American Institute of Steel Construction

AISC’s virtual conference starts Tuesday, and we’re positively BEAMING with excitement! Attend all three days of the Flash Steel Conference for a full span of great insights, or spend a single day making connections with a topic that’s particularly relevant to you--whether it’s building design, steel bridge design, or quality in fabrication and erection--with PDHs available, of course! Whatever you choose, you’ll get the insightful speakers, bright ideas, and quality information you need packaged in 30-minute lightning sessions to fit into your busy day. Register for the Flash Conference today at aisc.org/flash. Forge your SteelDays spirit with our puzzle of the week (aisc.org/puzzles), featuring a glimpse inside AISC member fabricator Crystal Steel Fabricators, Inc. in Federalsburg, Md.!

To celebrate SteelDays, AISC is hosting a FREE webinar Friday, October 18, and you could earn 1.0 PDH! Join AISC’s own Mike Gannon, SE, PE--and a few special guests--to learn about the new AISC Seismic Provisions and the upcoming 4th Edition Seismic Design Manual. We’ll explore the new provisions for ordinary truss moment frames, coupled composite plate shear walls (a.k.a. SpeedCore), the new appendix on nonlinear response history analysis, and more. We'll also review how new reference tables and examples in the Seismic Design Manual can further assist in the design of seismic force-resisting systems. The webinar is free, but you have to register to attend. Head to https://lnkd.in/dKerCRgF to reserve your spot today!

Have you heard? AISC has launched a fabricator training curriculum exclusively for full members! As the demands on the industry evolve, embracing innovative learning approaches has become essential. AISC’s new Fabricator Education Training Program is designed to introduce new employees to the world of steel fabrication and upskill current employees as they progress in their careers--and demonstrate that you’re invested in their future. If you’re a full member and ready to get your employees set up for success, visit https://lnkd.in/gHmsit7A to get signed up! Check out aisc.org/fabtraining-nascc to watch a session from NASCC: The Steel Conference 2024 laying out everything you need to know about this brand-new online curriculum.

Last week, we had the honor of presenting the IDEAS² Award for Excellence in Constructability to the incredible design team behind GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S.! This project stands out not only for its sheer size but for its innovative use of structural steel, creating a visually stunning and resilient venue for Nashville Soccer Club fans--while taking full advantage of the efficiencies of fabricating repeated steel elements. Find out how GEODIS Park scored major points with the IDEAS² judges at aisc.org/geodis-park. Congrats to everyone involved in this game-changing achievement! Project team: Owner: Nashville Sports Authority, Nashville Owner’s representative: CAA ICON, Denver General contractor: Mortenson | Messer Construction Co., Nashville Architects: Populous, Kansas City, Mo.; HASTINGS Architecture, Nashville Structural engineer: Walter P Moore and Associates, Inc., Kansas City, Mo. Steel team: Fabricator: LeJeune Steel Company, Minneapolis *AISC full member; AISC-Certified fabricator* Erector: LPR Construction, Loveland, Colo. *AISC associate member; AISC-Certified erector* Detailer: DBM Vircon, Tempe, Ariz. *AISC associate member*

Next week is our annual celebration of America’s structural steel industry--and there are so many ways to participate! 💥 Attend the Flash Steel Conference (aisc.org/flash) for essential, engaging tidbits of content you can put into play today. 📖 Tune into our free webinar on the latest AISC Seismic Design Manual and Provisions. 🏗️ Tour a fabrication shop or iron worker training center near you. 👷 And more! Explore the dynamic world of America’s structural steel industry alongside us! Get all the details at aisc.org/steeldays.

Congratulations to bridge fabrication expert Ronnie Medlock, PE, of High Steel Structures LLC, who has been selected to receive AISC’s 2025 T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award! The jury selected Medlock--a 2020 AISC Lifetime Award recipient--for his contributions to the Federal Highway Administration's Bridge Welding Reference Manual. Medlock will give the final keynote address at the 2025 NASCC: The Steel Conference and will present his work on request throughout the year. Read more at aisc.org/medlock-higgins.

Students, get your calculators ready! 🧮 🔢 Test your knowledge of steel truss design, and you might win an AISC Steel Construction Manual or a $100 Amazon gift card! In the 2024 SteelDays Student Contest, you’re the structural engineer for a new convention center, and it’s your job to review the preliminary design for a 90-ft truss that supports an open span. You’ll determine the loads, analyze the truss, and check truss members and connections, and we’ll award points for correct responses to the quiz. Head to https://lnkd.in/gvFsrrGC to get started!

Adding a second lane of traffic to a Bridgeport, Conn. bridge took a little fit-up creativity and a clever geometry control system. The tight curvature and high skew of Exit 27A on northbound I-95 contributed to significant torsion, which needed to be transferred through cross frames between girders. The design team incorporated lateral bracing between the bridge’s two new curved girders in order to resist additional torsion and avoid additional strain on the existing structure when adding the new lane. Take a brain break this afternoon with our weekly puzzle featuring this interstate bridge widening project at aisc.org/puzzles! Then reengage your brain with a full account of the project’s load transfers at aisc.org/bridge-brilliance.

Last Friday, STS Steel, Inc. celebrated 40 years of business by welcoming more than 200 local high school and technical students to their facility for a SteelDays event--SteelDays is the week of October 14-18, but celebrations are already kicking off around the country! To say it was an educational and inspiring day for students is almost an understatement! The students were able to test their welding skills with interactive simulators, plus they toured the facility and gained a new perspective on fantastic industry opportunities after hearing about the career journeys of several STS Steel employees. Congratulations to STS Steel for 40 years in business and for being such an instrumental part of the Schenectady, N.Y. community--and a big thanks for hosting a fantastic SteelDays event! Don’t sleep on SteelDays opportunities in your area and online: Head to aisc.org/steeldays for information on in-person events, the Flash Steel Conference, the free webinar, and more.

This week, we were honored to present the 2024 IDEAS² Award for Excellence in Engineering to the dynamic firms behind the Nashville International Airport Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility Addition! This project stands out for its stunning long-span steel trusses, which create a column-free space that welcomes travelers with an open and airy design. It’s a true testament to the power of structural steel and innovation. Read about what each firm contributed to this one-of-a-kind steel project at aisc.org/nashville-airport. Project team: Owner: Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, Nashville General contractor: HENSEL PHELPS, Nashville Architects: Fentress Architects, Denver; TMP, Brentwood, Tenn.; Corgan Associates, Dallas (BNA Vision Design Architect) Prime structural engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Seattle Foundation engineer: Logan Patri Engineering, Inc., Nashville Steel team: Fabricators: Banker Steel, Lynchburg, Va. *AISC full member; AISC-Certified fabricator* Irwin Steel LLC LLC, Justin, Texas *AISC full member; AISC-Certified fabricator* TrueNorth Steel, Lubbock, Texas *AISC full member; AISC-Certified fabricator* Erector: Schuff Steel, Euless, Texas *AISC full member; AISC-Certified fabricator and erector* Bender/roller: Chicago Metal Rolled Products, Chicago *AISC associate member* Photo credit: Emanuel O. Roland II, ROLAND'S Photography