Making the stability bracing requirements more consistent throughout the document.

Added references to the new AISC Prequalified Connections for Special and
Intermediate Steel Moment Frames for Seismic Applications (ANSI/AISC 358-05) as
one means for SMF, IMF and EBF (link-to-column) connection acceptance.
Decreasing the column splice shear capacity requirements for SMF systems.
Increasing the stability bracing requirements for IMF systems.
Clarifying that connections meeting the requirements for SMF or IMF systems are also
acceptable for OMF applications.
Increasing the requirements on SCBF systems that employ braces with high Kl/r ratios.
Reducing the connection force demand on OCBF bracing to allow the use of the
amplified seismic load.
Eliminating the requirement to design all members in OCBF systems for the amplified
seismic load, done for consistency with a corresponding reduction in the R factor for
this system in SEI/ASCE 7-05 including Supplement 1.
Adding specific requirements for OCBF above seismic isolation systems.
Significantly improving the provisions related to quality assurance and quality control
to address many of the issues identified in FEMA 353.
Making changes to Part II to be consistent with the modifications to Part I and changes
to ACI 318.

The AISC Committee on Specifications, Task Committee 9Seismic Provisions is responsible

for the ongoing development of these Provisions. The AISC Committee on Specifications
gives final approval of the document through an ANSI-accredited balloting process, and
has enhanced these Provisions through careful scrutiny, discussion, and suggestions for
improvement. AISC further acknowledges the significant contributions of several groups
to the completion of this document: the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC), the SAC
Joint Venture, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Science
Foundation (NSF), and the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC).
The reader is cautioned that professional judgment must be exercised when data or
recommendations in these provisions are applied, as described more fully in the disclaimer
notice preceding the Preface.
This specification was approved by the AISC Committee on Specifications:
James M. Fisher, Chairman
Roger E. Ferch, Vice Chairman
Hansraj G. Ashar
William F. Baker
John M. Barsom
William D. Bast
Reidar Bjorhovde
Roger L. Brockenbrough
Gregory G. Deierlein
Duane S. Ellifritt

Tony C. Hazel
Mark V. Holland
Lawrence A. Kloiber
Roberto T. Leon
Stanley D. Lindsey
James O. Malley
Richard W. Marshall (deceased)
Harry W. Martin
David L. McKenzie
Duane K. Miller

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SYMBOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
PART I

STRUCTURAL STEEL BUILDINGS PROVISIONS

GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
1.

SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

2.

REFERENCED SPECIFICATIONS, CODES, AND STANDARDS. . . . . . . . 15

3.

GENERAL SEISMIC DESIGN REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

4.

LOADS, LOAD COMBINATIONS, AND NOMINAL STRENGTHS . . . . . . 16

4.1.
4.2.

5.

10.

Loads and Load Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Nominal Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

STRUCTURAL DESIGN DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS,

SHOP DRAWINGS, AND ERECTION DRAWINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5.1.

Structural Design Drawings and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

9.3c.
9.4.
9.4a.
9.4b.
9.5.
9.6.
9.7.
9.7a.
9.7b.
9.8.
9.9.

Panel Zone Doubler Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Beam and Column Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Width-Thickness Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Beam Flanges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Continuity Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Column-Beam Moment Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Lateral Bracing at Beam-to-Column Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Braced Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Unbraced Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Lateral Bracing of Beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Column Splices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

INTERMEDIATE MOMENT FRAMES (IMF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

10.1.
10.2.
10.2a.
10.2b.
10.2c.
10.2d.
10.3.
10.4.

Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Beam-to-Column Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Conformance Demonstration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Welds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Protected Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Panel Zone of Beam-to-Column Connections
(beam web parallel to column web) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Beam and Column Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

10.4a.
10.4b.
10.5.
10.6.
10.7.
10.8.
10.9.
11.

Width-Thickness Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Beam Flanges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Continuity Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Column-Beam Moment Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Lateral Bracing at Beam-to-Column Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Lateral Bracing of Beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Column Splices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

ORDINARY MOMENT FRAMES (OMF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

11.1.
11.2.
11.2a.
11.2b.
11.2c.
11.3.
11.4.
11.5.
11.6.
11.7.
11.8.
11.9.

Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Beam-to-Column Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Requirements for FR Moment Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Requirements for PR Moment Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Welds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Panel Zone of Beam-to-Column Connections
(beam web parallel to column web) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Beam and Column Limitations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Continuity Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Column-Beam Moment Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Lateral Bracing at Beam-to-Column Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Lateral Bracing of Beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Column Splices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

12

SPECIAL TRUSS MOMENT FRAMES (STMF)

42
15.6b. Beam Outside Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
15.6c. Bracing Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
15.7. Beam-to-Column Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
15.8. Required Strength of Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
15.9. Protected Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
15.10. Demand Critical Welds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

16.

BUCKLING-RESTRAINED BRACED FRAMES (BRBF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

16.1.
16.2.
16.2a.
16.2b.
16.2c.
16.2d.
16.3.
16.3a.
16.3b.
16.4.
16.5.
16.5a.
16.5b.
16.5c.
16.6.

Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Bracing Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Steel Core . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Buckling-Restraining System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Adjusted Brace Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Bracing Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Required Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Gusset Plates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Special Requirements Related to Bracing Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Beams and Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Width-Thickness Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Required Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Splices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Protected Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58