Modern

STEEL CONSTRUCTION

February 2018
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 February 2018

42 in every issue
departments
6 EDITOR’S NOTE
9 STEEL INTERCHANGE
12 STEEL QUIZ
60 NEW PRODUCTS
61 NEWS
66 STRUCTURALLY SOUND

resources
65 MARKETPLACE & EMPLOYMENT

columns
manualwise
16 Designing Beam Copes
BY BO DOWSWELL, PE, PHD
The latest edition of the AISC Manual
includes updated design methods for
beam copes.

business
22 The Big Change
BY ANDY SLIPHER
What has really changed with marketing
in the last 100 years? Just one thing. Really.

features
conference preview
36 High Art 48 Building Up Brooklyn
24 Core Solution
BY BRIAN MORGEN, SE, PE, PHD,
BY STEVE MARUSICH, SE BY JOSEPH SAVALLI, PE, BORYS HAYDA,
A new art building brings its own sense of PE, AND MATTHIEU PEULER, PE
RON KLEMENCIC, SE, PE, HON. AIA, style and flair to the Stanford campus. Downtown Brooklyn gets a big boost from
AND AMIT VARMA, PHD a multi-phase development that successfully
A new composite assembly is positioned to
set the pace for future high-rise buildings
42 Playing to the Base
BY JOHN HINCHCLIFFE, PE,
interweaves various framing systems.

and elevate steel to dominance in core

construction.
JOE MUGFORD, PE, AND
RAMON GILSANZ, SE, PE
52 Feeding Growth
BY TARA REEB
A seemingly small structural retrofit at A steel-framed dining facility and
30 Vision of the Future
BY MICHELLE BLACK, PE,
the bottom of a prominent Manhattan surrounding buildings come together
high-rise brings big gains to occupants quickly on a fast-growing college campus.
CHRIS ADAMS, PE, AND and visitors.
SHANE MCCORMICK, SE, PE
Various engineering and science disciplines
56 Rising to the Challenge
BY JOE DARDIS, PE
come together under one roof in a modern, As the high-rise market continues to grow,
steel-framed research facility funded by so do the opportunities for structural steel
one of Colorado’s most prominent names. in skylines across the country.

ON THE COVER:
Stanford’s new McMurtry Building provides lessons on art, art history, architecture and even structural engineering, p. 36.
(Photo by Iwan Baan, Courtesy Diller Scofidio + Renfro)

MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION (Volume 58, Number 2) ISSN (print) 0026-8445: ISSN (online) 1945-0737. Published monthly by the American Institute of
Steel Construction (AISC), 130 E Randolph Street, Suite 2000, 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, 130 E Randolph Street, Suite 2000, 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. Printed on paper made
from a minimum of
4 FEBRUARY 2018 10% recycled content.
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 editor’s note
Editorial Offices
130 E Randolph Street, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60601
312.670.2400
Editorial Contacts
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
Scott Melnick
312.670.8314
melnick@modernsteel.com
WHEN MY DAUGHTER LEFT TOWN RECENTLY TO STUDY SENIOR EDITOR
ABROAD IN LONDON, ONE OF THE ATTRACTIONS SHE Geoff Weisenberger
SAID SHE WANTED TO SEE WAS THE CHANGING OF 312.670.8316
weisenberger@modernsteel.com
THE GUARD. ASSISTANT EDITOR
Tasha O’Berski
That phrase seems particularly people annually. Today, we’ve created 312.670.5439
appropriate to me as I look at AISC today. a robust online continuing education oberski@modernsteel.com

When I started here nearly 30 years ago, presence with an annual audience DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS
Keith A. Grubb, SE, PE
I was part of a vanguard of fresh employees of around 20,000 people. And those 312.670.8318
who helped to reshape the Institute. Cindi 5,000 people we used to see in person grubb@modernsteel.com
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Duncan joined AISC a couple of years at seminars? We now see them at a Erika Salisbury
before me, took a few years off and is single unified event (NASCC: The Steel 312.670.5427
salisbury@modernsteel.com
now our director of engineering. The year Conference) and at a select number of
GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER
before I started, Bill McEleney (who would in-person seminars. Kristin Hall
eventually become managing director of But even more importantly, Nancy was 312.670.8313
hall@modernsteel.com
the National Steel Bridge Alliance) signed the creator and the driving force behind
on. We had a new legal counsel, David AISC’s Night School program. These web- AISC Officers
CHAIR
Ratterman. And shortly after I started, a based programs offer a series of seminars David Zalesne
whole series of new hires helped revitalize on a single topic (our fall program, for VICE CHAIR
AISC, including Charlie Carter (who is now example, focused on the fundamentals of Jack Klimp

president of AISC) and Tom Schlafly (our SECRETARY/GENERAL COUNSEL

director of research).
The changes today, though, are
perhaps even more dramatic. In addition
to Charlie becoming president, we have
a new vice president of certification (Mark
Trimble, who brings more than four decades
of experience in the industry), a new vice
connection design). Each topic typically David B. Ratterman
features seven lectures and provides a PRESIDENT
much more in-depth continuing education Charles J. Carter, SE, PE, PhD
experience than a typical seminar. SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
Scott Melnick
But Nancy’s contributions weren’t just
VICE PRESIDENT
limited to continuing education. She was John Cross, PE
also instrumental is working with students VICE PRESIDENT
and faculty to improve the state of steel Anne-Marie Eischen

president of engineering and research education. She developed and provided VICE PRESIDENT
Lawrence F. Kruth, PE
(Larry Kruth, who has more than 40 years of meaningful assistance to professors through VICE PRESIDENT
design, fabrication and erection experience), new teaching resources, grew the ACSA/ Tabitha S. Stine, SE, PE
a new vice president of market development AISC Steel Design Student Competition VICE PRESIDENT
Mark W. Trimble, PE
(the homegrown Tabitha Stine, who is trying and built a model program for connecting
to fill the huge shoes of the legendary John professors and students with working Editorial Advisory Panel
Caroline R. Bennett, PE, PhD,
Cross, who is now our vice president of professionals at The Steel Conference. University of Kansas
special projects) and a new vice president of And she was successful at developing Keith R. Griesing, PE,
finance (Anne-Marie Eischen). In all, nearly a great staff, so the changing the guard Hardesty and Hanover
Steve Knitter, Geiger and Peters
a third of AISC’s staff is either new to the includes promoting Christina Harber to
Janice Mochizuki, PE, Arup
Institute or new to their roles. director of education.
Dylan Olson, Olson Steel
And the changes continue. Just last I hope all of you have the opportunity
month, Nancy Gavlin, AISC’s director of to meet these new leaders. Please stop Advertising Contact
ACCOUNT MANAGER
education, retired. Unless you were an by AISC’s booth at NASCC: The Steel Renae Gurthet
educator, you might not know Nancy, Conference in Baltimore in April and say 231.995.0637
renae@gurthetmedia.com
but her impact on AISC was huge. Under hello to both the new and the familiar faces.
Address Changes and
her tenure, AISC’s educational strategy Subscription Concerns
transitioned from in-person seminars to 312.670.2400
subscriptions@aisc.org
web-based learning. Before Nancy, we
typically held 40 to 60 lectures in cities Reprints
Erika Salisbury
around the country, reaching nearly 5,000 SCOTT MELNICK 312.670.5427
EDITOR salisbury@modernsteel.com

6 FEBRUARY 2018
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 If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why?” about something
related to structural steel design or construction,
Modern Steel’s monthly Steel Interchange is for you!
Send your questions or comments to solutions@aisc.org.
Note: Unless specifically noted, all AISC publications mentioned in the
questions and/or answers are independent of the edition and can be
found at www.aisc.org/specifications.
Thin Plates and Welding
I have specified ¼-in. plates to be welded to structural
members for aesthetic considerations. Some of the fabri-
cators bidding the project have indicated that there may
be issues associated with welding plate that is this thin.
They have mentioned weld show-through and distortions
as potential concerns. Are these valid considerations?
What can be done to address them?
In general, when the company charged with performing the
work indicates that they will have difficulty satisfying your
expectations, their concerns should be taken seriously and
viewed as valid. This does not mean that the issues are insur-
mountable, but it does indicate that the conditions deserve
some greater consideration.
A ¼-in. plate is thinner than what many structural steel
fabricators will be used to working with. Their equipment
will commonly be set up to deposit a 5∕16-in. fillet weld to the
thicker material, probably a minimum of 3∕8 in. thick. Both
weld show-through and distortion are related to weld size and
material thickness.
It may be possible to use different equipment and processes
to reduce the amount of distortion, though this will likely
increase the cost of the fabrication. Theoretically, a 1∕8-in. fil-
let weld could be used, which would produce significantly less
heat input than is typically seen in structural steel fabrication.
You may also want to consider whether the plate can be stitch
welded. Stitch welding will reduce the heat induced in the
plate, thereby minimizing distortion.
Another alternative may be to use thicker material, if pos-
sible, while still satisfying the aesthetic requirements. Using thicker
material might allow the fabricator to use more typical and efficient
equipment and processes, resulting in economical fabrication.
Larry S. Muir, PE
The next three items all relate to the choice of seismic system and
how this choice relates to complexity and cost. We receive a fair
number of questions like the ones below and felt that presenting these
three as a group might be instructive.
Seismic Response Modification Coefficient,
R, Given as 3¼
As a fabricator, we are starting to see buildings in Seismic
Design Category C with the seismic response modifica-
tion coefficient, R, given as 3¼ in the General Notes. Will
these structures have to satisfy the Seismic Provisions for
Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 341)?
steel
interchange
Yes. If you are seeing structural steel buildings using R = 3¼,
then I assume that the building is designed as a steel ordinary
concentrically braced frame system (OCBF) type B.3 in ASCE
7-10, Table 12.2.-1, and OCBFs need to satisfy the applicable
sections of Seismic Provisions. Chapter F, Section F1 outlines
some of the requirements specific to this particular system,
and F1.6 specifically refers to connections. Additionally, there
are general requirements in Chapters A through D and qual-
ity control and quality assurance requirements in Chapter J,
which also need to be considered.
It should be noted that Section A4.1 lists information that
must be included in the structural design documents and
specifications. Much of this information is intended to clarify
the project requirements as they related to the Seismic Provi-
sions. If this information has not been provided, then it should
be requested. One of the listed items is the designation of the
seismic force resisting system (SFRS). If my assumption above
is correct, the SFRS should be designated as OCBF.
I will also state that this seems like an unusual choice. Gen-
erally, a system not specifically detailed for seismic resistance
(R = 3) would be a more economical option for a structure in
Seismic Design Category C.
Susan Burmeister, PE
Weight Savings of Intermediate Moment Frames
We are bidding fabrication for a project in Seismic Design
Category B. The SFRS is designated as using intermedi-
ate moment frames (IMF). This is an unusual system in
our area, and we have suggested that it may be more eco-
nomical to design it so that it isn’t specifically detailed for
seismic resistance (R = 3). It has been asserted that our
suggestion would in fact be less economical due to the
increased weight of the members. Is this correct?
A: The choice of an IMF with an R = 4.5, as opposed to a
system not specifically detailed for seismic resistance with
an R = 3, will result in a smaller base shear due to the seis-
mic loads and may also result in lighter members. However,
requirements to use moderately ductile beam and column mem-
bers may reduce or eliminate the benefit relative to weight.
Other requirements related to fabrication, such as require-
ments to provide qualified or prequalified moment connec-
tions, may result in an increased overall cost for the project,
even if there is a reduction in weight of the members.
AISC generally recommends choosing systems not specifically
detailed for seismic resistance (R = 3) whenever permitted, if the
economy of the structure is the primary consideration. AISC has
long taken the position that least weight does not correlate to least
cost. This applies to seismic design as much as it does to sizing
columns to avoid the need for reinforcing at moment connections.
Thomas J. Schlafly
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 9
 steel interchange
Conveyors in a High-Seismic Area
We are designing steel conveyors in a high-seismic area.
For steel ordinary moment frames (OMFs), Chapter
15 of ASCE 7-10 permits the use of R = 1 without hav-
ing to satisfy the Seismic Provisions or R = 2.5 when the
Seismic Provisions are satisfied. We have reviewed Section
E1 of the Seismic Provisions and believe that we can take
advantage of the higher seismic response factor of 2.5
by simply providing a direct-welded moment connection
with CJP (complete joint penetration) groove welds at the
flanges. This detail would seem to satisfy the requirement
to design the beam-to-column moment connection for
1.1RyFyZx. Is there anything we are missing?
The Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360)
and Seismic Provisions both address the building design, and
applying their provisions to nonbuilding structures requires
engineering judgment relative to how similar the structure’s
behavior will be to that of a building, and whether any adjust-
ment should be made to account for the differences.
From your description, I believe you are looking at an
OMF system. AISC does not provide requirements related to
the range of available systems; these requirements are pro-
vided in ASCE-7. You may want to contact ASCE if you have
questions related to their requirements. However, it does seem
odd to me that a conveyor would be designed to meet Chapter
15. Manufacturing or process conveyors are included in Chap-
ter 13, and treating the conveyors as nonstructural compo-
nents may be more appropriate. There may be reasons to treat
this particular conveyor as a nonbuilding structure similar to a
building, but this is not the norm.
Relative to evaluating the R = 2.5 and the R = 1 options,
you have not identified all of the potential impacts that using
an OMF could have on your project. One mistake engineers
sometimes make is that they think the system chapters in
the Seismic Provisions are self-contained. Section E1 does not
contain all of the requirements that will apply to your proj-
ect. Requirements of Chapters A through D and Chapters
I through J will also apply, and even some of the Chapter K
requirements could have an impact.
For example, your contract documents will have to sat-
isfy A4. If you do not address all of these requirements
adequately, you may have to address RFIs, which could lead
to you changing the contract requirements after award. This
could lead to revisions to the contract with potential cost and
schedule impacts.
Section D2.2 addresses requirements for bolted joints. All
bolts will have to be pretensioned, which might be done for
a conveyor anyway to prevent loosening, but all faying sur-
faces in the SFRS (with a few exceptions) will also have to be
qualified for slip resistance. If the members are galvanized, the
10 FEBRUARY 2018
faying surfaces will have to be hand-wire brushed. If the mem-
bers are painted, they will have to be masked or a qualified
paint must be used.
In addition to AWS D1.1, AWS D1.8 must also be satisfied,
and quality control and assurance tasks are expanded.
Note that this is not intended to be a complete list but is
rather intended to illustrate some of the provisions that might
impact the work.
There are also practices that could make the structure
more economical that you might overlook if you are not well-
acquainted with the Seismic Provisions. For example, you state
that the connections must develop the expected strength of
the beam, 1.1RyFyZx. This is not exactly correct. There are
exceptions to this default requirement that might apply to
your structure and might lead to a more economic result.
Generally, AISC encourages engineers to use steel systems
not specifically detailed for seismic resistance whenever pos-
sible. This guidance applies to buildings, so the base shear
is derived from R = 3 instead of R = 1. AISC has no position
on the relative benefit of moving from R = 1 to OMF with
R = 2.5. In my opinion, unless you are already familiar with
the Seismic Provisions and have already worked on projects
required to meet the Seismic Provisions, you might be better off
going with the R = 1 option.
Larry S. Muir, PE
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 Tom Schlafly is director of research, both
with AISC. Susan Burmeister is a consultant to 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 AISC’s Steel Solutions Center:
866.ASK.AISC • solutions@aisc.org
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 If you thought this month’s Quiz would allow you to fill in the blanks and/

steel or choose from a list of options or between true and false for each question,
we’re happy to disappoint you! Instead, we’ll put your equations skills to the
quiz test using a sample HSS design.

Use the information and

framework provided
below to approximate the
design flexural strength of
a composite HSS10×10×3⁄8
member. Neglect the corner
radius of the HSS shape.
Fy = 50 ksi and f’c = 5 ksi.
Determine yt Determine yb
Write expressions for the tension and compression Area A y Ay Area A y Ay
components of the moment couple as a function of depth, Y:
1 3.25 1 3.25
Example: Cc = 0.85f’c [9.3 × (Y – 0.35)] = 39.53Y – 13.83
2 2
Cs =
3 3
Ts =
(∑Ay) (∑Ay)
With the sum of the forces equal to zero, solve for Y: yt = = yb = =
(∑A) (∑A)
Cs + Cc = Ts
Cs + 39.53Y – 13.83 = Ts Solve for Y, Y = ______ Finally, calculate the design flexural strength.
φMn = 0.9 × [(Cc × yc) + (Cs × yt) + (Ts × yb)]
Determine yc for concrete area:
φMn =
yc =
TURN TO PAGE 14 FOR THE ANSWERS

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 steel quiz ANSWERS

The V15.0 Design Examples, a free download

at www.aisc.org/designexamples, provides
composite HSS tables with a design flexural
strength of 198 kip/ft (see page IV-71/page
1057 of the PDF).

Write expressions for the tension and compression compo- Determine yt Determine yb
nents of the moment couple as a function of depth, Y: Area A y Ay Area A y Ay
Cc = 0.85f’c [9.3 × (Y – 0.35)] = 39.53Y – 13.83
1 3.25 3.14 10.21 1 3.25 6.51 21.16
Cs = 0.35(9.3 + 2Y) Fy = 162.75 + 35Y 2 1.16 1.66 1.93 2 2.33 3.34 7.78
Ts = 0.35(9.3 + 2(10 – Y)) Fy = 512.75 – 35Y 3 1.16 1.66 1.93 3 2.33 3.34 7.78
With the sum of the forces equal to zero, solve for Y:
(∑Ay) 14.07 (∑Ay) 36.72
Cs + Cc = Ts yt = = = 2.53 yb = = = 4.64
(∑A) 5.57 (∑A) 7.91
162.75 + 35Y + 39.53Y – 13.83 = 512.75 – 35Y
Solve for Y, Y = 3.32 in. Calculate the design flexural strength.
φMn = 0.9 × [(Cc × yc) + (Cs × yt) + (Ts × yb)]
Determine yc for concrete area: φMn = 0.9 × [(117.41 × 1.49) + (278.95 × 2.53) +
(Y – t) (3.32 – 0.35) (396.55 × 4.64)] = 2449 kip-in = 204 kip-ft
yc = = = 1.49
2 2

Anyone is welcome to submit questions and answers for the Steel Quiz. If you are interested in
submitting one question or an entire quiz, contact AISC’s Steel Solutions Center at 866.ASK.AISC or
at solutions@aisc.org.

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 manualwise
DESIGNING The latest edition of the AISC Manual includes

BEAM COPES updated design methods for beam copes.

BY BO DOWSWELL, PE, PHD

THE DESIGN METHODS for single- and double-coped

beams have been revised for the 15th Edition Steel Construc-
tion Manual.
Here, we’ll discuss the new design provisions and pro-
vide some background information on the local strength of
coped beams, as well as new design recommendations for
axially loaded beams based on the latest research.

Beam to Beam
Let’s start with beam-to-beam connections. In such con-
nections, the top flange of the supported beam is usually
coped to clear the supporting beam flange (see Figure 1). In
some cases, the bottom flange must be coped to clear the
supporting beam flange or to allow the beam to be dropped
between two angles, as shown for the knife connection in
Figure 2. For double-coped beams, where both the top and
bottom flange are coped, a significant portion of the web
is often removed. Figure 3 (opposite page) shows a skewed
beam-to-beam connection with a long double cope at the
supported beam.
➤ ➤

Figure 1. Beam coped at the top flange.

For design purposes, the coped region can be modeled
as a short beam with a length equal to the cope length. In Figure 2. Beam coped at the bottom flange.
addition to the constant shear force, R, the cope is subject-
ed to a linearly-varying moment. The maximum moment is
at the face of the cope, causing compressive flexural stresses
at the reentrant corner, as shown in Figure 4. Due to the
combined effect of the flexural and shear stresses, the cope

Bo Dowswell (bo@arcstructural.
com) is a principal with ARC
International, LLC, in Birmingham,
Ala., and also a consultant to
AISC’s Steel Solutions Center.

16 FEBRUARY 2018
 manualwise
➤
Figure 3. Skewed beam-to-beam
connection.

strength can be limited by either yield-

ing or buckling.
Design recommendations in previous
editions of the AISC Manual imposed lim-
its on the cope geometry and were based on
an allowable stress philosophy, limiting the
flexural strength to the first-yield moment.
To eliminate the limits of applicability and
provide equations that take advantage of
any available post-yield strength, the de-
sign guidance in the 15th Edition Manual
(www.aisc.org/manual) has been revised
from these previous editions.

Single-Coped Beams
The web of a single-coped beam can
buckle in a local mode, similar to the buck-
ling of a tee stem in flexural compression.
Therefore, the flexural strength equations
in Part 9 of the Manual are similar to the
three-part local buckling curves in Chap- Face of Cope
ter F of the Specification for Structural Steel
Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360, available at Setback
www.aisc.org/specifications). Figure  5
(page 18) shows the single-cope curve
with the available experimental results. As Out-of-Plane
Restraint
with the Specification, the equations pro-
duce a linear transition between the plas-
tic strength and the elastic buckling curve.
The shear strength is calculated according
to AISC Specification Section J4.2.
Flexural local buckling is likely to
dominate the buckling mode for beams
with long copes. Shear buckling, where the
buckled shape is characterized by a single
➤ ➤

a. single-cope
wave oriented at an angle of approximately
b. double-cope
45° from vertical (Figure 6, page 18), oc-
curs in beams with short cope lengths. Face of Cope
Because most instabilities in single-coped
beam webs are caused by a combination of Setback
shear buckling and flexural local buckling,
the equations in Manual Part 9 use a buck-
ling adjustment factor, f, to account for the Out-of-Plane
effect of shear. Restraint
Combined block shear and cope
buckling (block shear buckling) can oc-
cur at short copes with shallow end con-

➤
Figure 4. Design model.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 17

 manualwise

Figure 5. Buckling
curve for single-
coped beams.

Figure 6. Shear
buckling of a single-
coped beam.

Buckle
Figure 7. Block shear
buckling.

Rupture

nections, as shown in Figure 7. The failure is characterized Based on the experimental results, it is believed that this
by a combination of extensive yielding along the L-shape failure mode can be eliminated by providing a minimum
block shear failure pattern, with potential rupture at the connection element depth of h0/2, where h0 is the depth of
tension plane, and localized buckling at the face of the cope. the coped section.

18 FEBRUARY 2018
 ➤
Figure 9. Shear buckling
variable definitions.
➤

Figure 8. Buckled shape of a

double-coped beam.

For further information on the back-

ground of the revised design guidelines for
single-coped beams in the 15th Edition
Manual, keep an eye out for the pending
Engineering Journal article “Strength of
Single-Coped Beams” (www.aisc.org/ej).

Double-Coped Beams
Figure 8 shows the buckled shape of a
double-coped beam web, which is charac-
terized by lateral translation and twisting.
Because the behavior is similar to that of
a rectangular beam, the design procedure
was developed based on a lateral-torsional The New View of
Project Management
buckling model with an adjustment fac-
tor determined by curve fitting data from
the finite element models. The flexural
strength is determined in accordance with
Introducing the most powerful
Specification Section F11, with Cb calcu-
lated using the equations in Manual Part way to drive every function of
9. In most cases, the top and bottom cope your shop.
lengths are equal and Manual Equation
9-15 is applicable.  Visualize project progress in the model
An advantage of the new design pro-  Improve communication
cedures in the 15th Edition Manual is the  ,QFUHDVHDFFXUDF\ HI¿FLHQF\
ability to calculate the strength where dif-
ferent cope lengths are required at the top
and bottom flanges (Figure 9). When the
bottom cope is equal to or longer than the We can now see the status of material, production,
top cope length, the bottom cope size has shipping, drawings, and much more simply by viewing the
a negligible effect on the cope strength and model from within FabSuite. FabSuite View changes the
way we manage a project!
Manual Equation 9-15 is valid. When the
top cope is longer than the bottom cope, Cb Ricky Horton, McCombs Steel
is calculated with Manual Equation 9-16.
In most cases, the shear strength of
double-coped beams can be calculated ac-
cording to the shear yielding limit state in
Specification Section J4.2. However, the ex- Visit us
perimental results showed that beams with at Booth
slender webs and short copes can fail by 1407
shear buckling, where the buckle extends
into the beam web at an angle of approxi- www.fabsuite.com 757.645.0842 info@fabsuite.com
mately 45° from vertical, well beyond the

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 19

 manualwise
face of the cope (Figure 10). In this case,
the shear strength can be calculated ac-
cording to Specification Section G3, with
kv = 3.2, φ = 1.00 and Aw = hotw, where tw is
the web thickness. As shown in Figure 11,
h = d – dct, where d is the beam depth and
dct is the depth of the top cope.
For further information on the back-
ground of the revised design guidelines for
single-coped beams in the 15th Edition
Manual, see “Local Stability of Double-
Coped Beams” in the First Quarter 2014
➤
Figure 10. Shear buckling of a Engineering Journal (www.aisc.org/ej).
double-coped beam.
Inflection Point Location
➤
Figure 11. Shear buckling
variable definitions. For both single- and double-coped
beams, the available flexural strength, Mc,
must be equal to or greater than the re-
quired flexural strength, Mr. The required
flexural strength is the maximum moment
within the cope, Mr = Rre, where Rr is the
required beam end reaction. In Part 9 of
the Manual, e is defined as the “distance
from the face of the supporting member to
the face of the cope, unless a lower value
can be justified.” For idealized connections,
e is the distance from the face of the sup-
porting element to the face of the cope as
shown in Figure 4. However, the rotational
Face of Cope
rigidity of real connections tends to move
Setback the inflection point toward the beam mid-
span as shown in Figure 12, reducing the
Out-of- moment at the face of the cope.
Plane
Restraint
Due to difficulties in accurately pre-
dicting the inflection point location, stan-
dard design practice is to define e as shown
in Figure 4, neglecting the influence of
any connection rotational restraint. In
some cases, it may seem appropriate to
Inflection Point define e as the distance from the inflection
point to the face of the cope. However,
➤
Figure 12. Inflection point location.
the design equations include the effects of
➤
Figure 13. Axially loaded beam. shear stress and moment gradient over the
cope length. Therefore, these effects must
be considered before using the inflection
point to define e.
Generally, the influence of the inflec-
tion point location increases as the cope
slenderness decreases. For design purpos-
es, it is recommended that e is defined as This article is a preview of Session C4 “New
shown in Figure 4. The pending “Strength Developments in Connection Design” at
of Single-Coped Beams” article mentioned NASCC: The Steel Conference, taking place
above will provide design recommenda- April 11-13 in Baltimore. Learn more about
tions for reducing e under some conditions the conference at www.aisc.org/nascc.
for single-coped beams.
20 FEBRUARY 2018
Axial Loads
As mention previously, copes subjected
to shear are modeled as a short beam with
a length equal to the cope length. This
model is also applicable to copes subjected
to axial loads (Figure 13). The axial tension
strength of both single- and double-coped
beams is calculated according to Specifica-
tion Section J4.1. Similar to the flexural
strength calculation, the axial compression
strength is based on the expected buckling
mode. Because flexural buckling is the con-
trolling limit state for double-coped beams,
Specification Section J4.4 is applicable.
For single-coped beams, web local
buckling is the controlling limit state and
the strength can be evaluated according to
Specification Section E7. However, the cope
length is usually less than the local buck-
ling half-wavelength, causing some con-
servatism when applying the Specification
equations to common cope geometries. A
more accurate design method, based on a
modified version of the Specification equa-
tions, will be discussed in the accompany-
ing NASCC presentation.
The axial and flexural loads must be
combined, and in some cases, an addi-
tional calculation combining the axial
and shear loads may also be required. For
both single- and double-coped beams,
axial and flexural loads can be combined
using linear interaction according to
Specification Section H2. For coped beams
subjected to axial tension, no axial-shear
interaction is required. For single-coped
beams subjected to axial compression,
linear interaction of the axial and shear
loads is required. For double-coped
beams subjected to axial compression,
linear interaction of the axial and shear
loads is required only when Cv2 < 1.0
(Specification Section G3).
Examples for axially loaded double-
coped beams are featured in the Fourth
Quarter 2016 Engineering Journal article
“Stability of Rectangular Connection Ele-
ments” (www.aisc.org/ej). ■
 business issues What has really changed with
THE BIG marketing in the last 100 years?
CHANGE Just one thing. Really.
BY ANDY SLIPHER

IN 1975, THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMIS- on. It’s all certainly true. But what has enabled nearly every
SION (FCC) issued a largely overlooked ruling that allowed bit of it is technology.
earth-orbiting antennas—satellites—to be used for broadcast- So prolific is the role of technology in marketing that it
ing television over large areas. Around that same time, a little- has become, for some, an alluring distraction. Panic and peer
known regional broadcasting network called Home Box Office pressure set in, and organizations pursue the latest and great-
(HBO) took notice and decided to use the FCC’s landmark est technology-based marketing tactics without taking the time
decision to begin distributing its own to thoughtfully consider a strategic
programming via satellite. approach. As legendary philosopher
HBO’s innovative move would and strategist Sun Tzu once put it,
have a ripple effect that would spill “Tactics without strategy is the noise
A good vision statement
over onto the landscape of marketing. before defeat.”
Soon, satellite networks proliferated, Marketing must ultimately get the
and with them, marketers’ ability to
isn’t fluff. Rather, it helps product or service into the hands of the
target in ways that were never previ- customer—i.e., a real live person. Mar-
ously possible.
all stakeholders reach keters need to realize that it is way too
Since that time, there has been easy to distract ourselves (via technol-
so much technological innovation for something higher. ogy) away from what is centrally impor-
that marketers are faced with choices tant in marketing: generating a sale to
beyond measure. It can be blinding a real person and hopefully repeating
and bewildering for anyone charged that process again and again to her or
with allocating marketing dollars on behalf of a business. And his delight. Marketing strategy is not so much about a plan but
this very issue is what has caused marketers to go awry. This is an rather a system. If you build your marketing (including the sale)
age of unprecedented communications, and yet many still strug- around a strategically based, customer-centric system, then tech-
gle to connect with one another. But this is not the real problem. nology becomes a true and valuable tool and not a distraction.
The true problem is that too many marketers have failed If you want to plan your marketing communications on a
to recognize that only one major thing has changed in mar- more strategic level and with a more integrated and seamless
keting in the past 100 years: technology. That’s it. Yes, you approach, consider the following methods and means toward
now have social media and tweets and followers and apps and doing so:
branding and remarketing and analytics and focus groups Strategic marketing plan. This entails full-on marketing
and ROI and CRM and customer personas and digital and so guidance—someone asking the right questions and enabling
you to think critically about your industry, business, custom-
ers, competition, brand and marketing activities. A strategic
Andy Slipher is founder marketing plan answers both “What are we trying to do?” and
of Slipher Marketing. He is “How are we going to achieve it?” in a thorough, resolute way
marketing segment lecturer for that doesn’t miss a lick (broad-to-specific). It facilitates a sys-
Southern Methodist University’s tematic way of measurably and methodically moving your busi-
accredited Bank Operations ness’s overall marketing activities from point A to point B.
Institute for professional bankers Strategic brand plan. Marketers love to talk branding these
and also for the Independent days, but few truly understand what a brand is. At its core, a
Bankers Association of Texas. brand is simply a (strong) promise. Everything after that is
Andy’s forthcoming book is The embodying the promise or not. A brand plan helps an organi-
Big How: Where Strategy Meets zation answer the why’s and how’s of their brand in a way that
Success. For more information, actively demonstrates its value.
visit www.slipher.com.

22 FEBRUARY 2018
 business
issues

Brand landscape. Develop a collabora-

tive document and process that combines
visual (graphic/ photographic) and distilled
conceptual elements (written) to succinctly
express what a particular brand is, and what
it is not, to a broader internal audience. At
The sexiest piece of steel you’ve ever seen.
its core, it’s a reference and training docu-
ment. It serves to familiarize an organiza-
tion’s management on the concept of their
own brand, so that they themselves can
more consistently demonstrate and articu- www.quickframes.us/SEXYSTEEL 480-464-1500
late it to others.
Vision. Your organization needs to
aspire to something greater in order for
its marketing to become something that
inspires others. Sometimes there is no uni-
fying or inspiring vision—an expression
of what an organization hopes to reach or
become in the next five to ten years. Other
times, a vision reads as flat, academic or
long-winded. A good vision statement isn’t
Simplified Design
fluff. Rather, it helps all stakeholders reach Simplified Installation
for something higher.
Public outreach strategy. Address and
Simplified Costs
formalize a communications approach for STOP BY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN
the public-at-large. This does not neces- DO TO MAKE YOUR NEXT BRACED
sarily mean customers. Rather, it’s about FRAME PROJECT A SUCCESS.
respecting and interfacing with the gen-
eral public as influencers, opinion holders, BOOTH 1629
social activists and supporters of personal,
 Bolted, Pinned, and Welded Connections—
political or economic interests. This type Fully Qualified and Exceeding AISC 341
of strategy addresses a need for responding Requirements
to criticism, opposing or competing points  Real-Time Assistance in all Stages
of view. Its purpose is to build and demon- of the Project
strate credibility and to authentically com-  Maximum QA/QC and Scheduling Control
municate it.  Integration with Structural Design and BIM
In conclusion, plan your marketing. Software (RAM, Etabs and REVIT)
Don’t be led by technology or allow it to
distract and overwhelm you. Know who Cont
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reBr
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Only then will technology become a navi- 801.280.0701
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gable means to achieve your goals. ■ engineering@corebrace.com

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 23

 conference
preview A new composite assembly is positioned
to set the pace for future high-rise
CORE
buildings and elevate steel to
SOLUTION
dominance in core construction.
BY BRIAN MORGEN, SE, PE, PHD,
RON KLEMENCIC, SE, PE, HON. AIA,
AND AMIT VARMA, PHD
FOR THE LAST 20 TO 30 YEARS, high-rise office build-
ing construction has been dominated by a single structural sys-
tem: reinforced concrete core walls surrounded by structural
steel composite floor framing.
The reasons for this are many. Concrete walls situated
around elevator shafts, exit stairs, restrooms and mechanical/
electrical services offer the benefits of geometry—all while
satisfying the owner’s and architect’s programmatic require-
ments. Plus, fire and acoustical separations, which are easily
achieved, and adequate structural stiffness and strength can be
readily provided via this solution.
Inherent to concrete core wall construction is the cycle time
required to set formwork, install reinforcing steel, place em-
bedded plates, install sleeves and block-outs and place and cure
concrete before the next level of the core can be constructed.
While cycle times vary based on core geometry, reinforcing
steel congestion and the skills of the contractors in the geo-
graphic location, a common time frame required to construct
each core level for a typical tower is three to five days per floor.
On the other hand, erecting the surrounding steel floor
framing can occur at a much more rapid pace. Two tiers (four
floors) of steel erection per week are possible in many markets,
allowing the steel erection to proceed at roughly twice the pace
of concrete core construction. This cycle time disparity often
delays the start of steel erection. Timed perfectly, the final steel
beams are erected just after the concrete core walls are com-
pleted. But consider that for high-rise projects, the difference in
pace between the two materials can add up to several months of
24 FEBRUARY 2018
extra time required to complete the tower. For owners and de-
velopers, this can equate to substantial additional costs in con-
struction loans and contractor general conditions and a delay
in collecting rent from building occupants, potentially totaling
millions of missed dollars.
A New Approach
Luckily, a new approach to core construction has emerged.
And in fact, it’s currently being implemented as part of the
Rainier Square Redevelopment project in downtown Seattle.
This approach, a concrete-filled composite plate shear wall
(CF-CPSW) core system, is commonly referred to as a “sand-
wich panel wall system” and directly addresses the cycle time
disparity. In the case of Rainier Square, a schedule savings of
three to four months is anticipated as the entire superstructure
can be erected in sequence without the timing restrictions of
concrete core construction. The core wall arrangement is iden-
tical to a traditional concrete core, providing similar benefits to
owners and architects.
Here’s how it works: The system includes prefabricated
wall panels and boundary elements comprised of steel face
plates, typically ½ in. thick, separated by 1-in.-diameter cross-
connecting tie rods spaced 12 in. on center, both horizontally
and vertically, with an overall wall assembly thickness varying
from 21 in. to 45 in. These panels, which include integrally
detailed composite (concrete-filled) coupling beams, are rap-
idly erected at the same pace as the balance of the steel erec-
tion. They are designed with adequate strength and stability
Brian Morgen is a principal and
Ron Klemencic is chairman and CEO,
both with Magnusson Klemencic
Associates. Amit Varma is a professor
with Purdue University’s Lyles School
Of Civil Engineering.
 The Rainier Square Redevelopment project in
downtown Seattle, currently under construction.

to support up to four floors of steel floor beams and

metal decking prior to being filled with concrete,
where the face plates serve as permanent formwork
for the infill concrete.
The role of the cross-connecting tie rods is criti-
cal to the overall performance of the system. The
rods serve multiple purposes and provide:
➤ Strength and stability of the un-concreted
wall panel to support erection loads
➤ Lateral resistance and face plate bracing
during the concrete infill operation
➤ Mechanical connectivity between the steel
plates and in-fill concrete for composite
action leading to enhanced axial and
shear strength
➤ Confined pressure for the concrete for
superior seismic performance under
ultimate demands
➤ Prevention of delamination modes through
the plain concrete infill
➤ Out-of-plane shear strength
➤ Reduced slenderness of the steel plates
Once the panels are erected and the panel-to-
panel connections are made, a self-consolidating
Wright Runstad & Co.

concrete mix is placed in the space between the

two plates. The concrete, combined with the steel
plates, provides the ultimate strength and stiffness
for the core wall assembly as a composite section.
Shannon Testa, project manager for the project’s
general contractor, Lease Crutcher Lewis, high-
lighted another benefit of the system, saying, “The
construction tolerances we typically struggle with
between concrete construction and steel construc-
tion are eliminated.”

Technical Beginnings
Before we discuss the Rainier Square project
further, let’s take a brief look back at the sand-
wich panel system’s history. The system saw its
beginnings with a product called Bi-Steel, which
was originally developed by Corus in the Unit-
ed Kingdom. The product included a patented
welding procedure to affix interconnecting tie
rods between two steel plates. The technical ad-
vantages of this system were many, but it did not
enjoy widespread application, with only a few
modest-size apartment buildings in London be-
ing constructed.
However, the system has been used extensively
in the third generation of nuclear power facilities
in the United States and around the world. In this
facility type, it is employed as the shield building
to provide aircraft impact resistance and also in

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 25

 conference preview
Professor Amit Varma and his research
assistants at Purdue’s Bowen Lab.

internal containment structures to pro-

vide adequate strength and stiffness for
seismic loading and accident scenarios
including impactive and impulsive load-
ing. In fact, AISC has recently published
a specification (AISC N690-2012 Supple-
Purdue University Research Team

ment No. 1 Specification for Safety-Related

Steel Structures for Nuclear Facilities) and
a design guide (AISC Design Guide 32:
Design of Modular Steel-Plate Composite
Walls for Safety-Related Nuclear Facilities)
for this system and associated connec-
tions in nuclear construction. (See “Nu-
clear Option” in the November 2017 is-
sue, available at www.modernsteel.com,
Magnusson Klemencic Associates

for more on this design guide.)

In order to extend the merits of the
Bi-Steel concept to high-rise buildings
in high-seismic zones, Purdue Univer-
sity, with funding from the Charles Pan-
kow Foundation, began researching and
testing the technology in 2006. Led by
professors Mark Bowman and Mike Kre-
ger, the research aimed to investigate a
non-proprietary version of an assembly
similar to Bi-Steel. Several aspects of the
system were modeled numerically and
physically tested, including the stability
of the assembly prior to concrete place-
ment, forces in the cross-connecting tie
rods and a 3⁄8-scale, 5½-story T-shaped
wall assembly under cyclic loading. The
results of this research can be found in
a Charles Pankow Foundation research
➤

Professors Michael Kreger and Mark

Bowman at Purdue’s Bowen Lab. report, Behavior and Design of Earth-
quake-Resistant Dual-Plate Composite
Shear Wall Systems, and detailed design
guidelines are presented in the report
Design Procedure for Dual-Plate Composite
Shear Walls.
The ongoing research at Purdue Uni-
versity under professor Amit Varma, as
well as at the University at Buffalo under
professor Michel Bruneau, is investigating
M
ag
nu

A diagram of a building core constructed

ss
on

with sandwich panels.

Kl
em
en
ci
c
As
so
ci
ate
s

26 FEBRUARY 2018
 conference preview

Sandwich panel core construction vs.

concrete core construction.
Sandwich panel core being constructed
concurrently with steel floor framing.

the performance of: planar sections un-

der varied axial load with alternate cross-
connecting tie rod arrangements supple-
mented by headed studs; more complex
wall assemblies including C-Shapes and
T-Shapes; coupling beam detailing and
performance; and R-factors for seismic
design using the FEMA P695 approach.
This extensive research program is being
funded by AISC and the Charles Pankow
Foundation, with in-kind support provid- Magnusson Klemencic Associates
ed by the Supreme Group.
The test set-up and assembly at Pur-
due’s Bowen Laboratory are being used
to test composite walls to combined axial
load and cyclic lateral loading up to fail-
ure. The parameters included in the ex-
perimental investigations are the axial
load level (10% to 30% of concrete axial
load capacity) and tie rod spacing achiev-
ing plate slenderness ratios of 24 to 48.
The specimens are ½- to 3⁄8-scale models

A stack of sandwich panels.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 27

 conference preview
The test set-up and assembly at Bowen
Lab are being used to test composite
walls to combined axial load and cyclic
lateral loading up to failure.

of the prototype walls designed for theme

structures located in non-seismic and seis-
mic regions. One emphasis of the project
is to develop design details for both non-
seismic (governed by wind) and seismic
regions, which will become part of the
AISC Specification for Structural Steel Build-
ings (ANSI/AISC 360) and Seismic Provi-
sions for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/
AISC 341), respectively (both are available
at www.aisc.org/specifications). Results
from initial tests are favorable and will ul-
timately provide guidance to practitioners
in the form of improved design guidelines
and acceptance in the AISC Specification.

Fabrication and Erection Challenges

Back to the Rainier Square project, the
wall panels, typically measuring 13 ft, 9 in.
by 37 ft, are being fabricated off-site by
Supreme Steel Portland (an AISC mem-
ber and certified fabricator) and shipped
in stacked groups. Steel erection is being
handled by The Erection Company, who
will direct the hoisting, placement and
connection of all of the steel elements, in-
cluding the sandwich panel wall system.
The panel system includes approximate-
ly 500 panels and 200 boundary elements,
Purdue University Research Team
as well as installation of up to 240,000
cross-connecting tie rods. The fabrication
sequence and the connection of the tie
rods are critical to the efficient and timely
fabrication of the panels, and Supreme
Steel has devised a process to streamline
the fabrication and ensure the quality of
the cross-connecting tie-rod connections.
Panel-to-panel connections during the
site erection sequence are also a critical
detail of the system, specifically when sub-
jected to the high seismic demands pos-
sible in Seattle. Welded connections are
being used exclusively at the recommen-
dation of the erector in order to ease field

A look inside two sandwich panels with

different stud configurations.

28 FEBRUARY 2018
 conference preview
a. Cyclic lateral load – displacement response b. Envelope of cyclic response

Purdue University Research Team

Sandwich panel test results compared to
analytical results.
Testing a specimen at Purdue’s Bowen Lab.

fit-up and speed construction. In addition,

project-specific prequalified welds have
been developed and are being tested to
enhance the efficiency of the connections.
The final assembly will be spray fire-
proofed in order to satisfy the jurisdiction-
al requirements for a three-hour assem-
bly. However, ongoing studies are being
conducted to better understand the fire
performance of the system, with the goal
of minimizing or eliminating the need for
supplemental fire protection for some por-
tions of the system.
The ongoing research and testing at
Purdue University and University at Buf-
falo are aimed at identifying further effi-
ciencies and design enhancements that the
sandwich panel wall system can offer. As
construction unfolds at Rainier Square in
Seattle, there will most certainly be many
lessons learned that will benefit future
projects considering this system. And if
the system is as successful as it’s expected
to be, it could very well change high-rise
construction as we know it. ■

This article is a preview of Session U5 “In-

novative Composite Coupled Core Walls for
High-Rise Construction” at NASCC: The
Steel Conference, taking place April 11–13 in
Baltimore. Learn more about the conference at
www.aisc.org/nascc.
Purdue University Research Team

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 29

 Vision of the
FUTURE BY MICHELLE BLACK, PE, CHRIS ADAMS, PE,
AND SHANE MCCORMICK, SE, PE

Various engineering and science disciplines come together

under one roof in a modern, steel-framed research facility
with a goal of creating materials of the future.

Michelle Black (mblack@

martinmartin.com) and Chris Adams
cadams@martinmartin.com) are
both professional engineers and
Shane McCormick (smccormick@
martinmartin.com) is a principal,
all with Martin/Martin, Inc.

30 FEBRUARY 2018

Sam Nelson
WHILE THE COORS NAME is typically associated with
beer, in the case of the Colorado School of Mines, it is also a
symbol of innovation and collaboration.
The school’s new steel-framed CoorsTek Center for Applied
Science and Engineering features lab and classroom spaces
encouraging interactive, hands-on learning while focusing on
collaboration between many departments, including physics,
chemistry, geochemistry, chemical engineering, biological en-
gineering, nuclear science and metallurgical and materials engi-
neering. The state-of-the-art interdisciplinary academic and re-
search building, which just opened in time for the spring 2018
semester, was made possible thanks to the largest donation in
the school’s history—$27 million—from the CoorsTek Corpo-
ration, in addition to $14.6 million in funding from the State
On the northern façade, the glass curtain wall steps in and out
while facing Kafadar Commons, the main campus quad and
gathering space.
Steel takes a decorative form at the west terrace as a three-
story trellis, where W6 posts extend from the ground level to
just below the roof and connect to W6 beams that tie back to
the primary structure.
Sam Nelson
of Colorado. The donation helped fund the new facility’s con-
struction as well as the CoorsTek Research Fellows Program.
History Lesson
The relationship between the school and the Coors family
(also owners of Coors Brewing Company) began in the 1800s,
and the two continue to have a successful working relationship
to this day. In 1872, Adolph Coors started the Coors Brew-
ing Company in Golden and launched other businesses as his
brewing empire grew. One of those ventures began when John
Herold, an Austrian immigrant and founder of Herold China
and Pottery Company, leased space from Adolph Coors. While
Herold was growing his pottery company, Herman Fleck, head
of the chemistry department at the Colorado School of Mines,
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 31
 HME, Inc.

asked Herold to create ceramic laboratory equipment for use Steel framing as seen from the building’s southeast corner.
in his research. Adolph Coors soon saw the potential growth A closer look at the cantilevered corner.
of the ceramics market and invested in the Herold China and
Pottery Company. In 1915, John Herold left Golden, and the
pottery company was solely managed by Adolph Coors, who
renamed the company “Coors Porcelain.”
Coors Porcelain produced many commercial and con-
sumer products, including scientific and analytical lab ware,
dinnerware and hotel ware, metals (including developing the
first recyclable aluminum beverage can), consumer products
like vases, ashtrays, mugs, golf putters and drivers, cleats,
shirt buttons, knife sharpeners and even ceramic armor. In
2000, Coors Ceramics changed its name to CoorsTek and af-
firmed its mission to “push the frontiers of materials science
into the future.” CoorsTek continues to produce advanced
labware and ceramic components for many industries includ-
ing electronics, energy, defense and security, equipment and
machinery, food and agriculture, medical and transportation.

Consistent Style
Upon receiving the donation from CoorsTek, the Colo-
rado School of Mines selected the same architectural team
that designed the adjacent steel-framed Marquez Hall (see
“Thinning Out” in the September 2014 issue, available at
www.modernsteel.com): Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, which
has designed several high-profile university projects across
the country, and Anderson Mason Dale Architects, which has
designed multiple buildings on the school’s campus. The de-
sign team created a modern, 94,000-sq.-ft, four-story, steel-
framed structure (using approximately 550 tons of steel in all)
with an exterior façade consisting mostly of brick and glass
curtain wall. On the northern façade, the glass curtain wall
HME, Inc.

steps in and out while facing Kafadar Commons, the main

campus quad and gathering space.

32 FEBRUARY 2018

The cantilevered section at the northeast corner of the building.
CoorsTek’s donation also funded high-tech equipment pur-
chases, including one of the most advanced electron micro-
scopes in the nation. With vibration performance being a pri-
mary design consideration, lab equipment was placed on thick
vibration-isolated slabs-on-grade where the space allowed. Lab
spaces on steel-framed floors were also expected to receive
vibration-sensitive equipment. Because of this, AISC Design
Sam Nelson
Guide 11: Vibrations of Steel-Framed Structural Systems Due to
Human Activity (available at www.aisc.org/dg) recommenda-
tions were followed to design a floor structure with a maximum
velocity limit of 2,000 micro-in./second. At each lab space, a
slab-on-metal-deck consisting of 4½ inches of concrete over
2-in. metal deck spans 10-ft, 6-in.- to 41-ft- long, 27-in.-deep
beams spanning to 21-ft-long, 27-in.-deep girders.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 33

Steel fins on the south façade mirror those of adjacent Marquez Hall.
Meeting vibration criteria was only the first of many design
challenges for this structure. At the northeast corner of the
building, the floor plate extends outward over an open space,
leaving the upper three levels of the building cantilevering out
from the nearest concrete core wall. The steel framing cantile-
vers 20 ft north from the core wall, and a perpendicular canti-
lever extends the floor another 10 ft to the east. For the steel
cantilevering from the north face of the core, moment connect-
ing the beams to the core would not sufficiently control deflec-
tions. The solution was to add braced frames between levels, ef-
fectively creating one large cantilevered frame instead of three
levels cantilevered independently. The resulting overturning
moment from the frame is carried by the concrete core wall
to drilled piers below, and link beams in the east core wall also
carry a portion of the force to the south wall of the core.
Floating Fins
Another unique steel solution arose from the need to sup-
port six exterior vertical glass fins projecting from the south
façade of the building. With varying dimensions of up to 5 ft
by 19 ft, the glass fins required the introduction of W8 posts
spanning between the first and second levels. The posts create
a continuous support for the long edge of the fins, carrying the
weight of the fins as well as wind loading. Bolted to the south
flanges of the W8 posts are two back-to-back angles that pro-
vide a clamped connection for the glass, and neoprene sheets
34 FEBRUARY 2018
Sam Nelson
adhered to the angles protect the glass. Bolts spaced at 24 in. on
center through both angle legs and the glass, when tightened,
provide a clamping force to hold the glass in place. Plates weld-
ed at the exterior of the W8 shape (parallel to the web) create a
closed shape capable of carrying torsion induced by wind load-
ing on the fins. The result of this design is that the steel support
is hidden behind the brick veneer, and the viewer at the exterior
of the building sees the glass as “floating” out from the façade.
Though the steel support for the glass fins (and much of
the primary structure) is concealed, other steel building fea-
tures were exposed, including the feature stair connecting
Levels 1 and 2 in an open atrium overlooking Kafadar Com-
mons. The exposed stair structure consists of built-up steel
stringers supporting precast concrete treads and glass panel
guardrails. Vibration criteria for the 35-ft span of the string-
ers necessitated added support at the intermediate landing,
though aesthetic concerns led to supporting the landing with
beams cantilevering from posts hidden in the adjacent wall.
Steel plate caps the bottom of these beams and turns up to
form the guardrail at the landing, creating a juxtaposition of
steel and glass elements.
Steel also takes a decorative form at the west terrace as a
three-story trellis, where W6 posts extend from the ground lev-
el to just below the roof and connect to W6 beams that tie back
to the primary structure. Plates extending through the façade
at levels 2 and 3 brace the posts for buckling and lateral load-
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Whether exposed or hidden, structural
steel made the signature design compo-
nents of this building possible. The result
is a sophisticated building that not only vi-
sually anchors the main quad of the campus,
but also signifies collaboration—both be-
tween engineering disciplines and between
CoorsTek and the Colorado School of
Mines. The end design is contextual while
also representing the mission of CoorsTek
to create materials of the future. ■
Owner
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.
General Contractor
FCI Constructors, Inc., Frederick, Colo.
Design Architect
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Seattle
Architect of Record
AndersonMasonDale Architects, Denver
Structural Engineer
Martin/Martin, Inc., Lakewood, Colo.
Sam Nelson
Steel Fabricator and Detailer
HME, Inc., Topeka, Kan. The feature stair connecting levels 1 and 2.

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Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 35

 A new steel art building
brings its own sense of style and flair
to the Stanford campus.
HIGH Art
STANFORD UNIVERSITY’S NEWEST BUILDING
bucks the trend of the campus’ California Mission style and
red tiles roofs.
Home to the school’s art and art history department, the
four-story, 96,000-sq.-ft steel-framed McMurtry Building
brings a modernist touch to the campus’ more traditional
overall aesthetic and serves as an interdisciplinary hub for the
arts that promotes collaboration among students and faculty.
Two opposing diagonal strands traverse the building provid-
ing terraced space for each department, including art studios,
workshops, editing rooms, screening rooms, faculty offices and
exhibition space. The strands interconnect at the second-floor
library and roof garden to encourage cross-department inter-
36 FEBRUARY 2018
BY STEVE MARUSICH, SE
action. This layout presented many structural challenges, both
gravity and seismic, that required innovative design approaches.
Floating Diagonal Strands
The main structural components are two diagonal strands
that interconnect the roof with the ground floor. Story-deep
structural steel wide-flange trusses were selected as the most
cost-effective means of achieving the approximately 175-ft spans
while maintaining the greatest design flexibility and openness.
The tops of the strands are supported by perpendicular canti-
levered diagonal trusses at the third floor to provide the illusion
that the strands are floating. To conform to the overall building
geometry, the trusses are kinked at the roof level 26° vertically
 The interior A 3D structural model of the building, Framing view from the courtyard,
courtyard. which uses 1,100 tons of steel. including an interior strand truss.

Iwan Baan, Courtesy Diller Scofidio + Renfro

and 10° horizontally. This necessitated special details to en-

sure the stability and constructability of the trusses. Steve Marusich
The trusses were stick-built in the field as they were too (s.marusich@forell.com) is a principal
large to transport pre-assembled from the shop. A system with Forell/Elsesser Engineers
of temporary steel shores, up to three stories tall, was used
to support the truss construction, and these shores also al-
lowed field adjustment to maintain vertical alignment of
the truss chords. Pre-elevation of the strand trusses and
perpendicular cantilevered trusses was also used to econ-
omize the overall design and offset any deflection of the
truss under the full weight of the structure. Surveying
performed during construction confirmed the truss deflec-
tions closely matched the predicted values.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 37

 Iwan Baan, Courtesy Diller Scofidio + Renfro
The 96,000-sq.-ft building from above.
Cantilever framing.
A wide-flange joint connection at a strand truss.
Since the strand trusses span multiple levels, they tend to act
as lateral braces. It was determined that seismic demands would
far exceed the available capacity of the trusses, potentially creat-
ing an unsafe condition. To relieve these seismic forces, the bot-
toms of the strand trusses were supported by pin assemblies at
the second floor and terminate just above ground floor, allowing
the bottom to freely rotate around the pin assembly. The pin
detail required careful coordination with the steel fabricator and
erector to ensure constructability for tolerances and weld access.
38 FEBRUARY 2018
The overall strand truss configuration concentrates seismic
drift demands into the first story, which are typically distributed
throughout the height of the building. Controlling the lateral
movement of the first story was critical to the design, and buck-
ling restrained braced frames (BRBFs) were added throughout
the floor plate to add stiffness and absorb earthquake energy.
To demonstrate that the structure exceeded code requirements
and Stanford’s performance objectives, the building model was
subjected to a series of earthquake simulations of various mag-
 One of the strand trusses. The pin assembly is visible at the top-right of the truss.
The oculus and rooftop garden.
Iwan Baan, Courtesy Diller Scofidio + Renfro

nitudes. This advanced nonlinear analysis confirmed that the
truss system would behave in a predictable and reliable fash-
ion. In addition, the trusses and braces are architecturally ex-
posed throughout building to provide a sense of scale and give a
glimpse at the structural bones of the building, while also high-
lighting the versatility, strength and beauty of structural steel.
Roof Garden and Oculus
A rooftop garden provides quiet places for students and fac-
ulty to interact. The landscape design uses a series of curved
concrete planters, filled with native bushes and shrubs as well
as large trees, to define distinct areas. Cantilevered hardwood
seats are integrated into most of the planter walls, and free-
standing benches also provide additional seating and serve as
pedestrian barriers. The hardwood benches are comprised of
stacked wood planks that are vertically post-tensioned together
to reduce shrinkage effects from the wood’s high initial mois-
ture content and exterior exposure.
At the center of the building, and rooftop garden, is a large
oculus that visually connects the various levels and conveys

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 39


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40 FEBRUARY 2018
A structural model and detail of the oculus.
natural light to the second-floor library
and ground-floor exhibition space. Open-
ness and flexibility was critical for the
exhibition space, thus necessitating a col-
umn-free area, and steel plate girders were
used to span the 75 ft between strands at
the roof level with the second-floor library
hung from below. A complex grillage of
secondary steel was also provided around
the oculus to support the exterior cladding
components. In addition, custom millwork
is located around much of the oculus to
provide seating and study areas and is in-
tegrated with the secondary steel for the
cladding to provide a seamless look.
The McMurtry Building, with its modern
flair, contrasts its more traditional neighbor-
ing structures yet fits in with them thanks to
its complementary façade and similar vertical
scale. Its exposed steel framing, thoughtful
engineering and sharp angles give a bold new
touch to one of the world’s most prestigious
institutions of higher learning and make it
an appropriate and worthy addition to the
Stanford campus. ■
Owner
Stanford University
Aerolon General Contractor
Uncoated I-Beam
Tnemec Primer Whiting-Turner Contracting Company,
Pleasanton, Calif.
Other advantages of Aerolon: Design Architect
• Corrosion under insulation Diller Scofidio + Renfro, New York
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 A seemingly small structural
retrofit at the bottom of a prominent
Manhattan high-rise brings
big gains to occupants and visitors.
Playing to
THE BASE
75 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA LOOKS down on one of the
most famous public spaces in a city of famous public spaces.
New ownership recently undertook a full renovation of
the landmarked building, and a reimagined lobby now helps
extend Rockefeller Center’s pedestrian thoroughfare up to
52nd Street. As part of the renovation, the building’s façade
was restored, the existing elevators were replaced and ex-
tended, the existing mechanical systems were replaced and
multiple new roof terraces were created to upgrade the
tower’s office floors. A new storefront with bronze mullions
and monolithic glass panels invokes the building’s original
architectural style.
To aggrandize the new thoroughfare, four existing tower
columns were removed from the double-height lobby. Three
of these columns supported existing transfer girders at the
second floor. Each column, carrying between 1,700 and 2,700
42 FEBRUARY 2018
BY JOHN HINCHCLIFFE, PE,
JOE MUGFORD, PE, AND
RAMON GILSANZ, SE, PE
kips of service gravity load, was part of the building’s lateral
system (a steel moment frame with partially restrained con-
nections). The building was designed under New York City’s
1938 building code, which specified a much smaller lateral
loading than modern design standards like ASCE-7. As such,
careful attention was paid to the effects of the new load path
on the existing lateral elements, and the overall stiffness of the
lateral system was maintained.
Multistory trusses and the removal of each column from
the top down were among several schemes that were con-
sidered for removing the columns before the design team
decided to use new transfer girders below the second-floor
framing. The new transfer girders run parallel to the existing
transfer girders and effectively extend their span to the next
column line. The new girders needed to fit below the second-
floor slab, around the existing built-up transfer girder and
 Courtesy of KPF Courtesy of KPF

The newly renovated lobby of 75 Rockefeller Plaza. The 33-story, steel-framed building totals 623,000 sq. ft.

John Hinchcliffe (john.hinchcliffe

@gmsllp.com) is a senior engineer, Joe
Mugford (joe.mugford@gmsllp.com) is
an associate partner and Ramon Gilsanz
(ramon.gilsanz@gmsllp.com) is a
partner, all with Gilsanz Murray Steficek.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 43

 Courtesy of KPF

A 3D model printed as individual elements, in stages. 1. Column

reinforcement and connection plates installed. 2. Half of each box
girder installed on each side of existing column. 3. Installation of
jacks and load-transfer plates. 4. Column below is ready to cut.

1. Gilsanz Murray Steficek

Gilsanz Murray Steficek

2. Gilsanz Murray Steficek

above and between the scalloped architectural finishes of the
new lobby ceiling. To meet these requirements, composite
box girders were used for the cross section of each new trans-
fer. The box shape could be kept tight to the existing transfer
girders and within the envelope of the new ceiling. Engaging
the slab to develop composite behavior helped minimize the
depth and tonnage of each member. The elastic section of
the steel shape was designed for the dead load, reduced live
load and anticipated load that would be induced from the
column jacking. The plastic section of the composite shape
was designed for the unreduced live load, providing some
reserve capacity.
Each new girder was connected to the end of the existing
transfer girder with a diaphragm plate that spanned between
the webs of the new girder. The existing columns that are part
of the new load path were reinforced with single-sided cover

44 FEBRUARY 2018

plates from the second floor down to the existing grillage
foundations. The plates were widened where they meet the
webs of each new transfer girder to allow for the new shear
connections to be made. Strength and Ductility Requirements
for Simple Shear Connections Under Shear and Axial Load by
William Thornton was referenced when analyzing moment
transfer through the new girder connections. As box girders
are more common to bridges than buildings, the American
Courtesy of KPF
The new lobby space features white walls and terrazzo floors.
The box girders were jacked at the four columns to be removed.
3. Gilsanz Murray Steficek
4. Gilsanz Murray Steficek
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) Specification was consulted during design in con-
junction with the Specification for Structural Steel Buildings
(ANSI/AISC 360, available at www.aisc.org/specifications).
The engineer worked closely with the steel fabricator
while developing erection and preloading procedures for the
new transfers. A scaled 3D model was created—printed as in-
dividual elements and attached via magnets—to help commu-
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 45
 Gilsanz Murray Steficek

The composite box girder scheme

coordinated well with the planned sculpted
lobby ceiling, which required the transfers to
be as narrow as possible.

Gilsanz Murray Steficek

Hoisting a new girder in two segments to surround the existing framing.

Gilsanz Murray Steficek

Box girders, in place.

Gilsanz Murray Steficek Gilsanz Murray Steficek

46 FEBRUARY 2018
 Courtesy of KPF
Courtesy of Gilsanz Murray Steficek

The new lobby entrance.

75 Rockefeller Plaza, under construction seven decades ago.
Courtesy of Gilsanz Murray Steficek

nicate the design concept to the team and the owner. Each girder was
fabricated and transported in six pieces that were spliced together in
the field and erected into place.
The girders were preloaded to minimize deflection of the exist-
ing column above, as well as to minimize any load that would be
induced into the existing moment frame as a result of this deflec-
tion. Each girder was loaded using two temporary steel yolks that
were connected to the webs of the new girder at the location of
the existing column to be removed. Jacks were installed between
the yolks and the existing column to be removed. The new girders
were then pulled down against the column to be removed, which
was pushed up. Effects encountered during the preloading, such as
axial shortening and resistance from the steel moment frame above,
were considered in the structural design and loading procedure. The
process was monitored from the initial loading through the final
connection and column removal. This was critical for a successful
transfer, as the magnitude of the load and the extent of the existing
column elongation meant a visual separation was not achieved prior
to cutting the existing column.
The newly revitalized tower maintains its historic elegance while pro-
viding modern-day amenities and spaces. Thanks to an innovative steel
solution, its updated lobby provides an enhanced ability to welcome visi-
tors to one of the city’s most high-profile plazas. ■
Owner and General Contractor
RXR Realty, New York
Architect
Kohn Pedersen Fox, New York
Structural Engineer
Gilsanz Murray Steficek, New York
Steel Fabricator and Detailer
Orange County Ironworks, Montgomery, N.Y.
Steel Erector
Gabriel Steel Erectors, Inc., Montgomery, N.Y.

The original building was completed in 1947.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 47

 BUILDING
Up Brooklyn BY JOSEPH SAVALLI, PE, BORYS HAYDA, PE,
AND MATTHIEU PEULER, PE
Downtown Brooklyn
gets a big boost from
a multi-building development
that successfully interweaves
various framing systems.
WHILE SKYSCRAPERS HAVE ALWAYS told the story of
Manhattan, they are also becoming a more regular sight across
the water in Brooklyn.
One of the largest and most prominent new developments in
Downtown Brooklyn is City Point Phase II, a 1.2 million-sq.-ft
development comprised of a retail podium (using 11,000 tons of
structural steel) and two residential towers. (Phase I is a three-story,
50,000-sq.-ft building to the south of Phase II and opened in 2011.)
Each of the three structures has a different framing system
and is developed by a different entity, which contributed to the
complexity of the design. The podium, which includes numerous
big-box, retail anchor tenants, is constructed of structural steel
framing with metal deck floors, braced frames and concrete shear
walls. The most typical podium bay has W21 or W24 beams
spanning 39 ft, 7 in. to W27 or W30 girders spanning 30 ft. The
second through sixth floors are occupied by full-floor tenants;
the concourse, ground and mezzanine floors house multiple
tenants; and the sub-concourse provides required support space
with a loading dock and mechanical and storage spaces.
Tower 1 is a Girder-Slab structure with reinforced cast-in-
place concrete shear walls. (The Girder-Slab system is an as-
48 FEBRUARY 2018
COOKFOX Architects
sembly of asymmetrical steel beams referred to as “D-Beams”
and is fabricated from a standard rolled wide-flange section and
a flat bar. It supports a hollow-core precast plank on its bottom
flange. For another DeSimone-designed project employing
this system, see “Mix and Match” in the November 2016 issue,
available at www.modernsteel.com.) Tower 2 is a flat-plate
cast-in-place concrete structure with a concrete shear wall core
and slab frames.
DeSimone worked closely with the fabricator, Banker,
throughout the detailing and construction phases of the project.
This helped anticipate and resolve coordination issues such as
constructability of complex steel connections and embedding ma-
jor structural steel elements inside congested concrete shear walls.
Architectural Discontinuity
Throughout the design and construction phases of the project,
the complexity of the architectural design created many structural
obstacles. Discontinuity in architectural programming between
the three buildings required transferring most tower loads at the
podium roof. As a result, Tower 2’s concrete columns transfer onto
steel plate girders, which are supported by steel columns and con-
DeSimone Consulting Engineers

City Point Phase II is a 1.2 million-sq.- The project is a prominent

ft development comprised of a retail addition to Downtown
podium and two residential towers. Brooklyn’s growing skyline.
Transfer girders at the
podium roof.
rs

DeSimone Consulting Engineers

Enginee

Steel trusses transfer to concrete shear walls in Tower 1.

sulting
ne Con
DeSimo

DeSimone Consulting Engineers

Joseph Savalli (joseph.savalli

@de-simone.com) is a principal,
Borys Hayda (borys.hayda
@de-simone.com) is a managing
principal and Matthieu Peuler
(matthieu.peuler@de-simone.com)
is a senior project manager, all with
DeSimone Consulting Engineers.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 49

 An 84-in.-deep, double-web plate girder required a
special truck for transport.

crete shear walls, and Tower 1’s steel columns transfer onto a
grid of steel plate girders.
To provide a column-free truck ramp into the podium’s
sub-cellar loading dock, additional long-span built-up steel
Banker Steel plate girders were needed. The truck ramp required that a
large section of Tower 1’s shear walls transfer onto steel truss-
DeSimone Consulting Engineers
es, which are in turn supported by steel columns on one side
and concrete walls on the other. Because of retail layouts, one
of the columns supporting the trusses was transferred again
onto an 84-in.-deep, double-web plate girder. This large gird-
er is 36 in. wide, spans 56 ft and weighs 3,000 lb per linear ft
(83 tons total), and a special truck was required to transport
it. Minor column shifts were accomplished by using sloped
columns, with the resulting horizontal forces resisted by the
floor framing and the building’s lateral system.
The truck ramp wasn’t the only building element re-
quiring transfers. The ground-floor retail promenade
that angles through the building required six, 78-in.-deep
transfer girders. In addition, the sub-concourse loading
dock includes a 90-ft by 180-ft column-free area necessary
for semi-trailer maneuvers. This area was accomplished
with three 90-ft-long, 46-ft-deep trusses.
Connecting large steel transfer beams and truss elements
to concrete shear walls proved challenging and required spe-
Steel-to-concrete connections at a truss. cial attention to detailing at the steel-to-concrete interface.
A defining feature of the podium is its two 65-ft-tall by 60-ft- Studded steel beams, plates and columns embedded into the
wide glass walls. concrete walls and pockets in the concrete allowed for these
connections. Typically, at the transfer girders, vertical load
was transferred from concrete columns and walls to steel plate
girders by connecting rebar to welded mechanical couplers.
The podium’s lateral system consists of concrete shear
walls supplemented by steel-braced frames and moment
frames, which provide lateral restraint for wind and seis-
mic lateral loads in addition to loads imposed by sloping
columns and the tension glass wall. A portion of the new
podium’s lateral force resisting system was connected struc-
turally to an existing adjacent steel building (part of Phase
I), and this interface between the two phases consisted of a
four-story, laterally braced frame.

Bleeding Down
A highly intricate podium façade with little repetition ne-
cessitated particular attention to spandrel details. Portions of
the tower façades “bleed down” into the podium floors, requir-
ing careful structural coordination between all three project de-
sign teams, owners and façade consultants. A defining feature of
the podium comprises two, 65-ft-tall by 60-ft-wide glass walls,
which are suspended on horizontal post-tensioned cables that
span across each glass wall’s structural frame.
The usual construction of a tension glass wall has anchor
points at both ends of the horizontal cables. But in this case,
since the architectural layout placed the glass walls at the
North edge of the building, an alternate anchoring scheme
was required. The South ends of the cables are anchored to
structural steel members, as is traditionally done, but the north
ends of the horizontal cables are attached to a post-tensioned
COOKFOX Architects cable spanning vertically and deflecting into a catenary shape,
50 FEBRUARY 2018
 DeSimone Consulting Engineers

resembling the string on a bow. The catenary cable is anchored Support structure for the post-tensioned glass wall.
to a column with 4-ft-long, 7-in.-thick steel gussets. Large post- Each glass wall is suspended on horizontal cables spanning
tension forces and stringent deflection criteria required close col- across the structural frame.
laboration between the podium structural engineers and the glass
wall engineers, and the unbalanced forces required floor trusses
and upgrades of the adjacent lateral system to resist the sustained
load imposed by the cables. The robust columns required to sup-
port the catenary cable assembly weighed as much as 1,150 lb per
linear foot, with 7½-in.-thick flanges.
Today, the City Point mega-project serves as a transforma-
tive development to the Downtown Brooklyn community and
makes up the largest retail, dining and entertainment destina-
tion in the area, thoughtfully contributing to and bolstering
an already thriving hub of commerce. ■
Owners
Acadia Realty Trust, Inc., New York
Washington Square Partners, New York
General Contractor
ZDG, LLC, New York
Architects
DeSimone Consulting Engineers

SLCE Architects, New York

COOKFOX Architects, New York
Structural Engineer
DeSimone Consulting Engineers, New York
Steel Fabricator
Banker Steel, Lynchburg, Va.

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 51

 A steel-framed dining facility and surrounding buildings overcome
scheduling challenges to open on time on a fast-growing college campus.

FEEDING
Growth BY TARA REEB

THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO Colorado Springs

Tara Reeb (treeb@rkmi.com) is (UCCS) is the state’s fastest-growing college.
RK Steel’s marketing coordinator. Located in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains on the north
side of Colorado Springs, the rapidly expanding school was in
desperate need of additional student housing. And so the Vil-
lage at Alpine Valley was developed. Built over two phases, each
aligned to finish before the 2015 and 2016 fall school semesters
began, the 210,000-sq.-ft, $2.5 million project consists of three
new residences halls offering a total of 515 beds.
Anchoring the dorms is the new Roaring Fork Dining Hall, a
two-story steel-framed indoor and outdoor dining hall and mar-
ketplace with a rooftop garden. The 255-ft-long, 131-ft-wide,
33-ft-tall building includes nearly 23,000 sq. ft on the first floor,
52 FEBRUARY 2018
 UCCS’ Village at Alpine Valley comprises three residence halls
and a dining hall.
Frank Ooms Photography
12,700 sq. ft on the second floor and 3,600 sq. ft on the rooftop ter-
race. The facility serves the catering needs not only for the village
but also the entire campus and features dining spaces, kitchen areas,
retail space and a large multipurpose room. With a current dining
capacity of 450, it was designed with future expansion in mind.
Thanks to a résumé full of higher education projects, Kiewit
Construction Company was selected as the general contractor
for the entire development, and RK Steel was contracted by
Kiewit to fabricate and erect all structural steel and miscella-
neous metals for Roaring Fork. While the residence halls were
primarily concrete-framed, they did contain significant struc-
tural steel at the roof levels, and RK also fabricated this steel as
well as all stair and miscellaneous steel for these buildings.
The dining hall stands tall with exposed structural steel framing
elements and a steel wraparound patio rail.
Bobbi Jo Greenburg, BCER
Sped Up by Snow
Roaring Fork was part of the project’s Phase 1, at the begin-
ning of which the area received 14 in. of snow. While snow is
always expected in a Colorado winter, 14 in. in a short period
of time is a lot to handle, and construction was stalled by over
a month. In response, Kiewit pushed the schedule into a more
aggressive mode to ensure the dining hall would be finished
before the school year started. The expedited schedule caused a
ripple effect, challenging the entire project team.
In order to meet the new time constraints, RK Steel hired ad-
ditional employees to supplement its in-house CAD department.
This added manpower sped up the detailing process and the team
was able to submit drawings for not just Roaring Fork but two
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 53
 Tapered steel beams were designed to
provide a signature and sophisticated
look to the building.

of the three residence halls as well, all at one

time. Fabrication for the dining hall steel was
initially bid at a four-week duration, but was
reduced to two weeks due to schedule change.
As with the detailing, RK boosted its fabrica-
tion process as well, setting up a day shift, an
overnight shift and overtime on weekends to
meet the project demands for just-in-time
delivery of prefabricated products. To ensure
that the team followed the strict schedule and
was prepared with materials on-site, RK used

RK Steel
OneNote software to track the status of work
orders in the shop using on-site dates for
when materials needed to be delivered. The
entire project team was able to get real-time
The wraparound patio allows students to take advantage of the fresh Colorado air. updates from OneNote, thus allowing for
shipping tickets to be processed immediately.
The ripple effect also made its way down
the line to RK Steel’s erection crew, whose
schedule was reduced from seven to five
weeks. In addition to the heavy accumulation,
on the first day on-site, RK’s erection team
was surprised to find that the foundation had
not been completed and that the mason’s
scaffolding was hindering the start of steel-
work. This delay pushed the start date out an
additional 14 days. In order to accommodate
this schedule, the erection team increased
its hours to 10- to 12-hour days in the field
and overtime on the weekends. Steel was
sequenced into small packages to come out
to the job site from RK’s shop in sections to
allow adequate space for construction equip-
ment as well as minimize the lay-down area.

Warp-Free
One of the key structural and architec-
tural features of the dining hall is the series
RK Steel
of tapered beams that extrude from the floor.
For these W21x55 beams, the web had to be
cut at a diagonal, and steel plate of the same
Bobbi Jo Greenburg, BCER

thickness and width of the flange was weld-

ed back on to make the edge look like the
beam was continuous at the diagonal. This
presented a challenge when it came to weld-
ing the plate. The correct weld lengths had
to be determined so as not to warp the plate
with too much heat on the plate flange/web
members at once. In some instances, part
of the welding was completed and then the
beam left to cool before additional welding

The village was built in two phases, which

opened in time for the 2015 and 2016
academic years, respectively.

54 FEBRUARY 2018
 First floor and roof steel for the dining
hall, including joists and beams.

was done on the plate flange/web members.

Some test samples were performed prior to
fabricating the beams to find the correct
weld pattern so as to prevent warping dur-
ing the welding and fabrication process.
Another challenge involving steel beams
occurred at the ceiling of the dining hall—
specifically, the beams W24x55 carrying the
glulam connections. Coordination of various
widths and locations of the glulam beams and
references to their shop drawings had to be
taken into account while laying out the sad-
dles on top of the steel beams. Again, welding
procedures and tolerances in the shop had to RK Steel

be checked and monitored to make sure that

the right amount of heat was used to as not
to warp the saddle plates or cause the open-
ing to be less than what was needed for the
glulam beams to fit inside snuggly.

Gold Contribution
The project was designed to meet
LEED Gold certification, and RK Steel’s
contribution to the application process
was to track the recycling and processing
facility records of its suppliers. For its part,
RK recorded the receipt and acceptance
of recyclable content for the project and
submitted material tracking records and
invoices to the general contractor to assist
with LEED certification.
Phase 1 of the project was completed
in time for the beginning of the 2015 fall
semester. Phase 2 was also completed on
time the following fall. The 515-plus un-
dergraduate students who call the Village RK Steel
home enjoy the easy access to hiking, the
recreation center and the rest of the campus. Heavy snowfall impacted Phase 1 but didn’t keep the project from being finished on time.
They join the school’s enrollment of 14,000
and counting, all of whom can take advan-
tage of a new steel-framed hub that brings
the entire UCCS community together. ■
Owner
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
General Contractor
Kiewit Construction Company
Bobbi Jo Greenburg, BCER

Architect and Structural Engineer

Page Southerland Page, Inc., Denver
Steel Fabricator and Detailer
RK Specialties, Inc., dba RK Steel,
Henderson, Colo.

Exposed steel supports glulam beams

and an open floor plan in the dining hall.
The diagonal member is part of one of
the building’s six braced frames.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 55
 RISING to the
Challenge
BY JOE DARDIS, PE
As the high-rise market continues to grow, so do the opportunities
for structural steel in skylines across the country.
A CITY IS OFTEN DEFINED by its skyline.
The number and height of its high-rise structures commu-
nicate a sense of accomplishment and economic prosperity—
and in most American cities today, the growing number of sky-
scrapers underscores a trend of people and businesses moving
back into dense urban cores.
Highs and Lows of High-Rises
While cities are certainly on the rise again, high-rise con-
struction (20+ stories) has seen some dramatic changes over the
last 25 years. Relative to total square footage of construction
starts (nonresidential and residential four stories and higher),
high-rise construction starts were relatively stable in the 1990s
followed by a peak of around 6% during the economic boom
Joe Dardis (dardis@aisc.org) is
AISC’s structural steel specialist
for Chicago.
56 FEBRUARY 2018
of the mid-2000s. High-rise starts took a deep dive during the
Great Recession, bottoming out at about 1%, but have since
recovered and peaked at about 6.5% in 2015 (Figure 1).
To understand the peaks and valleys, it’s necessary to con-
sider who or what is going into these buildings. With the ex-
ception of the early 1990s, multistory residential (MSR) has
been the predominant use of high-rise buildings (Figure 2),
followed in a distant second by office and finally by the oc-
casional healthcare facility or government building. The largest
variance between MSR and all other building types occurred in
the early 2000s, followed by an almost equal, albeit low-volume,
split between MSR and office during the great recession. MSR
has gained back its dominance in recent years, accounting for
roughly 85% of the high-rise market.
Looking at Figures 1 and 2 together, there is one strong
inference to be made: During economic booms, there is a
direct correlation between an increase in the percentage of
high-rises relative to the overall construction market. This in-
dicates that the increase in high-rise square footage in Figure
2 isn’t just due the fact that overall square footage is up, but
also that we tend to build taller buildings when the economy
is humming along.
Where are these high-rises being built? Figure 3 shows the
total number of high-rise starts by state between 2014 and 2016.
It’s no surprise that New York (specifically, the New York City
metro area) is the dominant state for high rise buildings, fol-
lowed by Florida, Illinois, California and Texas.
 Percentage of Overall Construction by Square Footage
20+ Stories

7.00%

6.00%

5.00%
% 20+ Stories

4.00%

3.00%

2.00%

1.00%

0.00%
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Year

Figure 1. Overall U.S. construction in square feet.

Figure 2. Total U.S. building square footage by occupancy.

Total Square Feet by Occupancy

20+ Stories

120,000

110,000

100,000
Total Square Feet (1,000’s)

90,000

80,000

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

0
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

Year

■ MSR ■ Office ■ Other

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 57

 19
0
0 0
3
0
2 0
0 0 2 174 13
3 Figure 3. Total number of
0 0 high-rise starts by state
14
0 10 between 2014 and 2016.
1 0
1 3 0
44 1
1
7 0
18
0 4
39 income for the owner. (For more 0

on this technology, see “Core So- 9

6
0 1
2 1
lution” on page 24.)
0
ASTM A913 is hot-rolled
0 15
0 structural steel with a yield
0
38 strength of up to 70 ksi and up
1 to 65 ksi without the need for
70 weld pre-heat. This innovation
10 can pay huge dividends in high-
Total Projects
rise building design as higher-
0 174
strength steel allows designers to
Steel’s Role incorporate lighter sections into
How does steel stack up? The percentage of high-rise con- their projects, reducing overall tonnage on a project. In addi-
struction using steel as the dominant framing material hovers tion, using A913 can eliminate the use of built-up column sec-
around 40% to 50%, with a notable drop to the 20% to 30% tions in some scenarios, which can result in big savings when it
range during the early 2000s (Figure 4). Putting this together comes to fabrication costs. Lastly, using a lighter column sec-
with Figure 2 during this same time period, there is a direct cor- tion, particularly at the base of a building, puts less demand
relation between the percentage of high-rises using steel and the on the crane. In situations where a heavier column would re-
variance in occupancy type between MSR and office. As the vari- quire a crane with a higher load capacity, A913 can address that
ance becomes smaller, as is the case in recent years, the percent- constructability challenge.
age of high-rises using steel returns to the 40% to 50% range. A1085, which increases the design strength of HSS from 46
So what’s next for steel in tall buildings? Recent innovations ksi to 50 ksi, can be used as an economical solution in braced
like steel plate composite walls and materials such as ASTM frame applications. The increased strength can help reduce
A913 and ASTM A1085 structural steel give steel a leg up in overall tonnage on a project and also reduce member sizes,
high-rise building design. Steel plate composite walls can be which can be beneficial if the designer is trying to fit a brace
used as a lateral system in both high-seismic and high-wind within a wall.
regions. This system provides the strength, stiffness, safety In the high-rise world, innovative products and solutions
and serviceability of a reinforced concrete core without the are critical in order to keep pushing the envelope. If current
negatives of rebar congestion and complex formwork. The high-rise trends stay consistent over the next few years, the
core and perimeter steel can rise in tandem, resulting in much steel industry will have plenty of opportunities to show off the
faster erection. This leads to a reduced overall schedule, low- advancements that can make steel the material of choice for
ered overhead and general conditions costs and earlier rental your next high-rise project. ■

Figure 4. Percentage of predominantly steel-framed high-rises.

70.00%

60.00%

50.00%
% Steel

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

Year
58 FEBRUARY 2018
 This seminar focuses on the updates in
these new publications and will be presented
The Louis F.
in the following cities in Spring 2018: Geschwindner
2/27 Sacramento 5/4 Las Vegas (SEAoSN) Seminar Series
3/6 Nashville 5/8 Dallas presents
3/8 Denver 5/9 Houston
3/28 Philadelphia 5/22 Detroit
4/20 Omaha (SEAON) 5/31 Los Angeles

The AISC Steel Construction

Manual, 15th Ed.
and 2016 Specification

A 4-hour All registrants will

Continuing have the opportunity
Education to purchase the
Event new Manual at a
by Louis F. Geschwindner discount price
PE, PhD of $125!

More information
There’s always a solution in steel.
can be found at
American Institute of Steel Construction
www.aisc.org/
312.670.2400 www.aisc.org
seminars
 new products

CAST CONNEX DIABLO BOLTED SPLICES

CAST CONNEX Diablo Bolted Splices are cast steel fittings
that enable unobtrusive field bolted splices in circular hollow
structural sections (HSS) or pipe members. The fittings are
designed such that the bolted connection is inboard of the
outer diameter of the member. Using the fittings, splices can
be sheathed in thin-gauge plate for concealment or can be
left uncovered for a sleek, technical connection aesthetic.
The splices are currently available to fit round HSS or pipe
in the following outer diameters: 6.625 in. (168 mm), 8.625
in. (219 mm), 10.75 in. (273 mm) and 12.75 in. (324 mm).
The connectors include weld preps and can be easily welded
to the end of a square-cut HSS or pipe member of any typical
wall thickness. The cover plates (sold separately) can be
secured over the fittings in the field using low-profile screws.

For more information, visit www.castconnex.com or call

416.806.3521.

STEELMAX BM-7 MULTIPURPOSE COMPACT,

PORTABLE BEVELING TOOL
Plate and pipe edge preparation has traditionally been a labor-intensive, dirty and time-
consuming task done with handheld grinders to create an edge suitable for welding or
final painting or coating. The new BM7 handheld beveller from Steelmax is a high-
speed, lightweight edge-prepping solution that will enable you to create consistent
edges faster and with less fatigue then using any size grinder. This multi-purpose milling
tool can bevel, deburr, chamfer and radius mill edges on plate, pipe, tube and holes.
The machine can be used on flat, curved and radiused parts and can countersink holes
as small as 13∕8 in. in diameter. The BM7 is an efficient solution for creating quick and
consistent beveled edges for weld preparation, rounding edges for paint and coating
preparation and removing burrs from thermal or mechanical cutting processes.

For more information,

visit www.steelmax.com
or call 877.833.5629.

FICEP 9-AXIS PLASMA CUTTING ROBOT

The FICEP Model RAZ plasma robot drives productivity to a
level never previously attained. The innovative design incorporates
non-contact laser technology to scan the physical parameters of all
the surfaces and edges of a structural steel member in seconds.
The RAZ is enhanced by powerful software to optimize all cutting
routines, and its expanded capability to process all four sides of
structural tube and pipe makes it the most powerful and versatile
solution available.

For more information, visit www.ficepcorp.com or call

410.588.5800.

60 FEBRUARY 2018
 news
EDUCATION
CVTC Installs Teaching Sculpture
Chippewa Valley Technical College vanizing in Winsted, Minn. (an AISC However, all materials and labor
(CVTC) in Eau Claire, Wis., recently in- member) which donated its galvaniz- were donated through the CVTC Foun-
stalled a 1.5-ton steel teaching sculpture ing services. Then Merrill assembled dation, Inc.
on the grounds of its Energy Education the parts according to an engineered “This is a wonderful example of how
Center. The sculpture, standing nine feet design based on model designs from in-kind contributions can directly en-
tall and eight feet deep and wide, con- AISC. Harris Rebar donated materials hance learning opportunities for stu-
sists of a series of galvanized steel beams for the concrete base and Evan Ber- dents,” said Aliesha Crowe, executive
connected in varying angles with varying glund of Krech Ojard provided engi- director of the Foundation. “We are
connection methods. neering review services. grateful to our partners at Merrill Steel
“The sculpture shows the different Vesperman noted that there are doz- and other companies who contributed to
ways steel beams can be joined, along ens of different steel members, weld this project that is a valuable addition to
with different welds and fasteners,” said groups and connection elements used in the Energy Education Center grounds
Al Spaeth, program director of CVTC’s steel construction, and while the sculp- and to CVTC’s instructional resources.”
Architectural Structural Design pro- ture doesn’t feature them all, it has the There are currently more than 170
gram. “It will help students visualize the ones most commonly used. “We will ab- such teaching sculptures at colleges and
connections they are learning about in solutely be going outside as a whole class universities around the U.S. Most are
the classroom.” to look at the examples,” he said. outside engineering schools at major
“These sculptures were created for “And students will be walking by it ev- universities, but there are a few at com-
their instructional value,” said Keith Ve- ery day and can look at it on their own,” munity and technical colleges. CVTC’s
sperman, an instructor in the program. Spaeth added. sculpture is the first at a technical col-
“The first one was in Gainesville, Florida Maeden said fabricated steel usually lege in Wisconsin.
in 1986. Our students were asking for costs about $3,000 a ton. Considering the For more about the AISC steel sculp-
one because they were having trouble vi- number of small pieces involved and all ture, including a list of school locations
sualizing the connections.” of the other donated labor that went into and information on having one construct-
Students first approached Spaeth the sculpture, the total project is worth ed on your campus, visit www.aisc.org/
about a sculpture in 2006, when the pro- about $14,000, he added. steelsculpture.
gram, then called Civil Engineering, was
located at the Business Education Cen-
ter. However, logistics problems prevent-
ed the placement of a sculpture there.
When the program moved to the Energy
Education Center this year, CVTC Pres-
ident Bruce Barker gave the go-ahead to
pursue the project.
Spaeth and Vesperman worked through
the program’s advisory committee and the
CVTC Foundation to secure donations.
The steel fabrication was donated by
Merrill Steel of Schofield, Wis. (an AISC
member and certified fabricator).
“We hire exclusively out of CVTC’s
program for our steel detailing group,”
said James Meaden, detailing and docu-
ment control manager for Merrill Steel.
“We have about 12 CVTC graduates and
try to hire one or two from each graduat-
ing class.”
Meaden said he approached the com-
pany’s three principal owners. “They
were all on board in providing a teaching
opportunity to the school,” he said.
Merrill Steel donated and fabricated
the steel and handed it off to AZZ Gal-

Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 61

 news
NASCC
2018 NASCC Registration Now Open
The 2018 NASCC: The Steel
Conference is set to take place April
11–13 in Baltimore. If you’re involved
in the design or construction of steel
buildings or bridges, this is your once-
a-year opportunity to meet more than
4,500 industry practitioners and learn
from the leading experts in the steel
community, whether it’s an expert on
wind design, the author of a design
guide on vibration or members of the
committee who put together the AISC
Code of Standard Practice. In addition,
more than 240 exhibitors will showcase
the latest products and services ranging
from fabrication equipment to structural
engineering software.
“The industry connections, personal
relationships, cutting-edge technology
and face-to-face interactions are worth
way more than the cost of the entire trip,”
said 2017 participant Nyckey Heath, PE,
of Bennett Steel, Inc. (an AISC member
and certified fabricator). “I have met many
people who have proven to be valuable
resources for me as an engineer, fabricator
and erector. This is an investment in your
company’s future!”
This year’s event will offer more
than 130 technical sessions on the latest
design concepts, construction techniques
and cutting-edge research, including 13
62 FEBRUARY 2018
sessions at the SSRC Annual Stability
Conference and 26 sessions at the World
Steel Bridge Symposium. The conference
also includes an Architect’s Program,
a tailored collection of more than 50
unique sessions for architects.
Participants can earn up to 16 PDHs
by attending the conference’s dynamic,
expert-led sessions (plus an additional
4 PDHs if they attend an optional pre-
conference short course).
This year’s conference also features
three keynote sessions—one each day.
The first is on a general topic designed
to engage the audience and will feature
Dan Goods, a visual strategist for NASA’s
Jet Propulsion Lab. The second will
feature a presentation from the top-rated
speaker from the last decade of The Steel
Conference—Duane Miller, PE, ScD,
manager, engineering services and welding
design consultant at Lincoln Electric. The
third is the 2018 T.R. Higgins Lecture,
presented by 2018 award winner Robert J.
Connor, a professor at Purdue University
School of Engineering.
One low registration fee gains you ac-
cess to all of the technical sessions, the
keynote sessions, the T.R. Higgins Lecture
and the exhibition hall. Registration for the
conference is now open. For more infor-
mation, visit www.aisc.org/nascc.
People
• Modjeski and Masters
announced that after 41 years
with the firm, CEO Barney
Martin, Jr., has retired. He is
being replaced by Michael Britt,
who was promoted to president
last year and worked for the firm
from 1979 to 1989, left briefly,
returned and eventually became
an associate in 1997. During
his tenure, Martin spearheaded
the firm's growth, opening
new offices in Philadelphia,
Washington, D.C., and Raleigh,
N.C., and leading the firm to
its first acquisition ever in 2015
when Littleton, Colo.-based
Summit Engineering Group,
Inc., was acquired.
• Gregory D. Shreve, SE, PE,
has been appointed by the
LeMessurier board of direc-
tors as executive vice president.
Shreve joined the company
in 1984 and was promoted to
associate in 2000 and vice presi-
dent in 2008. In addition, Eric
M. Hines, PE, PhD, has been
appointed to the company’s
board. Hines joined LeMessurier
in 2002 and was promoted to
associate in 2004 and principal
in 2010. He is also a Professor of
the Practice at Tufts University,
where he has taught structural
design and guided graduate
student research since 2003,
thus perpetuating the long-
established culture between
academia and profession estab-
lished by William LeMessurier,
when he founded the firm and
taught at MIT.
• Bridge engineering and sup-
ply company Acrow Bridge (an
NSBA member) announced that
Mark Joosten has been named
president of the Acrow Group,
in addition to maintaining his
role as COO. At the same time,
Paul Sullivan has been named
the company's senior vice presi-
dent – international.

CERTIFICATION
AISC Releases New Certification Standard for
Steel Fabrication, Components and Erection
AISC has released a new standard, Cer-
tification Standard for Steel Fabrication and
Erection, and Manufacturing of Metal Com-
ponents (AISC 207-16). Available for free
at www.aisc.org/newcertstandard, this
standard brings together provisions from
four existing standards related to steel
building fabrication, steel bridge fabrica-
tion, steel erection and metal component
manufacturing. Developed by AISC's
Certification Standards Committee, the
standard harmonizes common compo-
nents of the existing standards into a co-
hesive document.
The previous standards, developed
over a period of years, were difficult
to compare side by side. By combining
commonalities of the existing standards,
MANUAL
15th Edition AISC Manual Companion Resources Available
AISC has posted several new resources
that complement the 15th Edition Steel
Construction Manual, released this past
summer. Included are the v15.0 Design
Examples, v15.0 Shapes Database, v15.0H
Historic Shapes Database, Basic Design
Values Cards and Interactive Reference
List. All are available for free download at
www.aisc.org/manualresources.
“The practicing engineer or student
will find these updated resources of great
value as design tools, references and
learning tools in their day-to-day prac-
tice,” notes Cynthia Duncan, AISC di-
rector of engineering.
T h e
v15.0 De-
sign Ex-
amples
contain
more than
1 , 6 0 0
pages of
examples
and tables
that illus-
trate using
the provi-
sions of
the 2016
Specifi-
the new standard simplifies and clarifies
provisions for program participants and
their markets. Owners, DOTs, architects,
engineers and general contractors will
gain a better understanding of AISC
Certification with this improved format.
“The significance of the harmonized
standard lies in Section One,” said
Michael A. West, PE, AIA, principal,
Computerized Structural Design,
Milwaukee, Wis., and chair of AISC’s
Certification Standards Committee.
“The provisions in it are common to
all four industry segments. Because the
previous four separate standards were
developed over time, minor differences
in terminology and requirements have
been discovered in the documents. The
cation for Structural Steel Buildings and
the 15th Edition Manual for designing
members, connections and structural
systems. The new version 15.0 offers
several improvements over the previous
version 14.2, including many new mem-
ber design tables that supplement the
Manual with additional material grades,
including ASTM A913 Grades 65 and 70
W-shapes and ASTM A1085 HSS mem-
bers. Also included in v15.0 are new de-
sign examples that outline the procedure
for satisfying structural integrity require-
ments—but only when required by the
building code—for common connection
types.
The v15.0 Shapes Database is a Mi-
crosoft Excel spreadsheet that compiles
the dimensions and properties of all
shapes printed in Part 1 of the 15th Edi-
tion Manual. All of the 96 new shapes
added to the 15th Edition are now in-
cluded in v15.0 along with several useful
dimensions including the “T” dimension
and “Workable Gage.” The database now
has a built-in Readme file that serves as
the glossary for the database along with a
complete list of improvements for v15.0.
The new v15.0H Historic Shapes
Database is updated with all dimensions
and properties consistent with the 14th
news
common requirements in Section One
correct this situation and leave any
differences among industry segment
requirements to their four unique
industry sections.”
The certification program migra-
tion to the new standard will kick off
at NASCC: The Steel Conference
(www.aisc.org/nascc) in Baltimore
on April 11-13, 2018. There will be
three technical sessions on the fabri-
cator certification program migration
for building, bridge, hydraulic fabrica-
tors and component manufacturers.
For questions, please contact AISC
Certification at certification@aisc.org
or 312.670.7520.
Edition Manual. This resource provides
a complete list of shapes recorded from
1873 to 2010. The Basic Design Values
Cards present some of the most fre-
quently used limit state equations for
checking members and connections from
the 2016 Specification in an abbreviated
format. The “pocket” size of these cards
allows them to be kept on your desk or in
your field notebook for use in situations
where the available strengths for mem-
bers and connections are needed quickly.
The Interactive Reference List is
a complete listing of all the references
found in both the 2016 Specification and
15th Edition Manual. A link is provided
(where available) to the location where
the listed publications can be obtained.
Many of the references are available from
the AISC website, while others are linked
to the outside organization where the
publication can be accessed or purchased.
The 15th Edition Manual is available
for purchase in hard copy for $200 for
AISC members and $400 for non-mem-
bers. Orders may be placed online at
www.aisc.org/publications or by call-
ing 800.644.2400. And for more on these
resources, see January’s ManualWise ar-
ticle, “Making the Most of the Manual,”
available at www.modernsteel.com.
Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 63
 news
CONSTRUCTION TRENDS
New Report Highlights Benefits of Hybrid Steel and Timber Construction
AISC and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, concrete composite construction for a also be competitive in the high-rise
LLP (SOM) have released a new report hypothetical high-rise building. The residential market.
and a video presentation on steel and purpose of the testing program was The report, AISC Steel and Timber
timber research for mid- and high-rise to validate CLT floor systems with a Research for High Rise Residential
residential buildings. composite concrete topping slab, and Buildings—Final Report, and a video
Structural steel frames have many the testing program established that presentation by Benton Johnson, SE,
benefits that complement residential the concepts developed by SOM are PE, senior structural engineer at SOM,
construction, such as prefabrication valid for high-rise buildings. AISC titled, Your Next Project Considering
and speed of construction. These and SOM’s study successfully shows Steel & Timber Research for Residential
characteristics are similar to that the comparative steel-timber Buildings, are both available for free at
emerging technologies such as cross- composite construction system could www.aisc.org/timberresearch.
laminated timber. AISC and SOM
partnered to study the combination
of these materials as they relate to the
challenges of residential construction.
The report covers the motivations of
this research and a proposed steel-
timber composite system for high-
rise buildings.
The proposed system consists of
structural steel columns and beams
that support a cross-laminated timber
(CLT) floor system, creating a flat
soffit condition. This steel and timber
framing system builds on SOM’s
Timber Tower Research Project,
launched in 2013 with Oregon State
University, which studied timber-

PUBLICATIONS
Two AISC Publication Drafts Available for Public Review
A draft of the 2018 AISC Specification for
Safety-Related Steel Structures for Nuclear
Facilities (AISC N690) is now available
for public review. This document is
written as a supplement to the 2016 AISC
Specification for Structural Steel Buildings;
therefore, the primary revisions are
related to revisions in that standard. The
document and public review form are
available at www.aisc.org/publicreview.
Please submit your comments
electronically to duncan@aisc.org using
the review comment form, or mail to
Cynthia Duncan, AISC, Suite 2000, 130 E.
Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601 by March
26, 2018. A hard copy is also available for
$15 by calling Rachel Jordan 312.670.5411
or by emailing jordan@aisc.org.
In addition, Supplement No. 1 to
the 2016 AISC standard Prequalified
Connections for Special and Intermediate
Steel Moment Frames for Seismic
Applications (AISC 358-16) is available
for public review until March 2, 2018.
This document adds an additional
prequalified connection, the SSDA
Slotted Web moment connection,
updates the Chapter 10 ConXtech Con
XL moment connection and expands the
scope of prequalification for the Chapter
11 SidePlate moment connection.
The standard is available at
www.aisc.org/publicreview along with
the review form. Copies are also avail-
able (for a $35 nominal charge) by con-
tacting Rachel Jordan at 312.670.5411 or
by e-mailing jordan@aisc.org. Please
submit comments using the forms
provided online to Margaret Mat-
thew (matthew@aisc.org) by March
2, 2018 for consideration.

64 FEBRUARY 2018
 marketplace & employment
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The Berlin Steel Construction
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office locations that provide engineering and management of
projects. We are a 100% employee owned company (ESOP)
with a desire for growth. We service the private commercial,
public, institutional, and industrial markets.
We are currently looking for experienced applicants for
Estimating Manager
for our Corporate office in Kensington, CT.
The Estimating Manager is responsible to provide oversight,
leadership and development for the estimating and sales
needs of the company by managing internal and exter-
nal resources to process bids and proposals. Management
experience and degree preferred. A minimum of 10 years’
experience specific to estimating, negotiation and sales of
structural steel & miscellaneous metals fabrication and erec-
tion is required. Must exhibit strong communication and
proven leadership skills and have experience with common
industry software. Salary range for this senior level position is
negotiable based on skills and experience.
Interested applicants should submit their resumes to
knemergut@berlinsteel.com. We are an EOE.
Steel Detailing Manager
Stubbs Engineering, Inc. is looking to hire a full time Steel Detail-
ing Manager for our Las Cruces, NM office capable of managing
multiple employees and projects. Responsible for drafting, model-
ing, and detailing of various projects, coordinating with clients, steel
erectors, miscellaneous and ornamental metal fabricators. NISD
Certification is preferred. Must have knowledge of AISC Detailing/
Fabrication/Erection Standards. Minimum 5 years’ experience.
If you are interested please submit your resume to:
careers@stubbseng.com
Search employment ads online at www.modernsteel.com. To advertise, call 231.228.2274 or e-mail gurthet@modernsteel.com.
Senior Project Manager
Structural Steel Division
LPR Construction Co. is a respected national construction
company that specializes in complex structural steel erec-
tion, industrial construction and mechanical services.
We are searching for a Senior Project Manager with a
demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and proj-
ect managers simultaneously. Ideal candidates will possess
strong delegation and problem-solving skills. Addition-
ally, the Senior Project Manager must have the ability to
communicate all aspects of a project with customers, LPR
executives and site leadership; including P&L, safety, etc.
A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Manage-
ment or related field is preferred along with six or more
years of project management experience.
LPR offers competitive wages, full benefits,
training programs, job advancement
and industry certifications.
Please visit us at www.lprconstruction.com to learn more
about career opportunities at LPR and to apply online. You
can also submit a resume to:
Crystal Kavallieros, Director, Talent Acquisition
ckavallieros@lprconstruction.com
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Peddinghaus FPB1500-3E CNC Plate Punch with Plasma, 177 Ton,
Fagor 8025 CNC, 60” Max. Width, 1-1/4” Plate, 1999 #25161
Behringer HBP-530/1104G Structural Steel Mitre Cutting Band Saw,
20.8” x 43.3” Maximum Cutting Capacity, 2” Blade, 2000 #27083
Controlled Automation BT1-1433 CNC Oxy/Plasma Cutting
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Controlled Automation ABL-100-B CNC Flat Bar Detail Line, 143
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Modern STEEL CONSTRUCTION 65
 structurally WALK ON THE
sound STYLED SIDE

Terri Meyer Boake

WHERE THE MORE PRAGMATIC concerns of safety and economy normally govern bridges, there has been a recent surge in
the construction of pedestrian spans driven by high style and innovative design. The Amgen Helix Pedestrian Bridge in Seattle,
for example, wrestles with eccentric geometries and loading—using round hollow structural sections (HSS) and plate—to create
a dynamic crossing over multiple train tracks.
The Helix Bridge is just one of several that will be highlighted in the session “Pedestrian Bridges – Invigorate Design
Creativity” at NASCC: The Steel Conference, taking place in Baltimore, April 11-13. (Registration is now open; visit
www.aisc.org/nascc.) Want to get a sneak peek at this session—and several others? Check out next month’s issue, which
will include multiple preview papers for this year’s show as well as the full exhibitor list. ■

66 FEBRUARY 2018
 LeMessurier Calls on Tekla Structural
Designer for Complex Projects
For over 55 years,
LeMessurier has
provided structural
engineering services to architects, owners, contrac-
tors, developers and artists. Led by the example of
legendary structural engineer and founder William
LeMessurier, LeMessurier provides the expertise for
some of the world’s most elegant and sophisticated
designs while remaining true to the enduring laws of
science and engineering. Known for pushing the enve-
lope of the latest technologies and even inventing new
ones, LeMessurier provides solutions responsive to
their clients’ visions and reflective of their experience.
An early adopter of technology to improve their de-
signs and workflow, LeMessurier put its own talent to
work in the eighties to develop a software solution that
did not exist commercially at the time. Their early ap-
plication adopted the concept of Building Information
Modeling (BIM) long before it emerged decades later.
While LeMessurier’s proprietary tool had evolved over
three decades into a powerhouse of capability, the
decision to evaluate commercial structural design
tools was predicated on the looming effort required to
modernize its software to leverage emerging
platforms, support normalized data structure integra-
tion and keep up with code changes.
After a lengthy and thorough comparison of commer-
cial tools that would “fill the shoes” and stack up to the
company’s proprietary tool, LeMessurier chose Tekla
Structural Designer for its rich capabilities that ad-
dressed all of their workflow needs. According to Derek
Barnes, Associate at LeMessurier, ” Tekla Structural
Designer offered the most features and the best inte-
gration of all the products we tested. They also offered
us the ability to work closely with their development
group to ensure we were getting the most out of the
software.”
One Model for Structural Analysis & Design-
From Schematic Design through Construction Docu-
ments, Tekla Structural Designer allows LeMessurier
engineers to work from one single model for structural
analysis and design, improving efficiency, workflow,
and ultimately saving time. “Our engineers are work-
ing more efficiently because they don’t need to switch
between multiple software packages for concrete and
steel design. Tekla Structural Designer offers better
integration of multiple materials than we have seen in
any other product,” said Barnes.
LeMessurier engineers use Tekla Structural
Designer to create physical, information-rich models
that contain the intelligence they need to automate the
design of significant portions of their structures and
efficiently manage project changes.
TRANSFORMING THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS
“Tekla Structural Designer has streamlined our
design process,” said Craig Blanchet, P.E., Vice Presi-
dent of LeMessurier. “Because some of our engineers
are no longer doubling as software developers, it al-
lows us to focus their talents on leveraging the features
of the software to our advantage. Had we not chosen
to adopt Tekla Structural Designer, we would have
needed to bring on new staff to update and maintain
our in-house software. So Tekla Structural Designer is
not just saving us time on projects, it is also saving us
overhead.
Efficient, Accurate Loading and Analysis
Tekla Structural Designer automatically generates
an underlying and highly sophisticated analytical
model from the physical model, allowing LeMessurier
engineers to focus more on design than on analytical
model management. Regardless of a model’s size
or complexity, Tekla Structural Designer’s analytical
engine accurately computes forces and displacements
for use in design and the assessment of building
performance.
“Tekla Structural Designer offers better
integration of multiple materials than
we have seen in any other product.”
“Tekla Structural Designer gives us multiple analysis
sets to pull from, which gives us lots of control. Most
programs don’t have the capability to do FE and
grillage chase-down. For the design of beam supported
concrete slabs, Tekla Structural Designer allows us to
separate the slab stiffness from the beam stiffness,
so if we choose to we can design the beams without
considering the influence of the slab. In the same
model we can use a separate analysis set to review the
floor system with the beams and slab engaged,” said
Barnes.
Barnes also shared similar benefits with concrete
column design. “Tekla Structural Designer does
grillage take-downs floor-by-floor, finds the reactions
and applies them to the next floor. This allows us
to view column results both for the 3-dimensional
effects of the structure as a whole and from the more
traditional floor-by-floor load take-down point of view.
Doing both has always required significant manual
intervention, but Tekla Structural Designer puts it all in
one place. “We reduce the possibility for human error
because with Tekla Structural Designer less user input
is required,” said Barnes. “Tekla Structural Designer
automatically computes many of the design parame-
ters, such as column unbraced lengths. The assump-
tions made by the software are typically correct,
but we can easily review and override them when
necessary.”
Interoperability and Time Saving Tools
Tekla Structural Designer was developed specifically
to maximize collaboration with other project parties,
including technicians, fabricators and architects. Its
unique functionality enables engineers to integrate the
physical design model seamlessly with Tekla Struc-
tures or Autodesk Revit, and to round-trip without
compromising vital design data.
“We’re able to import geometry from Revit, design in
Tekla Structural Designer and export that information
for import back into Revit. If an architect makes
geometry updates or changes a slab edge, we’ll send
those changes back into Tekla Structural Designer, re-
run the analysis and design, and push updated design
information back into Revit.”
Tekla Structural Design at Work:
The Hub on Causeway
Positioning a large scale mixed-use development next
to an active arena, a below grade parking garage, and
an interstate highway, and bridging it over two active
subway tunnels makes planning, phasing and
engineering paramount. Currently under construction,
The Hub on Causeway Project will be the final piece in
the puzzle that is the site of the original Boston Garden.
Despite being new to the software, LeMessurier
decided to use Tekla Structural Designer for significant
portions of the project. “Relying on a new program for
such a big project was obviously a risk for us, but with
the potential for time savings and other efficiencies,
we jumped right in with Tekla Structural Designer. It
forced us to get familiar the software very quickly.”
“Tekla Structural Designer allowed us to design the
bulk of Phase 1 in a single model,” said Barnes. The
project incorporates both concrete flat slabs and
composite concrete and steel floor framing. “Tekla
Structural Designer has the ability to calculate effective
widths based on the physical model which is a big time
saver,” said Barnes. “On this project, the integration
with Revit, along with the composite steel design fea-
tures, enabled us to work more efficiently. Adding the
ability to do concrete design in the same model was a
bonus because we had both construction types in the
same building.”
“Tekla Structural Designer helped this project run
more efficiently, and in the end it was a positive experi-
ence,” said Blanchet.
“Tekla Structural Designer provided the best fit
for our workflow compared to other commercially
available software.”
Want to Evaluate
Tekla Structural Designer?
tekla.com/LeMessurier
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