The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) recently issued a draft of AISC 341, a standard that provides guidance on designing earthquake-resistant steel buildings and it is available for public comments.
The draft standard incorporates new design limits for steel columns based on research conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of California San Diego. Using a shake table, researchers identified deficiencies in the performance of a certain type of column, with many test assemblies buckling prematurely.
Based on the findings, the researchers devised new limits for the cross-sectional slenderness of steel columns. “A lot of current design provisions are based on scaled-down column tests or a very small number of full-scale tests,” said NIST structural engineer John Harris in a news release. “But the full-scale testing we conducted has allowed us to begin filling in the knowledge gap regarding the performance of these kinds of columns under extreme loading conditions.”
The draft includes new slenderness limits on columns, with structural steel webs—sized according to the new limit—that could meet drift and stability requirements at the same time. The more stringent limits on steel column webs could soften the blow of earthquakes, potentially saving newly designed buildings from unnecessary damage or partial collapse.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jan 9, 2017
Boston’s plans for new development at odds with flood projections
One plan calls for building in areas predicted to be flooded during high tides as sea levels rise.
Codes and Standards | Jan 9, 2017
New LEED for Cities, LEED for Communities pilot certifications unveiled
Requires tracking of performance data and progress toward goals.
Codes and Standards | Jan 9, 2017
China claims top ranking outside of U.S. for total LEED-certified space
Canada, India, Brazil, and Korea round out top 5.
Codes and Standards | Jan 6, 2017
OSHA prompts more proactive approach to construction site safety
Remote operated camera systems are being used to mitigate risk in real time.
Codes and Standards | Jan 5, 2017
2018 building energy code upholds efficiency gains
Efforts to scale back efficiency requirements largely defeated.
Codes and Standards | Jan 4, 2017
Low-income housing doesn’t lower neighborhood housing values
A Trulia study contradicts longstanding fears.
Codes and Standards | Jan 3, 2017
Intelligent transportation systems have implications for designers, construction firms
Sensors and Internet of Things devices will have to be embedded in infrastructure.
Codes and Standards | Dec 15, 2016
OSHA releases safety recommendation guide for construction industry
It is said to be most helpful to small and mid-sized contractors.
Codes and Standards | Dec 14, 2016
Cities must invest $375 billion to avoid catastrophic global climate change
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group advocates low carbon infrastructure.
Codes and Standards | Dec 14, 2016
Resilient construction techniques pay for themselves over lifetime of buildings
Spending $340,000 for resiliency would pay for itself over the lifetime of a $10 million structure.