Currently, the AISC Steel Construction Manual lists 283 wide flange shapes in Table 1-1. Historically there were no standard dimensions, and different steel producers produced their own sets of shapes. Over time as producers merged or went out of business these various shapes were consolidated into the list we have today. So the shapes we use today didn’t necessarily come about because of a concerted effort to produce the most efficient and economical set of shapes, in many cases it was just happenstance. AISC, in cooperation with the steel producers, is studying the idea of rationalizing the shapes that are produced, and possibly even reducing that number (for example, perhaps rather than producing two shapes that are roughly the same whose weight only varies by a few pounds, produce a single shape that is something in between those two). This would have several benefits: the shape cross-sections would be better proportioned, and therefore geometrically more suitable for their purposes; Engineers would have fewer sizes that would need to be considered when optimizing the design of a structure; there would tend to be fewer different sizes on a project, making the project more economical because of the grouped quantities of shapes; service centers would not have to stock as many different shapes; and producers wouldn’t have to produce rarely-used shapes. This would all have the tendency of simplifying the design, detailing, supply, and erection of the members, thereby making steel structures more economical. And the shapes that are specified would be more likely to be readily available, without impacting the schedule.
As part of this study, AISC is trying to determine how frequently the various shapes are specified. This will help provide a basis for determining which shapes are rarely used, and which can be rationalized with other very similar shapes. Because of the broad reach that the RAM Structural System has in the steel building industry, AISC approached us to see if we could help compile this data. So I am asking for your help. We are asking that you send us the Takeoff Reports from your projects. There are three such reports: Gravity Beam Design Takeoff (from the Steel Beam module), Gravity Column Design Takeoff (from the Steel Column module), and Frame Takeoff (from the RAM Frame module).
In order for us to manage the data we need the reports sent as text files.
Do the following:
- In the Reports menu, select the Text File option:
- Select the Reports – Takeoff command.
- Enter a filename. It would be helpful if the name of the file started with “Beam”, “Column”, or “Frame”, depending on which module it came from.
- Save the file in a convenient location.
- Do this for each of the three Takeoff reports.
- Attach these Takeoff files to an email. In the Subject Line, put “Takeoff Study”. Send the email to me at allen.adams@bentley.com. Multiple files from multiple projects can be sent with each email, they don’t need to be emailed separately.
Note that by sending me these files you are granting us permission to use the data. But also note that there is nothing in these files that reveals anything about your project other than steel quantities and floor areas. So the confidentiality of the project is safeguarded.
Please only send these files from models that represent the final or nearly final design (not from early models with preliminary sizes), we want to know what is being built out there. Please send us the data, no matter how large or small the project.
We appreciate your time and your contribution to this study!