Specification of Structural Stainless Steel: The Fundamentals

January 2024
Sponsored by The Steel Institute of New York

Presented by Catherine Houska

Continuing Education

Use the following learning objectives to focus your study while reading this month’s Continuing Education article.

Learning Objectives - After reading this article, you will be able to:

  1. Discover where stainless steel is being used structurally and the reasons for its selection.
  2. Review a check list of the key design through erection differences between stainless steel and other structural metals.
  3. Acquire knowledge about how those differences influence each step of the project from design through erection.
  4. Learn about the new AISC and SEI/ASCE 8 specifications, code and design guide; industry fabrication and erection resources; and other tools for successful design and project management.

While the use of austenitic and the high strength duplex stainless steels for structural industrial applications has long been common, there has been a substantial increase in its use for building, infrastructure, memorial and other applications. The creative and problem solving design possibilities of structural stainless steel make it intriguing, but the learning curves associated with a “new” material can seem daunting.

While the new and revised AISC and ASCE/SEI specifications, code of standard practice, and design guide have made the use of structural stainless steel easier, there is so much information to absorb that many firms have designated “experts”.

This presentation will facilitate the process of using structural stainless steel by providing a simplified “check list” and a high level summary of the key specification, fabrication, and erection differences. Case studies will be used illustrate both the reasons for stainless steels use and the process. Attendees will also be directed to key resources for additional information including those from AISC, ASCE and industry associations.

Cover

Photo courtesy of Catherine Houska


Speaker

Catherine Houska is an internationally recognized architectural and structural metals consultant with over 35 years of experience, author of more than 200 publications and frequent speaker. She is a subcommittee Vice Chair for AISC 370 Specification for Structural Stainless Steel and an active in the committees for AWS D1.6 Structural Welding Code Stainless Steel, AISC 313 Code of Standard Practice for Structural Stainless Steel Buildings, AISC Steel Design Guide 27: Structural Stainless Steel, and ASCE/SEI 8 Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Stainless Steel Structural Members.

At ASTM, she Chairs ASTM E60.80 General Sustainability standards, which develops international sustainability and resilience standards, and a member of the US TAG to ISO TC59 SC17 Sustainability in Buildings and Civil Engineering Works. In ASTM A01 on Steel, she is the author or technical contact of several structural stainless steel standards. Catherine is also a member of AMPP, CSI, ASM, and ASTM committees E06, E50, E54, and G01.

Ms. Houska is President of Catherine Houska Consulting, LLC in Pittsburgh, PA. She has a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve University. She has received two society and 5 regional Technical Awards from the Construction Specifications Institute.