Steel Magazzine

Modern
STEEL CONSTRUCTION
December 2015
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December 2015
features
48
in every issue
columns
departments
6 EDITORS NOTE
9 STEEL INTERCHANGE
12 STEEL QUIZ
60 NEWS & EVENTS
66 STRUCTURALLY SOUND
steelwise
resources
64 MARKETPLACE
65 EMPLOYMENT
17
26
Tight Tower
32
Fluid and Flexible
38
More or Less
44
Up-Tempo Bridge Construction
48
Steeling New Zealand
52
Hitting the Slopes
56
Ruin to Rehab
Bear It and Grin

BY LARRY MUIR, P.E.
Getting a bearing on bearing can help
you design more efficient connections
for a variety of steel assemblies.
business issues
23
The Art of Imitation
BY EDWARD J. ZINSKI, P.E.

A preeminent medical research facility makes
the most of limited space with an attractive
addition.
BY CHRISTOPHER E. CAREY, SR.
The ability to roll with the punches helped
one fabricator keep this multi-building project
moving onward and upward.
BY JEFF MARTIN, P.E.,
TIM HOLTERMANN, S.E., P.E., AND
BRUCE BROTHERSEN, P.E.
How to determine the best connections for
steel joists and metal deck.
BY MARY LOU RALLS, P.E.
Accelerated bridge construction practices and
benefits are being recognized and implemented
by DOTsand not a moment too soon, as the
stakes are becoming higher than ever.
BY ALISTAIR FUSSELL
After two devastating earthquakes in the
Canterbury region of New Zealand, local
authorities and engineers began to rethink
structural design for high-seismic zones,
initiating a mass migration toward steel.
BY MICHAEL GRAY, P.ENG., PH.D.,
J. ERIC KARSH, P.ENG., AND
ILANA DANZIG, P.ENG.
Seismic considerations led to the selection of an
innovative bracing solution for an art museum
at one of the worlds best-known ski areas.
BY NABEEL A. IBRAHEEM
A steel-framed office building in Baghdad
is successfully rehabilitated after a series of
missile strikes.
BY WALT GRASSL
Five ways to enhance your creativity
at work by mimicking the successful
behaviors of others.
ON THE COVER: Step inside the Wistar Institutes new Philadelphia facility, p. 26. (Photo: Jeffrey Totaro)
MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION (Volume 55, Number 12) ISSN (print) 0026-8445: ISSN (online) 1945-0737. Published monthly by the American Institute of
Steel Construction (AISC), One E. Wacker Dr., Suite 700, 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, One East Wacker Dr., Suite 700, 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.
DECEMBER 2015

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editors note
Editorial Offices
One E. Wacker Dr., Suite 700
Chicago, IL 60601
312.670.2400 tel
Editorial Contacts
EDITOR & PUBLISHER
Scott L. Melnick
312.670.8314
melnick@modernsteel.com
SENIOR EDITOR
Geoff Weisenberger
312.670.8316
weisenberger@modernsteel.com
MY WIFE, JUDY, IS AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST SPECIALIZING IN HANDS

AND, LIKE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS, she has stringent continuing education
requirements to maintain her licensure and certification. As I type this, shes off at a class
working on fulfilling those requirements.
Structural engineersespecially those
who design in steelhave one major
advantage, though. While Judy can
usually find either inexpensive or highquality courses, she struggles to ever find
both together. The American Institute of
Steel Construction recognizes the need
for continuing education to meet both
those criteria and has put together an
extensive program to meet the needs of
structural engineers.
In the past, we took programs on the
road to more than 70 cities annually.
Unfortunately, holding in-person seminars
in a wide variety of destinations is no
longer an economical model for delivering
information. Instead, weve switched to
a model that combines frequent online
offerings with an annual conference.
Online, you can either listen to live 1.5hour webinars or prerecorded webinars.
We work with outstanding speakers who
are experts on relevant, useful topics. And
an unlimited number of people can gather
in one location for a low fixed fee and all
receive PDH credit. (Visit www.aisc.org for
more information). AISC also offers Night
School, a series of eight evening seminars
covering a single topic in-depth.
For in-person education, AISC offers

NASCC: The Steel Conference. Scheduled
for April 1315, 2016, in Orlando, it offers
a choice of more than 120 technical
sessions plus an exhibit hall with more than
200 vendors. Whats particularly impressive
about the Steel Conference is the breadth
of subjects covered. From buildings to
bridges to seismic design to business
issues, the conference offers a session for
you. Visit www.aisc.org/nascc to view the
advance program.
And in keeping with AISCs philosophy
of providing high-quality and economic
continuing education opportunities,
the Steel Conference is remarkably
affordable. If you register during the first
weekregistration opens January 5
youll pay only $340 (if youre an AISC
member). There is a catch, though:
Registration fees increase $10 each week,
so register early and take full advantage
of this great opportunity!
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Tasha Weiss
312.670.5439
weiss@modernsteel.com
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS
Keith A. Grubb, S.E., P.E.
312.670.8318
grubb@modernsteel.com
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Megan Johnston-Spencer
312.670.5427
johnstonspencer@modernsteel.com
GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER
Kristin Hall
312.670.8313
hall@modernsteel.com
AISC Officers
CHAIR
James G. Thompson
VICE CHAIR
David Zalesne
SECRETARY &
GENERAL COUNSEL
David B. Ratterman
PRESIDENT
Roger E. Ferch, P.E.
VICE PRESIDENT AND
CHIEF STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Charles J. Carter, S.E., P.E., Ph.D.
VICE PRESIDENT
Jacques Cattan
VICE PRESIDENT
John P. Cross, P.E.
VICE PRESIDENT
Scott L. Melnick
Advertising Contact
Account Manager
Louis Gurthet
231.228.2274 tel
231.228.7759 fax
gurthet@modernsteel.com
SCOTT MELNICK
EDITOR
For advertising information,

contact Louis Gurthet or visit
www.modernsteel.com
Address Changes and

Subscription Concerns
312.670.5444 tel
312.893.2253 fax
admin@modernsteel.com
Reprints
Betsy White
The Reprint Outsource, Inc.
717.394.7350
bwhite@reprintoutsource.com
DECEMBER 2015
INTRODUCING THE
HOW/2
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NOT SIMPLY CONNECTION
VERIFICATION
SDS/2 is the only system that provides true connection
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Instead of choosing a connection from a library, SDS/2 designs
the connection for you, based on parameters that you establish
at the beginning of a project.
All connections SDS/2 automatically designs will comply with
the connection design code standards the user chooses.
LEARN MORE
SDS/2 provides long-hand calculations

of all designed connections, which simplies the verication process. Scan the
QR code to view an example of SDS/2s
automatically generated calculation
design reports.
CLASH PREVENTION
SDS/2 checks for interaction with other connections within
a common joint. That means adjusting connections for
shared bolts, checking driving clearances for bolts, sharing,
adjusting and moving gusset and shear plates when required, and assuring erectablity of all members. All adjusted
connections are automatically veried based on selected
design criteria.
Want to see how simple it really is to design

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If youve ever asked yourself Why? about something

related to structural steel design or construction,
Modern Steels monthly Steel Interchange is for you!
Send your questions or comments to solutions@aisc.org.
Tensile Strength of PJP Groove Welds vs.

CJP Groove Welds
The AISC Specification allows the strength of a CJP
groove weld to be taken as the strength of the base
metal. However, the tensile strength of a PJP groove
weld is limited to 0.6 times the tensile strength of the
filler metal. As a result, the design strength of the PJP
groove weld is significantly reduced even when the volume of weld is nearly the same as a CJP groove weld.
What are the differences between CJP and PJP groove
welds that explain this strength reduction?
This is addressed in Section J2.4 in the Commentary to the
AISC Specification, which states:
The factor of 0.6 on FEXX for the tensile strength of PJP
groove welds is an arbitrary reduction that has been used
since the early 1960s to compensate for the notch effect of
the unfused area of the joint, uncertain quality in the root
of the weld due to the inability to perform nondestructive
evaluation and the lack of a specific notch toughness requirement for filler metal.
A CJP groove weld is defined in the AISC Specification
as a groove weld in which weld metal extends through the
joint thickness, except as permitted for HSS connections.
A PJP groove weld is defined as a groove weld in which the
penetration is intentionally less than the complete thickness
of the connected element. The notch that is referred to in
the Commentary is due to a PJP stopping short, not fusing
the entire thicknessi.e., the part that is not welded in PJP
is viewed as a notch or crack.
Also, the root of a CJP groove weld can be readily UT
inspected, and such inspection is addressed in Chapter N of
the Specification. Inspecting the root of a PJP weld is not as
straightforward since it has a natural flaw that will always be
evident in the inspection.
Carlo Lini
Preinstallation Verification of Items Bolted

to Ship
If pieces are bolted to ship during shop assembly, but
the joints are not pretensioned until the assembly is
erected, should preinstallation verification be performed
at the shop, where the bolts were first installed, or in the
field, where the bolts will be pretensioned?
steel
interchange
The preinstallation verification needs to be performed in the

field at the job site with the crews that will be pretensioning
the bolts and using a representative sample of bolts.
The Commentary to Section 7.2 of the RCSC Specification states: Preinstallation verification testing clarifies for
the bolting crew and the inspector the proper implementation of the selected pretensioning method and the adequacy
of the installation equipment. In order to satisfy this intent,
the preinstallation verification must be done in the field by
the crew responsible for pretensioning the joints.
The Commentary also states: The preinstallation verification requirements in this Section presume that fastener
assemblies so verified will be pretensioned before the condition of the fastener assemblies, the equipment and the steelwork have changed significantly When time of exposure
between the placement of fastener assemblies in the field
work and the subsequent pretensioning of those fastener
assemblies is of concern, preinstallation verification can be
performed on fastener assemblies removed from the work or
on extra fastener assemblies that, at the time of placement,
were set aside to experience the same degree of exposure.
Since the assemblies may be exposed to the environment
for some time before being erected, in addition to sampling
from each combination of diameter, length, grade and lot,
you might also perform the preinstallation verification using
bolts taken from the assemblies.
Larry S. Muir, P.E.
Lp for Shapes with Noncompact Flanges
Section F3.1 of the AISC Specification refers to Section

F2.2 for lateral-torsional buckling of doubly symmetric
I-shaped members bent about their major axis having
compact webs and non-compact or slender flanges. Section F2.2 includes Equation F2-5:
Lp =1.76ry
E
F
y
However, this equation does not always produce the

same value given for Lp in Manual Table 3-2. For example,
Table 3-2 lists Lp = 15.1 for a W1490 but Equation F2-5
results in a value of 13.1.
What is the difference between these two values and
which should be used in the calculation of Mn?
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION
steel interchange
Table 3-2 allows a simplified approach to the design. Though
the two values will provide different results, either can be used
if applied appropriately.
A W1490 has non-compact flanges. Since the flanges are
non-compact, the section is not capable of reaching its plastic
strength and the flanges will buckle locally before a plastic hinge
can be formed. Table 3-2 reports a value that is referred to as Lp
in the Manual discussion. Using this value to calculate Mn, rather
than Lp, will limit the value to the local buckling strength of the
member, Mp. This can be viewed as a shortcut to the Specification
approach, which requires separate checks for lateral-torsional
buckling and compression flange local buckling.
The difference between the two approaches can be seen
most clearly by looking at Manual Figure 3-1 reproduced
below. Using Lp from Equation F2-5 in Equation F2-2 will
produce a result somewhere along the line (Lp, Mp), (Lr, Mr).
Values that exceed Mp are not possible, since Equation F3-1
will govern. This is the approach in the AISC Specification. The
shortcut limits results to those along the line (Lp, Mp), (Lr,
Mr), rendering the explicit check for compression flange local
buckling redundant.
Carlo Lini
Section A3.1c in the AISC Specification addresses this issue,

stating that rolled heavy shapes used as members subject to
primary (computed) tensile forces due to tension or flexure
and spliced or connected using CJP groove welds that fuse
through the thickness of the flange or the web would require
that shapes be supplied with Charpy V-notch toughness in
accordance with supplementary requirement S30. The key
statement in this section relative to your second question is
The structural design documents shall require that such
shapes be supplied with Charpy
Section A4 addresses structural design drawings and specifications and states that the structural design drawings and
specifications shall meet the requirements in the Code of Standard Practice. The user note in this section states: Provisions
in this Specification contain information that is to be shown
on design drawings. These include: Section A3.1c Rolled
heavy shapes where alternate core Charpy V-notch toughness
(CVN) is required.
The AISC Seismic Provisions contain similar requirements
in Section A3.3 and also require that locations of connection
plates requiring CVN, in accordance with Section A3.3(b), be
indicated in the structural design drawings and specification.
This all falls under Code of Standard Practice Section 3.1,
which requires that the structural design drawings clearly
indicate the work to be performed. The commentary for this
section states that critical requirements that are necessary
to protect the owners interest, that affect the integrity of the
structure or that are necessary for the fabricator and the erector to proceed with their work must be included in the contract documents. Some examples of critical information may
include, when applicable, special material requirements to be
reported on the material test reports.
There is a cost associated with providing specified toughness, and therefore it should not be specified indiscriminately.
Carlo Lini
Toughness Testing
Are all rolled jumbo sections subject to toughness
requirements? Does Charpy V-notch impact testing have
to be specified in the contract documents, or is this automatically done for all jumbo sections?
First, a clarification: The AISC Specification does not refer to
jumbo shapes. Instead, it refers to rolled and built-up heavy
shapes. ASTM A6/A6M hot-rolled shapes with a flange thickness exceeding 2 in. are considered to be rolled heavy shapes.
Built-up cross sections consisting of plates with a thickness
exceeding 2 in. are considered built-up heavy shapes.
Not all heavy shapes are subject to toughness requirements,
and Charpy V-notch impact testing is typically only performed
when required in the contract documents.
Generally, ASTM standards contain supplemental requirements related to Charpy testing. Testing to other toughness
requirements is also possible. Some materials, like A913, have
toughness requirements in the standard and supplemental
requirements that can apply as well.
10
DECEMBER 2015
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 and Carlo Lini is a staff engineertechnical
assistance, both with 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 AISCs Steel Solutions Center:
866.ASK.AISC solutions@aisc.org
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steel quiz
This months Steel Quiz takes a look at topics addressed in the

AISC Seismic Provisions (available at www.aisc.org/2010seismic).
1 True or False: The AISC Seismic Provisions require the

use of slip-critical connections when bolted joints are
used in the SFRS.
2 True or False: The AISC Seismic Provisions have special

requirements that help minimize welding into the k-area
of columns.
3 The AISC Seismic Provisions require which of the

following to be provided in structural design drawings
and specifications (choose one):
a. Designation of the SFRS
b. Identification of members that are part of the SFRS
c. Locations and dimensions of protected zones
d. a and c
e. a, b and c
4 True or False: All CJP groove welds in the SFRS are

required to be demand-critical.
5 True or False: When the AISC Seismic Provisions require
the use of the amplified seismic load, load combinations

containing the over-strength factor, o, should be used.
6 True or False: When designing a brace connection for
RyFyAg, the designer is permitted to use RyFy and RtFu,

respectively, for checking tension yield and tension
rupture of the brace.
7 In Tables J6 through J10 of the AISC Seismic Provisions,
(O) stands for Observe, (P) stands for Perform and (D)
stands for _________.
a. Daily
c. Document
b. Detect
d. Delay
8 Chapter 5 in AISC 358 Prequalified Connections for

Special and Intermediate Steel Moment Frames for
Seismic Applications (a free download at www.aisc.org/
aisc358) covers RBS moment connections. RBS stands for
________.
a. Reinforced beam section
b. Rectangular beam section
c. Reduced beam section
d. Restrained beam section
TURN TO PAGE 14 FOR ANSWERS
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steel quiz
ANSWERS
1 False. Section D2.2 requires that bolts be installed as

pretensioned high-strength bolts with a minimum Class
A faying surface. However, the available shear strength
of these bolted joints is calculated as a bearing-type joint
as required in Section D2.2(1). There are exceptions that
permit oversize holes at diagonal braces and exclude the
faying surface requirements where seismic loads are not
transferred through shear in the bolts.
2 True. The required corner clip sizes of Section D2.4 and I2.4
5 True. This is explained in the Commentary to Section B2

of the AISC Seismic Provisions.
6 True. The user note in Section A3.2 states: In several

instances a member, or a connection limit state within
that member, is required to be designed for forces
corresponding to the expected strength of the member
itself. In such cases it is permitted to use the expected
material strength in the determination of the available
member strength.
in the AISC Seismic Provisions are sized to avoid welding

in the k-area for these conditions. The AISC Specification
also recommends in Commentary Section J10.8 to avoid
welding in the k-area of highly restrained joint (joints with
continuity plates and full-depth stiffeners).
7 c. Document. As stated in Section J5.3, the inspector
3 e. a, b and c. This is addressed in Section A4 of the AISC

4 False. Welds designated as demand-critical are specified
beam section where portions of the beam flanges are

selectively trimmed in the region adjacent to the beamto-column connection. Yielding and hinge formation are
intended to occur primarily within this area.
in the provisions in the section applicable to the specific

seismic force resisting system or within the prequalification/
qualification standard for prequalification/qualification
connections. The AISC Seismic Provisions do not require all
CJP groove welds to be demand-critical.
Everyone is welcome to submit questions and answers for

Steel Quiz. If you are interested in submitting one question
or an entire quiz, contact AISCs Steel Solutions Center at
866.ASK.AISC or at solutions@aisc.org.
Seismic Provisions.
must prepare reports indicating that the work has been

performed in accordance with the contract documents.
8 c. Reduced beam section. A reduced beam section is a

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steelwise
Getting a bearing on bearing can help you design
more efficient connections for a variety of steel assemblies.
BEAR IT
AND GRIN
BY LARRY MUIR, P.E.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS PERPETUALLY STRIVE

for more economical designs.
Finding ways to reduce needed material is often one of the
first steps, but opportunities for reducing the cost (while maintaining the value) of the steel package are also available when
it comes to connections. One method of getting more out of
connections is to have them resist compressive loads through
steel-on-steel bearing. But as the saying goes, With great power comes great responsibilityand if we are going to rely on
bearing, then we also have to ensure bearing will exist.
The AISC Specification provides opportunities for designers
to incorporate bearing, and taking advantage of them can lead
to better, more efficient connection design.
The Power
Section J1.4 of the AISC Specification addresses the required
strength of the connections joining compression members in
bearing. One thing that is immediately obvious is that the member types are separated into two groups: columns and members
other than columns. This distinction occurs repeatedly in the
AISC Specification, and members other than columns are generally subjected to more stringent requirements. The reason is
that the conditions that exist for a column are assumed to be
well defined and beneficial to ensuring the transfer of loads
through bearing. A column splice will generally look similar to
the typical splices shown in part 14 of the AISC Steel Construction Manual. By definition, a column is nominally vertical and
therefore during erection gravity will tend to push the joint
into bearing, a condition that may not exist in a compression
chord splice in a truss, for instance.
We also know that a typical column splice can transfer a great
deal of moment, easily satisfying OSHA requirements and likely
developing the strength and stiffness required to prevent global
buckling of the member even when not specifically checked to
do so. For these reasons, J1.4 only requires that the connectors at
column bearing splices and plates be sufficient to hold the parts
securely in place. In contrast, the connectors in members other
than columns that bear must be designed for stated demands of
the lesser of either 50% of the required compressive strength of
the member or the moment and shear resulting from a transverse load equal to 2% of the required compressive strength of
the member applied at the location of the splice.
These requirements are not at all onerous, since the same

mechanisms that often allow us to treat column splices as okay
by inspection can also be employed to satisfy the connections
for members other than columns. The explicit requirements
serve the purpose of making an engineer stop and think about
the condition and its behavior. The largest demand is produced
when the splice is located mid-span, as shown in Figure 1. Moving the splice close to a braced point, such as a floor or a truss
node, can reduce the demand significantly.
The AISC Specification provides further requirements for
welds used in connections that bear. Relative to joints that
employ PJP groove welds and transfer load through bearing,
Figure 1: AISC Specification Section J1.4 requirement.
Larry Muir (muir@aisc.org)

is AISCs director of
technical assistance.
17
steelwise
The Responsibility
As weve demonstrated, the AISC Specification gives the engineer great power to decide that bearing will exist and therefore eliminate a great deal of the material and labor that would
otherwise have to be incorporated into the joint. Now for the
responsibility part.
In order to transfer loads through bearing, bearing must actually existbut what constitutes bearing? The answer is scattered throughout the AISC Specification and the AISC Code of
Standard Practice (though primarily can be found in Chapter M
of the Specification). AISC Specification Section M2.6 states:
Compression joints that depend on contact bearing as part
of the splice strength shall have the bearing surfaces of individual fabricated pieces prepared by milling, sawing or other
suitable means.
This is a general requirement and is intended to ensure the
surface is relatively straight and smooth. Section M4.4 of the
Specification addresses the required fit of the bearing surfaces, at
least for columns, and states:
Lack of contact bearing not exceeding a gap of 116 in. (2 mm),
regardless of the type of splice used (partial-joint-penetration
groove welded or bolted), is permitted. If the gap exceeds 116 in.
(2 mm), but is equal to or less than in. (6 mm), and if an engineering investigation shows that sufficient contact area does
18
DECEMBER 2015
not exist, the gap shall be packed out with non-tapered steel
shims. Shims need not be other than mild steel, regardless of
the grade of the main material.
The Commentary indicates that tests have shown that
small gaps due to out-of-square can be accommodated without any loss of strength. Section M2.8 of the Specification addresses requirements related to ensuring that the bearing surface of plates is sufficiently flat. Though explicitly addressing
columns, these requirements could form the basis of projectspecific requirements.
Power (and Responsibility) in Action
Lets take a look at some examples, using various scenarios,
of how bearing can improve connections.
Column splices. Figure 2 illustrates a typical column
splice, like those provided in Part 14 of the AISC Manual.
In addition to the AISC Specification requirements, OSHA
1926.756(d) requires these splices to be able to resist the effects of a 300-lb force applied 18 in. off the center of the
column. Engineers also may apply their own more stringent
requirements to account for erection loads, such as designing for some lateral load to account for conditions during
erection. The same concept that results in the 2% of the
compressive demand in Section J1.4 could also be applied
to columns, though again there is no explicit requirement.
The moment strength of the splice can be checked assuming
bearing on the compression side and using the bolts to resist the tension. Though the AISC Specification requirements
explicitly ensure a specified strength, stiffness at the splice is
also critical to ensuring that the column can develop its required strength. In general, joints in bearing can be assumed
to have sufficient stiffness.
the Specification once again distinguishes between columns

and members other than columns. In Table J2.5, consistent with Section J1.4(1), the PJP welds between columns
in bearing are not required to resist any defined load and
instead exist merely to hold the parts together. In contrast,
PJP groove welds used in bearing joints for members other
than columns are obviously subject to the loads provided in
Section J1.4(1). This is no surprise. What might be unexpected is the assumed design strength of these welds, which
is given as 0.6 FEXX. The Commentary does not provide an
explanation as to why this reduction in the strength of the
weld is applied for the case of a bearing connection. It does
state that it ...has been used since the early 1960s to compensate for the notch effect of the unfused area of the joint,
uncertain quality in the root of the weld due to the inability
to perform nondestructive evaluation and the lack of a specific notch-toughness requirement for filler metal. It does
not imply that the tensile failure mode is by shear stress on
the effective throat, as in fillet welds.
Many of these stated reasons for the reduction do not
apply to joints that are assumed to remain in compression.
Notch-toughness and notch effects are considerations for
joints in tension, and the statement that the failure mode
is not by shear stress on the effective throat is equally applicable to welds in compression. Again, it comes down to
uncertainty about the joint. With a column, the configuration of the joint is well defined and gravity will tend to aid
in attaining bearing, but this might not be the case with
other configurations.
Figure 2: Typical column splice.
steelwise
Truss splices. Often, trusses resist gravity loads such that
the top chord remains in compression. Though engineers often
configure the top and bottom chord splice similarly, half of the
splices can often be economized by taking advantage of compression bearing. Figure 3(a) shows a splice designed to transfer
compression through a bolted splice without bearing. Figure
3(b) provides two alternatives designed to transfer compression
through bearing.
Figure 3: Truss splices.
(a)
(b)
Hearst diagrid. Diagrid assemblies are another situation

where bearing can be used to enhance connections. All of the
diagrid connections for the Hearst Tower in New York, N.Y.,
for example, employed bearing, which significantly reduced the
amount of welding that had to be done in the shop and the
number of bolts that had to be installed in the field. It should
be noted that while compression was the predominant demand,
these members were not subjected to compression loads alone.
A complex set of moments, shears and even uplift also had to be
resisted (and were resisted through the bolts and welds).
Bearing was ensured through careful detailing and milling of
the plates at the bearing surfaces. Even so, in one instance either
the joint was not properly assembled or somehow the geometry
changed during erection, and a gap was noticed in the joint after
the erection of four subsequent floors. It was impractical to disassemble the joint and refit the member. It was decided to continue
erection while monitoring the joint in hopes that the weight of
the structure would force the elements into bearing. Fortunately,
this proved to be the case and no remedial action was required. If
the gap had not closed, shims would have been installed in accordance with Section M4.4 of the AISC Specification. Again, if bearing is relied upon in the design then bearing must be ensured in
the final structure. (See Something Old, Something New in
the April 2007 issue and A New Angle in the July 2006 issue,
both available at www.modernsteel.com.)
Knowing where to find bearing guidance and how to apply
it to different scenarios can help you create better connections
that result in a more economical project.
Cantilevered beams. Another common condition where

bearing can be used to considerable advantage is at cantilevered
beams. Figure 4 shows a detail in which the tension side of the
moment is resisted by a bolted flange plate while bearing is
used to resist the compression. The web connection bolts resist
only vertical shear. In this case, the use of bearing to resist compression results in less shop and field work. It also has the added
advantage that finger shims can be driven under the end plate
to adjust the elevation at the far end of the cantilever.
20
Figure 4: Cantilevered beam.
DECEMBER 2015
The signature diagrid of Hearst Tower in New York.
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business issues
Five ways to enhance your creativity at work by
mimicking the successful behaviors of others.
THE ART OF
IMITATION
BY WALT GRASSL
SAM AND BORIS WERE HAVING LUNCH.

Sams shoulder. Bob never gave Sam the room to do his work.
Boris candidly told Sam that he admired his creativity and Sam felt like he wasnt being trusted. From Bobs lesson, Sam
innovation. Boris was pretty risk-averse and never wanted to avoided micromanaging his people.
be the nail that stands out and gets pounded down. Sam menBob had a second bad habit. He would assign a task, and
tioned that he didnt always make an effort to be noticed. He when Sam or others would turn in exactly what he asked for,
learned to acutely observe the traits, ideas and concepts of oth- he would mark it up and ask them to rework the assignment,
ers, and incorporate them into his
with no explanation. That bothown professional style.
ered Sam and his peers. When
After lunch, Sam went back
Sam became a manager, sometimes
to his office and tried to figure Bad role models can be helpful too.
he would receive work that was
out what made him different. He
not what he expected. Before actcame up with five rules that influing,
he would pause and assess the
Learn from their bad habits
enced him.
situation. He thought about what
Find someone to model. Sam
he had asked for. If the result was
and make sure not to copy them.
remembered that one of his bosses,
acceptable as an end product, he
Earl, would always call out the
would say nothing and learn to be
elephant in the room. On occamore precise when describing task
sion, a senior person in a meeting was misinformed. Many in assignments. If the result was simply unacceptable as an end
the room would be reluctant to correct the information. Earl product, he would sincerely apologize to the person for having
would consistently and respectfully point out the disconnect. to rework the task and acknowledge that it was his mistake in
Once the issue was discussed, the path forward could be more the task definition.
clearly decided.
Over time, the best of the good examples will integrate into
In the workplace, pay attention to your coworkers and your your unique behavior. And if you catch yourself engaging in bad
leaders. Specifically, pay attention to the ones that stand out in a behavior, you can correct it.
good way. Ask yourself what makes them special. Are they good
Seek outside sources of inspiration. Sam was a voracious
at giving presentations? Are they detail-oriented? Are they will- reader. He read books, blogs and magazines. He kept up with
ing to politely but firmly challenge authority? Or do they keep industry trends and also trends from outside his industry. He
quiet and allow a negative outcome to occur? Do they dress studied technology and leadership. If he came across somein an appropriate manner that makes the right impression on thing that might transfer to his career, he would see if he could
others?
make it work. As a result, Sam developed a reputation as an outWhen you model someone, dont be afraid to copy their of-the-box thinker. He was really just open to new ideas and
behavior. It isnt easy to imitate someone exactlyand it
wouldnt be good to do so on a long-term basis anywaybut
your version of them will be your own and/or it will quickly Walt Grassl is a speaker, author
and standup comedian and
evolve to your own style.
Find someone else to model (and repeat often). Sam hosts the radio show Stand Up
realized that, in his career, hed met many unique individuals: and Speak Up on the RockStar
bosses, peers and subordinates. From the ones who truly stood Worldwide network.
out in a positive way, he tried to figure out what he could do. Visit www.waltgrassl.com
For example, Rich, a former coworker, believed in reassigning for more information.
employees to growth roles when they got too comfortable and
stopped growing. Sam incorporated that trait in his leadership.
Bad role models can be helpful too. Sam had a manager
named Bob who did two things that frustrated Sam. First, Bob
was an extreme micromanager who was always looking over
23
business
issues
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www.fabsuite.com
24
DECEMBER 2015
757.645.0842
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always striving to improve the products

and processes in his workplace.
Combine two seemingly unrelated
ideas. Earlier in Sams career, the concept
of concurrent engineering became popular.
Sam also participated in a process called
Design For Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA). DFMA involved having a
manufacturing department review designs
to determine if they could indeed be efficiently produced before they were finalized.
Sam took a risk on a small program he was
managing and took DFMA to another level.
He invited his manufacturing people to
participate in the design process from the
beginning. This saved the cost and schedule impact of completing a design iteration
after the DFMA.
Sam received kudos for his innovation
but the change did not catch on throughout the company. And thats another lesson Sam learned: Not all tries will succeed.
And even those that do may not become
widespread. But the trial and error process enhanced Sams reputation as a creative thinker. He was regularly invited to
be a member of teams formed to improve
company processes.
Ask What if? Sam believed in challenging the status quo. Why do we build
our products this way? What if we started
with a blank sheet of paper? What would
our new process be like? Is there a costeffective way to benefit from the results of
this exercise?
Every companys culture is different.
Exercise your judgment as to how much
you challenge the status quo. But if you
dont play the what if game, you will not
see opportunities to improve your workplace and advance your career.
When Sam finished his reflection, he
had these five tips to be more creative and
innovative. They involved integrating the
best practices and ideas from others into
his own work habits. He met with Boris a
week later and shared his notes and examples. Boris liked them so much he asked
Sam to come and present them to his team.
Sam was happy to do so.
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A preeminent medical research facility

makes the most of limited space with an attractive addition.
TIGHT
Tower
BY EDWARD J. ZINSKI, P.E.
Jeffrey Totaro
THE WISTAR INSTITUTE in Philadelphia has a long and

distinguished history of helping to cure devastating diseases.
The nations first independent biomedical research facilitys
discoveries have led to vaccines for rabies and rubella, and it is
now focused on the goals of developing cancer prevention vaccines and early detection blood tests, creating first drug responses against Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) cancers, uncovering the
viral cause for breast cancer and conducting a curative HIV trial.
With the September 2014 opening of the Robert and Penny
Fox Tower, Wistar has dramatically empowered its talented
scientists to reach these goals. Located between the academic
campus of the University of Pennsylvania and Wistars worldrenowned Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP),
the new ten-level tower increases Wistars overall footprint to
272,000 sq. ft and adds 50% more lab space while unifying the
institutes campus, the earliest buildings of which have been
around since 1894.
26
DECEMBER 2015
Stackable Functionality
The ideal location for the new tower was determined to be
in the center of the campus, rising out of the surrounding existing research and office buildings. Within the tower, varied functions stacked vertically require the integration of large columnfree spaces with the more closely supported lab spaces. The
structural steel framing system had to efficiently accommodate
long spans, column transfers, hanging columns, two pedestrian
bridges and a variety of cantilevers on all sides, including the
building corners. Also, the lower four floors had to match in
elevation with the adjacent building.
Starting at street level, a 62-ft-wide space for truck entry and
turnaround for the new replacement receiving area is embedded
within the heart of the new tower. The floor immediately above
street level incorporates a new 2,100-sq.-ft multiuse auditorium
with stepped seating, again mandating column-free space that
is offset from the receiving area on the floor below. Above the
The steel-supported atrium.
Ballinger
Jeffrey Totaro
The structural steel framing system had to accommodate long spans, column transfers, hanging columns,
two pedestrian bridges and a variety of cantilevers.
The new ten-level tower increases Wistars overall footprint to 272,000 sq. ft
and adds 50% more lab space while unifying the institutes campus.
A cutaway of the new structure.
Edward J. Zinski (ezinski@

ballinger.com) is an
associate principal and chief
structural engineer with
Ballinger.
Ballinger
27
Column
hanging
from
Column
hanging
cantilevered
truss.
from cantilevered
truss.
Cantilevered
Cantilevered
floor framing
oor
framing
supported
by
hung column,
supported
by
typical
at
four
hung column,
levels.
typical at
four levels.
Within the tower, varied functions stacked vertically require the

integration of large column-free spaces with the more closely
supported lab spaces.
28
Ballinger
Jeffrey Totaro
A Revit model of the main entry corner framing.
auditorium level are multiple floors of prime laboratory space,

requiring more moderately spaced W14 columns than the floors
below in order to achieve the desired floor stiffness.
The versatility of structural steel framing afforded a variety of
creative design solutions to meet each of these challenges. Several
columns are supported on transfer girders or trusses depending
on the magnitude of the load, while others hang from penthouse
trusses. Overall, 20% of the major building columns are designed
and constructed with interruptions from top to bottom, in order to
accommodate the various functions stacked vertically throughout
the building. Besides these column transfers, the tower design incorporates a large atrium serving as both a collaborative gathering
place for the scientists and a break-out space for those using the
auditorium. The atrium features a uniquely shaped steel-framed
skylight and two long-span pedestrian bridges linking the new
tower to the existing buildings.
cantilevers as much as 10 ft. At the edge of the cantilevered corridor is a glass curtain wall that acts as a double-skin faade to buffer
the highly controlled environment of the labs from the exterior at
the south faade while allowing natural light to enter the labs.
Within the research labs, vibration resistance that met stringent
National Institutes of Health (NIH) requirements for laboratories
was essential. The design team was able to achieve stiffness and
limit vibration from footfall traffic throughout to a maximum of
2,000 micro-in. per second, while keeping steel member depths to
an absolute minimum through composite action of both the beams
and the girders. Steel framing stiffness was greatly enhanced along
each of the column lines, with the use of creative vertical trusses
hidden within the side walls of the mechanical shafts serving the
labs. These lightweight trusses provided high stiffness to the ends
of the longer span framing members, enabling the use of 16-in.
beams and 18-in. girders to accommodate the intensive laboratory
mechanical and electrical systems above 10-ft. ceilings within 13-ft,
4-in. floor-to-floor heights.
Resisting Vibration
The lab space is the centerpiece of the towers design, with multiple floors of advanced laboratories transforming Wistars research
environment into one of interaction and innovation. The circulation is a continuous loop around the labs, with breakout areas for
spontaneous collaboration, framed with a perimeter corridor that
Urban Constructability
The construction process had to overcome severe constraints associated with an urban site surrounded by multiple
existing buildings and a major street. Steel erection was performed by locating the tower crane within one of the elevator
shafts. With almost no laydown area, steel was picked directly
DECEMBER 2015
Ballinger
The atrium during construction...
Jeffrey Totaro
...and completed.
29
Ballinger
Jeffrey Totaro
The building is located between the academic campus of the University of

Pennsylvania and the schools hospital.
Jeffrey Totaro
Steel erection was performed by locating the

tower crane within one of the elevator shafts.
from truck beds in carefully staged lots.

The structure needed to be relatively lightweight
to reduce the magnitude of the new foundations,
which were placed next to the generally unknown
existing shallow footings of the abutting 120-yearold building. Twenty-ft-deep underpinnings were
installed at strategic points, including sections of
heavy brick bearing wall construction from the original building, as well as individual existing shallow
column footings for the other adjacent buildings.
The constrained site of the tower structure also
led to the use of multiple cantilevered edges, including three of the four building corners. One of
the most significant cantilevers occurs over the inset freestanding glass box foyer at the tower entry,
leading to a monumental stairway as the gateway
to the multiuse auditorium and atrium level. This
main entry is positioned beneath the overhanging
tower faade, which is supported by a series of additive cantileversfirst in the form of a major corner column hanging from an 18-ft.-long cantilever
in the buildings penthouse, then with a 9-ft.-long
cantilevered girder that in turn supports an additional 11-ft.-long cantilevered corner beam. Given
the strict deflection limits for the faade, detailed
analyses with both the Bentley Ram Structural System and STAAD.Pro were used to determine the
cumulative effects of this series of linked cantilevers, plus the progressive axial strains of the suspended column, to ensure a design that met both
strength and serviceability requirements.
Boasting the highest rating of exceptional
with the National Cancer Institute, Wistar is one
of only 69 NCI-designated Cancer Centers out of
the approximately 1,500 facilities in the U.S. dedicated to cancer research. And with the aid of structural steels versatility, it has a new facility that will
help it maintain this level of excellence far into
the future.
Owner
Wistar Institute
General Contractor
LF Driscoll
Architect and Structural Engineer
Ballinger Architects and Engineers
Steel Team
Fabricator and Detailer
Cives Steel Co.
Erector
Steel Suppliers Erectors, Inc.
30
DECEMBER 2015
The atrium features a steel-framed skylight and two

long-span pedestrian bridges linking the new tower
to the original facilities of Wistar.
Strong Structures Come

From Strong Designs
With RAM, STAAD and ProStructures,

Bentley offers proven applications for:
Build it with Bentley! Integrated projects,

teams and software.
Bentleys Structural Software provides you the tools you need for strong designs and supports
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to learn more!
2014 Bentley Systems, Incorporated. Bentley, the B Bentley logo, ProjectWise and MicroStation are either registered or unregistered
trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. Other brands and product
names are trademarks of their respective owners.
Metal Buildings
Steel/Steel Composite
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Foundation Design
Steel Connections
Structural Drawings and Details
all easily coordinated with the

Architect and other team members
and their design applications
such as AutoCAD, Revit, MicroStation
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Fluid
AND Flexible
BY CHRISTOPHER E. CAREY, SR.
Photos: Courtesy of Schuff
The ability to roll with the punches helped

one fabricator keep this multi-building project moving onward and upward.
BRICKELL CITY CENTRE is making quite the imprint on
Downtown Miami.
With the first phase opening early next year, BCC will occupy 9.1 acres in the heart of downtown, comprising 5.4 million sq. ft of office, residential, hotel, retail and entertainment
space and a two-level underground parking garage.
The complex is broken up into three separate podiums (east,
north and west). Each block includes one 43-story residential building (two are condo towers while one is a hotel) with
varying amounts of steel framingall include five-story, steelframed podiumsand the east and west blocks also include one
completely steel-framed 15-story office building apiece. The
Christopher E. Carey, Sr.

(christopher.carey@schuff.com)
is a senior project manager with
Schuff Steel Company
Southeast Division.
32
DECEMBER 2015
blocks are connected via two one-story steel-framed pedestrian

bridges that cross over the streets at level two, and the buildings and bridges collectively contain 12,000 tons of structural
steel. Flowing between the buildings is another steel element,
the climate ribbonan undulating, angular glass-and-steel
canopy that harnesses the wind through the areas it covers (see
the sidebar for more).
Due to the size and complexity of the project, fabricator
Schuff Steel divided the Tekla 3D model into three separate
parts correlating with the three city blocks. In order to overcome the challenge of having to regularly update the model,
a master interface model was created for all three blocks/
models. Schuff checked the model on a weekly basis to ensure
coordination among all three blocks was being achieved as the
project was being erected, moving counterclockwise through
each building, podium and truss span bridge, starting with the
east block and ending with the west.
A project of this size involved more challenges than can be
covered here. However, when it came to the steel package, the
primary challenge was coordination. Some of the more interesting ones included scheduling issues with the retail area escalators, construction limitations based on crane locations, shear
wall coordination of the condominium towers and late changes
to some of the retail spaces.
Arquitectonica
The entire complex incorporates

several high-rises, all tied together
with the climate ribbon.
A typical truss diagonal-tochord connection detail.
A
CL S R
EA EQ
RA D
N FO
CE R
6 BO
M LT
AX
Its broken up into three separate

podiums, each including one
43-story residential building.
A truss elevation detail.
33
Matters of Location
The escalators located throughout the low-rise, open-air
retail portion of the project could be credited with escalating tension. During the design of the low-rise structures, with
the building elevations and escalator locations in flux, models
arrived late. This required Schuff to incorporate the design
changes on the shop floor without affecting the steel delivery
schedule. Models of the escalators, once imported into the primary master interface model, proved invaluable as a design-assist service to resolve the required steelwork adjustments to integrate the escalators. In spite of the evolving design, the team
was able to meet the schedule.
Changing the Climate

Covering 150,000 sq. ft of space and housing a series
of escalators and pedestrian walkways at Brickell City
Centre is the climate ribbon. Located three to ve
stories above street level, the glass-and-steel (mostly
HSS) overhang creates an open-air microclimate for the
low-rise shopping areas below, providing shade from
the sun, collecting rainwater for reuse and harnessing
the breeze off Biscayne Bay for a steady airow of six to
nine knots to lower the temperature by 15 F to 20 F.
Of course, the breeze isnt always gentle in Miami,
a city that has some of the highest wind loads in the
country. As a result, the connection design loads in the
lateral framing were quite large. The climate ribbon is
framed with wide-ange members using 3-in. cap plates,
plus more than two miles of HSS. While Schuff acted as
the connection engineer, the overall framing schemes
and member selection were dictated by the structures
manufacturer. Schuff had to account for intricate connections to address the assigned axial loads, applied by the
34
DECEMBER 2015
Location challenges were also present when it came to the

tower cranes. Due to stringent site restrictions, the projects 10
tower cranes were not positioned in the most ideal locations for
steel erection. Steel delivery and erection packages therefore
needed to accommodate this rigid construction scenario. In addition, laydown area was at a premium and required load-listing
the delivery trucks for steel to be used that day only. Because of
this, multiple revisions to the steel packages were required to accommodate the locations of tower cranes. To address fabrication
and erection schedule impacts, most of these revisions needed
to be coordinated with Schuffs fabrication team. A critical tool
on this project was Schuffs integrated bar-coding system, which
helped get the steel to its appropriate location on the vast site.
climate ribbon forces, in the W-shapes: 200 kips to 967

kips with average of 450 kips. In addition, 4-in. cap plates
were used to address the wind loads of the ribbon so
that the roof wouldnt y away in the event of a hurricane.
The climate ribbon concept is new to the United
States. Developed by an international, multi-disciplinary team including Cardiff University of Wales, Carnegie Mellon, architect Arquitectonica and designer
Hugh Dutton Associs of Parisand built by German
rm Gartnerthis is its rst domestic incarnation. The
innovative design resulted in multiple iterations of the
interface connections and engineered loads over the
course of the project. As the project progressed further
into the fabrication and erection phases, any load increases were carefully coordinated with all team members to minimize cost impacts. The design, fabrication
and erection teams worked closely, holding weekly
model updates and coordination meetings with the
general contractor, Americaribe Moriarty Joint Venture,
to ensure a successful project.
being 64 ft) within these trusses were detailed and fabricated as

single pieces and then welded together in the field. Schuff preassembled a complete truss in the shop to ensure that member
fit-up would not cause any issues once the material arrived onsite. Coordination with the erector was paramount, particularly
due to the high elevation of the trusses and the short amount
Shear Coordination
Another coordination challenge came in the form of the
east hotel buildings shear wall. Due to the location of the steel
trusses used to support the shear wall (90 ft long and 18 ft high)
from level 21 (elevation 259 ft) to level 23 (elevation 279 ft),
the large members (W14605 Grade 65, with the longest piece
The project collectively incorporates 12,000 tons of structural steel.
Steelwork in the east tower and ofce building.
A 400-kip connection in the climate ribbon.
35
The east-to-north pedestrian bridge over

the roadway through the complex.
of time (four weeks) allocated to having

the trusses erected and welded. Schuff
reviewed every joint to ensure that field
welding could be achieved using their practices in the field. In all cases pre- and postheating was required for 12 to 36 hours
due to the flange thicknesses to ensure the
integrity of the connections.
The retail space yielded yet more
last-minute alterations. Designed well
after the initial structural design was
completed, and with steel detailing well
underway, the retail space included significant design changes, such as the addition of a two-story multiplex theater
in the west block.
Coordination challenges are expected
on any project, and certainly on a project of this size and scope. Implementing
a communication and common sense
approach from design to fabrication to
erection ensured that the steel package
was one of the biggest assets in an immense complex.
Owner
Swire Properties
General Contractor
Americaribe Moriarty Joint Venture
Architect
Arquitectonica
Laydown area was at a premium and required load-listing the delivery trucks for
steel to be used that day only.
Structural Engineer
Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Steel Team
Fabricator
Schuff Steel Company
Southeast Division
Erectors
East Tower
Steel City Services, LLC
North and West Towers
Peterson Beckner
Industries, Inc.
Detailer
BDS VirCon
The west blocks 15-story

ofce building.
36
DECEMBER 2015
How to determine the

best connections for steel joists and metal deck.
MORE or Less
BY JEFF MARTIN, P.E., TIM HOLTERMANN, S.E., P.E., AND BRUCE BROTHERSEN, P.E.
CONNECTIONS INVOLVING open-web steel joist and
shear tear-out, a fillet weld placed on the joist chord leg should
not exceed approximately 43 of the chord angle thickness. Using fillet weld thicknesses of 18 in. for K-Series joists, 316 in. for
LH-Series and smaller joist girders and in. for DLH-Series
and larger joist girders will prevent the weld thickness from unnecessarily controlling joist component sizes.
steel deck arent always intuitive.

The key is knowing the difference between situations where
more is not necessarily better and those where more is definitely better. Understanding this balance, as well as recognizing
and strengthening weak points, knowing the options for standard fasteners and proprietary fasteners and learning how to
enhance the connections for easier field installation, can go a
long way in creating the best connection solution for the joists
and deck in any given project. Here, well examine some of the
more common connection options for joists and deck.
Figure 1: Weld sizes.
Welding
Lets start with welding, which is one of the more is not
always better scenariosespecially with regard to fillet weld
thickness when welding to steel joists. Steel joists have an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, and the individual components
are relatively thin. A longer, thinner weld is best for joist economy, so as not to force joist components to be thicker simply to
accept the weldment. For a weld placed at the toe of a chord
angle, as shown in Figure 1, the fillet weld thickness cannot
exceed the thickness of the chord angle. To avoid a potential
Jeff Martin (jmartin@vercodeck.com)

is Vulcraft-Verco Groups deck R&D
supervisor, Tim Holtermann
(tim.holtermann@canamgroupinc.com)
is engineering director of CanamUnited States and Bruce Brothersen
(bbrothersen@vulcraft-ut.com) is
Vulcraft-Utahs engineering manager.
38
DECEMBER 2015
Figure 2.
BEARING SEAT FORCES
Bearing Seat Connections

Bearing seat connections provide a good example of where
balance and simplicity are needed. Joist and joist girder bearing
seat connections often carry forces in four different directions.
Those connections may be resisting gravity loads, a net uplift
end reaction or lateral loads both perpendicular and longitudinal to the seat, as illustrated in Figure 2. The bearing seat may
be bolted and welded to the support.
While bolts and welds may both be present, they should not
be considered as acting together to resist all of the forces. Joist
and joist girder bearing seats for bolted connections are made
with slotted holes to allow fabrication and erection tolerance.
Note that the slotted connection does not qualify as an AISC
slip-critical connection. The weld at the seat prevents movement in the direction of the slot and serves the role of resisting
the forces required to laterally brace the supporting structure
and transfer forces in the lateral load resisting system. Separately, the net uplift end reaction force is acting in another direction, and the bolts are used to anchor the bearing seat, as shown
in Figure 2. Particular attention is required for this connection
and the bolts used at the bearing seats. The minimum of two
-in. bolts, as required by Steel Joist Institute (SJI) specifications, may not be adequate for the uplift end reaction of a joist
girder. SJI suggests a practical limit of 24 kips (ASD) for two
-in. ASTM A325 bolts, with typical bearing seat construction
(considering prying action of the seat angles). With a different
seat construction, the full tensile capacity of the bolts may be
achieved39 kips for two -in. A325 boltsbut a large girder
BEARING SEAT CONNECTION

WELDS AND BOLTS
in a moderate to heavy wind area could have an uplift end reaction in excess of that bolt capacity.
The joist girder uplift end reaction used to determine the
connection is typically conservative if the summation of the joist
components is used. A reduced joist girder uplift end reaction
can be obtained from the main wind resisting system (MWRS)
analysis. When the loads are greater than what a standard connection can resist, larger-bolt diameters, higher-strength bolts
or even a four-bolt pattern may need to be considered.
The eccentricity induced in a bearing seat connection can
be significant. Ensuring that a joist bearing seat has an adequate
bearing length and proper bearing depth, in order to allow the
end web to intercept with the top chord over the support point,
is essential in reducing eccentricities. Also, the placement of the
connection welds or fasteners needs to be considered for eccentricity. For example, when a joist or joist girder is carrying a
lateral load from wind or seismic, reducing eccentricities should
be considered when specifying a connection. If the load path to
transfer a lateral load from top chord is through the bearing seat,
significant forces due to the induced eccentricities need to be
considered and resisted. When transferring forces from joist to
joist, an additional plate (see Figure 3) virtually eliminates eccentricities. In addition, this type of lateral load transfer detail can
be classified as good, better and best. Figure 3 illustrates this
for joist girder seats when the loads can be very large. Better
is preferred over good because it replaces a difficult overhead
weld with a common fillet weld. Best is preferred over better
because it moves the welds closer to the center of the joist girder.
Figure 3: Weld eccentricities.
39
Figure 4: Deck proles.
Deck Connections
A key aspect of designing connections for deck is recognizing
that one solution is not best for all situations. A review of the typical design process illustrates how the attachment decisions are made.
The deck design typically includes the selection of a deck
profile and gage that meets the stress and deflection requirements for the out-of-plane (gravity and wind) loads. While not
usually governing, bearing should also be checked.
Deck attachments that meet in-plane seismic or wind lateral
loadsand if applicable, combined lateral and uplift loadsare
then selected. Some of the considerations to evaluate when
specifying an attachment system are:
Ensure selected fasteners are appropriate for the support
member thickness. Coordinate the fastener substrate thickness
requirements with the joist top chord thickness specifications.
Recognize that interlocking deck sidelaps use different
types of connections (proprietary clinched connections, topseam welds, or button-punches) than nested sidelaps (screws,
fillet welds or arc-seam welds). See Figure 4.
Properly consider the effect of connection shear and tension interaction due to combined shear and uplift on the
diaphragm system capacity.
Zone fastening patterns (and deck gages) to match changing
demand across the diaphragm.
Reduce costs through use of nontraditional support fastener
patterns (such as 36/7 at end laps and 36/4 at interior supports), which may meet required strength and stiffness with
significantly fewer fasteners.
Select fasteners that are easy to reliably inspect, such as
proprietary clinched sidelap connections comparable to topseam welds on interlocking sidelaps.
Understand the aesthetics of installed fasteners relative to
the end use of the structureare burn marks or protruding
fastener tips acceptable?
Minimize labor for trades that follow the deck installationfor
example by eliminating the need for interior touch-up painting
40
DECEMBER 2015
through the use of mechanical fasteners in lieu of welding.

Verify that fastener requirements as determined for dia-
phragm resistance are sufficient to comply with any applicable Factory Mutual or UL provisions, which often include
attachment type and spacing requirements.
The final step in the diaphragm design is to ensure that the
number of support attachments at diaphragm chords, struts,
ties or other collector elements that are parallel to the deck
flutes is adequate to develop the full capacity of the diaphragm.
The number of required support attachments is determined
based on the nominal diaphragm shear required and the nominal shear strength of the support fastener. Nominal values are
used for this calculation because the safety and resistance factors typically published for individual fastener strengths are different than those used for diaphragm system strengths.
Connection and/or diaphragm system strength and stiffness
values are available from manufacturers literature and design aids.
Performance of powder actuated fasteners (PAFs) and the proprietary clinched side-lap connections not quantified by recognized
design standards must be determined by testing, using appropriate
statistical analysis of the safety and resistance factors. Most manufacturers obtain product evaluation reports to provide an independent review of the published fastener and/or system performance.
Selecting the best deck fastening system is dictated by considering all of the design requirements (structural and nonstructural)
in conjunction with the installers preferences and capabilities.
There is usually more than one combination of connection type
and pattern or spacing that will achieve a specific design objective.
Sometimes the use of a larger number of connections with lower
individual strength, such as PAFs, is more economical to install
than fewer stronger connections, such as welds. In other situations,
a larger number of connections with a lighter deck is the most economical solution. Providing the design requirements in the design
documents facilitates evaluation of alternate systems. Willingness
to consider solutions can lead to the most cost-effective installation for the owner.
Bridging Connections
While they are not large or cumbersome, connections to maintain the continuity of, or to terminate, horizontal bridging
lines are essential. Horizontal bridging is
considered a two-way system that needs to
extend in both directions from each joist
to a point of anchorage at a wall, beam
or other primary structural element. The
bridging can be terminated with diagonal
bridging that resolves the forces between
the top and bottom chords where anchorage points are not available, or in order to
resolve accumulated forces in a long bay. If
for any reason a horizontal bridging line
must be cut or the continuity is lost, then a
termination needs to be added in the form
of diagonal bridging, as shown in Figure 5.
Shear Connections
If and when shear forces need to be transferred from the deck to the structural load
resisting member, such as a joist girder, these
connections become part of the lateral load resisting system. There are two common methods to transfer shear forces from the deck to
the structural member: roll-over, in which
forces act perpendicular to the joist seat, or
through a shear collector, which is connected
directly from the deck to the structural member. When roll-over forces are specified, the
bearing seats need to be stiffened to resist the
forces. In some cases, a stiffened seat can only
resist 2.0 kips. These types of connections can
be very costly both in the joist seat and the
Figure 5: Horizontal bridging termination.
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Figure 6: Deck shear force transfer.
deck connection to the joist, and should only

be used when the magnitude of the loads and
deck connections is a good fit. A shear collector can resist heavier loads and distribute the
loads uniformly. With shear transfers of this
type, more frequent connections of lesser capacity are better than fewer connections with
greater capacity.
Care must be taken to correctly detail
and place shear collection elements that run
parallel to the metal decking. As shown in
Figure 6, if the shear collector is not properly placed and is narrow, it may fall entirely
below a top deck flute, leaving no contact
for attachment. An HSS member, for example, is a good option that allows more
contact surface than, say, a channel section.
With joist and deck connections there
are situations where more is not necessarily
better and then there are those where more
is definitely better. Different scenarios may
require different solutions, and often there
is more than one option. Its a matter of
reviewing each situation and determining
the best one, with an emphasis on keeping
it simple and practical while meeting the
needs of the project.

42
DECEMBER 2015
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UP-TEMPO
Bridge
Construction
Accelerated bridge construction practices and benefits
are being recognized and implemented by DOTs
and not a moment too soon, as the stakes are becoming higher than ever.
Courtesy UDOT
BY MARY LOU RALLS, P.E.
WHAT IS THE OVERALL health outlook for the nations

bridges?
A quarter of the 607,380 bridges in the U.S. are classified as
substandard (structurally deficient or functionally obsolete)
and 210 million vehicles cross these substandard bridges every
day in the 102 largest metropolitan regions alone, according
to the American Society of Civil Engineers 2013 Report Card
for Americas Infrastructure. In addition, the average age of the
nations bridges is over 40 years, with an estimated 30% of existing bridges already older than their 50-year design life. To
make matters worse, to upgrade existing substandard bridges
and the bridges being added daily to this group would require
billions of additional dollars every year for the next decade.
While progress is being made to reduce substandard bridges,
the above statistics resulted in a grade of C+ for bridges in the
aforementioned report card.
Traffic must continue to flow as these substandard bridges
are being replaced, and cost efficiencies are needed to optimize
the use of the limited available funding. Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) can help address these challenges, and much
progress has been made in the use of ABC over the past decade.
According to the 2014 Annual State Bridge Engineers Survey of
the American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures
(SCOBS)in which 47 state departments of transportation
(DOTs) respondedABC has been used in 43 states, and only
three state DOTs responded that they have not used ABC. During the same period, progress has also been made towards ABC
44
DECEMBER 2015
as standard practice. One state, Utah, has adopted programmatic implementation of ABC, and a number of other states are
moving in that direction.
Although sometimes overlooked due to the competitive nature of the transportation industry, construction contractors
can be, and in some states are, significant partners with owner
agencies in moving ABC to standard practice. And contractors
are increasingly supporting the use of ABC principles for a variety of reasons. The improved constructability and cost savings when building multi-span bridges with repetitive elements
is a primary reason. Others include safety concerns for crews
and the traveling public when working in water or over electric
power transmission lines, or working on bridge replacements in
locations with limited site distance or space or high traffic volumes. The ability to minimize work in environmentally sensitive areas also provides an incentive for contractors to consider
ABC technologies even on low-traffic-volume roads.
Prefab is the Key
So how is ABC defined? Perhaps its most widely recognized
characteristic is the use of prefabricated bridge elements and
systems (PBES)and to fully grasp the meaning of ABC, one
must first understand PBES as presently defined. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has provided PBES
definitionssearch PBES at www.fhwa.dot.govthat have
generally been adopted by the SCOBS Technical Committee
for Construction (T-4); SCOBS has designated T-4 as the focal point for ABC implementation among the states. Element
Massachusetts 93Fast14 involved the replacement of 41

spans on 14 bridges during 10 weekend closures.
A folded plate girder during fabrication.
Courtesy CME Associates
Courtesy CDR Bridge Systems
Utah DOTs Sam White Lane Bridge over Interstate 15 was

moved into position via self-propelled modular transporters.
The Milton-Madison Bridge over the Ohio River between Kentucky and Indiana during lateral slide of its four river spans.
Courtesy Walsh Construction
categories are prefabricated decks, beams, piers, abutments and

walls. In addition, the miscellaneous elements category includes
precast approach slabs, prefabricated parapets, deck closure
joints and overlays. Various elements in each of these prefabricated element categories have been constructed in the U.S. to
date. Prefabricated systems include whole superstructure systems
and combined superstructure/substructure systems that can be
installed in one piece at one time. In general, prefabricated elements can be erected with conventional construction equipment,
whereas prefabricated systems require innovative construction
equipment due to the significantly heavier system self-weight.
Below are three examples of the most commonly used PBES.
Modular decked beams. Currently, one of the most popular prefabricated ABC elements is the modular decked beam,
consisting of either steel or concrete beams pre-topped with
concrete deck. An example of modular decked beam use is the
2011 Massachusetts 93Fast14 project on Interstate 93 through
the city of Medford. (The project, a 2012 NSBA Prize Bridge
Awards winner, was featured in the September 2014 article
Piece by Piece, available at www.modernsteel.com.) In
this project, 41 spans on 14 bridges were replaced during 10
weekend closures. The modular decked beams for this project
were composed of two steel I-shaped girders pre-topped with
a composite concrete deck. Deck closure joints between beams
were 32 in. wide and filled with high-early-strength concrete.
The width of these joints was selected to reduce the width and
weight of the modular decked beams to facilitate shipping and
handling as well as permit conventional reinforcing lap splices
within the closure joints. (Filling narrow closure joints with
ultra-high-performance concreteUHPCis becoming a
popular option, one made possible through FHWAs extensive

research and development activities in collaboration with state
DOTs and industry.)
Another modular innovation was introduced at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with development continued at Florida
International University: a streamlined modular decked steel
beam cross section known as the folded steel plate girder bridge
system. In 2014 this solution was incorporated in Nebraskas
Primrose East Bridge in Boone County. The 50-ft-long, 32-ftwide, single-span bridge has four 28-in.-deep girders that were
match-cast with 8-in.-thick concrete deck panels and end diaphragms by the contractor at a nearby staging area. The contractor then transported the decked beams to the site for erection,
and the 8-in.-wide deck closure joints were filled with UHPC.
Self-propelled modular transporter moves. When it
comes to prefabricated bridge systems, two installation methods
Mary Lou Ralls (ralls-newman@

sbcglobal.net) is principal of Ralls
Newman, LLC, in Austin.
45
Bentley Systems
An intelligent, parametric 3D steel bridge model.
are currently seeing wide use. They install complete superstructure spans composed of steel or concrete beams pre-topped near
the final bridge location with full-width, full-depth composite
concrete decks. The first installation method uses self-propelled
modular transporters (SPMTs), which are ideal for use on bridge
projects over Interstate highways or other high-traffic volume
roadways. The initiative for widespread use of SPMTs to move
bridge spans in the U.S. began after the 2004 FHWA/AASHTO/
Transportation Research Board (TRB) International Scan on
Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems toured SPMT companies in Belgium and the Netherlands and observed the speed
and flexibility with which bridge spans were being installed with
SPMTs. The Florida Department of Transportation was the first
in the U.S. to use SPMTs to remove and replace spans over a U.S.
Interstate. Taking place in 2006, the project was on Interstate 4
northeast of the city of Orlando and incorporated SPMTs during partial overnight closures of the highway. Since then, scores
of bridge spans have been installed with SPMTs. Another example is the Utah DOTs Sam White Lane Bridge over Interstate
15 in the city of American Fork. This 354-ft long, 77-ft wide,
two-span continuous steel plate-girder superstructurewith a
48 skew and a 1,910-ton self-weightwas moved into position
during an 8-hour overnight road closure in 2011.
Lateral slides using hydraulic jacks or winches. The
second prominent ABC installation method for prefabricated
systems is the lateral slide. This is an ideal technology for hightraffic-volume bridge replacement projects over low-trafficvolume roadways or river crossings. While lateral slides have
been used occasionally over the past decade to move spans
into place, their use has increased significantly since FHWAs
2013-2014 Every Day Counts 2 (EDC-2) slide-in bridge construction initiative focused on this technology. The largest
truss slide to date is the Milton-Madison Bridge on U.S. Route
421 across the Ohio River between the towns of Milton, Ky.,
and Madison, Ind. In 2014 the four 48-ft-wide steel throughtruss river spans, totaling 2,427 ft in length and 15,260 tons in
weight, were slid into place using computer-controlled hydraulic strand jacks. (The project was featured in the August 2014
news section and also in the February 2012 article Move that
Bridge, both available at www.modernsteel.com).
Different Angles on ABC
In addition to PBES, the bridge design and construction
community is taking a multifaceted approach to ABC and exploring and implementing other initiatives as well.
46
DECEMBER 2015
Bentley Systems
Bridge information modeling (BrIM) can speed overall bridge

project time while reducing clashes and enhancing accuracy.
Bundling bridges. A primary goal of bundling bridges in

a project is to reduce cost with volume. The Missouri DOTs
Safe and Sound Bridge Improvement Program, completed in
2012, and the Pennsylvania DOTs Rapid Bridge Replacement
Program, currently underway, are examples of two DOTs that
consolidated improvement/replacement work on hundreds of
substandard bridges into single projects. Bundling bridges can
also be an effective tool on a smaller scale for bridge owners with
multiple relatively short substandard bridges within a limited distance. For example, cost efficiencies can be achieved in a county
or multi-county project with a half dozen single-span bridges
within a short distance, all replaced with prefabricated elements
of the same type and length stockpiled prior to construction.
Bridge information modeling. Bridge information modeling (BrIM) can speed overall bridge project time from planning
through construction while reducing clashes and enhancing accuracy. This is accomplished by using data, developed in design,
for fabrication and construction as well as other phases in a
bridges life cycle. Although BrIM is more widely known for its
use on large projects such as the Tappan Zee Bridge, the general benefits of BrIMdata reuse, change management, and
collaborationcan be realized in bridge projects of all sizes.
Like its building counterpart (BIM), it can help ABC and other
projects see faster production with fewer errors, resulting in
time and cost savings.
State DOTs are starting to use this 3D intelligent modeling
in their planning, design, and construction of bridges across
the county. Currently 29 DOTs plan to implement it in their
agencys culture during 2015 and 2016. An additional 15 states
and the Federal Lands Highway plan to integrate it pending a
two-year assessment cycle. By December 2016, it is expected
that 16 DOTs will have the new methodology institutionalized,
17 will be in the assessment phase, 12 will be in the demonstration phase and two will be in the development phase.
Total cost estimation tools. ABC significantly reduces the
number of days in the work zone, but to date, bridge owner
and contractor savings related to the reduced number of days
in the work zone are not typically included in cost comparisons
between ABC and conventional construction. Similarly, the
most frequent reason for the use of ABC is to reduce traffic
congestion, but in many cases user costs are not included in
cost comparisons between ABC and conventional construction.
Work has been done in some states and is underway in others
as well as at the ABC University Transportation Center (ABCUTC) at Florida International University, to develop tools
to estimate total costs of ABC and conventional construction.

For example, the Connecticut DOT has recently developed an
ABC decision matrix that includes estimated construction inspection overhead costs associated with differing project durations for conventional construction versus ABC. It also includes
measures to weigh the cost of conventional construction with
overbuild and/or temporary construction with minor longterm traffic impact, versus the cost of ABC with road closures,
detours or more significant short-term traffic impacts. In addition, it captures contractor costs. Another example is an ongoing ABC-UTC research project to create a framework for
evaluating and using construction and user costs as part of the
decision-making processes associated with bridge construction,
as well as a total cost analysis and estimation tool.
When it comes to such estimates, keep in mind that a specific projects design can be significantly different when taking
an ABC approach versus a more conventional approach. A paradigm shift is needed when considering costs, as the idea of a
conventional cost estimate versus an ABC cost estimate is an
old train of thought. There should be no one type of estimate
versus another. Proper project planning leads to the most appropriate project cost. Within the project planning process, the
objective is to define the goals of a projectand in most cases
this means to reduce the impacts to the public. If ABC is a tool
that aides in meeting the established goals of the project, then
any additional cost of using ABC is secondary to those goals.
One should define the project goals and set the project budget
to account for all project needs and requirements.
Future Opportunities to Advance ABC

Owner agencies are typically the stakeholders in the best
position to take the lead in making ABC standard practice because of their obvious influence and their consideration of the
traveling public that crosses their bridges. The collaboration of
academia, industry organizations and consultants, in partnership with bridge owners and construction contractors and suppliers, provides the opportunity to accelerate the advancement
of ABC as standard practice.
But making ABC standard practice does not mean that ABC
is actually used on every bridge project. Instead, it means an
owner agency, in support of its traveling public, considers ABC
as the default in the initial planning phase of every bridge project and has a decision-making tool that evaluates whether ABC
or conventional construction is the best solution for that specific project. It means an owner agencys leadership and staff
members understand the benefits and challenges of transitioning to ABC as standard practice and that they are committed to
following through in collaboration with their bridge community. Each owner agency must determine how best to transition
to ABC within their organization; for starters, owners could
designate a champion to lead a multi-disciplinary team specifically charged with transitioning to ABC as standard practice.
The framework and opportunity to take advantage of ABCs
benefits are now known, and the momentum is growing across
the country for ABC as standard practice. And in the face of the
daunting statistics on substandard bridges in the U.S., ABC is
becoming more important than ever.
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47
STEELING
New Zealand
BY ALISTAIR FUSSELL
After two devastating earthquakes in the Canterbury region of New Zealand,

local authorities and engineers began to rethink structural design for high-seismic
zones, initiating a mass migration toward steel.
ON FEBRUARY 22, 2011, Christchurch was badly damaged by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake, which killed 185 people
and injured thousands of others. The epicenter was 6.2 miles
southeast of Christchurchs central business district at a depth
of just 3.1 miles.
More than 110 of the fatalities were from the collapse of two
multi-story office buildings, and the tremor brought down several buildings previously damaged in the magnitude 7.1 earthquake
from the previous year near Darfield, roughly 30 miles west of
Christchurch. In the central city alone, more than 1,000 buildings have since been demolished, and the estimated capital cost
of both quakes totalled around NZ$40 billion (US$26 billion).
Unsurprisingly, the earthquakes (known as the Canterbury
Earthquakes) highlighted the importance of seismically resilient
building construction, as the cost of repairs and the significant
time to regain building function have clearly resulted in significant economic loss. They have also spurred New Zealand to explore better ways of designing buildings in seismic-prone regions.
It is estimated that the 2011 earthquake, which lasted 10 seconds, exceeded the ultimate limit state design level specified by
the New Zealand seismic loading standard by as much as 100%
over some period ranges. For that reason, the performance of
Alistair Fussell (alistair.fussell@

scnz.org) is the manager of Steel
Construction New Zealand.
steel structures, even without damage, is instructive, providing

a unique opportunity to gauge the adequacy of the current New
Zealand seismic design provisions for steel structures. Engineers
have learned a great deal from the performance of these structural steel buildings and continue to improve their designs to ensure new buildings are not only safer for their occupants, but also
avoid severe and expensive damage. As a result, there has been a
move from designing buildings solely based on life-safety considerations to a performance-based design approach that aims to
not only preserve life, but also to minimize structural and nonstructural damage under design-level earthquakes.
The traditional approach to seismic design has been to engineer buildings for controlled damage during a major earthquake. Known as ductile design, the sole aim is to protect lives
and, admirably, it has contributed to saving many, including in
Christchurch. But its inability to minimize structural damage,
as evidenced by the number of badly damaged buildings that
have needed to be demolished, has imposed an enormous financial burden on the city.
Ductility will always be a desirable attribute of modern
building design, but it must be combined with new design
methods that reduce the residual damage, even after the building has been subjected to large deformations. And its this shift
in philosophy that is driving the development and uptake of
new low-damage seismic-resisting technologies. These systems
can withstand major earthquakes and require little or no major
post-earthquake structural repair.
A New Approach
In steel buildings, the principal low-damage solutions to date
have used sliding friction connections and rocking braced frames,
and over NZ$3 billion (US$1.96 billion) of new steel structures built in the last few years in New Zealand use this technology. Notably, low-damage seismic-resisting technology does
not come at a significant cost premium. In a recent project, the
48
DECEMBER 2015
Christchurchs HSBC Tower, which uses an eccentrically braced

frame, sustained only minor damage in the 2011 earthquake.
additional cost of applying low-damage systems in lieu of a conventional approach was just over 0.5% of the total building cost.
Multiple research programs into low-damage steel-framed
seismic-resisting systems are currently underway, or in the
pipeline, at Auckland and Canterbury Universities. (And the
hope is that, consequently, new and even better technologies
will emerge.) Here are some current initiatives:
Braced frames with controlled rocking. These systems
employ rocking and energy dissipaters to resist severe shaking in an earthquake. In New Zealand, the award-winning Te
Puni Village project at Victoria University is a good example
of a braced frame with controlled rocking. It uses springs on
concentrically braced frames and sliding hinge joints on moment-resisting frames; a new 16-story apartment in Wellington
also uses this system. And in Christchurch there is a newly constructed medical center that employs a post-tensioned rocking
braced frame solution as the seismic load-resisting system.
Eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) with removable
links. Seismic energy is dissipated by yielding of the active link
zone between the intersection of the braces and the connector
beam. The removable link features a bolted moment endplate
connection to allow easy on-site removal and replacement after a major earthquake, if required. This technology has been
well researched internationally. At the University of Toronto,
for example, the link was subjected to full-scale testing, where
it successfully demonstrated satisfactory levels of ductility and
an ability to safely contain the damage.
In a first for New Zealand, two new office buildings at 335
Lincoln Road in Christchurch feature bolted eccentrically
braced frame (EBF) links, which, if damaged in an earthquake,
can be easily and cost-effectively replacedmuch like changing
a fuse in a circuit box.
Asymmetric friction connections. The innovative asymmetric friction connection (AFC) is a fully tensioned, slotted
and bolted connection that relies on frictional force between
its components to provide joint strength. The AFC provides a
rigid connection until the design level earthquake is exceeded,
at which point the joint slides, dissipating seismic energy as
friction between the sliding surfaces. After the earthquake, the
only likely structural repair is to replace stretched bolts. To date,
the AFC joint has been used in moment-resisting frames, but
is currently being considered for several building projects in
concentrically braced frame applications.
Linked column frames. The linked column frame is a new
twist on old technology. A hybrid of eccentrically braced frames
(EBFs) and moment-resisting frames, it features linked columns with removable energy-dissipating active links and elastic
moment frames that work to bring the building back to plumb
after an earthquake. This solution provides designers with a
brace-free alternative to EBFs.
Buckling restrained braces. A system that has been used internationally for two decades now but, until recently, has had little
uptake in New Zealand, is the buckling restrained brace (BRB). This
brace behaves consistently in both compression and tension. It is
manufactured with two main components that perform distinct
functions while remaining decoupled: the load-resisting element is a
steel core that is restrained against buckling by an outer casing filled
with grout. In the event they are damaged in a severe earthquake,
they can be easily removed and replaced. Following the Canterbury
The Forte Health Building uses a post-tensioned steel rocking

and dissipating system, New Zealands first application of
prefabricated structural seismic system technology.
Images courtesy of Steel Construction New Zealand
49
151 Cambridge Terrace uses triple-friction pendulum

bearings between the structure and its foundation.
Sliding hinge joints, originally used in moment frame

applications, consist of a fully-tensioned bolted connection
with slotted holes, allowing the connection to slide once the
design-level earthquake actions are exceeded.
earthquakes there has been greater interest in this system in New

Zealande.g., the PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) building and
the Hazeldean Car Park in Christchurch use BRB technology, and
the braces have also been specified for projects at the University of
Auckland, where the technology has been the subject of research.
Viscous dampers. Viscous braced dampers were originally
developed as shock absorbers for the defense and aerospace industries. They have now been used extensively internationally
for new and retrofit building construction in seismically active
regions. During a severe earthquake the devices are activated
and seismic energy is converted to heat and dissipated. The
principle benefit of introducing viscous dampers to a steelframed building is that floor displacements and accelerations
are reduced. Other low-damage solutions do not typically reduce floor accelerations, something that is important for minimizing content damage, particularly to sensitive equipment.
There is currently a five-story building under construction in
Christchurch employing this technology.
The Rise of Steel in Christchurch
Structural steels share of the multi-level construction market in Christchurch is almost 80%, up from virtually nothing
prior to the earthquakes. This staggering growth is a result
of steels proven seismic performance. Below are some recent
50
Braced frames with sliding hinge joints have significant postelastic stiffness, encouraging re-centering after an earthquake.
At ground level, 151 Cambridge Terrace is supported by 19 isolation bearings attached to the tops of the concrete columns.
DECEMBER 2015
projects featuring low-damage, seismic-resisting technology.

151 Cambridge Terrace. In a first for New Zealand, triplefriction pendulum bearings are installed between the structure
and its foundation; this base isolation technology uses the characteristics of a pendulum to lengthen the natural period of the
isolated structure during an earthquake. At ground level the
structure is supported by 19 isolation bearings attached to the
tops of the concrete columns, and the superstructure consists of
steel one-way moment-resisting frames.
PwC. BRB technology is arranged in simple lines on each
building elevation, similar to an exoskeleton, reducing the overall demand on the collector beams and column elements. BRBs
have the ability to yield the internal steel core, both in tension
and compression, with the outer steel casing preventing the internal steel core from buckling. HSS columns filled with steelfiber-reinforced self-compacting concrete provide a 60-minute
fire-resisting rating on the braced floor levels.
Forte Health Building. To meet the stringent design and
performance requirements of the medical center, the building uses a post-tensioned steel rocking and dissipating system,
the first application of steel PRESSS (prefabricated structural
seismic systems) technology in New Zealand. The lateral loadresisting system consists of coupled, steel-braced frames vertically post-tensioned by un-bonded high-strength steel bars.
The frames are able to rock during a significant seismic

event, with the post-tensioning providing a restoring
force that re-centers the building. The seismic-resisting system consists of pairs of concentrically braced
frames coupled together. Each CBF is a single fabricated element and is vertically post-tensioned to the
foundation with two 3-in. high-strength post-tensioning bars. The frames sit in a base shoe that acts as
a shear key under horizontal loading and allows the
frames to rock; the post-tensioning provides a restoring force that re-centers the building. The dampers,
which dissipate the earthquakes energy, are located at
the base of the frames at the rocking interface and between the frames to provide coupling.
Anecdotally, there is evidence that the rest of New
Zealand is learning from the Christchurch experience.
Steel is increasingly being chosen as the primary structural material for projects in other seismically active
parts of the country, particularly Wellington and Aucklanda good sign for the New Zealand steel industry
and an even better sign for the nations many municipalities located in highly seismic areas.
Christchurch the Steel Citya Blueprint for New Zealand is an SCNZ-produced video that documents steels performance and uptake following the Canterbury earthquakes. You
can view it at http://tinyurl.com/christchurchseismic.
Increasing Market Share

Prior to the Canterbury earthquakes, there were very few steel
structures in Christchurch, due primarily to easy access to a
plentiful supply of cheap concrete aggregate (deposited in
riverbeds ooded by seasonal melting in the mountain range
and glaciers west of Christchurch) and the labor disputes of the
1970s, which crippled New Zealands structural steel industry. It
wasnt until the 1990s when construction of modern steel buildings began to receive due consideration.
In particular, two notable steel-framed ofce buildings were
completed in Christchurchs central business district less than
two years prior to the 2011 earthquake: the 22-story Pacic
Tower (2010) and the HSBC Tower (2009). Both had eccentrically braced frames as part of their lateral load-resisting system.
HSBC Tower was green-tagged following the earthquake,
meaning it was safe to occupy but required some minor repair
of non-structural components, while Pacic Tower suffered damage to only 40 links, which were simply removed and replaced.
In fact, steel-framed buildings, on the whole, bore the Canterbury earthquakes very well, even though the shaking was signicantly greater than the design level. They not only satised
their mandate to protect lives, but were also relatively economical to repair and back in service shortly after the earthquakes.
As a result of steels proven seismic performance, the materials share of the multi-level construction market in Christchurch
has grown to almost 80%, up from virtually nil prior to the earthquakes. Nationwide, the steel market share is now 50%.
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51
Hitting the
SLOPES
BY MICHAEL GRAY, P.ENG., PH.D., J. ERIC KARSH, P.ENG., AND ILANA DANZIG, P.ENG.
Patkau Architects
Seismic considerations led to the selection of an innovative

bracing solution for an art museum at one of the worlds best-known ski areas.
WHISTLER BLACKCOMB has long been known for worldclass skiing and spectacular scenery.
And now its fortifying its position as a destination for art
lovers, as a new 56,000-sq.-ft art museum is currently under
construction in a grove of spruce trees just on the edge of the
famed skiing meccas Whistler Village. The project will house
the personal art collection of homebuilder Michael Audain
one of Canadas most preeminent art philanthropistsa visual
record of the heritage of British Columbia that includes a collection of First Nations Masks and works by Emily Carr, Jack
Shadbolt, E. J. Hughes Gordon Smith and others.
As a reflection of both the outer environment and the art contained within, the building invokes the image of a traditional longhouse of the First Nations people of the Pacific Coast. It is hockey
stick shaped in plan, with a 390-ft shaft and 105-ft blade. The
steel frame, using nearly 1,000 tons of structural steel, was developed
in close cooperation with the architectural team using advanced 3D
CAD modelling in Revit and Rhino to ensure that it is fully integrated within the elegantly sculpted architectural envelope.
A Floating Hockey Stick
The buildings primary space is on the second story, which
appears to float in the air, only touching the ground at seven
locations. The cross section is essentially a pentagon, extruded
along the hockey stick and suspended over several piers. The
52
DECEMBER 2015
simple and elegant appearance hides the complexity of truss

work designed to keep gallery spaces clear and open and to have
minimal impact on the floodplain below (the building is located
near Fitzsimmons Creek).
The structure is framed with three longitudinal trusses extending along the length of the building. These trusses, from 16
ft high to 40 ft high, are trussesessentially the buildings spine,
supported at 65 ft by transverse trusses providing the pentagonal shape of the building. Each transverse truss is supported by
only three columns, with the outer edges of the truss cantilevering past the columns by up to 30 ft. This intricate steel network
supports two floors of gallery, storage and administration space
designed to meet stringent vibration and serviceability standards
suitable for a Class A art gallery.
To resist seismic loads, the buildings longitudinal direction is
supported by a moderately ductile concrete core while the transverse directions seismic force resisting system is provided by the
transverse steel trusses, which include steel braces between the
columns that extend to the foundation. These braces, concealed
within the buildings piers, were initially designed to be buckling restrained braces (BRBs) with a high ductility (R) factor. By
yielding at the design load, the braces would dissipate energy and
limit the demand on the rest of the truss and, by extension, the
rest of the building. In a high-seismic event, all steel truss members beyond the BRBs are designed to remain elastic.
Opposite page: The new 6,000-sq.-ft art museum is

currently under construction in a grove of spruce trees
at Whistler Village.
The cross section is essentially a pentagon, extruded

along the building and suspended over several piers.
George Third and Son
One of the 12 braces incorporating Scorpion Yielding

Connectors from Cast Connex.
The structure is framed with three longitudinal trusses

extending along the length of the building.
Michael Gray is cofounder and

executive vice president of Cast
Connex, J. Eric Karsh is a principal
with Equilibrium Consulting, Inc.,
and Ilana Danzig is an associate
with Equilibrium Consulting.
53
The Audain Museum is the rst building to implement

Scorpion Yielding Connector (SYCs).
caption
Cast Connex
ex
onn
tC
Cas
Each SYC is made

up of an arm and
a series of fingers
and is produced
from a highly ductile,
notch-tough cast
steel grade.
The various components of the SYC. The moniker comes from

the original prototypes resemblance to a scorpion, with the
connectors forming the claws.
Scorpions on the Slopes

In place of the BRBs, however, the steel fabricator George
Third and Son suggested using Scorpion Yielding Connectors
(SYCs) by Cast Connex, which offered several practical and performance advantages. The museum became a project-specific test
for the system, demonstrating that these University of Torontodeveloped connectors could provide sufficient strength and ductility to achieve the performance required by the buildings design.
It is the first project to implement them, incorporating 12 braces
with SYCs in all, each with a nominal yield strength of 120 kips.
A brace in an SYC frame consists of two cast steel connectors
connected to the end of a W-shape or other structural member.
Each connector is made up of an arm and a series of fingers and is produced from a highly ductile, notch-tough cast
steel grade. In a brace assembly, the fingers of both connectors
are bolted to a splice plate that is connected to the beamcolumn intersection through a traditional gusset plate connection. The other end of the brace is connected to the beamcolumn intersection with a conventional gusset-to-W-shape
connection that can either be field welded or bolted. Energy dissipation in the brace is provided through the flexural yielding of
the connectors fingers. (The Scorpion moniker comes from the
original prototype brace assemblys resemblance to a scorpion,
with the connectors forming the creatures claws.)
The connectors are specially designed hysteretic devices that,
when installed between the end of a brace member and a typical
beam-column corner gusset plate, can create a non-buckling, axially
yielding brace assembly with a fully symmetric hysteretic response.
During an earthquake, they dissipate seismic energy through flex54
DECEMBER 2015
ural yielding of specially designed cast steel fingers while the brace
member remains predominantly elastic. In addition, the connectors
include cover plates spanning between the arms of the castings on
each side of the device. The cover plates equilibrate the bending
moments that are developed in the yielding fingers on each side of
the connector, which enables a bolted SYC-to-brace connection
that need only be designed for the axial force in the connectorand
also makes the connectors more compact.
The buildings framing configuration resulted in very short
braces relative to the rest of the building. BRBs, which rely
on axial yielding of brace elements, suffer reduced deformation capacity as brace length decreases. This is not the case
with the SYC, as the inelastic deformation capacity of the connector (and subsequent brace assembly) is entirely dictated
by the design of its yielding fingers. As such, using SYCs in
the short braces enabled those members to provide a highly
ductile response to earthquake loading. In addition, one particular frame was originally designed with a chevron bracing
configuration at a very steep angle, which would have reduced
the overall effectiveness of the brace members. Since all of
the brace assemblys ductility is contained within the SYC,
the brace members themselves are not considered a protected
zone (they are merely capacity-designed elements), and as
such, an X brace configuration was developed in which one
brace was segmented and spliced around the other, allowing
the two brace assemblies to behave independently within a
specific deformation range. This reduced the brace angle, increasing the ductile brace assemblys effectiveness in carrying
lateral force through that frame.
The museum is shaped like a hockey stick in plan, with a 390-ft

shaft and 105-ft blade.
Owner
Michael Audain
General Contractor
Axiom Builders
Architect
Patkau Architects
Structural Engineer
Equilibrium Consulting
Erection Engineer
Somerset Engineering Group
Steel Team
Fabricator
Erector
KWH Constructors
Detailer
Somerset Engineering Group
Castings Manufacturer
Cast Connex Corporation
Building on a Mountain
The fact that the building is located in a heavily forested
flood plain, combined with shipping limitations of British Columbias steep, winding Sea to Sky Highway, meant that the
trusses were shipped to site in pieces, and 90% of the structure
was assembled on-site. As all of the full moment connections
were field bolted, the project required more than 25,000 bolts.
The erection sequence was a significant challenge, especially
due to the long-span longitudinal trusses supported by transverse trusses with large cantilevers. If an element was slightly out
of true, that effect was compounded over the whole structure,
which would potentially result in large deflections. Careful and
thoughtful erection sequencing during construction, along with
adequate shoring, was key for keeping the building within acceptable tolerances. To mitigate some of these issues, structural
engineer Equilibrium Consulting performed a very careful analysis of the cambers required of the steel beams and also allowed
for some tolerance in the concrete topping, ensuring that the
project ended up with a level floor at the end of the day.
Another challenge was the size and irregularity of this project.
Every single truss was different and there was little repetition.
3D modelling was crucial not only during design but also during
construction coordination. Detailed coordination between the
structural Revit model and the architectural Rhino model meant
that many conflicts were found and addressed early in the design
process. Those design models continued to be key during coordination with George Third and Son and the Tekla 3D model that
they developed for shop drawings and fabrication. Using these
models, all parties were able to flag concerns and track progress,
which meant that by the time the steel was erected, most of the
wrinkles had already been ironed out.
When it opens early next year, the Audain Art Museum will
stand as an outwardly simple and elegant building that maintains harmony with its natural surroundings by seemingly floating over the ground, minimizing the disturbance of the local
environment through its minimal supports. It will display an
impressive collection of culturally significant British Columbian art while at the same time concealing an innovative and
seismically significant structural system.
A cross section view

along the hockey
stick.
Equilibrium Consulting
Patkau Architects
55
A steel-framed office building

in Baghdad is successfully rehabilitated after a series of missile strikes.
Ruin
to
REHAB
BY NABEEL A. IBRAHEEM
Photos: Nabeel A. Ibraheem
The seven-story Almansour governmental office building in

Baghdad, before renovation.
Holes where missiles pierced the roof.
Nabeel A. Ibraheem
(nabeelaibraheem@yahoo.com) is a
senior structural engineer with Iraqs
Ministry of Science and Technology and
a current Ph.D. student at the University
of Technology in Baghdad.
56
DECEMBER 2015
STRUCTURALLY, BUILDINGS ARE TASKED

with handling quite a lotfrom dead and live loads to
earthquake and wind loads. But a series of devastating explosions, while rare, is a rather tall order.
Built in 1982, the seven-story Almansour governmental office building in Baghdad, Iraq, incorporates a structural steel frame with external cast-in-place reinforced
concrete walls. During air strikes in 2003, the building
was hit by five smart missiles that penetrated the roof; two
detonated on the second and third floors while the remaining three detonated in the basement. Several interior
framing bays were destroyed.
Worth Rehabilitating
Over the next several years following the air strikes, several consulting firms and individuals studied the building
and submitted proposals to either demolish or rehabilitate
the structure, but none of those proposals came to fruition.
Then, in December 2013, a detailed investigation and survey
were performed by the author to record the damage to each
and every steel member. The investigation, aided by original
documentation from its 1982 construction, confirmed heavy
structural damage to the second and third floors. Two major interior steel columnsboth members about 16 in. deep
and 16 in. wide, with 118-in. flanges and -in. webs, and
roughly 14 ft longsustained the most significant damage,
rendering them useless as supporting members. In addition,
many surrounding girders, beams and joists, along with con-
Various views of the existing condition

of the buildings interior. Of the five
smart missiles that penetrated the roof;
two detonated on the second and third
floors while the remaining three detonated in the basement.
crete floor panels and steel decks within the

affected void from the first to the fourth floor,
were damaged to some degree.
In spite of the significant damage, it was
decided that the building could be rehabilitated, and a plan was proposed, submitted and
approved after extensive discussion with the
client consultant. Given the nature of the
damage, especially to the two main columns,
member forces were being redistributed
to the surrounding still-standing members.
Based on the site survey and original building
calculations, a structural model was created
with STAAD.Pro. All remaining steel framing components were represented regardless
of their level of damage. The most important
function of the model was to represent each
member in its current, real-life condition. For
example, some of the members were damaged
partially through their webs or flanges, which
necessitated reducing member sectional properties in the model in some cases to simulate
the weaker, damaged members or introducing member releases/internal hinges in these
members. Using this main model, several
structural models were prepared for the building: the theoretical as-built designed steel
frame; the existing damaged frame; the steel
frame after removing the most heavily damaged members in the most affected region
(floors one through four); and the steel frame
following the introduction of new members.
Replacing the two main columns was, of
course, the primary objective in getting the
building stabilized and fit for occupancy again.
Into the Void
Although the blasts that created the damage were certainly catastrophic, they ironically created a favorable erection scenario to
build a supporting frame composed of permanent steel girders and temporary columns
in between, starting from first floor up to the
fourth. The frame and replacement columns
could be inserted through the void made by
the explosion, starting from the first floor and
working up to the fourth. The damaged main
columns and connection elements were dismantled and removed at the same time that
the new replacement columns and supporting
frame components were erected until their
tops were about to touch the original cut parts
of fourth-floor columns. In addition, the surrounding framing was reinforced with lateral
57
A framing plan for the replacement of the two main columns

and supporting steel.
The new column system was held together with a predesigned

connection using both welding and bolts.
New structural steel. Framing for the main columns was

reinforced with HSS lateral supports at each floor.
COLU M NS IN GR EEN AR E
TEM POR AR Y PAR TS OF
SUPPO RTIN G FR AME T O BE
DISM ANT LED LATER
BEAM S IN MAG INTA AR E NEW

R EPLAC ED O NES AND AT TH E
SAM E TIM E SERVE AS PART S OF
SU PPOR TING F RAM E
C OLUM N S IN BLUE ARE

O NES REPLAC ED
C OLUM NS IN BLU E ARE

ONES R EPLAC ED
supports (approximately HSS55) at each floor. But space was

limited to fit the new main columns in to come in contact with the
old ones. The solution was to raise the portion of the building above
this main construction arealevels four through sevenin order
to introduce enough of a gap to insert new columns to support the
structure above. Two 200-ton capacity hydraulic jacks were used to
lift these four floors through the supporting frame, leaving a gap
between the new replacement column and the existing upper old
column portion. The minimum required jacking force to lift the upper part of the building by about in. could be as high as 337 kips
(1,500 kN) at each of the two jacking points.
The lifting operation raised the two splice locations of the original upper columns approximately in. using a hydraulic jacking
58
DECEMBER 2015
force of 247 kips (1,100 kN) at each of the two points, slightly less
than predicted by calculations. Following the lift, steel plates were
inserted firmly in the two gaps, and a predesigned connection, using both welding and bolts, was used. At the same time, the damaged columns were dismantled and new ones were fabricated and
erected in place starting at the bottom. When the new columns
reached the remaining portions of the fourth floor columns, the
hydraulic jacks were slowly released, transferring the cumulative
loads from the upper floors (four through seven) into the new
main columns. Afterwards, the remaining damaged steel members
were removed and replaced with new members as necessary.
The structural rehabilitation is now complete, and the build
ing is currently undergoing interior fit-out.
www.aisc.org/nightschool
AISC
Night School
Coming this Winter 2016
Select Topics in Member Design
Presented by Louis F. Geschwindner, P.E., Ph.D.
Tuesday nights 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time

(90 minutes each)
Topics Include:
Beam design of a variety of cross sections
including single angles, crane runway girders
and slender element plate girders
Column design of single angles,
WT and built-up members
Torsion consideration, base plate design,
and more...
Theres always a solution in steel.

American Institute of Steel Construction
One E Wacker Drive, Suite 700
Chicago, IL 60601
www.aisc.org
312.670.2400
news
AWARDS
Maria Garlock of Princeton University

Wins 2016 T.R. Higgins Award
Maria Garlock, P.E., Ph.D., associate
professor in the Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering at Princeton
University, is the 2016 recipient of the
T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award, which
is presented annually by AISC. Garlock
is being honored for several of her papers on fire resistance in steel structures,
as well as for her outstanding reputation
as an engineer and lecturer. The award,
which includes a $15,000 cash prize,
will be presented to Garlock at the 2016
NASCC: The Steel Conference in Orlando, Fla., April 13-15.
We are very pleased that Dr. Garlock
has been selected as the 2016 Higgins
lecturer, said Charlie Carter, AISC vice
president and chief structural engineer.
The jury found the work for which she
was nominated to be compelling for its relevance to advancements being made today
in research and practice. We look forward
to Marias presentation at The Steel Conference in Orlando and her insights into
what structural engineers need to know
about fire protection and engineering.
In addition to her professorship, Garlock is the director of Princetons Architecture and Engineering Program and
acting director of the Program in Urban
Studies. Her research aims to bridge the
gap between academia and practice, both

as related to advancing the knowledge in
structural engineering and to the education of future engineers. Her work in
resilient structural design for large fires
and earthquakes has covered both isolated and combined multi-hazard events.
She is an advocate in both fields, and her
research has been published in numerous
journal papers, conference proceedings
and books.
PROJECTS
Steel Tower Will Give

Astronauts Access to Rockets
A 200-ft, 20-story steel tower is rising
at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Crew Access Tower
will give astronauts and support teams
access to board rockets to be launched
for flight tests and missions to the International Space Station. Its being built
in seven pieces prefabricated by Steel,
LLC, Scottdale, Ga. (an AISC Member/
Certified fabricator). The pieces will be
stacked atop each other to form the tower, which will include an elevator, communications and power infrastructure
and an escape system.
60
DECEMBER 2015
Construction crews will face all the

usual challenges of building a tall structure beside the ocean, plus the fact that
one of the busiest launchers in the American catalog is not going to take time off
during the construction phase. Boeing
and the United Launch Alliance (ULA)
designed the structure to be made modular so crews could build large sections
of the structure away from the Atlas V
launch pad already in place, then truck
them in and stack them up to complete
the work in between launches. It will take
about 18 months in all to build the tower.
People and Firms

Valmont Industries, Inc., a
global manufacturer of engineered products and services for infrastructure and a
provider of coatings services,
announced today the acquisition of American Galvanizing
Company of Folsom, N.J. This
increases Valmont Coatings
(an AISC Member) network
to 33 facilities located in six
countries around the world.
American Galvanizing provides
corrosion protection services
to structural steel fabricators and steel manufacturers
throughout the Northeast, and
the acquisition allows Valmont
Coatings to expand its business
into that market.
Structural engineering firm
Keast and Hood has opened
an office in Charlottesville,
Va., led by associate Craig D.
Swift, S.E., P.E. The new location responds to a growing business presence and client base
throughout Virginia.
Steel Projects, a supplier of
production management solutions for steel fabricators, and
FabSuite, a provider of management information systems
for North American steel fabricators, have signed an agreement at FabSuites headquarters
in Williamsburg, Va., to further
integrate their products. In the
near term, FabSuite will provide
a stock and purchasing management solution to be integrated into Steel Projects Product
Lifecycle Management system
(Steel Projects PLM). Longerterm goals of the partnership
involve discovering synergies
between the two companies
products and focusing on building a broader product offering
for the steel fabrication industry.
news
BRIDGES
White House Honors Atorod Azizinamini as Champion of Change

Atorod Azizinamini, P.E., Ph.D., chair of
the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Florida International Universitys College of Engineering and Computing, has been named
a 2015 White House Transportation
Champion of Change. Sponsored by the
White House and the U.S. Department
of Transportation (USDOT), the program highlights the stories and examples
of citizens across the nation who are
leading projects and initiatives that move
their communities forward. Azizinamini,
known worldwide as a leading visionary
bridge engineer, is being honored for his
innovations in making the nations aging
bridges safer.
USDOT and the White House Office
of Public Engagement recently hosted all
of this years White House Champions of
Change, and Azizinamini and the other
honorees were recognized for being
leaders in advancing transportation and
change that benefits the countrys transportation system.
At FIU, we are providing efficient
and economical solutions for the many
challenges we face with our bridges
and infrastructure, Azizinamini said.
Being named a Champion of Change
is recognition of the impact that we
have had.
Azizinamini has devoted his career to

developing solutions for aging bridges.
Currently, about 24% of more than
610,000 bridges in the U.S. are deficient,
and about 45% of all U.S. bridges are
shorter than 60 ft. To address this issue,
Azizinamini invented the Folded Plate
Steel Bridge System, which provides an
economical, long-term solution for replacing outdated short-span bridges. It
allows on-site construction of a bridge
over a few days, using less costly materials and lasting longer, resulting in
lower costs and limited impact to traffic.
In 2011, he received the AISC Special
Achievement Award for his development
of this technology.
Last year, with support from the second Strategic Highway Research Program, Azizinamini developed the first
comprehensive guide for enhancing the
service life of bridges. The first application of the guide was at the new Tappan
Zee Bridge in New York.
Azizinamini is director of FIUs Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center (ABC-UTC),
focused on developing technology and
methods to improve bridge design and
construction. The ABC-UTC was established by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2013, and works closely with
the Federal Highway Administration and

the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials to advance accelerated bridge design and construction, through research, workforce
development and technology transfer.
Dr. Azizinaminis visionary bridge designs are what our country needs for the
21st centurycutting edge, cost-efficient
and safe, said Ranu Jung, interim dean of
FIUs College of Engineering and Computing. In addition to his contributions
to bridge engineering, he has ensured that
our students learn to think in terms of
finding solutions and impacting the local,
national and global community.
NASCC
SteelDay Sculpture Finalists

AISC members spent all summer creating scintillating structural steel sculptures for the 2015 SteelDay Sculpture
Competition, and now the finalists are
set. The five finalists, which were selected
via voting on Facebook, will be on display

at the 2016 NASCC: The Steel Conference, April 13-15 in Orlando, Fla., where
attendees will be able to vote for their
favorite. Visit the SteelDay Sculpture
Facebook page at www.steelday.org/

SculptureCompVoting to see all of the
entries. And to register for and find out
more about the Steel Conference, visit
www.aisc.org/nascc.
61
news
PROJECTS
Transbay Transit Centerpiece Installed

of the most fascinating sections to construct, said Dennis Turchon, Transbay
Joint Powers Authority senior construction manager.
Due to the Light Columns sheer
size and proximity to Fremont Street,
two lanes of traffic were closed in order to install it during the afternoon
and evening hours. Despite the unique
construction challenges, assembly of the
structure was completed in just over a
month. Crews are now advancing steel
construction toward Fremont Street,
which began in September.
A total of more than 22,000 tons of
steel will be used to construct the Transit Center, all of which was supplied and
fabricated domestically in accordance
with the projects Buy America status.
Production facilities in 25 states have
been involved in providing the steel for
the project, several of which are AISC
Members and AISC Certified facilities.
(View a map of the various facilities at
http://tinyurl.com/o8yvwub.)
When finished, the Transit Center
will accommodate approximately 100,000
travelers daily. Bus operations are scheduled
to begin in late 2017. For more on the
project, visit www.transbaycenter.org.
Photo Courtesy of Cast Connex
Installation of the central feature of

San Franciscos new 1.5 million-sq.-ft
Transbay Transit Center was recently
completed. The Light Column, which
will allow natural daylight from the
open air rooftop park into the main
public space, the Grand Hall, reaches
150 ft through all five levels of the
building. Topped with a 4,000-sq.-ft
domed skylight, the structure not only
supports the building, but also draws
daylight deep into the interior and
frames views of the park above.
The Light Column is assembled of
tubular steel columns and 56 cast steel
nodes with various geometries, supplied
by Cast Connex (an AISC Member).
Each vertical segment of the structure is
topped off with a uniquely designed horizontal ring, made up of roller or induction bent pipe segments, except for the
top and bottom rings, with the smallest
ring weighing in at approximately 50
tons. As the structure grows taller, the
rings become wider and thinner, expanding the capacity for natural light to enter
the building.
Not only is the Light Column one
of the signature architectural features
of the Center, but it has also been one
PUBLICATIONS
PUBLICATIONS
Nuclear Specification Supplement now Available

A new Supplement No. 1 (ANSI/AISC
N690s1-15) to the AISC Specification
for Safety-Related Steel Structures for
Nuclear Facilities (ANSI/AISC N69012) is now available. This ANSI-accredited standard is written as a supplement to the AISC 2010 Specification for
Structural Steel Buildings and applies to
the design of safety-related steel structures and steel elements in nuclear facilities. Supplement No. 1 consists of a
new Appendix on steel-plate composite
walls and associated revisions. AISC
62
DECEMBER 2015
Task Committee 12 on Nuclear Facilities Design and an ad hoc subcommittee developed the Supplement, and it is
approved by the AISC Committee on
Specifications. The Supplement has
been incorporated into the standard
and the document is available for free
at www.aisc.org/specifications. A
limited number of printed copies are
available for purchase at www.aisc.org/
bookstore for $12.50 (AISC members)
and $25.00 (nonmembers), plus shipping and handling.
2016 Specs Open for

Public Review
The drafts of the 2016 AISC Specification
for Structural Steel Buildings and the 2016
AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel
Buildings will be available for public review from December 18, 2015, to February 1, 2016. Both specifications, along
with the review forms, will be available for
download at www.aisc.org/publicreview
during this time. Copies are also available
(for a $35 nominal charge) by calling Janet Cummins at 312.670.5411.
Please submit comments using the
form provided online to Cynthia J.
Duncan, director of engineering, at
duncan@aisc.org by February 1, 2016,
for consideration.
WE INVITE YOU TO SUBMIT ENTRIES TO THE 2016
PRIZE BRIDGE
COMPETITION
SUBMISSION
Requirements and entry form available at:
www.steelbridges.org/PrizeBridge
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES
DECEMBER 14, 2015

Winners will be notied shortly
after judging and we will make a public
announcement of the winners in Modern Steel
Construction magazine. Designers of the winning Prize
Bridge entries will be presented with plaques and honored
during the World Steel Bridge Symposium. Owners of the winning
Prize Bridge entries will be presented with plaques and honored at a dinner
banquet during the 2016 AASHTO Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures.
ELIGIBILITY
All award-winning bridges are built of fabricated
structural steel and are located in the United States
(dened as the 50 states, the District of Columbia,
and all U.S. territories.) Eligible bridges must have
been completed and opened to trafc between
May 1, 2013 and September 30, 2015.
JUDGING CRITERIA
An independent panel will judge entries on the
following criteria: innovation, aesthetics, value,
design and engineering solutions. Quality of
submitted presentations, though not a criterion, is
important. Entries may be judged in more than one
category, but an entry can only receive one award.
AWARD CATEGORIES
Major Span One or more spans greater than or

equal to 400 ft.
Long Span Longest span equal to or greater than
250 ft but less than 400 ft.
Medium Span Longest span equal to or greater
than 140 ft but less than 250 ft.
Short Span No single span greater than 140 ft.
Movable Span
Reconstructed Having undergone major
reconstruction, rehabilitation or widening
NSBA will offer special recognition to one
project that best exemplies Accelerated Bridge
Construction, and one project that best exemplies
a full range of sustainable attributes.
marketplace
Search employment ads online at www.modernsteel.com.
Like AISC on Facebook

facebook.com/AISCdotORG
Follow AISC on Twitter

@AISC
Looking for the latest information on

AISC Certication Programs?
Visit www.aisc.org/certification
Email certification@aisc.org
or call 312.670.7520
Contract Auditor
Quality Management Company, LLC is seeking contractors to
conduct audits for the AISC Certied Fabricator and AISC Certied
Erector Programs. Contractors must have knowledge of quality
management practices as well as knowledge of audit principles,
practices and techniques and knowledge of the steel construction
industry. If you are interested, please submit your statement of
interest contractor@qmconline.org.
Are you looking for software, products, or services for your next project?
You can find it in Modern Steel Constructions online product directory.
www.modernsteel.com/products
If youre a provider of software, products, or services and would
like more information about being listed or enhancing your current listing,
contact Louis Gurthet at:
gurthet@modernsteel.com or 231.228.2274
Looking for something from an old issue of Modern Steel?
All of the issues from Modern Steel Constructions

first 50 years are now available as free PDF downloads
at www.modernsteel.com/backissues.
AutoSD Steel Detailing software.

Detail a full range of structural and miscellaneous steel,
create erection drawings, extract for FabTrol and create
CNC files, using AutoCAD 20022016
or Bricscad Pro 1115.
AutoSD, Inc. www.autosd.com
LATE MODEL STRUCTURAL
STEEL FABRICATING EQUIPMENT
AISC Continuing Education Seminars

www.aisc.org/seminars
64
Ficep 2004 DTT CNC Drilling & Thermal Coping Line, 78-3/4 x 24 Max.
Beam, 3-Drill, Ficep Arianna CNC Control, 2003 #20382
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 F1170B CNC Plate Punching Machine, 170 Ton, Ext
Tables, Fagor CNC, 30 x 60 Trvl., Triple Gag Head, 2005 #19659
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
Peddinghaus FDB1500B CNC Plate Drill with Oxy Cutting Torches, 177
Ton, 60 Plate Width, Fagor CNC, (3) Drill Heads, 2001 #25718
www.PrestigeEquipment.com | Ph: +1.631.249.5566
sales@prestigeequipment.com
To advertise, call 231.228.2274 or e-mail gurthet@modernsteel.com.
DECEMBER 2015
Search employment ads online at www.modernsteel.com.
Structural Engineers
Are you looking for a new and exciting opportunity in 2016?

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
Advertise Your Job Openings in Modern Steel!

Modern Steel employment ads also appear online!
www.modernsteel.com/jobs
(Please note that these ads no longer appear at www.aisc.org.)
Contact: Lou Gurthet at 231.228.2274

or gurthet@modernsteel.com
Crystal Steel Fabricators, a major structural steel and

miscellaneous metals fabricator in the Eastern U.S., has openings
for project managers, sales executives, operations professionals,
professional engineers, fitters and welders in Delmar, DE; Memphis,
TN; and, Hatfield, PA. For more information, go to crystalsteel.com
or send your resume to lbrenner@crystalsteel.com.
Include the position(s) and location(s) that youre interested in.
Vice President of Finance & Administration

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) is looking for an experienced
finance executive to join our Senior Management team and participate in the
development of the strategic plans supporting our mission and goals. The Vice
President of Finance and Administration reports to the President of AISC, and
acts as lead spokesperson to the AISC Board of Directors for activities related
to finance, business administration, and information systems.
This role provides participative leadership, financial management, strategic
management, and direct hands-on help for finance, accounting, information
systems, facilities and risk management activities in support of AISCs operations.
To qualify, you must have a Bachelors degree in Finance, Accounting or
Business Administration, MBA and/or CPA strongly preferred. Minimum 10
years of experience in a senior management role with responsibility for finance,
accounting, facilities administration, and information systems.
Please send resume, cover letter and salary expectations to
hr@aisc.org for consideration.
To advertise, call 231.228.2274 or e-mail gurthet@modernsteel.com.
employment
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 youve 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
Visit steelTOOLS.org
See whats new at AISCs revampedle-sharing and
information-sharing
website.
Looking for something
from an old issue
of Modern Steel?
Hereofare
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Steel Constructions
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More
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at www.modernsteel.com/backissues.
including:
A Pocket Reference to W Shapes by Depth,
then Flange Width
Welding Capacity Calculator
Moments, Shears and Reactions for Continuous Bridges
Video: Bridge Erection at the SeaTac Airport
Got Questions? Got Answers?
Check out steelTOOLS.org.
Purchasing Manager
Company: Macuch Steel Products, Inc.
Location: Augusta, GA
Responsibilities: Vendor management related to the purchasing of

steel for fabricated steel projects, forecasting price trends and material
planning. This position necessitates being in the weeds while learning
our business structure and then taking time to evaluate existing purchase
methods and implement a global purchasing program for Macuch and
its affiliates. Tremendous growth potential for the right candidate.
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Benefits: Salary commensurate with experience.
Comprehensive benefits package.
For complete job description or to submit resume, email:
hr@macuchsteel.com
65
structurally
sound
WINTERIZED
STEEL
Photos: Courtesy of SSAB
SKI JUMPERS have been flying high at the Swedish Sports Confederations Lugnet sports complex for four decadesand so has
the steel framing for the facilitys jumps.
The Falun, Sweden, complex includes two ski jumps, designed by Jack Hansson and built for the 1974 World Championships of
Nordic Skiing: the HS 100 normal hill and HS 134 large hill (the numbers refer to the hill size, which is the distance from the takeoff point to the landing line in meters).
The support structure of the larger ski jump consists of two legs built by steel plate welded circumferentially into a tube, with a
lattice structure between the two legs, creating a 174-ft-tall tower (the top of the large hill) that athletes reach via elevator. The normal hill ski jump is supported by two I-beams with crossbars in between and serviced via stairs. The steel used was Domex 355W
weathering steel from SSAB Europe, and a total of 500 tons was used to build both structures.
The facility was renovated in advance of the 2015 World Championships in Nordic Skiing 2015everything but the steel,
that is. Why? Quite simply put, it didnt need to be. Even after 40 years of exposure to Scandinavian winters, the maintenance-free
weathering steel is still performing admirably.
66
DECEMBER 2015
Be part of
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Download a 30-day free* trial today www.autodesk.com/advancesteel
*Free Autodesk software licenses and/or cloud-based services are subject to acceptance of and compliance with the terms and
conditions of the license agreement or terms of service, as applicable, that accompany such software or cloud-based services.
Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, Revit and AutoCAD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/
or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not
responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. 2014 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

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