Standards

• Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 341)
  The Seismic Provisions are a companion to the Specification for Structural Steel Buildings that extends coverage to the connection detailing and member design requirements for structural steel and composite systems in high-seismic applications. 

• Prequalified Connections for Special and Intermediate Steel Moment Frames for Seismic Applications (ANSI/AISC 358)
  The prequalified connections standard has been developed by the AISC Connection Prequalification Review Panel in accordance with Chapter K of the Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings. The connections have been prequalified for use in special and intermediate steel moment frames without the need for additional testing.

• For older versions of AISC's seismic-related standards, visit our Historical Standards page.  

Seismic Design Manual

The Seismic Design Manual includes sections on general seismic design considerations, analysis considerations, and systems not specifically detailed for seismic resistance. Different seismic force resisting systems are covered in the balance of the sections, along with diaphragms, chord and collectors as well as an introduction to engineered damping systems. It includes hundreds of pages of comprehensive design examples. It also includes ANSI/AISC 341 and ANSI/AISC 358. 

AISC Publications

These AISC resources for the design of structural steel to resist seismic loads complement the Seismic Design Manual. 

• Facts for Steel Buildings 3: Earthquakes and Seismic Design
  This primer (a free download) provides an overview of the causes of earthquakes, the earthquake effects that damage structures, the structural properties that are effective in minimizing damage, and the organization and intent of seismic design requirements for steel structures in the U.S. today.

• Design Guide 12: Modification of Existing Steel Welded Moment Frame Connections for Seismic Resistance 
  This design guide covers the rehabilitation of existing welded steel moment frame buildings to improve their seismic resistance in future earthquakes. Retrofit concepts with reduced beam section (RBS), welded haunch, and bolted bracket modifications are covered.

• Design Guide 20: Steel Plate Shear Walls 
  This design guide covers the background and design of steel plate shear walls for seismic and non-seismic applications. 

• Design Guide 29: Vertical Bracing Connections--Analysis and Design
  This design guide provides guidance for the design of vertical brace connections and addresses brace-to-gusset connection, orthogonal and nonorthogonal connections, chevron or K-bracing, eccentric braces, connections at column base plates, both nonseismic and seismic conditions, and gusset plate stability.
  
  
• Design Guide 39: End-Plate Moment Connections 
  This guide centralizes AISC’s existing design procedures for end-plate moment connections (deprecated Design Guides 4 and16, and AISC 358-22 Chapter 6) into a single consistent document. It includes an extensive literature review, thorough discussions of design concepts, updated design procedures consistent with the latest research, and 33 design examples.

Additional Resources

• Reconstructing Christchurch: A Seismic Shift in Building Structural Systems
  This report covers the decisions made in the rebuild of Christchurch following the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes with regard to structural materials and systems.The study involved interviews with structural designers of up to 60% of the buildings designed in the rebuild.

• FEMA 350 - Recommended Seismic Design Criteria for New Steel Moment-Frame Buildings (superseded by AISC 358)
  This resource document provides recommended guidelines for the design and construction of steel moment frame buildings and alternative performance-based design criteria. It supplements the NEHRP Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations for New Buildings and other Structures. A series of pre-qualified connection details, as well as a detailed procedure for performance evaluation, is included. This document is located on a FEMA server. Available at www.fema.gov.

• FEMA 353 - Recommended Specifications and Quality Assurance Guidelines for Steel Moment-Frame Construction for Seismic Applications (superseded by the AISC Seismic Provisions and AWS D1.8)
  This resource document has been prepared by the SAC Joint Venture, under contract to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to indicate those standards of workmanship for structural steel fabrication and erection deemed necessary to achieve reliably the design performance objectives contained in FEMA 350, 351, and 352. Available at www.fema.gov.

• SAC Connections Database
  The SAC Steel Project is providing a database of 278 steel connection tests that have been conducted since, or just prior to, the 1994 Northridge Earthquake to assist professionals who are working with steel moment frames. Available at www.sacsteel.org.