AISC releases new steel specification

The American Institute of Steel Construction Inc. (AISC) has announced the pending release of the 2005 "Specification for Structural Steel Buildings." The new document is expected to form the basis for steel design in the 2006 International Building Code.

According to Louis F. Geschwindner, AISC's vice president of engineering and research, the new, easier to use document allows designers to use either ASD or LRFD load combinations. "Essentially, the new specification combines both of the previously existing design methodologies but incorporates all of the recent advancements in structural design," said Geschwindner.

The document integrates the provisions from the previously separate AISC specifications covering single angle members and hollow structural sections (HSS). It also is fully coordinated with the 2005 AISC " Seismic Provisions" and the 2005 AISC "Code of Standard Practice."

The document forms the basis for the new AISC Steel Construction Manual, which has an expected release date of fourth-quarter 2005. The 2005 Manual also was designed for simpler use. One significant change was a major expansion of design examples, which are being removed from the printed volume and provided instead on an accompanying CD.