The Steel Solutions Center was established in July 2001 by The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) on behalf of the US structural steel industry. The goal of the Steel Solutions Center is to provide design and construction professionals with an easily accessible source of information relating to the use of structural steel in building construction. Available as a free service, the Steel Solutions Center is permanently staffed with six structural engineers who can be reached by phone (1.866.ASK.AISC), email (solutions@aisc.org) or online (www.aisc.org).
Since the inception of the Steel Solutions Center, over 50,000 inquiries have been received and answered dealing with a range of issues from the conceptual design of projects in structural steel to the proper interpretation of the Specification for Structural Steel Buildings.
The Steel Solutions Center is of particular value to design-build teams evaluating different project approaches during the conceptual design phase of the project. In order to put forth the best project proposal and provide the owner with a high quality building with an attractive overall cost and schedule it is essential to evaluate all feasible structural framing solutions. The team can then select one system or provide several options in their proposal. The Solutions Center can help the team determine the optimal structural steel system. To date, the Solutions Center has provided assistance on over 450 projects across the country, including hotels, condominiums, office buildings, parking structures, and healthcare facilities.
The Solutions Center works with the team members to develop steel framing that meets all the functional and architectural requirements. Several framing systems are often discussed, weighing the benefits and drawbacks of each system. These systems can range from standard composite beam construction to more specialized systems like the staggered truss. Following this discussion, a detailed study of the structure including the steel framing locations, approximate sizes, and overall building weight is provided. The study can also include non-structural information related to the use of structural steel, such as corrosion protection recommendations or fire protection requirements. The typical turnaround that a design-build team can expect for this type of conceptual solution study is two to three weeks from the time the request is received by the Solutions Center.
This technical information can be supplemented with structural frame costs and schedule, including the cost of related non-structural items such as fire protection. The Solutions Center makes this information available, usually by working with steel fabricators and producers. Using this information, the structural frame can be integrated into the overall project plan including the impact on the overall construction schedule.
The Solutions Center works in tandem with AISC’s regional engineers and/or structural steel fabricators. The engineers and fabricators work directly with the project decision makers to evaluate the needs of the project and to deliver the steel solution. Decision makers can contact the Steel Solutions Center directly, through their regional engineers or through a structural steel fabricator already integrated into the project team. AISC’s involvement does not end with the conceptual estimate of the steel structure. The regional engineers continue to support the team as they weigh their options of construction material. They can also facilitate the process of integrating the structural steel fabricator and a steel producer to help complete the delivery chain. Including these parties early in the design team often enables more efficient design and smoother project delivery.
Once the decision to use a steel framed system has been made, design development can proceed. The Steel Solutions Center continues to provide support throughout both the design and construction phase of the project by offering free technical assistance to anyone designing or building with structural steel. Questions can typically be answered within one business day.
Over the past five years, many owners, design-builders, architects, structural engineers and general contractors have discovered that engaging the resources of the structural steel industry through the services of the Steel Solutions Center has become a valuable component of their own best project practices.
INFO: Steel Solutions Center (www.aisc.org)