Structural Engineering for the 80s and Beyond

Shortly after its founding in 1921, the American Institute of Steel Construction took the step that established its future. It is described in the preface to the Institute's first specification: "In 1923, AISC undertook the work of promoting uniform practice in the industry, and in order that its efforts would not be interpreted as being unduly influenced by commercial interests it selected a committee from among the leading talent in the academic, engineering and architectural professions to prepare a Standard Specification on the Design, Fabrication, and Erection of Structural Steel." The committee, consisting of two practicing engineers, an architect, and two academicians, was indeed an eminent one, and did its job well. The specification produced the same year was less than nine pages long, but met its objectives and gained the respect of the engineering profession. The consistency and integrity with which the principles of that statement have been applied over 61 years are remarkable. I know of no other standard sponsored by a private industry that has achieved and maintained the worldwide recognition the AISC Specification has.