CHICAGO (September 11, 2013) - For the first time in the U.S., design professionals now have an authoritative resource on structural stainless steel with AISC Steel Design Guide No. 27, Structural Stainless Steel, authored by Nancy Baddoo, associate director at the Steel Construction Institute (SCI), UK.

This new publication provides guidance for the design of structural hot-rolled or welded open sections such as I-shaped members, channels and equal-leg angles, as well as rectangular and round hollow structural sections (HSS). It is available in hard copy or as a PDF download by visiting www.aisc.org/dg.


"Up until now, there have been no specifications or guidelines for the design of structures fabricated from hot-rolled stainless steel plates or shapes," said Ted Galambos, Ph.D., P.E., emeritus professor of structural engineering at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, a reviewer of Design Guide No. 27. "This document, for the first time in the U.S., will show designers how to proportion stainless steel beams, columns, frames and connections that are fabricated from hot-rolled components. With this new design guide, it will be an easy task to expand the arsenal of engineers."


The publication is intended for engineers experienced in the design of carbon steel structural components, but not necessarily in the design of stainless steel structures, and is aligned with the design provisions in the 2010 AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings. It applies to austenitic, duplex and precipitation hardening stainless steel structural sections with thickness 8 in. (3 mm) and greater.


The major topics covered in this guide are material behavior and selection, cross-section design, member design, connections and fabrication. Design examples are also included.


In addition to AISC and SCI, the following groups assisted in the creation of Design Guide No. 27: International Chromium Development Association (ICDA), International Molybdenum Association (IMOA), International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF), Nickel Institute, Outokumpu, Specialty Steel Industry of North America (SSINA), Stainless Structurals LLC, Stalatube and the Steel Institute of New York (SINY).


The new design guide is available as a free PDF download to AISC members and at a price of $60 for non-members by visiting www.aisc.org/dg. The printed copy is also available for purchase at the link or by calling 800.644.2400 (product code: AISC 827-13); the cost for the printed copy is $40 for members and $80 for non-members.