Category: Analysis & Design


In today’s world of complex steel fabrications, we are all governed by allowable tolerances. Tolerances are important as they ensure a clean/neat fit up and or proper clearances. This confirms that at time of assembly everything fits as how it Read more…


When steel is curved, it is important to keep the stress-strain curve ratio for mild steel in mind. Below is a stress-strain graph that reviews the properties of steel in detail. If tensile force is applied to a steel bar, Read more…


Pipes and tubes are usually measured by the outside diameter dimension – or OD. One might think that a 2.0 inch OD tube would measure 2.0 inches and a 6.5 inch OD tube would measure 6.5 inches. However, machines today Read more…


I have frequently lectured and written about structural steel bending for architects, engineers and structural steel fabricators as well as for undergraduate and graduate school engineering students. In the dialogue that followed the presentations, I have been asked a number Read more…


Architects, engineers and fabricators have asked whether tubing can be formed with both camber and sweep. The answer is yes. An example of tube bending that induces both camber and sweep can be seen in the sinuous pedestrian bridge in Longview, Read more…


At the North American Steel Construction Conference held on May 11 to May 14, 2011, we learned from Bill McEleny, Director of the National Steel Bridge Alliance, that the AASHTO construction specification has recently been revised to allow cold cambering Read more…


AESS is an acronym for architecturally exposed structural steel. AESS is exposed to regular view by pedestrians or occupants of a building. Because it is clearly visible AESS is subject to closer tolerances than standard structural steel that is hidden Read more…


Whenever I talk to architects and engineers about bending beams, bending pipes, or any other steel section bending, three questions usually come up: Is it structurally sound? Is it too expensive? And Is it readily available to meet a demanding Read more…


Recently, I gave the presentation at the Kansas City Regional Steel Fabricators Association biannual meeting. 110 steel fabricators, engineers, architects, detailers, and others attended the breakfast. I talked about the benefits of involving a specialty subcontractor like Chicago Metal Rolled Read more…

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