ABSTRACT
Structural steel is the backbone of much of today’s infrastructure. Formed into beams, columns, and braces, it soars in the world’s tallest buildings and longest bridges. It is found in warehouses, industrial facilities, libraries, schools, office buildings, and homes. Its strength and stiffness are unmatched by other structural materials.
This chapter introduces fundamental steel design principles that will support the remaining chapters of this book. It begins with a historical and code review, then moves into steel materials and their behavior. Next, it includes structural layout and section types, such as wide flanges and channels. Ending with construction and quality considerations, this chapter provides a sound starting point to understand the fundamentals of structural steel.
