The Atlas Observer is Atlas Tube's dedicated resource for structural engineers, architects, and fabricators working with Hollow Structural Sections (HSS). Published by Atlas Tube — North America's leading HSS producer — the Atlas Observer covers ASTM specification comparisons (A500, A1085, CSA G40.21 and beyond), practical structural design guides, and deep technical insights on connection design, design wall thickness, new design tools, and seismic applications.
When you go to twelve trade shows and speak to forty different engineering firms or fabricators each year, I hear people say it’s challenging to design structures for seismic applications. And in some ways, it’s true — if you design with ASTM A500 HSS, it can be difficult to predict how the sections will perform because of the variance in wal...
Read moreYou might already know that the steel used in bridges must meet the toughness requirements of ASTM A709 and AASHTO M270. If you design a bridge with ASTM A500 HSS, the sections will most likely have to be custom-manufactured to meet these requirements. That means higher costs, longer lead times and a higher minimum order quantity. Plus, you’ll ha...
Read moreIn the Fall of 2017, the California Legislature passed, and Gov. Brown signed into law, Assembly Bill 262 (AB 262), known as the Buy Clean California Act. This law has the intentions of bringing...
Read moreIn June, I attended the American Institute of Architects Architecture Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. For all the years I’ve been an engineer (which has been quite a long time now), I’ve never checked out this expo until now – which is surprising since architects love using HSS in their unique designs. First, walking into the J...
Read moreNASCC 2018 (#NASCC18) hosted by the AISC, was held in downtown Baltimore, MD at the Baltimore Convention Center. Another record crowd with over 5,000 attendees, the show featured more than 200 exhibitors and 100s of...
Read moreHSS Project Spotlight: Seattle’s North Transfer Station What images com...
Read moreEditor's Note: This post was originally published in 2017 and is preserved here for...
Read moreEvery tradeshow or meeting I attend, a few engineers tell me about their experience specifying A1085 on a project: “My fabricator told me...
Read moreIf you have visited Atlas Tube’s website or read up on our literature recently, you may have noticed an interesting structure that we’ve showcased that was made from HSS. That structu...
Read moreEditor's Note: The Atlas Pipe Pile App described in this post, originally published June 19, 2017, is no longer available. This article is preserved for historical reference only. For current HSS connection design resources — including 150-plus downloadable connection details, design calculators built to...
Read more