Structural Steel Designer’s Handbook, Third Edition

Roger L Brockenbrough

Preference :

Steels for structural uses may be classified by chemical composition, tensile properties, and
method of manufacture as carbon steels, high-strength low-alloy steels (HSLA), heat-treated
carbon steels, and heat-treated constructional alloy steels. A typical stress-strain curve for a
steel in each classification is shown in Fig. 1.1 to illustrate the increasing strength levels
provided by the four classifications of steel. The availability of this wide range of specified
minimum strengths, as well as other material properties, enables the designer to select an
economical material that will perform the required function for each application.
Some of the most widely used steels in each classification are listed in Table 1.1 with
their specified strengths in shapes and plates. These steels are weldable, but the welding
materials and procedures for each steel must be in accordance with approved methods. Weld-
ing information for each of the steels is available from most steel producers and in
publications of the American Welding Society.

This edition of the handbook has been updated throughout to reflect continuing changes in
design trends and improvements in design specifications. Criteria and examples are included

for both allowable-stress design (ASD) and load-and-resistance-factor design (LRFD) meth-
ods, but an increased emphasis has been placed on LRFD to reflect its growing use in

practice.
Numerous connection designs for building construction are presented in LRFD format in
conformance with specifications of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). A
new article has been added on the design of hollow structural sections (HSS) by LRFD,
based on a new separate HSS specification by AISC. Also, because of their growing use in
light commercial and residential applications, a new section has been added on the design
of cold-formed steel structural members, based on the specification by the American Iron
and Steel Institute (AISI). It is applicable to both ASD and LRFD.
Design criteria are now presented in separate parts for highway and railway bridges to

better concentrate on those subjects. Information on highway bridges is based on specifica-
tions of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

and information on railway bridges is based on specifications of the American Railway
Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA). A very detailed example of
the LRFD design of a two-span composite I-girder highway bridge has been presented in

Section 11 to illustrate AASHTO criteria, and also the LRFD design of a single-span com-
posite bridge in Section 12. An example of the LRFD design of a truss member is presented

in Section 13.
This edition of the handbook regrettably marks the passing of Fred Merritt, who worked
tirelessly on previous editions, and developed many other handbooks as well. His many
contributions to these works are gratefully acknowledged.