October 4, 2018

(Chicago, IL) - The second edition of AISC Design Guide 21: Welded Connections – A Primer for Engineers  (DG 21) is now available. This new edition of the guide, authored by structural welding guru Duane K. Miller, PE, ScD, The Lincoln Electric Co., provides an updated overview of all kinds of topics related to structural welding, including selection of weld types, weld design, metallurgy, weld repair, weld procedure specifications, quality, inspection, economy and safety.

"When the AISC Steel Solutions Center needs information about welding, we always turn to AISC Design Guide 21 first," said Larry S. Muir, AISC’s director of technical assistance, and co-author of AISC Design Guide 29. "We know the answers are there, and we’re excited that the guide been updated and expanded. Anyone who saw Duane Miller’s incredible presentation, 'Important Lessons I've Learned During the Past 40 Years,' at the 2018 NASCC: The Steel Conference will be especially interested to read through the 'Fourteen Principles of Connection Design' (Section 4.1.2) in the guide, where many of the lessons from his presentation are further illustrated and applied. I encourage engineers to return to this section often until the principles become second nature to them."

The second edition of the guide references provisions in the AISC  Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (AISC 360-16), the AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings (AISC 341-16) and the AWS Structural Welding Code - Steel (AWS D1.1:2015) and contains new chapters on seismic considerations and fracture mechanics applied to welded connections, as well as an expanded chapter on fatigue. In addition, the popular first edition chapter on special welding applications has been divided and expanded to address more special applications, and a new chapter on problems and fixes addresses commonly encountered problems with practical advice to solve the problem.

Muir added, "At this point, if your design includes something related to welding that is not addressed in Design Guide 21, you should not be asking, 'Why is it not included?' You should be asking, 'Why are we doing this?' I have often stated that Design Guide 21 is the best design guide AISC has ever published, and now it is even better."

A downloadable PDF of the guide is available for free to AISC members (and $60 for nonmembers) here. A printed version is also available for purchase here; the cost is $40 for members and $80 for nonmembers.

AISC has produced more than 30 design guides to provide detailed information on various topics related to structural steel design and construction. All of the guides are available in printed format and as downloadable PDF documents. Downloads are free for AISC members. Browse the collection at www.aisc.org/dg.