High-rise construction has the potential to become more cost-effective and time-efficient thanks to the SpeedCore system. SpeedCore is a revolutionary new method of composite structural-steel framing, aiming to replace the common reinforced concrete core in steel office-tower construction. 

The 2019 NASCC: The Steel Conference, taking place in St. Louis April 3-5, will feature two sessions about how the SpeedCore system was put into practice. Come check them out!

As we settle in on the new year, our webinar series is heating up. Join us on January 24 for a live webinar, "Bridge Focus: Fabricators' Insights on Clear Communication of Design Requirements." Bradley J. Dillman, PE, vice president of engineering for High Steel Structures (an NSBA member and certified fabricator), will host.

It's time to start tackling your continuing education goals for the year! And AISC can help you start racking up your PDH credits.

The World Steel Bridge Symposium (WSBS) brings together bridge design engineers, construction professionals, academics, transportation officials, fabricators and erectors to discuss and learn innovative practices for enhancing steel bridge design, fabrication and construction techniques.

The Stage One deadline for submitting a design proposal for The Forge Prize is this Wednesday, January 16, 2019. Interested parties are invited to develop an imaginative design that bolsters steel as the 21st century building material of choice. 

The brand-new office building at 1515 W. Webster Avenue in Chicago kicks off a major development for the city. The 207,000-sq.-ft, four-story edifice will serve as the Midwest headquarters for logistics company C.H. Robinson. Located on the North Branch of the Chicago River a few miles north of the city's Loop business district, it is the first building to be constructed as part of the ambitious Lincoln Yards project. 

Werner H. Quasebarth, retired CEO of Atlas Machine and Iron Works, Inc. and former AISC Chairman (1985-1987) and Director (1977-1998), died on December 26, 2018, at the age of 87. He was dedicated to an active life of service through his leadership in industry and community organizations.

Nucor Corporation (an AISC member producer) has announced plans to build a state-of-the-art plate mill in the Midwest; the exact location is yet to be determined. Nucor's Board of Directors has approved an investment of $1.35 billion to build the mill, which is expected to be fully operational in 2022 and will be capable of producing 1.2 million tons per year of steel plate products, for structural use. The project is expected to create approximately 400 full-time jobs.

NASCC: The Steel Conference 2019 takes place April 3-5 in St. Louis and offers nearly 150 sessions of topics ranging from properly specifying welds to connection design to tackling the skilled trade shortage. This year's conference also features three extraordinary keynote speakers -- one on each day of the conference.

The first AISC Night School course of 2019, "Connection Design: Tips, Tricks, and Lessons Learned," tackles everything you need to know about steel connection details. Taught by five of our industry's foremost experts, this course will provide instruction on the connection design process and the latest design methods.  

AISC proudly welcomes Edward Seglias, Partner at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, as general counsel. Seglias replaces David Ratterman, who retired at the end of last year after serving as AISC's General Counsel for 30 years. Bringing more than 25 years of experience, Seglias is a highly regarded trial lawyer, noted for his wealth of experience in construction disputes. Additionally, he is a sought-after lecturer on the subjects of bidding law, delay claims, scope claims and project management, and has created an array of seminars for various trade organizations. 

The first quarter 2019 issue of AISC's Engineering Journal is now available at www.aisc.org/ej. You can view, download and print the current edition.

Registration is now open for NASCC: The Steel Conference. The sooner you register, the more you save! Registration starts at $420 and will increase on a weekly basis, so be sure to register now for the best price. If you're involved in the design or construction of steel buildings or bridges, The Steel Conference is the premier opportunity to immerse yourself in the latest design concepts, construction techniques and cutting-edge research while engaging with thousands of industry professionals. 

Mark your calendars! Registration for the 2019 NASCC: The Steel Conference opens on January 2! Want to save $120 on registration? Then be sure to register by January 6! 

AISC has partnered with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) to establish a new opportunity for emerging architects to submit proposals for visionary designs that embrace steel as the primary structural component. The Stage One deadline for submitting a design proposal is January 16, 2019.

The American Welding Society (AWS) has announced its inaugural Inspection Conference, taking place January 21 through 23, 2020, where a variety of experts will join forces on a comprehensive array of topics common to corrosion engineering, nondestructive testing, steel construction, and welding inspection. In addition, inspection professionals may now submit their abstracts for consideration. 

We at AISC and Modern Steel Construction wish you a joyous and warm holiday season and a safe and healthy new year. We would also like to express our gratitude to everyone in the American structural steel design community and construction industry for another successful year.

Bridge engineering firm, Modjeski and Masters, announced the opening of its newest office in Austin, Texas - its first office in the Lone Star State in the company's 125-year history.

Do you design or build steel bridges? If so, you can kick off 2019 with a webinar focused on the importance of communication in bridge projects. Mark your calendar for the January 24 webinar "Bridge Focus: Fabricators' Insights on Clear Communication of Design Requirements" - Registration is now open!

Lincoln Electric announced that it has acquired Inovatech Engineering Corporation, a maker of advanced robotic plasma cutting solutions for structural steel applications, and related assets.

Drum roll, please...The 2019 NASCC: The Steel Conference advance program is now available at www.aisc.org/nascc! Also watch for it in your mailbox in the December issue of Modern Steel Construction! 

Over the last six months, Alex Morales, AISC's structural steel specialist for the Houston market, led a campaign to help teach local AEC firms about the sustainability of structural steel. To make things fun and engaging, Alex created a friendly competition amongst the firms.

Amit Varma, PhD., a leader in large-scale research and design method development, was recently ratified as Purdue University's Karl H. Kettelhut Professor in Civil Engineering.

Michel Bruneau, Ph.D., a leading expert on earthquake-resistant design and retrofit of steel buildings and bridges, has been named a SUNY Distinguished Professor, the highest faculty rank in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

Alexander (Alex) Daniel Wilson, one of the steel industry's most distinguished metallurgical engineers, died on November 23, 2018, at the age of 73. During his 41-year career with ArcelorMittal USA (an AISC member) and its predecessor companies he helped advance the material properties of steel and in 2012 he was awarded an AISC Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Engineers now have more options for seismic design. AISC’s recently released Supplement No. 1 (ANSI/AISC 358s1-18) to the 2016 version of the AISC standard, Prequalified Connections for Special and Intermediate Steel Moment Frames for Seismic Applications (ANSI/AISC 358-16), allows designers to specify slotted web moment connections. In addition, the supplement includes a field bolted option for the popular SidePlate moment connection. The supplement has been fully integrated into the standard, and the complete document is now available for free download at www.aisc.org/standards.

The 2018 version of the AISC standard, Specification for Safety-Related Steel Structures for Nuclear Facilities  (ANSI/AISC N690-18), is now available for free download at www.aisc.org/standards. The updated standard includes changes that are compatible with the baseline document, the 2016 AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings  (ANSI/AISC 360-16), and it replaces ANSI/AISC N690-12 including Supplement No. 1 (ANSI/AISC N690s1-15).

The holiday season is here! As your calendar begins to fill up, be sure to make time for AISC’s December 6 webinar, Column Design: Past, Present, Future. 

We at AISC and Modern Steel Construction wish to express our thanks to all of you in the American structural steel design community and construction industry. Happy Thanksgiving!

AISC presented a 2018 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel (IDEAS²) Award to project team members of the United States Air Force Academy's Center for Character and Leadership Development (CCLD) in Colorado Springs, Colo., last week.

AISC has partnered with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) to establish a new opportunity for emerging design professionals to be recognized for their innovative designs. The Forge Prize recognizes innovation in the use of steel. The prize invites designers to submit proposals for visionary designs that embrace steel as the primary structural component. It is intended to engage designers in developing imaginative designs that bolster steel as the 21st century building material of choice through a two-stage design challenge, culminating with a public announcement event of winners in Summer 2019.

AISC and the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) are exhibiting in booth 415/514 at the 2018 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Chicago, tomorrow through Friday. 

The International Code Council, ASHRAE, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Illuminating Engineering Society released the 2018 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) last week. The IgCC is part of the Code Council’s family of comprehensive, coordinated and modern model codes -- including the International Building Code, International Mechanical Code, International Plumbing Code and International Fire Code -- used around the world.

The Steel Joist Institute (SJI) is presenting part two of its two-part webinar, "Evaluation and Modification of Open Web Steel Joists and Joist Girders," on Wednesday, November 21 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET. Attendees are not required to have watched part one to participate.

The 2019 Pacific Structural Steel Conference (PSSC '19) is accepting abstracts for papers to be presented at the conference at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, November 9-11, 2019. Now in its 12th year, PSSC brings together industry experts from around the world to promote cooperation, communication and technical information in the field of steel construction. AISC is a co-organizer of the conference.

From managing your insurance risks to leveraging technology to increase profits, AISC's Early Involvement and Marketing Workshop offers practical information you can use to improve your bottom line. 

Thank you to all of our SteelDay hosts, attendees and industry partners for making the 10th annual SteelDay a huge success! Check out the photo gallery of just some of the many highlights.

Happy Halloween! Are you hungry for information on designing and building with steel? AISC offers all kinds of free information and resources as part of our mission to serve and advance the industry. Here's a sampling of just some of our many free goodies!

The 2019 Dodge Construction Outlook report predicts that total U.S. construction starts for 2019 will be $808 billion, staying essentially even with the $807 billion estimated for this year. Deceleration in total construction growth is expected to continue, reflecting a mixed pattern by project type.

Many have the perception that acoustics qualities of steel structures are not as robust as those of other major building materials. AISC is hosting a webinar, "Design Guide 30: Sound Isolation and Noise in Steel Buildings," on November 13 from 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. ET that will shed light on the superior acoustical qualities that can be achieved in steel structures, as described in AISC’s Design Guide 30. 

Infrastructure investment is a popular topic this election season, making its way onto the ballot in several states around the country, including California, Connecticut and Missouri. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is encouraging voters to join in improving our country's D+ infrastructure grade (C+ for the bridges sector) and take action on infrastructure-related ballot measures in their state.

The Steel Tube Institute (STI) is hosting a webinar, “Debunking the Myths of HSS Costs,” next Thursday, November 1, from 11 a.m. to noon CT.

The world premiere of the documentary film, Leaning Out, the story of the acclaimed structural engineer Leslie E. Robertson, took place during the 2018 Architecture & Design Film Festival in New York City last week. AISC was a co-producer of the film and was represented at the event. An exclusive pre-screening of the film was also held as part of SteelDay last month.

The 2019 winner of the $15,000 AISC T.R. Higgins Award is Ronald D. Ziemian, a professor at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa. Ziemian is recognized worldwide for his expertise in structural stability and his uncanny ability to take an incredibly complex topic and make it understandable to everyone from undergraduates to experienced structural engineers. 

An infographic by High Steel Structures, LLC (an AISC/NSBA member and AISC certified fabricator) showcases the company’s work on the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, which replaces the Tappan Zee Bridge across the Hudson River north of New York City. The 3.1-mile-long, $3.98 billion crossing is the largest active bridge project in the nation and a testament to the work and capabilities of America’s steel fabricators, mills and constructors.

AISC is accepting applications for the David B. Ratterman Fast Start Scholarships for the 2018-19 academic year. For the eighth straight year, the program will provide financial aid to college students whose parents are employed by an AISC full member company. A total of $60,000 will be awarded this year, and applications will  be accepted through December 1.

AISC and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) are pleased to announce the 19th annual Steel Design Student Competition for the 2018-19 academic year. The competition encourages architecture students from across North America to explore the many functional and aesthetic uses for steel in design and construction. A total of $14,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winning students and their faculty sponsors.

Join AISC’s webinar "The Use of NDT in the Rehabilitation of Major Steel Bridges: Two Case Studies" on Monday, October 22, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET for an in-depth look at the rehabilitation of two major steel bridges: the Sherman Minton Bridge in Louisville, Ky., and the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa. These case studies will show how large steel bridges can be quickly assessed and returned to service using a combination of tools.

AISC Structural Steel Specialists, Jacinda Collins (NYC market) and David Fennell (Seattle market) toured the construction site of 425 Park Avenue in New York City’s Midtown Manhattan this week. The steel-framed skyscraper will rise to 47 stories with a height of around 900 ft and is the first office tower to be developed on Park Avenue in 50 years. The project is expected to be completed at the end of next year.

Despite the widespread use of curved structural steel members, detailed guidance relative to U.S. design practice is scarce. AISC’s new Design Guide 33: Curved Member Design brings all of the latest information on curved members into a single document that is compatible with the 2016 AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings.