The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) is a

not-for-profit A not-for-profit or non-for-profit organization (NFPO) is a Legal Entity, legal entity that does not distribute surplus funds to its members and is formed to fulfill specific objectives. While not-for-profit organizations and Nonprofit organ ...

technical institute and

trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. Through collabor ...

for the use of structural steel in the construction industry of the United States. AISC publishes the Steel Construction Manual, an authoritative volume on steel building structure design that is referenced in all U.S. building codes. The organization works with government agencies, policymakers, and other stakeholders to promote policies and regulations that support the industry's growth and development.

History

Foundation

In 1911, two

civil engineering Civil engineering is a regulation and licensure in engineering, professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads ...

organizations, the

Bridge Builders Society A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

and the Structural Steel Society, began cooperating to form broad codes of ethics and practices within the profession. In 1917, during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the two groups merged into the War Service Committee which helped procure fabricated structural steel and coordinate industry efforts. However, by 1919 the Committee was disbanded but some steel fabricators insisted on creating a new association to promote the structural steel industry nationally, founding the National Steel Fabricators Association, which was renamed in 1922 to become the American Institute of Steel Construction, however, the Institute lists 1921 as their foundation year, as that was the year a uniform telegraphic code for the entire industry was created by the National Steel Fabricators Association which triggered the group's transformation from a group of steel manufacturers to the industry standard professional society.

Publications

''Steel Construction Manual''

According to the AISC, the ''Steel Construction Manual'' is the "premier reference for structural steel design and construction in the United States" having been published since 1927. Editions are usually made every five to six years to keep up with developments in structural steel codes and standards and to incorporate new materials.

References

American engineering organizations {{nonprofit-org-stub