STRUCTURAL STEEL DESIGN
Course Syllabus – Spring 2018
MWF 9:10 – 10:00 am (Sec 502, 10702)
MWF 1:50 – 2:40 pm (Sec 503, 24559)
HEB (Old CE Building) Room 219
PLEASE NOTE: The syllabus will suffer changes throughout the semester, depending on our ability to cover the material. Please check the syllabus daily for changes, especially before you work any homework problems, which are subject to change.
Help for CVEN 446 is available from the people shown below, at the office hours listed.

Office: DLOB (7th floor of Dwight Look Office Building)
Room: 705e
Phone: 979-845-4395 (Office), 979-775-5401 (Home)
e-mail: Lowery@tamu.edu
Tentative Office Hours (subject to being called out by the boss or having to go to an unannounced meeting)
Much of my time is spent teaching two sections of CVEN 446, one section of 305, and ENGR 485. During the remaining hours I advise and have office hours as listed above. Please plan on assistance either during my office hours, or from the Teaching Associate below. Please don’t wait until just before class or a quiz to get help or you likely won’t get any.
I try and keep my calendar up to date, and to add unexpected meetings as they arise, but when the boss drops by and says let’s go, I go. So please call before you come by, even if you have an appointment, unless you are already in the area.

Holds office hours:
Dwight Look Office Building Room 609H:
Tues: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Ground floor in the Dwight Look Office Building (the old PiR2 lunch room):
MWF: 5:10 – 8:00 pm
Thur: 5:15 – 8:00 pm
Email questions to: cbarron5@tamu.edu
Reference Manual: AISC Steel Construction Manual 15th Edition only:
Click here for instructions on purchasing this manual. NOTE that you MUST be registered in CVEN 446 (Lowery) this semester to use this coupon code. You can pay online, or by mail, and they will ship the book directly to you. The price shown is greatly reduced from anything you can get elsewhere. Upon request I will e-mail your coupon code to you. Please note that they have issued only one code for students in our sections. Please do not give it to anyone else (your mom, etc.). We only have codes for students in our class. If someone else uses your code it won’t be easy to get another one. Once you have your code, please follow the instructions above. E-mail your request for your code to Lowery@tamu.edu using the subject line: AISC code request, Your Name and Student ID.
Textbook: Because different sections are using no text, or Segui, or Geschwindner, I really don’t care which text you get, but the homework problems will come out of Segui 6th edition. The information in all texts is comparable. Get whichever you like, but I strongly recommend that you get something. Don’t go without a text if at all possible.
Looking for a 6th edition Segui textbook?
- Texas A&M University Bookstore
- AbeBooks.com – also sells an international version
- TextbooksRUs.com
- Campusbooks.com
- Amazon.com
- Textbooks.com
- AllBookStores.com
- DealOz.com
- GetTextbooks.com
- Bigwords.com
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Segui Steel Design Sixth (latest) Edition |
AISC Steel Construction Manual 15th Edition Purchase only from AISC |
ISBN: 9781337094740 | ISBN: 9781564240071 |
TAMU Catalog Description:
Structural Steel Design (3-0) Design of structural steel elements found in bridges and building structures, including plate girders, other built-up members, composite beams and slender columns; frame stability, tubular members and connections. Prerequisites: CVEN 345.
Course Objectives:
- To introduce the student to material behavior and Load and Resistance Factor Design methodology.
- To analyze and design tension members.
- To analyze and design compressive members.
- To analyze and design beams.
- To analyze and design connections.
- To analyze and design beam-columns.
ABET Learning Outcomes:
- (a) Ability to apply knowledge of basic mathematics, science, and engineering.
- (c) Ability to design civil/ocean engineering steel structures and components to meet desired needs.
- (f) Public safety in design and construction is emphasized for every type of structure considered.
- (j) Contemporary structural projects either in design or construction are discussed along with their impact on society.
- (k) Course requires application of spreadsheets, structural analysis programs, along with current state of practice design concepts.
- (l) Ability to use computers to solve civil and/or ocean engineering problems.
Course Prerequisites:
To take CVEN 446, you MUST have received a passing grade (no D’s, F’s or I’s) in CVEN 345, Structural Analysis.
Course Assessment:
- Graded major exams (Quiz A, Quiz B, and Final Exam for a total of 3 exams @ 30% each)
- Graded homework assignments, Readiness Assessment Tests (RATs), Class Participation, Attendance, Projects = 10%
Resources available to the student:
- Instructor of record: Dr. Lee L. Lowery, Jr.
- Teaching associate: See above for TA
- CE 446 List Server/File Server/Grades Server <—- CLICK HERE TO BEGIN CLASS
- 446 HELP DESK HOURS – For FALL 2018 (See T.A. above – Cesar Castro – cbarron5@tamu.edu. ) Held in the lobby of DLEB (the former 8 story CE/TTI building where PR^2 was located).
- How to join a WebEx meeting with Lowery
- Computer software (Visual Analysis, Excel, etc.)
- Computers in the Civil Engineering Building Computer Labs (if still there)
- Lectures – Note that getting a text book will be essential to understanding these lectures.
- Example video solutions for selected steel problems
- Q-Drop deadline information
- How to study for the final exam
- Old 446 exam solutions including this semester’s, after grading
- Chances of making what grade in Lowery’s 446 class after Quiz A and after Quiz B – based on past year’s grades.
- Tutoring and student use of the solution manual
- Copies of homework problems if you have not yet received your text. Sign on to eCampus, CVEN 446, Lowery, and look in Browse Files or Course Content.
- Design aids – most not verified – use with extreme caution.
- RISA-2D – Educational (limited) copy of commercial structural analysis program
- Mastan – Free computer structural analysis program
- Bolts design specifications RSCS 2014 from their web site
- Shreveport, LA steel bridge
- General steel photos
- An excellent aid to how these things work – the interactive steel sculpture: http://cset.mnsu.edu/steelsculpture
- Kohutek Example Problems
- Typical point deductions you can expect on exams and pop quizzes
- AISC Publications
- AISC Part 16 Specifications and Codes
- AISC Shapes Database
- Free AISC membership. Fill in, sign, and mail or scan to email.
- Final exam schedule for this and other classes (SPRING 2018 ONLY)
- University Academic Calendar Summer 2018 and many others. Be sure you are on the correct year/semester.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING SYLLABUS INFORMATION:
- Class Expectations
- General Information Regarding Format for Exams, Quizzes, and Homework
- What materials am I responsible for on all exams in this class.
- Where to get help for 446
- Grading – All homework and quizzes will/may be graded using Beason’s Qualitative Grading Rubric.
- Attendance
- Illness
- Make-up exams
- Academic Dishonesty Policy
- Current list of homework problems for this semester if we get to all of them
- Answers to all questions after administration of final exams
- Finally, click here!
The correct time (to the nanosecond)
Exams:
Quiz A – Held in our classroom during regular class hours on Wed March 6th.
The only material permitted on Quiz A will be your AISC Steel Manual, and any handwritten notes in it. No textbook or loose notes permitted. You can add any handwritten notes in the last blank pages in your LRFD Manual. These can include procedures, example solutions, or anything of your choice. Sticky notes used as tabs are permitted. Sticky notes with procedures are not.
You can also bring a copy of the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Reference Manual, Steel Design section. NO WRITING IN IT. Click here for a copy.
Quiz B – held during regular class hours on Monday April 1st.
Covers through homework problem 6.6-2, with emphasis on material covered after
Quiz A.
Date | Class | Material in this column will be covered from the Segui text, and other sources. See reading assignments at the bottom.A summary of the main items of interest that we will be covering during the semester in both the Segui text and LRFD Manual are summarized here. Note that the pages listed below are approximate, depending on our ability to cover the materials. |
Homework AssignmentsNote: Do not work any problems using ASD. Only LFRD solutions are required. MANDATORY! Click here to begin course. All homework assignments are due one week from the date assigned, unless otherwise specified. If a problem is due on a day that we don’t have class, or an exam is being given, then it is still due on that day but is to be handed in the next day we have class. That may mean that on some days you will be handing in more than one problem set, so keep up. Some problems have hints or corrections. Click on those with links below. |
Week 1 Wed |
1 | Introduction, Materials, LRFD Design Philosophy Read Chap. 1.1-1.5 |
Assignment #1 Due class #4:Homework Problems: 1.5-2, 1.5-5 |
Fri 1/19 |
2 | Probabilistic Basis of LRFD Read Chap. 1.6-2.4 |
Assignment #2 Due class #5:Homework Problems: 2-1 a, b & c, 2-3 a & b |
Week 2 Mon |
3 | Tension Members Watch Video: Rolling steel plate, beams. Read Chap 2.5-3.1Design strength, Ag, An, Ae, U Read LRFD manual: 16.1-29, 16.1-251 |
Assignment #3 Due class #6Homework Problems: 2-5a |
Wed 1/24 |
4 | Tension Members Watch video: Tube manufacturing Read Chap 3.2-3.3Review design strength, Ag, An, Ae, U. Welded connections, WF shear lag |
Assignments #4 Due Class #7: Homework: Note: When using average values from Table D3.1 you MUST justify why the value is appropriate. |
Fri 1/26 |
5 | Tension Members Read Chap 3.3-3.4 Staggered fasteners |
Assignment #5 Homework due in one week, and from now on. |
Week 3 Mon |
6 | Tension Members Block Shear Photos Read Chap 3.4-3.5 |
Assignment #6 3.4-1; 3.4-2a; 3.4-5a Ignore block shear rupture |
Wed 1/31 |
7 | Tension Members Read Chap 3.6 |
Assignment #7 3.5-3; 3.5-4; 3.6-2a |
Fri 2/2 |
8 |
Compression Members Read Chap 4.1-4.3 |
Assignment #8 3.6-1a; 3.6-4a, 4.3-1 |
Week 4 Mon |
9 | Compression Members Read Chap 4.4-4.6 |
Assignment #9 4.3-5; 4.3-7a; 4.6-1; |
Wed 2/7 |
10 | Compression Members Read Chap 4.6-4.7Example problems |
Assignment #10 4.6-2a1; 4.7-1; |
Fri 2/9 |
11 | Compression Members Column Alignment Charts Read Chap 4.7 |
Assignment #11 4.7-5a; 4.7-8(a,b) |
Week 5Mon 2/12 |
12 | Compression Members GaGb EES Nomograph How to get the Nomograph.EES file Read Chap 4.7 |
Assignment #12 4.7-10a; 4.7-11 |
Wed 2/14 |
13 | Compression Members, Beams Read Chap 5.1-5.3 |
Assignment #13 4.7-13 |
Fri 2/16 |
14 | Beams Read Chap 5.4-5.5Detailed procedure for drawing shear and moment diagrams |
Assignment #14 5.2-1(a,b) + Supplement calculate Zx/Sx; 5.2-4 |
Week 6 Mon |
15 | Beams Read Chap 5.5 |
Assignment #15 5.4-1; 5.5-1; 5.5-3; |
Wed 2/21 |
16 | Beams Read Chap 5.5 |
Assignment #16 5.5-4; 5.5-6; 5.5-10; |
Fri 2/23 |
17 | Beams Read Chap 5.8, 5.9 |
Assignment #17 5.5-15; 5.5-16; 5.8-1; 5.8-3; |
Week 7 Mon |
18 |
Beams Read Chap 5.10, 5.13 |
Assignment #18 5.10-3; 5.10-5; 5.10-6; |
Wed 2/28 |
19 | Beams Video: Cutting holes in beams, coping, cutting W’s into T’s. Read Chap 5.14 |
Assignment #19 5.14-1; 5.14-2; 5.14-3; |
Fri 3/2 |
20 | Read Chap 5.15 Base plate design |
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Quiz A – Held in our classroom during regular class hours. |
The only material permitted on Quiz A will be your AISC Steel Manual, and any handwritten notes in it. No textbook or loose notes permitted. You can add any handwritten notes in the last blank pages in your LRFD Manual. These can include procedures, example solutions, or anything of your choice. Sticky notes used as tabs are permitted. Sticky notes with procedures are not. You can also bring a copy of the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Reference Manual, Steel Design section. NO WRITING IN IT. Click here for a copy. Any homework assigned a week ago is still due today. However I don’t want to delay the quiz, so please hand it in with your next set. That doesn’t mean it isn’t due, only that you are going to hand in two sets next class. |
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Week 8 Mon |
21 | Beams Read Chap 6.1-6.3 |
Assignment #20 5.15-1; 5.15-2; Due 3/19/18 |
Wed 3/7 |
22 | Beam columns | Take a break. You deserve it. |
Fri 3/9 |
23 | Beam columns | |
Spring Break 3/12 – 3/16 | |||
Week 9 Mon |
24 | Beam columns | |
Wed 3/21 |
25 | Beam columns | Assignment #21 6.2-1; 6.2-2; Due 7 days from today |
Fri 3/23 |
26 |
Biaxial Bending (Sec. 6.5) Visual Analysis Tutorial |
Assignment #22 6.6-1; 6.6-2; 6.6-3; Due 7 days from today |
Week 10 Mon |
27 | Simple Connections (Sec. 7.1-7.3) Watch video: How nuts and bolts are made. And here.Research Council on Structural Connections Specifications |
Assignment #23 6.6-6; 6.6-7; Due 7 days from today |
Wed 3/28 |
28 | Bearing Strength, Bolts (Sec 7.4) |
Assignment #24 7.3-2; 7.4-1; (assume threads included in the shear plane for these and all later problems unless otherwise stated in problem. |
Fri 3/30 |
Reading Day – no classes | ||
Week 11 Mon |
29 | High-strength Bolts (Sec. 7.5-7.6) |
Assignment #25 7.4-3; 7.4-5; |
Wed 4/4 |
30 | Bolted Connections (Sec 7.7) | Assignment #26 7.6-1; |
Fri 4/6 |
31 | Bolted Connections (Sec 7.8-7.9) | Assignment #27 7.7-1; |
Week 12 Mon |
32 | Quiz B – held during regular class hours. Covers through homework problem 6.6-2, with emphasis on material covered after Quiz A. |
The only material permitted on Quiz B will be your AISC Steel Manual, and any handwritten notes in it. No textbook or loose notes permitted. You can add any handwritten notes in the last blank pages in your LRFD Manual. These can include example solutions or anything of your choice. You must also bring a copy of the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Reference Manual, Steel Design section. Click here for a copy. Any homework assigned a week ago is still due today. However I don’t want to delay the quiz, so hand it in with your next set. That doesn’t mean it isn’t due, only that you are going to hand in two sets next class. |
Wed 4/11 |
33 | Bolted Connections Skidmore Bolt Proof Test (Sec. 7.9) Snug-tight bolt + 1/3 turn |
Assignment #28 7.9-1; |
Fri 4/13 |
34 | Welded Connections (Sec. 7.10, 7.11) Watch Video: Mig welding techniques Arc welding techniques |
Assignment #29 7.9-3; |
Week 13 Mon |
35 | Welded Connections (Sec. 7.11-8.1) Read text: 438-446 Read Dr. Keating’s module on welds and welding processes |
Assignment #30 7.11-2; 7.11-4; |
Q-drop deadline somewhere around here Click here for some idea to help you decide. |
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Wed 4/18 |
36 | Eccentric Connections (Sec. 8.1-8.2) Read text: 446-455 Read Dr. Keating’s module on the design strength of welds Read Dr. Keating’s module on the design of bolted joints |
Assignment #31 Due 1 week after we cover it. 8.2-3; 8.2-6; 8.2-8; |
Fri 4/20 |
37 | Bolted Connections (Sec 8.2-8.3) Excel computer program to analyze bolts Read Dr. Keating’s connections I module |
Assignment #32 Due 1 week after we cover it. |
Week 14 Mon |
38 | Read Dr. Keating’s connections II module | Assignment #33 Due 1 week after we cover it. 8.3-1; 8.3-3; |
Wed 4/25 |
39 | Assignment #34 Due 1 week after we cover it.8.3-7, 8.5-2 |
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Fri 4/27 |
40 | Welded connections | No homework, but will cover on final exam. |
Week 15 Mon |
41 | Welded connections | No homework, but will cover on final exam. |
Tue 5/1 |
42 | Welded connections | No homework, but will cover on final exam. |
The final will cover only through that material we were able to cover in class, whatever that turns out to be, with some emphasis on the material after Quiz B. CHECK HERE FOR EXAM DATE: Final Exam Schedules |
The final exam will be closed book, open AISC Steel Manual with handwritten added notes. No textbook or loose notes permitted. You can add any handwritten notes on the last blank pages in your LRFD Manual. These can include example solutions or anything of your choice. You must also bring a copy of the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Reference Manual, Steel Design section. Click here for a copy. Please note that to pass this class you MUST be able design simple tension members to resist axial loads, to design beams to resist LTB, to design a column, and to design simple bolted or welded connections. These are minimum competencies. Things like combined bending and axially loaded members will likely be on the final, but being unable to do the simple things listed above will require that you find a better prof and retake this class. I simply cannot have you designing my old folk’s home and dropping a beam on me in 20 years. |
The following is the required ADA statement.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact Disability Services, currently located in the Disability Services building at the Student Services at White Creek complex on west campus or call 979-845-1637. For additional information, visit http://disability.tamu.edu.
The following is the required Academic Integrity Statement
“An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.”
All syllabi shall contain a section that states the Aggie Honor Code and refers the student to the Honor Council Rules and Procedures on the web: http://www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor
The following is the required ADA statement.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact Disability Services, currently located in the Disability Services building at the Student Services at White Creek complex on west campus or call 979-845-1637. For additional information, visit http://disability.tamu.edu.
The following is the required Academic Integrity Statement
“An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.”
All syllabi and exams shall contain a section that states the Aggie Honor Code and refers the student to the Honor Council Rules and Procedures on the web: http://www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor