Publications

Design Guides

AISC has produced 40 design guides over the past 30 years to provide detailed information on topics related to structural steel design and construction.

Design guides are available as downloadable PDF documents. Downloads are free for AISC members. Design guides are also available in printed form. Select your format preference to the left to browse our collection.

Notes

  • Please be mindful of the publication date of each design guide and the standards to which it was written. In the time since each design guide was published, changes have occurred in the structural steel industry. One significant change is that all channels, plates, and angles are now more commonly 50 ksi material rather than 36 ksi material; please refer to the AISC Steel Construction Manual Part 2 for preferred materials.
  • We have created a handy summary of each design guide publication date and the AISC standards and manuals referenced therein in the Design Guide Summary link to the left. 
  • Check for any revisions and errata at the link to the left. 

Featured Design Guides

Design Guide 16: Assessment and Repair of Structural Steel in Existing Buildings

This publication discusses common considerations for initial assessments as well as methods for detailed inspection, evaluation, and nondestructive examination. It also explores several types of damage or deterioration commonly found in existing steel buildings and approaches for evaluating their structural effects. The guide offers practical advice for planning and executing repairs.

pdf download          printed copy

Design Guide 1: Base Connection Design for Steel Structures (Third Edition)

This guide covers detailed analysis and design guidance on base connections. Years of research contributed to the significant expansions included in the design guide in areas of seismic design and embedded base connection design. Guidance is also offered on the simulation of base connections in finite element models. Extensive design examples are included.

Be sure to check out the bonus material links on the product pages!

pdf download          printed copy