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
| Nov 10, 2011
California seismic codes spur flurry of hospital projects
New seismic requirements in California are helping to drive a flurry of new projects and retrofits in the state’s health care sector.
| Nov 10, 2011
Senate ready to repeal 3% withholding on government contracts
The U.S. Senate is set to approve legislation that would eliminate a law requiring federal, state, and local governments to withhold 3% of their payments to contractors and companies doing business with the government.
| Nov 10, 2011
New legislation aimed at improving energy efficiency in federal buildings
Recently introduced legislation, the “High-Performance Federal Buildings Act,” would help federal agencies save energy and money by improving building performance.
| Nov 4, 2011
CSI and ICC Evaluation Service agree to reference GreenFormat in ICC-ES Environmental Reports?
ICC-ES currently references CSI's MasterFormat and other formats in all of its evaluation reports. The MOU will add GreenFormat references.
| Nov 3, 2011
House Votes to Kill 3% Withholding Requirement; Senate Yet to Vote
The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to repeal a 3% IRS withholding tax on businesses that do work for the government.
| Nov 3, 2011
OSHA Publishes Information on Rights and Safety
OSHA recently published new and revised information that explains workers’ and employers’ rights, as well as how to protect workers from hazards in the construction industry.
| Nov 3, 2011
Sierra Club Critical of Albuquerque Mayor’s Push to Weaken Green Code
The mayor’s plan to move to a less environmentally friendly code would mean confusion for people in the construction industry and a loss of energy efficiency and money for consumers, said Shrayas Jatkar of the Sierra Club.
| Nov 3, 2011
Lax Code Enforcement Blamed for Deaths in Turkey’s Earthquake
Despite tough safety codes approved a decade ago after earthquakes killed 18,000 people, lax enforcement led to hundreds of deaths after a recent earthquake in Turkey.
| Nov 3, 2011
International Green Construction Code Will Provide Template for Local Codes
A uniform code for green construction is being readied for publication in March.
| Oct 31, 2011
NIST issues new code requirements
Buildings taller than 420 feet are now required to include an extra exit stairwell or a specially designed elevator that occupants can use for evacuations.
