev
Elevat
ated Train Station, Chicago IL
Chicago Metal Rolled Products curved
68 pieces of round 8” HSS .375” wall
A500 0 grade B pipe to an elliipse currvature
featuring multti-radiuss bends fo or the
sttructural ribs tha at hold up per fo
orated
stainleess steel side panels and polycarbonate
skylightss of The Cermak-M McCormickk Placce
“LL” Sttatioon in
n Chiicago, IL. The tube structure
wass designed so the covered d platform
ZDVER RWKOOLJKWÀÀOOHGDDQGZ
ZHDWKHUS SURWHFWHG
whiile still providing direcct views of the city.

Ca
all us at 877-940-5
5739 CHICAGO • KANSAS CITY
For savings on quality roll-curving cmrp.com
of structural steel, sheet and plate
delivered to meet your schedule.
6WDQGDUG0LOO6KDSHV5ROOHG7R<RXU6SHFLÀFDWLRQV Call 877-940-5739

We also roll stair stringers, helical hand rails,

off-axis bends, formed shapes and extrusions.

Visit cmrp.com for more information. CHICAGO • KANSAS CITY

was fully assembled and checked to ensure
that it met specified tolerance thresholds, it
was cut into three segments to ease trans-
portation and handling. The truss parts
were brought in while the museum was in
operation, with minimal disturbance. They
were welded back together in situ, then
hoisted into place using the existing roof
beam above, precluding the need for heavy
lifting equipment.
Rather than being limited by design con-
straints, Arup and PLACE Architecture saw
the renovation space as an opportunity for
innovation. The end result is an ingenious
design that is both functionally robust and
aesthetically in tune with the museum’s mis-
sion to celebrate the natural world.
“The steel trusses solved a structural
problem in a visually pleasant way that adds
greatly to the ambiance of the space,” said
Dr. Michael Hager, former president and
CEO of the museum, who was instrumen-
tal in developing the new exhibition. “The
open, nature-inspired feel of the library,
made possible by the steel trusses, pro-
duces a calm, subdued manner in visitors
that allows them to absorb the importance
of the historic texts and art on exhibit.” Tim Smith

OUR CONTRACTORS AND IRONWORKERS ARE HIRED ACROSS NORTH

AMERICA TO BUILD AMAZING PROJECTS BECAUSE SAFETY IS OUR FOUNDATION.

These are growing numbers that you can’t ignore:

3,000 Contractors,
157 Training Centers,
Ironworkers.
SAFETY. QUALITY. PRODUCTIVITY.
6,941&HUWL¿FDWLRQVLQ WWW.IRONWORKERS.ORG | WWW.IMPACT-NET.ORG

20,143&HUWL¿HG,URQZRUNHU:HOGHUV
19,735$SSUHQWLFHVDQG7UDLQHHV
130,000OURQZRUNHUVDQGELOOLRQVLQFRQWUDFWVIRUWKH
PRVWUHFRJQL]DEOHSURMHFWVRQHDUWK7KHUHDUHOLWHUDOO\
WKRXVDQGVRIUHDVRQVWRSXW\RXUWUXVWLQOURQZRUNHUV

CONTACT US TODAY TO FIND OUT MORE 1.800.545.4921.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 35

 what’s cool in steel

COOL
Gateway
A NEW SECURITY GUARDHOUSE in Boston plays
gatekeeper to architectural giants.
Situated between the I.M. Pei’s Harbor Towers on
the city’s waterfront, the small but important structure is
modern and functional and was designed by Touloukian
Touloukian, Inc., and Richmond So Engineers. Its form
respects the aesthetics and design rules of the site by being a
direct, formal reference to the towers’ balconies.
To maximize sight lines for security personnel, a structural
steel frame with custom glass detailing was installed on top
of low precast walls. With thermal transfer through the
structural steel frame being a primary concern, the design
team enhanced thermal performance with details such as
nonstructural slots in the steel framing (to be filled with
insulation); warm-edge spacers between the glass and steel;
and fiberglass reinforced shims between concrete and steel
interfaces. The thermal improvements were validated in
THERM software in the form of 2D building heat transfer
modeling outputs—good news for security personnel
working in Boston’s typically harsh winters.
Touloukian Touloukian Inc.
Anton Grassl

36 AUGUST 2017
 Touloukian Touloukian Inc.
Touloukian Touloukian Inc.

Anton Grassl
Thermal improvements to the steel frame:
1. Slots were cut in structural steel plates filled with mineral wool
insulation to create a thermal break.
2. Warm-edge thermally enhanced insulated glazing unit glass spac-
ers were employed between the glass and steel.
3. The structural steel plate frame bears on fiberglass-reinforced shims to
create a thermally improved connection to the precast concrete wall.

Touloukian Touloukian Inc.

Therm program 2D heat transfer modeling output.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 37

 what’s cool in steel
COOL
Walk on the
Wild Side
THE WILD CENTER is a natural history center situated
amongst the trees of the Adirondacks in Tupper Lake, N.Y.
By no means a typical museum, the exhibit allows patrons
to learn about nature by experiencing it firsthand on the
Wild Walk, a series of steel bridges and towers. Visitors enter
the first tower from ground level and by the time they make
their way to the highest point, they are standing above the
trees. The designer, Charles P. Reay, envisioned an experi-
ence that blends in with the forest and allows visitors to “see
the world the way the wild does.” Each tower was strategi-
cally placed to weave into the forest while disturbing as few
trees as possible.
Designed by Linearscape Architecture and Silman, the project
consists of several elevated platforms supported by teepee-like tow-
ers. It also features a large-scale treehouse and spiderweb, an eagle’s
nest, three steel-framed swinging bridges and the snag—a dead
tree standing four stories high. Each tower structure is built of six
weathering steel (ASTM A847) hollow structural sections (HSS)
that come to a point approximately 40 ft in the air and comprise
a 16-ft diameter circle on the ground. The size and color of these
“posts” mimic the trees that surround them. The platform structure
consists of wide-flange beams “fish-plated” to the sides of the posts
(the beams’ shear tabs are inserted through the walls of the columns)
and cantilevered out to form a star-like shape. The beams cantilever
38 AUGUST 2017
Courtesy of Wild Center
further to support the edge of the walkway bridges that connect each
tower. The wider platforms are constructed of several interwoven
tower structures, with posts crossing past each other as they reach
their final point. At the top of the 42-ft-tall eagle’s nest, visitors find
themselves above the tops of the trees and towers alike.
The spiderweb structure is built of eight 24-ft-tall round
steel posts with a 35-ft-wide octagonal steel-framed platform
above. The center of the platform houses a large spiderweb net
tied to schedule 40 HSS that are welded back to the main plat-
form. The top-heavy structure was designed to account for sev-
eral children jumping on the web at once and the nearly 60-ft
walkway bridge that ties in on one side.
The 15-ft-wide snag structure looks identical to an enlarged
dead white pine tree, but its skeleton is composed of several wide-
flange and HSS posts. The snag internally supports a spiral stair
and externally supports the ends of two steel swinging bridges.
The post locations were coordinated with the architect to align
with the stair treads and sized to resist wind loads as well as lat-
eral loads imposed by the swinging bridges. The slanted roof was
designed for the heavy snow of the Adirondack Mountain region.
And then there’s the Ubertwig, a three-story treehouse that
boasts three swinging bridges and a walkway bridge. The main
structure is built from wood joists and 12-in.-diameter cedar
posts, but steel moment frames were introduced at the interface
 Courtesy of Wild Center
between the bridges and main structure,
and specially designed connections of wood
to steel posts and beams were developed to
meet the connection challenge.
Three swinging bridges add an element of
movement to the otherwise stationary trail.
The museum wanted to create an experience
that feels exciting yet is completely safe. Each
bridge has five ¾-in.-diameter cables run-
ning from moment frame to moment frame,
strung through upside-down A-shaped WT
frames every 5 ft to provide stiffness. The
final result is a bridge experience with a bit
of bounce—especially with several walkers—
but without excessive vibration.
In order to meet the demands of design-
ing the asymmetrical Wild Walk, the struc-
tural design team had to think outside the
box. The result is a unique structure that
allows visitors a new perspective on their
natural surroundings.

Courtesy of Wild Center

Courtesy of Wild Center

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 39

 what’s cool in steel

COOL
Cantilevers
ONE OF SAN DIEGO ARCHITECT Norm Applebaum’s signature
design elements is to “pierce through the sky” with exposed cantilever beams.
And a steel-and-glass home he designed for Linda Starkman does just
that. Integrated with a tree-covered knoll at Starkman’s 320-acre Fox Hol-
low Ranch in El Paso de Robles (“the pass of the oaks”), central Califor-
nia’s fastest growing wine region, the 4,500-sq.-ft home is covered by a
dramatic sloping roof that appears to defy gravity as it floats above expan-
sive clerestory glazing. At 13,000 sq. ft, the roof is more than twice the
size of the enclosed living space, with overhangs that provide shading and
extend the interior space into the scenic surroundings.
The home’s footprint was planned around three ancient multi-trunked oak
trees, and the extending steel roof beams were located so as to not disrupt future
tree growth. The long cantilevered roof overhangs and floor decks project over
the steep hillside and are designed to resist wind uplift forces, which are magni-
fied by the topographic effects of wind speeding up the hillside. John Durant

SDSE Structural Engineers designed hundreds of cantilever elements for

the house, from roof beams and seismic-resisting columns to serving counters
the size of diving boards cantilevering up to 9 ft with zero back span. The roof
beams pushed the material limits of steel, with 50-ksi W21×101 and W21×147
members cantilevering up to 50 ft. The bottom flanges of the W21 roof beams
are exposed, all exposed connections were welded and ground smooth and
dozens of custom steel details were required throughout the project.
The architect and structural engineer worked closely to achieve balanced
proportions by minimizing steel beam depth while maximizing cantilever
distances. Early in the design, Applebaum built a basswood architectural
model of the steel frame over the floor plan. Where it was necessary to
add columns or reduce a cantilever beam length, SDSE would tap on the
model’s cantilever beams to show the architect that certain beams deflected
excessively. While not a precise representation of steel beam deflections, it
proved a good negotiating tactic.
One of the many design challenges involved calculating the camber
required for the cantilevered beams so that, at completion of construction,
the exposed wide-flange steel beams would end up straight and level. Compli-
cating this was the fact that many of the cantilevered beams were supported
by other cantilevered beams, creating a complex puzzle. Close coordination
between SDSE and the detailer, in terms of understanding which beam pro-
vided support and which was being carried, resulted in a smooth, efficient
erection process with no fit-up problems.
Big Bertha is the name given by the architect to the longest cantilevered
roof beam, a W21×147 with a 50-ft cantilever over the steep hillside; the beam
is doubly cantilevered, with total length of over 100 ft. With a back span of
33 ft, Bertha’s longer 50-ft cantilever end has an upward camber of 6 in. and
its shorter 23-ft cantilever end has an upward camber of 1½ in.
John Durant

40 AUGUST 2017
John Durant Melissa Kroskey

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 41

 what’s cool in steel

COOL
Cantilevers
An access road had to be constructed
on the Fox Hollow Ranch so that trucks
and supplies could wind their way around
the hillside up to the jobsite. Steel roof

Melissa Kroskey
beams that exceeded 60 ft were spliced with
directly welded moment connections in the
field, and the design team worked closely
to choose splice locations at points of lower
stress that would also maximize fabrica-
tion efficiency. The general contractor was
challenged with finding space on the con-
strained hilltop site for staging the longer
steel to be field welded before being lifted
into place. The erection, performed by
Bragg Crane and Rigging (an AISC mem-
ber and certified erector) was phased and
carefully planned to work around the steel
beams (over 100 ft in length) that were laid
across the hilltop site for field welding.
Construction access around the beams was
limited until they were lifted up into place.
Steel roof beams are skewed in plan at
a 45° angle to the steel columns. Steel col-
umns were limited to a 6-in. dimension to
achieve the architectural desire for the edges
of the columns to be inset from the skewed
flanges of the steel roof beams they support.
The substantial 12-in.-wide by 21-in.-deep
steel beams are supported by 6-in. steel box
columns. The columns are W6×25 shapes
with ½-in. plates welded parallel to the web
and inset from the flange edges, forming a
box-shaped column to provide more stiff-
John Durant

ness against weak-axis bending due to lat-

eral loads on the cantilevered columns. The
exposed steel is protected (and accentuated)
by two coats of red oxide primer.
The seismic load resisting system con-
sists of steel columns cantilevering from
plywood shear walls, two triangular-shaped
concrete masonry block chimneys and
structural steel braced frames. All of the
walls except the chimney stop at an eleva-
tion of 7 ft and have clerestory glazing
extending to the underside of the roof. The
steel columns cantilever vertically to trans-
fer lateral forces from the plywood roof
diaphragm to the shear walls, and custom
concealed steel plate connection details
were developed for these transfers.

42 AUGUST 2017
 Two steel braced frames are located in
the master bedroom wing to resist lateral
forces from a long claw-shaped cantile-
vered roof diaphragm. The roof diaphragm
at the master bedroom wing cantilevers
horizontally 25 ft beyond the last line of
braced frames. This horizontal diaphragm
cantilever exceeded the limitations of a ply-
wood diaphragm, and therefore a structural
steel tube truss was designed and concealed
within the ceiling framing to transmit lat-
eral diaphragm loads. The steel braced
frames stop at the 7-ft top-of-wall horizon- John Durant
tal datum, and the columns cantilever verti-
cally up to the roof diaphragm.
Steel columns were designed to resist
significant uplift forces from the combined
effects of seismic overturning, plus uplift
forces due to gravity loads at long cantile-
vers with short back spans. Steel columns
are anchored to concrete pedestals sup-
ported by concrete spread footings and
grade beams and in some areas, the footing
sizes were governed by the weight needed
to hold down the steel columns.
The designers chose steel for its
strength and aesthetics. It was the only
material capable of achieving the long can-
tilevers while minimizing the depth of the
structure and enabling clean connection
detailing. It was also the key to creating a
“wow” factor with the dramatic roof soar-
ing over the glass home.
John Durant

Melissa Kroskey

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 43

 what’s cool in steel

COOL
Zoo

Jim Todd Jim Todd

44 AUGUST 2017
 HOVERING JUST ABOVE a glis-
tening lake at the Phoenix Zoo sits a
new administration facility.
Designed by WDM Architects and
Bakkum Noelke Consulting Structural
Engineers, the small complex consists of
three separate buildings sitting on a sin-
gle elevated deck and comprising 28,000
sq. ft. Every piece boasts dramatic lines
in the rammed earth walls and the tiger-
wood deck boards, with the largely hori-
zontal lines being punctuated by vertical
exposed steel beams. The roof’s deep
overhangs are striking against the sky,
drawing visitors’ eyes up and into the
vast blue beyond.
The largest building of the three
contains an open office area, confer-
ence rooms and offices, and houses the
Papago Park ranger’s office area. Staff in
this building facilitates day-to-day zoo
operations. The second-largest building
is the executive office building, which
includes the zoo executive staff and
CEO offices, general offices and a board
room. And the third building houses
volunteer training and support areas.
The roof, the standout element of
the steel-framed project, has a frame
comprised of steel beams supporting
steel deck assemblies. All roof beams
are located within a single plane for
each independent roof, which required
multiple moment connections to
provide the cantilevered roof edges
extending beyond the building walls
below. Using steel beams in the single
Todd Woolsoncroft
roof plane allowed for a slimmer sight
line while achieving deep roof over-
hangs, elements that give the structure
its unique silhouette.
In addition to achieving the design
intent, the steel framing also allowed the
building’s program to be accomplished
in this specific location, maximizing the
program requirements and strengthen-
ing the zoo’s mission. Using steel, the
structure was able to be elevated roughly
12 ft, 6 in. above the lake, making the
site usable for the square footage the
program called for. This also allowed
the design to have the least amount of
impact on the lake, with only four of
the complex’s 50 total pilings impacting
the lake. The natural habitat was largely
untouched, allowing the lake’s plant and
animal life to continue to thrive.

Davis Schacher

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 45

 Davis Schacher

Davis Schacher

46 AUGUST 2017
 THE PROVEN
STEEL BRIDGE
DESIGN SOLUTION
The floor framing consists of open-
web steel joists and steel beams support-
ing concrete-over-steel deck at the inte-
rior spaces and wood deck framing at the
exterior spaces. Perimeter infill walls are
a combination of rammed earth, glass and
FREE
clad stud walls. The lateral force resisting 15-DAY
system for the building relies on a com-
bination of steel moment frames, rammed
TRIAL*
*see website
earth walls and diagonally braced steel stud for details

walls. AISC member SNC Engineering,

Inc., performed the steel detailing. The leading software package
It was due to the innovative structural for designing and rating curved
steel design that this building could be
and straight steel girder bridges.
where it is and what it is—and be even better
than what was needed. A simpler building
would have sufficed for staff and volunteer Used by Many State DOTs and Top Design Firms
space. But this structure, situated on top of
a lake, stands out as an attractive focal point (573) 446-3221 Q www.mdxsoftware.com Qinfo@mdxsoftware.com
while fitting in with its surroundings. ■

Davis Schacher

Roof top opening

structural frames
www.quickframes.us/MSC
480-464-1500

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 47

 We’re all about
superior support.

It’s well known that steel joists, with their impressive

strength-to-weight ratio, provide greater support. 7RWDNHDGYDQWDJHRIDOOWKH
HGXFDWLRQWRROVFUHDWHGWRKHOS
What might be surprising is all the ways the Steel \RXGHVLJQZLWKVWHHOMRLVWVYLVLW

Joist Institute provides outstanding support to steeljoist.org

engineers, architects and other industry partners.

7KURXJKSXEOLFDWLRQVZHELQDUVDQGGHVLJQWRROVRXUJRDOLVWRSURYLGH
LQIRUPDWLRQRQKRZWREXLOGZLWKVWHHOMRLVWVDQG-RLVW*LUGHUV

8SFRPLQJZHELQDUVLQFOXGH

August September October

Composite Joist – New 2nd Edition %ULGJLQJȂ+RZΖW:RUNVDQG:KDW 3DUW(YDOXDWLRQDQG

6SHFLȴFDWLRQV1HZ7HFKQLFDO to Work Around 0RGLȴFDWLRQRI2SHQ:HE6WHHO
Digest No. 13 -RLVWVDQG-RLVW*LUGHUV
 2017

HOT PRO
ODUC
CTS ARE
E HERE! These products were all
on display at the 2017 NASCC: The Steel Conference in San
Antonio this past March and represent the wide range of ma-
chinery, technology, tools and other products that service the
structural steel industry. All exhibitors were invited to submit
entries, and products were selected by AISC staff based on
manufacturers’ descriptions and claims; no product testing or
evaluations were performed. This list does not constitute a Senior editor Geoff Weisenberger takes a virtual journey
product endorsement by Modern Steel Construction or AISC. along a beam fabrication line at Ficep’s booth.

Ficcep Ende
eavo
ourr
HOT! The Endeavour 1203DDB features three independent
X-axis drill spindles plus a band saw. Each spindle has
a separate 10-in. sub-axis in the X-direction and can
operate independently within this window, meaning that
the beam doesn’t have to move, and each spindle can
be positioned and operate in a different X-axis position—
e.g., simultaneously drilling hole sets on different axes. In
addition, one spindle can drilling while another is carrying
out a different operation such as layout marking.
For more information, visit www.ficepcorp.com or call
410.588-5800.

Meetabo
o Coorporrattion
V Co
36V ordle
ess 9-in
n. Angle Grinde
er
Based on Metabo’s LiHD Battery technology, the world’s HOT!
first 9-in. cordless angle grinder (according to the company)
produces the equivalent power of a 2,400W, 15A corded
angle grinder, making it suitable for heavy-duty grinding or
cutting in locations where power is unavailable. The WPB 36
LTX BL 230 is comparable in size and weight to its corded
cousins and incorporates a swivel handle that facilitates
ergonomically correct grinding and cutting positions. LiHD
batteries generate up to 67% more power and 87% more run
time than standard lithium-ion batteries, thanks to a larger
cell that offers extremely low internal resistance along with
battery pack construction that eliminates most resistance
between the cells and the tool. Simply put, the battery pack
stays cooler and lasts longer.
For more information, visit www.metabo.com or call
800.638.2264.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 49

 HOT Produccts
ESA
AB WeldCloud
WeldCloud is an online management system that connects HOT!
welding power supplies to a software platform that manages
data to be analyzed for maximum productivity. Incorporating
real-time monitoring of the welding power source via mobile
and desktop devices, shop personnel can now save an extra
trip to the power source when troubleshooting because they
know the issue in advance. The platform can track back to welds
that have already been created and provide details about how
and when they were created. The platform can also “push”
new welding procedure specifications (WPS) to equipment and
send equipment performance data back to the cloud.
For more information, visit www.esabna.com or call
800.ESAB.123.

JacckettPlatte jF
Fra
ame
HOT! Using 3D connection plates in a simple and consistent
manner, the new JacketPlate system for steel moment
frames is suitable for all possible connection configurations
that are made with steel wide-flange shapes. With a
unique load transfer path around the envelope of a joint,
the technology removes interior constraints and relieves
stress concentrations, dramatically improving overall
connection ductility. Since all components and parts can
be prefabricated, it can be bolted together at the project
site without field welding. Technically, the connection is
formed by combining structural channels in a very creative
way and then sandwiching the steel shapes between the
channels using structural bolts, and it can work for wide-
flange shapes of any depth.
For more information, visit www.jacketplate.com
or call 858.208.3087.

Fre
eedo
om Toolss
The E-Z BEAM RELEASE was developed to lift and
release beams from cranes quickly and safely. The tool
is set into two offset 1-in. by 2-in. pre-located slots at
the beam’s center of gravity, incorporated into the beam
during fabrication. Once the tool is set in place, the
locking handle is closed and tension is applied. At that
point, the tool cannot come open. From there, a ground HOT!
laborer can walk the rope connected to the locking arm
to the end of the beam and lay it over the top; the crane
operator can lift the beam and set it in place; the riggers
receiving the beam will secure the beam; and the crane
operator will release tension, popping up the locking
mechanism and releasing the lock. No more twisted wire
ropes or cut nylon straps! In addition, the beam will hang
level and straight, making it easier for laborers to handle
when receiving it.
For more information, visit www.freedomtoolsllc.net
or call 480.250.5266.

50 AUGUST 2017
EH
HS Mo
ome
entum
m
MyMMom
men
ntum
MyMomentum is a cloud-based mobile
application that gives management a new
level of visibility into the effectiveness
of their safety programs and drives
employee accountability throughout
the shop. The tool tracks maintenance THE SOFTWARE OF CHOICE FOR
items, injuries, inspections, training,
compliance deadlines, behavior-based MANAGING STEEL FABRICATION
observations and OSHA log information.
It has an integrated assignment and alert
system that keeps everyone up to speed
on what needs to get done. The tool will
save your team significant time and allow
you to see trends, incidents and progress
like never before, allowing you schedule
routine inspections, track open issues, ESTIMATING ORDER ENTRY PURCHASING
assign responsibility and make sure
every issue gets addressed. Any issue
can be flagged right on the shop floor
and can be tracked to completion. The
tool is also a great way to track positive
behavior and recognize the efforts of
your team.
For more information, visit
www.ehsmomentum.com or call PRODUCTION PROJECT PROJECT
469.999.2500.
CONTROL MANAGEMENT SCHEDULING

COMBINING INVENTORY ANYWHERE

CONTROL

Find out why our clients are the happiest in the industry.
www.fabsuite.com 757.645.0842 info@fabsuite.com

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 51

 Hono
ora
able Hott Softtware
e
Several software vendors at NASCC
Mentions showcased new versions of established
software packages in the perpetual quest
to make design, analysis and workflow
more efficient, intuitive and accurate.

QuiickFra
ames
QuickFrames are the
only patented, bolt-
on, adjustable struc-
tural roof-opening
frames for com-
mercial buildings. Traditionally, roof frames have been welded in place and
dependent upon knowing exact mechanical rooftop equipment specifications
and locations far in advance. When equipment specifications and locations
inevitably change, there are often delays, excessive costs and frustration.
QuickFrames don’t require welding and are pre-engineered for a wide range
of projects (with site-specific engineering included in the cost of the frames
when it’s needed). The frames are available in several strength levels to maxi-
RIISA
A Te
echnnoloogiiess
mize load-carrying ability while minimizing cost. Designed for new construc-
RIISA
A-Re
evitt Lin
nk
New to the RISA-Revit Link is the ability
tion and tenant improvement projects, QuickFrames can easily be relocated in
to export steel connections from Revit
the field when needed and can be installed from under the deck. Each frame
to RISAConnection for engineering
is shipped as a complete kit. The company recently debuted a new preas-
calculations. Simply create connection
sembly delivery option in which the main rails are assembled and the hangers
elements in your Revit model, then use
attached prior to shipment. If the frames use joist hangers, the tap bolts are
the RISA-Revit Link to export them to
also added during the preassembly process. The preassembly option reduces
RISAConnection, where all limit states
installation times even more dramatically, with some customers saying it’s even
for the AISC or CSA codes are checked.
helped them install QuickFrames in less than 15 minutes per frame.
Revise the connections as necessary in
For more information, visit www.quickframes.us or call 480.464.1500. RISAConnection and then import the
changes back into your Revit model.
Convenient pass/fail color-coding in
Houg
gen Revit makes it easy to see how the
Manu
ufacturring connections performed.
HMDD130 For more information, visit
The new HMD130 Ultra Low www.risa.com or call 800.332.RISA.
Profile Portable Magnetic
Drill is a small compact unit
for making holes in confined
spaces and for use in general
steel fabrication. With a height
just under 7 in., the HMD130
is small enough to fit in places
even handheld electric drills
cannot go. Lightweight and easy to carry at only 23.8 lb yet powerful
enough to drill up to 13∕8-in.-diameter holes through 1-in.-thick material,
it includes a pilot light and uses Hougen’s RotaLoc Plus Annular cutters,
which require no tools to change sizes. Made in the U.S.A., the drill is
available in 120V or 230V units.
For more information, visit www.hougen.com or call 800.426.7818.

52 AUGUST 2017
 Au
utode
esk Reviit Live
With Autodesk Revit Live, structural engineers can
leverage their Revit models to generate interactive
design visualizations, placing their structural members
(and element properties) in realistic architectural context.
With one click, they can turn their 3D models into
immersive visualizations, an experience where they can
walk around their design and understand how the design
with look, feel and function before construction. With
enhanced libraries within Steel Connections for Revit
2018, engineers can use Revit Live to better visualize,
engineer and coordinate their complex steel designs.
This improves accuracy and quality when sharing Revit
models downstream with detailers and fabricators. A
Revit Live visualization maintains all of the BIM data from
Revit/Revit LT, so a user will see all of their material and be
able to see what their design will look like throughout the
day when the sun rises and sets, based on geolocation.
For more information, visit www.autodesk.com or call
844.262.9170.

Trrimb
ble
e Teklla Strruccturres
Tekla Structures helps manage the
detailing, fabrication and erection of
steel structures. The newest release now
includes bent plate functionality, allowing
users to create shapes in Tekla Structures
that otherwise were extremely difficult or
not possible to include. You can create
anything from simple bent gussets to
folded profiles, spiral stringer plates,
transitional duct sections, complex folded
panels and more. The ability to create
multiple and nonparallel bends and
“box” unfolding is also now supported. Fab
bSuite
e Rem
mote Lin
nk
All shapes can be properly unfolded for Gain real-time access to your FabSuite database from the shop floor
accurate fabrication drawings, and all with Remote Link. This browser-based interface connects workers to
fabrication export files (DSTV/DXF) can vital information via any internet ready device, including tablets and
be generated for these shapes. smartphones. Remote Link allows users to view shop drawings, receive
material, consume inventory, update production status and load trucks.
For more information, New to the product is the ability to update time cards and update records
visit www.tekla.com or call in batch updates rather than line by line.
877.TEKLA.OK.
For more information, visit www.fabsuite.com or call 757.645.0842.

In
nterrgrrap
ph GT ST
TRU
UDL
L
The 2017 version of GT STRUDL
structural analysis and design soft-
ware features numerous enhance-
ments including the Canadian steel
design code, earthquake and wind
load generators, improved edit-
ing and selection, a brand-new user
interface, results spreadsheets and
an independent report generator.
For more information, visit
www.hexagonppm.com or call
281.890.4566.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 53

 Hot Robots
Robotic technology has been
making steady inroads into
structural steel fabrication
shops. Here are a handful of
robotic solutions that were
present at this year’s show.
AGT
T Beam
mMastter We
eld
BeamMaster Weld is a robotic welding line specially engineered to answer all the
welding needs of structural steel fabricators. The system features a small footprint,
complete robotic automation and integration with dedicated software. The entire
welding process is automated from CAD to production and handles different weld
types, which are defined by the 3D model or generated by CORTEX | Structural. It
accepts wide-flange shapes, HSS and even tapered beams. Compatible accessories
include angles, stiffeners, base plates, end plates and other standard parts.
For more information, visit www.beam-master.com or call 819.693.9682.

Krranend
don
nk Rob bottic
Be
eamm Consstrructo
or
The Kranendonk Robotic Beam
Constructor eliminates the need for
marking stiffener positions and manual
tack welding. Using smart sensors and
production software, robots can deal
with continuously changing designs
without the programming overload. The
software directly generates robot welding
programs based on a 3D CAD model.
Beam manipulators position and turn
the beams without any human effort,
saving you valuable time. Operation is
easy, importing information from your
3D detailing software. On the shop floor,
your operator can do other tasks while the
system is fabricating your beam.
For more information, visit
www.kranendonk.com or call
31.344.623944.

Inov
vatech
h Eng
gineerring
g StteelPR
RO 600
Bu
urnco – Prodev vcoo The SteelPRO 600 is a smaller robotic beam line that can process structural
Ro
obo
oticc So
olu
ution
ns profiles of all sizes and shapes. No matter the part size or coping, mitering
PCR42 Advanced Robotic Plasma Steel or beveling requirement, it offers continuous production with a fast, precise
Cutting Prodevco offers the PCR42 cut. Despite its modest size, this 75% smaller robotic beam line boasts the
advanced robotic plasma steel cutting same 3D capabilities as the SteelPRO 900 and can process wide-flange beams,
system with plasma cutting of standard H-beams, HSS, angle, channel, flat bar or bulb flats. In addition, it is the first
structural steel profiles and round beam line to incorporate Hypertherm’s XPR300 plasma-cutting system.
shapes from 4 in. to 26 in. It cuts copes,
For more information, visit www.inovatechengineering.com or call
notches, holes and weld preps; splits
877.453.0517.
beams; and scribes and marks on all
four faces of H-beams, channels, angles,
HSS and plates using automated robotic
technology. The all-in-one system
reduces fabrication time, manpower and
materials to meet everyone’s goal: lower
manufacturing costs.
For more information, visit
www.prodevcoind.com or call
905.761.6155.

54 AUGUST 2017
 Integrated with Structural Design
and BIM Software
 Design modules included in Etabs
and RAM Structural System
 Customized REVIT families
 Step by step design guides for
modeling in different software
packages

Cont
Contac
tac
actt Co
Core
Core
reB
Brac
Brac
Br ace
e at
at:
t:
5789 West Wells Park Road,
West Jordan, UT 84081
801.280.0701
www.corebrace.com
engineering@corebrace.com

Pyyth
hon nX, a Linco
oln
Ellecttricc Compaany
y
The PythonX Structural Fabrication
System is an all-in-one robotic plasma
system for structural steel fabrication.
The system takes detailed drawing
files and automatically processes
beams, channels, angles, square and
rectangular tube and plate, all on one
machine. The PythonX can produce
AISC-permitted bolt holes, copes,
slots, cut-outs, cut-to-length, miter
cut, T-beams and scribe part/layout
marks all in one place, eliminating
countless hours of material handling
in between operations.
For more information, visit
www.pythonx.com or call
905.689.7771.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 55

 NEW 15th Edition
The
Steel Construction Manual
AVAILABLE NOW
Including the 2016 Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, with improvements and
revisions in the provisions for slender-element compression members, shear strength,
and double angle and WT flexural strength, as well as the new 2016 Code of Standard
Practice clarifying the use of models and enhanced AESS standards.

The 15th Edition

Steel Construction Manual includes:
• New heavier W-shape sizes and
larger HSS, pipe and angle sizes
• A new all-in-one “super table”
that gives the available
compressive, flexural, shear and
tension strengths for W-shapes
• W-shape column tables for
65- and 70-ksi steel
• HSS design tables updated to
higher strength ASTM A500
Grade C steel
• Updated coped beam strength
design procedure
• Latest AISC codes
and standards

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

$200 Members | $400 Non-Members
www.aisc.org/publications
800.644.2400

There’s always a solution in steel.

American Institute of Steel Construction

312.670.2400 www.aisc.org
 On to
OREGON! BY GEOFF WEISENBERGER

Oregon State University welcomed 43 bridge teams

to the unusually sunny Pacific Northwest as the host of this year’s
National Student Steel Bridge Competition.

ON SATURDAY of this past Memorial Day weekend, the Preparation typically starts during the fall semester and can
Tennis Complex at Oregon State University (OSU) in Cor- involve thousands of hours for design, fabrication and practice
vallis was temporarily transformed into a different type of assembly. The latter often takes place right up to the last min-
athletic facility. ute, as several teams were spotted practicing their bridge as-
The nets were taken down and the rubber courts were cov- sembly late Friday night in a hotel parking lot.
ered with plywood adorned with tape representing rivers and “One year, I got some noise complaints and had to come out
footings. The sport of the day? Building bridges. of my hotel room and tell a bunch of students to keep it down,”
OSU played host to the National Student Steel Bridge Com- recalled John Parucki, the competition’s longtime head judge.
petition (NSSBC) where 43 teams—narrowed down from 227— “Not because they were partying but because they were practic-
from around the U.S. and the world met to put their bridge de- ing in the hall.”
signs to the test against the rest of the best. Teams make it to
nationals by being one of the top two or three finishers in 18 Derailed
regional competitions around the country (international teams But no matter how long or hard a team practices, anything
are assigned to one of these regions). The bridges, which must be can happen—including the worst.
20 ft long and made entirely of steel, compete in six categories: Unfortunately, the University of Akron team learned this
display, construction speed, stiffness (a combination of lateral the hard way, as their bridge was lost in transit between Ak-
and vertical loading tests), economy, efficiency and lightness. A ron and Corvallis. Teams choose how to transport their bridges
team’s scores in each category are then translated into their over- from their school, and some make a road trip out of it and drive
all score, which is measured in cost (the lowest cost wins). their bridge themselves while others rely on shipping compa-
nies. Akron chose the latter, and their bridge was on a train that
derailed en route to Oregon. They were actually able to track
it to Salem—just an hour from Corvallis—but unfortunately
weren’t able to gain access to the storage facility.

Geoff Weisenberger
(weisenberger@aisc.org) is
Modern Steel Construction’s
senior editor.

Which way to the competition?

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 57

 The Kennesaw State University
team, leaning over the river.

The College of New Jersey team members look on as the judges inspect their bridge.
North Carolina State’s bungee cord-enabled bridge.
AISC president Charlie Carter and vice president Larry Kruth do some heavy lifting.

The University of Florida team slid

their bridge using channels.

“It was supposed to arrive on Wednesday, but then we were
told that it wouldn’t arrive until next Tuesday, which is obvi-
ously too late,” said David Roke, the Akron team’s faculty advi-
sor. “I estimate we put 3,000 to 4,000 total labor hours into our
bridge. Everyone here has been very supportive, but it’s obvi-
ously extremely disappointing.”
Comeback Kids
Another team, Michigan Technological University
(MTU), bounced back from a disaster of their own at last
year’s competition. Coming into the 2016 nationals as one of
the teams to watch, everything went well until their bridge
collapsed when the final 25-lb angle was being loaded during
the vertical loading test. The culprit was a design flaw that
wasn’t exposed during the regional competition but became
the bridge’s literal downfall at nationals, as the loading loca-
tion is determined randomly by the roll of a six-sided die.
But the team was determined to bounce back this year, and
that’s just what they did.
“When we returned home after the competition, the bridge
was analyzed to further determine its mode of failure,” explained
Greg Naghtin, the team’s captain. “We based this year’s design
around that mode of failure, attempting to ensure that we would
not have a repeat. After winning regionals again this year, our
primary goal for nationals was to do anything better than last
year. We surpassed our expectations, ending up in the top 10 for a
majority of the subcategories and in the top 15 overall. As a team,
we could not be more pleased with how we were able to bounce
back and actually turn last year’s detriment into an asset.”
Up and Coming
Like any other tournament, NSSBC is a mixture of tradi-
tional powerhouses, rising stars and first-timers. While many
teams are veterans at the national level, this year’s competition
was the first time on the national stage for Christian Brothers
University in Memphis. The team placed third in their region
this year and last year, and thanks to their dedication and hard
work—and a little luck—earned a trip to Corvallis.

58 AUGUST 2017
 “We were invited due to the fact that a higher-placing team
did not attend the mandatory regional business meeting, so
we decided to take this miracle of an opportunity,” said Chris-
tine Moore, the team’s captain, noting that in addition to giv-
ing it their all at the national competition, another goal was
to learn from other teams and incorporate some of their ideas
and innovations in the future.
“One of my teammates met with a team yesterday that only
had six bolts for their entire bridge, as it was mostly constructed
with slotted connections,” she explained. “Another team mem-
ber approached me with the idea of using a person’s foot as a
footing for one of the bridge’s legs to rest on. These are the
kinds of ideas we are taking back to Memphis.”
Moore commented that another takeaway for the team was
the difference in pace between the regional and national com-
petitions, noting that judges at the latter were more amenable
to allowing teams to build at top speed.
“The judges here were more geared toward going with the
spirit of the rule book rather than following it to the letter,” she
The University of New Orleans team, back at nationals.
A Memorial Bridge
The Missouri University of Science and Technology’s
(Missouri S&T) steel bridge team is one of those that
narrowly missed making it to this year’s national com-
petition, finishing third at regionals—just one spot
away from a trip to Corvallis.
In January, the team was devastated by the sud-
den passing of their faculty advisor, Timothy Philpot.
Throughout his tenure at Missouri S&T, Philpot taught
several structural engineering courses and was also
known for his development of MecMovies, a digital
teaching tool that presents engineering concepts that
can be difficult to illustrate with static images alone.
The team’s advisor since 2010, Philpot always pro-
vided thoughtful design and fabrication critiques. He
developed a close relationship with team members
and had many of them in his classes.
“He would always help us with any questions we ever
had and would come to our regional competition,” re-
called Jonathan Kuchem, the 2017 team’s project man-
ager. “One of my own and the team’s best memories was
that every fall, he would have the team over to play vol-
leyball and have a bonfire. As a teacher, he was one of
the best I’d ever had. He explained everything so clearly
and gave lots of examples and real-world applications.
His kindness and willingness to help others made him one
of the most beloved professors in the civil department.”
To express their appreciation for Philpot’s many contri-
butions, the team hosted a campus-wide celebration of his
life this past spring, where they revealed that their 2017
steel bridge would be dedicated in his honor. While they
didn’t qualify for nationals, the team of 25 put together
their best score in four years at regionals—something that
they feel would have made Philpot proud—and expects
big things of themselves at next year’s competition.
Michigan Tech. Last year: disqualification. This year: top-15 finish.
Overall winners École de Technologie Supérieure.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 59

SD School of Mines carefully lowers their bridge.
The Christian Brothers University build team.
California State University, Northridge, in action.
Georgia Tech teammates meeting in the middle.
60 AUGUST 2017
University of Illinois: ready to build—and also host next year’s NSSBC.
Back-to-Back Bridge Bigshots
For the second year in a row, École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS)
took home the overall title. The team’s victory was spurred by their top-
three finish in four of the six categories.
For team captain Marie-Pier Diotte, winning even one competition,
let alone two, seemed like a long shot when she started classes at ÉTS.
“Four years ago, when I started as a member of the ÉTS team, we
could not believe we could compete with the best universities in the
United States,” she said. “After winning twice in a row, we know that
the third time will be even more difficult than past competitions. For this
reason, we keep our heads cold and our feet on the pitch to be part of
the best team next year. But it is certain that we will be working hard,
starting right after this year’s competition, to achieve this feat.”
To see the full rankings for each category, visit www.nssbc.info or
www.aisc.org/nssbc.
said. “In other words, we could pretty much run full sprint as long as we were care-
ful. The judges here seemed to want to inspire creativity as long as everyone was
safe. Once we saw that other teams were actually running, we decided to as well.
It paid off, as our final time was almost two minutes faster than our regional time.”
Another team, the University of New Orleans (UNO), found themselves back
in the competition following a bit of a dry spell, having last been at nationals in
2009. After their showing in last year’s regional competition—where the bridge
weighed 480 lb and took seven hours to assemble (they actually had to finish it
outside of the competition venue)—the team was determined to make vast im-
provements in terms of construction time.
“After last year, our main goal was to construct the bridge in twenty minutes or
less and once we knew we had that down, every other success was just icing on the
cake,” said Matt Thomas of the UNO team. “As soon as the regional competition
was over, we started brainstorming ideas for new types of connections that could
go together quickly and be strong, using as few bolts as possible. No one on the
team had taken a structural design class yet, so we were designing by intuition
alone. This year’s bridge ended up being structurally sound and it passed the
calculations we performed in class.”
Ongoing Improvement
The mindset of constant improvement resulted not only in better build times
for some teams but also in interesting ways to launch bridges over the river.
While many teams constructed their bridges from both sides and met in the mid-
dle, several others built their bridges entirely on one side, then launched them
over the water to land them on the footings on the opposite side. Multiple teams
used channels, placed on the ground, to slide their bridge across. The University
of Florida was one such team and used only two builders. Others used various
methods to “unfold” their bridges over the water. North Carolina State’s system
employed bungee cords while South Dakota School of Mines used a crane mech-
anism resembling a fishing pole to gently place the far supports of their bridge.
Besides the theme of building a better bridge, the competition was just plain
fun, a reward at the end of the academic year that let competitors experience
another campus while at the same time giving the host school the opportunity to
open its doors to students from around the world.
“We were so pleased to have the opportunity to host NSSBC and show off our
campus and the School of Civil and Construction Engineering,” said OSU pro-
fessor Judy Liu. “We were fortunate to have excellent student directors—Chelsea
Farnsworth and Oscar Gayet—leading a hard-working team of student volunteers.”
“After so much planning and preparation, it was rewarding to have it all come
together, see all of the innovative bridge designs and cheer on all the teams. We
hope everyone enjoyed the competition as much as we did!” ■
 You SteelDay
It’s coming... 9.15.2017
www.SteelDay.org

should
see
what
SteelDay® 2017 is your
opportunity to explore
structural steel.
Visit a project site!

we
Tour a fabrication shop!
Participate in a
lunchtime webinar!
Chat with a fabricator!
Plan your SteelDay
activities now by visiting
www.SteelDay.org.

can do.
@aisc
/AISCdotORG There’s always a solution in steel.
American Institute of Steel Construction
/AISCsteelTV 312.670.2400 www.aisc.org

@aisc
 news
MILEK FELLOWSHIP
Milek Fellowship Call for Proposals
University faculty are invited to apply for
the 2018 AISC Milek Fellowship, a four-
year fellowship given to a promising uni-
versity faculty member to conduct struc-
tural steel research. The awarded faculty
member will receive $50,000 per year (for
a total of $200,000) as well as free regis-
tration to NASCC: The Steel Conference
for the four years following their selec-
tion as an AISC Milek Fellow.
The Milek Fellowship program is
designed to contribute to the research
careers of young faculty who teach
and conduct research investigations
related to structural steel, while pro-
BOARD NEWS
AISC Appoints Two New Members to
Board of Directors
Two AISC members have been appointed to
the AISC Board of Directors: Leon Topa-
lian, executive vice president of Nucor Cor-
poration; and Glenn R. Tabolt, PE, president
of STS Steel, Inc., Schenectady, N.Y.
“The nominations of Leon and
Glenn continue to build on the talent
and leadership of the AISC Board, and
I look forward to working with both of
them on the issues that are important
to maintaining a strong structural steel
industry,” said David Zalesne, president
of Owen Steel Company, Inc., Columbia,
S.C., and chair of the AISC committee
on director nominations.
Topalian joined Nucor 20 years ago as
a project engineer at Nucor Steel Berke-
ley in Huger, S.C., and was quickly pro-
moted to cold mill production supervisor.
Most recently, he served as vice president
and general manager of Nucor Yamato
Leon Topalian
62 AUGUST 2017
ducing research results beneficial to
designers, fabricators and erectors of
structural steel.
The program is also intended to sup-
port students with high potential to be
valuable contributors to the U.S. struc-
tural steel industry, and the selected facul-
ty member is required to fund a doctoral
candidate with at least half of the fellow-
ship money. The chosen students will be
named AISC Graduate Fellows and fea-
tured in Modern Steel.
Proposals will be accepted until Sep-
tember 15, 2017. For the full application
requirements, visit www.aisc.org/milek.
Steel Company and was appointed execu-
tive vice president of Nucor Corporation
last month.
Tabolt started his career at Pitts-
burgh-Des Moines Steel Corpora-
tion (PDM) in 1978. Four years later
he joined General Steel Fabricators in
Latham, N.Y., where he managed vari-
ous structural steel building projects.
In 1984, he co-founded STS Steel with
Jim Stori and is involved in all aspects
of managing the company. He served on
the AISC / SSPC Joint Task Committee
to create a joint certification standard
for shop application of complex protec-
tive coating systems and currently serves
on the NASCC: The Steel Conference
Planning Committee.
View the full list of AISC's Board
of Directors at www.aisc.org/
membership/board-members.
Glenn R. Tabolt
People and Firms
The Steel Erectors Association
of America (SEAA) has
announced the winners of its
annual Project of the Year awards
for steel erection projects that
topped out in 2016. The winning
projects demonstrate the range
and complexity of steel construc-
tion in the U.S., and companies
are awarded for overcoming chal-
lenges while maintaining safe
work standards.
The winners are: the Elgin
Air Force Base, Variable Height
Tower in Okaloosa County, Fla.;
the 609 Main crown in Houston;
the Kubota North American
Headquarters in Grapevine,
Texas; an IKEA retail store in
Burbank, Calif.; and NASA’s
Vehicle Assembly Building, high
bay No. 3 in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
AISC member and certi-
fied erector Peterson Beckner
Industries was awarded the Class
II prize (for contracts valued
between $500,000 and $1 mil-
lion) for their work at 609 Main.
The 48-story office tower is the
10th tallest building in Texas.
One of the challenges posed
was the limited work space as
the building footprint took up an
entire city block with no room for
material laydown. In addition, the
structural steel “crown” placed
on top of the tower features a
complex, angular geometry.
Steel erectors are invited to sub-
mit projects topped out in 2017 for
next year’s award. The deadline is
March 1, 2018. For more informa-
tion, visit www.seaa.net.
 The Louis F. Geschwindner Seminar Series
presents

The
2016 AISC Specification
and Steel Construction

Manual, 15th Ed.

A 4-hour Continuing Education event
focusing on the updates in these new publications.
by Louis F. Geschwindner, PE, PhD

Chicago, IL | August 15, 2017

www.aisc.org/seminars
 news
AISC NEWS
AISC Announces Three Senior Leadership Promotions
Three AISC staff have been promoted
to senior leadership positions: Danielle
Kleinhans, PE, PhD, to vice president
of bridges and managing director of the
National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA);
John Cross, PE, to vice president of spe-
cial projects; and Tabitha Stine, SE, PE,
to vice president of market development.
Kleinhans joined AISC this past Janu-
ary as managing director of NSBA, respon-
sible for maintaining and building on the
technical and market development activi-
ties, strategies and culture that have posi-
tioned the alliance as a respected leader in
the bridge community. She has 15 years of
experience in structural engineering and
management. Prior to joining AISC, she
worked for the Concrete Reinforcing Steel
Institute (CRSI), rising from the position
of structural/transportation engineer to
managing director of CRSI’s Epoxy Inter-
est Group (EIG). Before that she worked
for CTLGroup in the positions of senior
engineer and group manager for structural
engineering and mechanics. She began her
career at Modjeski and Masters, Inc. as a
structural design engineer. She serves on
numerous industry committees and has re-
ceived several awards including the Young
Member Award for Professional Achieve-
ment from the American Concrete Insti-
tute (ACI). She earned a bachelor’s degree
in civil engineering from the University of
Alaska-Fairbanks, and a master’s degree
and PhD in civil engineering from the
University of Missouri-Rolla.
Charlie Carter, SE, PE, PhD, presi-
dent of AISC, said, “Danielle’s new title
reflects that the NSBA division of AISC is
now also fully integrated as a department
of AISC. We already are enjoying the
benefits of this unification, with sharing of
Danielle Kleinhans
64 AUGUST 2017
marketing, legislative, and technical ideas
and resources, and increased collaboration
among our departments. Danielle will fur-
ther grow these capabilities and activities
and continue to build the NSBA brand
that has come to be so well recognized in
the bridge community.”
Cross, who will be retiring next July,
has served as AISC’s vice president of
market development for nearly 15 years,
and also led its finance department for
eight years. He is a well-respected ex-
pert in the structural steel industry and
has been actively involved in the engi-
neering community for more than four
decades. He also has authored more than
50 publications on various industry top-
ics. Prior to joining AISC in 2001, he
served as executive vice president of STS
Consultants and regional vice president
for Beling Consultants. He holds a bach-
elor’s degree in civil engineering from
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology,
a master of divinity degree from Trinity
Evangelical Divinity School and an MBA
from the Keller Graduate School of
Management. He has served as a member
of the National Board of Advisors and
the Commission on the Future at Rose-
Hulman and on the Board of Directors
of People International USA.
“In his new role, John will focus on
creating the significant and varied infor-
mation we need at our disposal and in the
hands of our industry—winning messag-
es that will allow us all to succeed in our
market development and related activi-
ties,” said Carter. “He also will continue
to fulfill his expert role in sustainability,
market information, economic statistics
and SteelDay (scheduled for September
15; visit www.steelday.org).”
John Cross
Stine succeeds Cross and assumes
direct responsibility for all staff and ac-
tivities of the AISC market development
department. For the past 10 years, Stine
has served as AISC’s director of techni-
cal marketing and later as the director
of market development, responsible for
supervising and coordinating all of the
activities for the AISC Steel Solutions
Center and that of the AISC regional
engineers around the U.S. to help edu-
cate decision makers about the inherent
benefits and technical solutions to de-
signing and building in structural steel.
Previously she was AISC’s Great Plains
regional engineer for four years, and be-
fore that she spent nearly a year as an
advisor in the Steel Solutions Center.
Prior to joining AISC, she worked for
Sargent & Lundy, LLC, in Chicago as a
structural engineer in their fossil power
division. She earned a bachelor’s degree
in civil engineering from Southern Il-
linois University at Carbondale (SIUC)
and a master's degree in structural en-
gineering from the Illinois Institute of
Technology. In 2009, she received the
Distinguished Alumni Award by the
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department of SIUC. She currently
serves as a member of the professional
advisory board of the Civil Engineering
Department at SIUC.
“Tabitha has a demonstrated a history
of success in leading the market develop-
ment activities of the AISC regional staff
and the Steel Solutions Center,” com-
mented Carter. “More recently, she has
championed our transition to a new, city-
based market development plan, building
excitement and progressing faster than
expected in our initial plans.”
Tabitha Stine
 marketplace & employment
Structural Engineers
Are you looking for a new and exciting opportunity?
We are a niche recruiter that specializes in matching great structural
engineers with unique opportunities that will help you utilize your talents
and achieve your goals.
• We are structural engineers by background and enjoy helping other
structural engineers find their “Dream Jobs.”
• We have over 30 years of experience working with structural engineers.
• We will save you time in your job search and provide additional
information and help during the process of finding a new job.
• For Current Openings, please visit our website and select Hot Jobs.
• Please call or e-mail Brian Quinn, P.E.
(Brian.Quinn@FindYourEngineer.com or 616.546.9420) so we can
learn more about your goals and interests. All inquiries are kept confidential.
SE Impact by SE Solutions, LLC
www.FindYourEngineer.com
Contract Auditor
Quality Management Company, LLC (QMC) is seeking qualified
independent contract auditors to conduct site audits for the American
Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Certified Fabricators and Certified
Erector Programs.
This contract requires travel throughout North America and limited
International travel. This is not a regionally based contract and a
minimum travel of 75% should be expected.
Contract auditors must have knowledge of quality management
systems, audit principles and techniques. Knowledge of the structural
steel construction industry quality management systems is preferred
but not required as is certifications for CWI, CQA or NDT. Prior or
current auditing experience or auditing certifications are preferred
but not required. Interested contractors should submit a statement of
interest and resume to contractor@qmconline.org.
Connect with AISC on
SOCIAL MEDIA
facebook.com/AISCdotORG
@AISC
@AISC
youtube.com/AISCSteelTV
Search employment ads online at www.modernsteel.com. To advertise, call 231.228.2274 or e-mail gurthet@modernsteel.com.
RECRUITER IN STRUCTURAL MISCELLANEOUS
STEEL FABRICATION
ProCounsel, a member of AISC, can market your skills
and achievements (without identifying you) to any city
or state in the United States. We communicate with
over 3,000 steel fabricators nationwide. The employer
pays the employment fee and the interviewing and
relocation expenses. If you’ve been thinking of making
a change, now is the time to do it. Our target, for you,
is the right job, in the right location, at the right money.
Buzz Taylor
PROCOUNSEL
Toll free: 866-289-7833 or 214-741-3014
Fax: 214-741-3019
mailbox@procounsel.net
LATE MODEL STRUCTURAL
STEEL FABRICATING EQUIPMENT
Ficep 2004 DTT CNC Drilling & Thermal Coping Line, 78-3/4” x 24”
Max. Beam, 3-Drill, Ficep Arianna CNC Control, 2003 #20382
Peddinghaus FPDB-2500 CNC Heavy Plate Processor, 96” Width, (3)
Drill Spind, HPR260 Plasma, (1) Oxy Torch, Siemens 840,2008 #27974
Controlled Automation ABL-100-B CNC Flat Bar Detail Line, 143
Ton Punch, 400 Ton Single Cut Shear, 40’ Infeed, 1999 #24216
Controlled Automation 2AT-175 CNC Plate Punch, 175 Ton, 30” x
60” Travel, 1-1/2” Max. Plate, PC CNC, 1996 #23503
Peddinghaus FPB500-3C CNC Plate Punch with Plasma Torch, 177
Ton, 20.8” x 40’ Plate, Triple Gag Punch, Fagor 8035 CNC #25885
Peddinghaus FPB1500-3E CNC Plate Punch with Plasma, 177 Ton,
Fagor 8025 CNC, 60” Max. Width, 1-1/4” Plate, 1999 #25161
Controlled Automation BT1-1433 CNC Oxy/Plasma Cutting
System, 14’ x 33’, Oxy, (2) Hy-Def 200 Amp Plasma, 2002 #20654
Peddinghaus Ocean Avenger II 1000/1B CNC Beam Drill Line, 40”
Max. Beam, 60’ Table, Siemens CNC, 2006 #25539
Behringer HBP-530/1104G Structural Steel Mitre Cutting Band Saw,
20.8” x 43.3” Maximum Cutting Capacity, 2” Blade, 2000 #27083
www.PrestigeEquipment.com | Ph: +1.631.249.5566
sales@prestigeequipment.com
Looking for something from an old issue of Modern Steel?
All of the issues from Modern Steel Construction’s
first 50 years are now available as free PDF downloads
at www.modernsteel.com/backissues.
Crystal Steel Fabricators, a major structural steel and misc. metals
fabricator in the Eastern U.S., has openings for the following positions:
• Sr/Jr Structural Steel Project Managers (Delmar, DE)
• Sr/Jr Misc. Metals Project Managers (Hatfield, PA)
• Jr Structural/Misc. Metals Project Manager (Memphis, TN)
• Structural Engineering Executive (Delmar, DE pref.)
For more info, go to crystalsteel.com or send your resume to
jobs@crystalsteel.com.
Include the position(s) and location(s) that you’re interested in.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 65
 structurally SECRET
sound MISSION
PERHAPS IRONICALLY, the International Spy Museum is
becoming more conspicuous.
Currently housed in a series of renovated 19th-century
buildings in Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter neighborhood,
the museum is expected to move into its new home—a
140,000-sq.-ft, seven-story steel-framed structure at L’Enfant
Plaza—next year. Designed by architect Rogers Stirk
Harbour+ Partners and structural engineer SK&A Group, the
building incorporates approximately 1,500 tons of structural
steel, much of it exposed, with SteelFab, Inc. (AISC member
and certified) as the prime fabricator and AISC member
Prodraft, Inc., as the detailer.
The building encompasses a two-story lobby, three floors
of exhibition space and two floors of event space including a
rooftop terrace with sweeping views in all directions. The façade
of the exhibition levels slopes outward as it rises on two sides
66 AUGUST 2017
RSH+P
and is accented by bright red diagonal columns, with one side
of the building featuring a curtain wall that creates perimeter
circulation space outside of the galleries. The design intent is
for the building to “hide in plain sight,” with its striking exterior
on prominent display but its true intent concealed within.
Above these levels, the event space appears as a glowing box on
top of the structure.
And this is where one structural element stays true to the
museum’s clandestine roots. While the vibration performance
for the event space framing exceeds serviceability requirements,
four steel tension rods, hidden from view, were incorporated to
further dampen vibrations to essentially imperceptible levels.
The idea is that during events involving large numbers of
guests, especially with dancing involved, noticeable vibration
could be alarming. And like the spies featured in the exhibits,
the museum’s owners don’t want anyone to suspect a thing. ■
HIGH
quality
METALIZING.
Among the industry’s most valuable tools
against corrosion, metalizing provides a
protective coating by means of a thermal
spray of molten zinc or zinc/aluminum
alloy. Incorporating metalized structural
steel into your project can increase the
structure’s lifespan while reducing long-term
maintenance costs.

High Steel Structures is one of a select few

fabricators who have made the investment
to provide metalized structural steel directly
from the fabrication facility. To meet
increasing industry demand, High Steel
recently added two dedicated chambers to its
Williamsport, PA facility with state of the art
equipment for blasting and metalizing steel
components.

We offer our full range of steel coatings as

individual services or as part of a turnkey
package including fabrication and shipping.

CONTACT US TO DISCUSS
YOUR PROJECT
Rich Truxel, Sales Manager
(717) 207-4303 • RTruxel@high.net

1915 Old Philadelphia Pike • PO Box 10008

Lancaster, PA 17605-0008
WWW.HIGHSTEEL.COM