AISI Cold-Formed Steel Design Skill

Location: data/vol1/

Part I: Dimensions and Properties (162 pages)

• dimensions-properties/ - 24 files, 20 examples
• Steel availability, properties (Fy, Fu, E, G)
• Cross-section tables (C, Z, Hat, Angle, Track, Stud)
• Gross and effective section properties
• Examples I-1 to I-20: Section property calculations

Part II: Beam Design (256 pages)

• beam-design/ - 23 files, 20 examples
• Bending strength (EWM and DSM methods)
• Shear strength
• Web crippling
• Combined bending and shear
• Examples II-1 to II-15: Beam design (many with A/B/C variants for different methods)

Part III: Column Design (138 pages)

• column-design/ - 24 files, 19 examples
• Concentrically loaded columns
• Combined axial and bending
• Buckling modes (flexural, torsional, flexural-torsional)
• Examples III-1 to III-13: Column design (variants for EWM/DSM)

Part IV: Connection Design (70 pages)

• connection-design/ - 20 files, 12 examples
• Welds (arc spot, arc seam, fillet, groove, resistance)
• Bolts (bearing, shear, tension)
• Screws (bearing, shear, pullout, pull-over, pull-through)
• Power-actuated fasteners (PAF)
• Design tables for each connection type
• Examples IV-1 to IV-12: Connection design

Part V: Supplementary Information (29 pages)

• supplementary/ - 4 files, 1 example
• ⭐ Specification Cross-Reference Table (pages 628-632) - Critical mapping of specification sections to examples
• Quality construction procedures
• Example V-1: Ponding analysis
• reference-data/ - 6 files
• Laterally unbraced compression flanges
• Torsional-flexural buckling (complete mathematics)
• Ponding design (Castigliano's method)
• System stability (C1.1, C1.2, C1.3 methods comparison)
• Bibliography (70+ AISI/CFSEI standards)

Part VI: Test Procedures (9 pages)

• test-procedures/ - 5 files, 2 examples
• Test methods bibliography (33 ASTM standards)
• Statistical test calibration procedures (K2.1.1)
• Examples VI-1, VI-2: Test data calibration

Front Matter (5 pages)

• front-matter/ - 4 files
• Preface, section guide, copyright, disclaimer

Volume 2: Specification and Commentary (508 pages → 47 files, 1.6MB)

Location: data/vol2/

Part VII: North American Specification (171 pages)

• specification/ - 17 files (13 chapters + 4 appendices)

Chapters:

• Chapter A: General Provisions (scope, materials, loads)
• Chapter B: Design Requirements (ASD, LRFD, LSD methods)
• Chapter C: Design for Stability (direct analysis method)
• Chapter D: Members in Tension
• Chapter E: Members in Compression (buckling modes, DSM)
• Chapter F: Members in Flexure (bending, lateral-torsional buckling)
• Chapter G: Members in Shear (shear strength, web crippling)
• Chapter H: Members Under Combined Forces and Torsion
• Chapter I: Assemblies and Systems (built-up members, diaphragms)
• Chapter J: Connections (welds, bolts, screws, rupture) - 171KB, largest file
• Chapter K: Quality Control, Testing, and Inspections
• Chapter L: Design for Serviceability (deflection)
• Chapter M: Design for Fatigue

Appendices (Specification):

• Appendix 1: Design of Elements Using Effective Width (traditional EWM)
• Appendix 2: General Provisions for Elastic Buckling Analysis (FEM, FSM, GBT)
• Appendix A: Special Provisions for USA and Mexico
• Appendix B: Special Provisions for Canada (CSA S136 harmonization)

Part VIII: Commentary (263 pages)

• commentary/ - 20 files (13 chapters + 4 appendices + references)

Commentary Chapters: Match Specification Chapters A-M

• Provide background, research basis, derivations
• Test data comparisons
• Design philosophy explanations

Commentary Appendices: Match Specification Appendices 1-2, A-B

• Detailed theoretical derivations
• Historical development
• Validation studies

References: (69KB, pages 478-506)

• 400+ research papers and standards (1930s-2016)

Appendices (Both SPEC & COMM):

• appendices/ - 10 files (SPEC 4 + COMM 4 + 2 support files)
• Separated into Specification and Commentary versions

Reference Files

Quick-access reference materials in references/ folder:

1. symbols.md

Mathematical notation from Volume 2 symbols section

• Variable definitions (A, b, E, F, M, P, etc.)
• Subscript meanings
• Units (ksi, in, kip, lb)

2. glossary.md

Technical term definitions

• Buckling modes (local, distortional, global)
• Section types (C, Z, Hat, Angle)
• Design terminology
• Korean-English terms (냉간성형강 = cold-formed steel)

3. abbreviations.md

Common abbreviations

• Design methods: ASD, LRFD, LSD
• Analysis methods: EWM, DSM
• Organizations: AISI, ASTM, CSA
• Standards: S100, A1003, A653, A792

4. specification-structure.md

Chapter-by-chapter organization of Specification (Chapters A-M)

• What each chapter covers
• Key sections within each chapter
• Page ranges

5. examples-index.md ⭐

All 74 examples categorized by:

• Part (I, II, III, IV, V, VI)
• Topic (properties, beam, column, connection, test)
• Method (EWM, DSM, ASD, LRFD, LSD)
• Section type (C, Z, Hat, Angle, Track)
• Page ranges

Critical for automatic example matching!

6. steel-grades-guide.md

ASTM steel grades quick reference

• ASTM A1003: Structural grade (SS Grades 33, 40, 50, 80, etc.)
• ASTM A653: Galvanized steel (Grades 33, 37, 40, 50, 80)
• ASTM A792: Aluminum-zinc coated (Grades 33, 37, 50, 80)
• Properties: Fy (yield), Fu (tensile), coating type

7. design-methods-comparison.md

ASD vs LRFD vs LSD comparison table:

• Load factors and combinations
• Resistance/safety factors (φ vs Ω)
• When to use each method
• Geographic preferences (USA, Canada, Mexico)

8. analysis-methods-comparison.md

EWM vs DSM comparison:

• Effective Width Method (traditional, Appendix 1)
• Direct Strength Method (modern, Chapters E-G)
• Pros and cons of each
• When to choose which method

9. buckling-modes-guide.md

Three buckling modes explained:

• Local: Short wavelength plate buckling
• Distortional: Section shape change (flange/lip rotation)
• Global: Member buckling (flexural, torsional, lateral-torsional)
• How to identify and calculate each

10. section-types-guide.md

Common cold-formed steel section types

• C-section (lipped channel)
• Z-section (cee with lips)
• Hat section
• Angle sections
• Track, Stud, Deck profiles
• Applications for each

11. standards-index.md

Complete list of standards referenced

• AISI standards (S902-S916 test standards, design guides)
• ASTM standards (material, test methods)
• CFSEI Technical Notes
• CSA standards (Canadian)

Automation Scripts

Python scripts in scripts/ folder for efficient searching:

1. smart_search.py

Purpose: Category-aware keyword search across both volumes

Usage:

python scripts/smart_search.py "beam design DSM"

Features:

• Keyword-to-category mapping
• Search Volume 1 + Volume 2 simultaneously
• Rank results by relevance
• Filter by document type (spec/commentary/examples)

Category keywords:

• beam: flexure, bending, purlin, joist, Chapter F, Part II
• column: compression, stud, post, Chapter E, Part III
• connection: weld, bolt, screw, Chapter J, Part IV
• deck: diaphragm, roof deck, floor deck
• buckling: local, distortional, global, critical load
• steel_grade: ASTM, A1003, A653, Fy, Fu
• method: ASD, LRFD, LSD, EWM, DSM

2. example_matcher.py ⭐

Purpose: Automatically match user queries to the most relevant of 74 examples

Usage:

python scripts/example_matcher.py "C-section beam using DSM"

Features:

• Categorizes all 74 examples by topic and method
• Filters by design method (ASD/LRFD/LSD)
• Filters by analysis method (EWM/DSM)
• Returns example number, page, and file path

Example categories:

• Part I (20): Section properties (gross/effective)
• Part II (20): Beams (EWM/DSM variants)
• Part III (19): Columns (EWM/DSM variants)
• Part IV (12): Connections (welds, bolts, screws)
• Part V (1): Ponding
• Part VI (2): Test calibration

3. formula_finder.py

Purpose: Extract formulas with context and variable definitions

Usage:

python scripts/formula_finder.py "M_n =" "data/vol2/specification/Chapter_F_Flexure.md"

Features:

• Pattern matching for equations
• Extracts ±5 context lines
• Finds variable definitions
• Preserves LaTeX formatting

4. specification_lookup.py

Purpose: Quick lookup of specification sections

Usage:

python scripts/specification_lookup.py "E3.2"

Features:

• Parses chapter and section numbers
• Returns specification text
• Cross-references to commentary
• Lists related examples from cross-reference table

5. steel_grade_lookup.py

Purpose: Material properties database

Usage:

python scripts/steel_grade_lookup.py "A653 Grade 50"

Features:

• ASTM A1003/A653/A792 database
• Returns Fy, Fu, coating type
• Thickness ranges
• Typical applications

6. cross_reference.py

Purpose: Find related sections between specification and examples

Usage:

python scripts/cross_reference.py "Chapter F.1"

Features:

• Uses Specification_Cross_Reference.md table
• Maps specification sections → examples
• Maps examples → specification requirements
• Bidirectional linking

7. design_method_selector.py

Purpose: Help users choose appropriate design approach

Usage:

python scripts/design_method_selector.py

Features:

• Interactive questionnaire (building location, type, code)
• Recommends ASD vs LRFD vs LSD
• Recommends EWM vs DSM
• Provides comparison tables
• Explains pros/cons

Workflow by Query Type

1. Formula Query

User Intent: Find a specific formula or equation

Trigger Keywords:

• formula, equation, expression, 공식
• "how to calculate", "equation for"
• Variable names (M_n, P_n, F_cr, etc.)

Workflow:

1. Identify the topic (beam, column, connection, etc.)
2. Determine if specification or example context needed
3. Use formula_finder.py OR manual Grep:

   grep -n "M_n =" data/vol2/specification/Chapter_F_Flexure.md
   

4. Read ±10 lines around formula for context
5. Extract variable definitions (look for "where:" sections)
6. Check if symbols need clarification → references/symbols.md
7. Provide:
   • Formula in LaTeX format
   • All variable definitions with units
   • Source citation (Chapter, Section, Page)
   • Related examples if applicable

Example Response Structure:

The nominal flexural strength M_n for laterally braced members is:

$$M_n = S_e F_y$$  (AISI S100 Section F3.1.1)