COMPANION TO THE
AISC
STEEL CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
Volume 1: Design Examples
Version 15.1
AMERICAN INSTITUTE
OF
STEEL CONSTRUCTION
, ii
AISC © 2019
by
American Institute of Steel Construction
All rights reserved. This publication or any part thereof must not be reproduced in any form without the written
permission of the publisher. The AISC logo is a registered trademark of AISC.
The information presented in this publication has been prepared following recognized principles of design and
construction. While it is believed to be accurate, this information should not be used or relied upon for any specific
application without competent professional examination and verification of its accuracy, suitability and applicability
by a licensed engineer or architect. The publication of this information is not a representation or warranty on the part
of the American Institute of Steel Construction, its officers, agents, employees or committee members, or of any
other person named herein, that this information is suitable for any general or particular use, or of freedom from
infringement of any patent or patents. All representations or warranties, express or implied, other than as stated
above, are specifically disclaimed. Anyone making use of the information presented in this publication assumes all
liability arising from such use.
Caution must be exercised when relying upon standards and guidelines developed by other bodies and incorporated
by reference herein since such material may be modified or amended from time to time subsequent to the printing of
this edition. The American Institute of Steel Construction bears no responsibility for such material other than to refer
to it and incorporate it by reference at the time of the initial publication of this edition.
Printed in the United States of America
V15.1 Companion, Vol. 1: Design Examples
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
, iii
PREFACE
The primary objective of this Companion is to provide guidance and additional resources of the use of the 2016
AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360-16) and the 15th Edition AISC Steel
Construction Manual.
The Companion consists of design examples in Parts I, II and III. The design examples provide coverage of all
applicable limit states, whether or not a particular limit state controls the design of the member or connection. In
addition to the examples that demonstrate the use of the AISC Manual tables, design examples are provided for
connection designs beyond the scope of the tables in the AISC Manual. These design examples are intended to
demonstrate an approach to the design, and are not intended to suggest that the approach presented is the only
approach. The committee responsible for the development of these design examples recognizes that designers have
alternate approaches that work best for them and their projects. Design approaches that differ from those presented in
these examples are considered viable as long as the AISC Specification, sound engineering, and project specific
requirements are satisfied.
Part I of these examples is organized to correspond with the organization of the AISC Specification. The Chapter
titles match the corresponding chapters in the AISC Specification.
Part II is devoted primarily to connection examples that draw on the tables from the AISC Manual, recommended
design procedures, and the breadth of the AISC Specification. The chapters of Part II are labeled II-A, II-B, II-C, etc.
Part III addresses aspects of design that are linked to the performance of a building as a whole. This includes
coverage of lateral stability and second-order analysis, illustrated through a four-story braced-frame and moment-
frame building.
The Design Examples are arranged with LRFD and ASD designs presented side-by-side, for consistency with the
AISC Manual. Design with ASD and LRFD are based on the same nominal strength for each element so that the
only differences between the approaches are the set of load combinations from ASCE/SEI 7-16 used for design, and
whether the resistance factor for LRFD or the safety factor for ASD is used.
CONVENTIONS
The following conventions are used throughout these examples:
1. The 2016 AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings is referred to as the AISC Specification and the
15th Edition AISC Steel Construction Manual, is referred to as the AISC Manual.
2. The 2016 ASCE Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures is
referred to as ASCE/SEI 7.
3. The source of equations or tabulated values taken from the AISC Specification or AISC Manual is noted
along the right-hand edge of the page.
4. When the design process differs between LRFD and ASD, the designs equations are presented side-by-side.
This rarely occurs, except when the resistance factor, , and the safety factor, , are applied.
5. The results of design equations are presented to three significant figures throughout these calculations.
V15.1 Companion, Vol. 1: Design Examples
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
, iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The AISC Committee on Manuals reviewed and approved V15.1 of the AISC Design Examples:
Mark V. Holland, Chairman Ronald L. Meng
Gary C. Violette, Vice Chairman Larry S. Muir
Allen Adams Thomas M. Murray
Scott Adan James Neary
Abbas Aminmansour Davis G. Parsons II, Emeritus
Craig Archacki John Rolfes
Charles J. Carter Rafael Sabelli
Harry A. Cole, Emeritus Thomas J. Schlafly
Brad Davis Clifford W. Schwinger
Bo Dowswell William T. Segui, Emeritus
Matt Eatherton Victor Shneur
Marshall T. Ferrell, Emeritus William A. Thornton
Patrick J. Fortney Michael A. West
Timothy P. Fraser Ronald G. Yeager
Louis F. Geschwindner, Emeritus Cynthia J. Duncan, Secretary
John L. Harris III Eric Bolin, Assistant Secretary
Christopher M. Hewitt Michael Gannon, Assistant Secretary
William P. Jacobs V Carlo Lini, Assistant Secretary
Benjamin Kaan Jennifer Traut-Todaro, Assistant Secretary
The committee gratefully acknowledges the contributions made to this document by the AISC Committee on
Specifications and the following individuals: W. Scott Goodrich, Heath Mitchell, William N. Scott, Marc L.
Sorenson and Sriramulu Vinnakota.
V15.1 Companion, Vol. 1: Design Examples
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
AISC
STEEL CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
Volume 1: Design Examples
Version 15.1
AMERICAN INSTITUTE
OF
STEEL CONSTRUCTION
, ii
AISC © 2019
by
American Institute of Steel Construction
All rights reserved. This publication or any part thereof must not be reproduced in any form without the written
permission of the publisher. The AISC logo is a registered trademark of AISC.
The information presented in this publication has been prepared following recognized principles of design and
construction. While it is believed to be accurate, this information should not be used or relied upon for any specific
application without competent professional examination and verification of its accuracy, suitability and applicability
by a licensed engineer or architect. The publication of this information is not a representation or warranty on the part
of the American Institute of Steel Construction, its officers, agents, employees or committee members, or of any
other person named herein, that this information is suitable for any general or particular use, or of freedom from
infringement of any patent or patents. All representations or warranties, express or implied, other than as stated
above, are specifically disclaimed. Anyone making use of the information presented in this publication assumes all
liability arising from such use.
Caution must be exercised when relying upon standards and guidelines developed by other bodies and incorporated
by reference herein since such material may be modified or amended from time to time subsequent to the printing of
this edition. The American Institute of Steel Construction bears no responsibility for such material other than to refer
to it and incorporate it by reference at the time of the initial publication of this edition.
Printed in the United States of America
V15.1 Companion, Vol. 1: Design Examples
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
, iii
PREFACE
The primary objective of this Companion is to provide guidance and additional resources of the use of the 2016
AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360-16) and the 15th Edition AISC Steel
Construction Manual.
The Companion consists of design examples in Parts I, II and III. The design examples provide coverage of all
applicable limit states, whether or not a particular limit state controls the design of the member or connection. In
addition to the examples that demonstrate the use of the AISC Manual tables, design examples are provided for
connection designs beyond the scope of the tables in the AISC Manual. These design examples are intended to
demonstrate an approach to the design, and are not intended to suggest that the approach presented is the only
approach. The committee responsible for the development of these design examples recognizes that designers have
alternate approaches that work best for them and their projects. Design approaches that differ from those presented in
these examples are considered viable as long as the AISC Specification, sound engineering, and project specific
requirements are satisfied.
Part I of these examples is organized to correspond with the organization of the AISC Specification. The Chapter
titles match the corresponding chapters in the AISC Specification.
Part II is devoted primarily to connection examples that draw on the tables from the AISC Manual, recommended
design procedures, and the breadth of the AISC Specification. The chapters of Part II are labeled II-A, II-B, II-C, etc.
Part III addresses aspects of design that are linked to the performance of a building as a whole. This includes
coverage of lateral stability and second-order analysis, illustrated through a four-story braced-frame and moment-
frame building.
The Design Examples are arranged with LRFD and ASD designs presented side-by-side, for consistency with the
AISC Manual. Design with ASD and LRFD are based on the same nominal strength for each element so that the
only differences between the approaches are the set of load combinations from ASCE/SEI 7-16 used for design, and
whether the resistance factor for LRFD or the safety factor for ASD is used.
CONVENTIONS
The following conventions are used throughout these examples:
1. The 2016 AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings is referred to as the AISC Specification and the
15th Edition AISC Steel Construction Manual, is referred to as the AISC Manual.
2. The 2016 ASCE Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures is
referred to as ASCE/SEI 7.
3. The source of equations or tabulated values taken from the AISC Specification or AISC Manual is noted
along the right-hand edge of the page.
4. When the design process differs between LRFD and ASD, the designs equations are presented side-by-side.
This rarely occurs, except when the resistance factor, , and the safety factor, , are applied.
5. The results of design equations are presented to three significant figures throughout these calculations.
V15.1 Companion, Vol. 1: Design Examples
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
, iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The AISC Committee on Manuals reviewed and approved V15.1 of the AISC Design Examples:
Mark V. Holland, Chairman Ronald L. Meng
Gary C. Violette, Vice Chairman Larry S. Muir
Allen Adams Thomas M. Murray
Scott Adan James Neary
Abbas Aminmansour Davis G. Parsons II, Emeritus
Craig Archacki John Rolfes
Charles J. Carter Rafael Sabelli
Harry A. Cole, Emeritus Thomas J. Schlafly
Brad Davis Clifford W. Schwinger
Bo Dowswell William T. Segui, Emeritus
Matt Eatherton Victor Shneur
Marshall T. Ferrell, Emeritus William A. Thornton
Patrick J. Fortney Michael A. West
Timothy P. Fraser Ronald G. Yeager
Louis F. Geschwindner, Emeritus Cynthia J. Duncan, Secretary
John L. Harris III Eric Bolin, Assistant Secretary
Christopher M. Hewitt Michael Gannon, Assistant Secretary
William P. Jacobs V Carlo Lini, Assistant Secretary
Benjamin Kaan Jennifer Traut-Todaro, Assistant Secretary
The committee gratefully acknowledges the contributions made to this document by the AISC Committee on
Specifications and the following individuals: W. Scott Goodrich, Heath Mitchell, William N. Scott, Marc L.
Sorenson and Sriramulu Vinnakota.
V15.1 Companion, Vol. 1: Design Examples
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
