This set of web-based applets illustrate core concepts for an undergraduate structural steel design course by connecting AISC Specification equations and structural engineering concepts to interactive plots, figures, diagrams, and animations. Students can explore the relationships between various parameters, such as member dimensions, applied loads, steel shapes, and material types. While changing the parameters of a figure, the graphics update in real time, giving instant feedback about the changes occurring in the given scenario. 

This tool can be incorporated into introductory structural steel design courses as a lecture tool, demonstration, or customizable homework assignment. Each module contains an introductory prompt, list of learning objectives, and an interactive applet. The applets work best with a web browser but can also be used on mobile devices.

Link for Interactive Figures

Download the Instructor Guide for a comprehensive overview of the activities along with suggestions for use:

Instructor Guide 

The collection of activities includes:

Steel Framing

• Floor Framing and Tributary Area
• Live Load Reduction
• Irregular Floor Plan and Tributary Area
• Flow of Gravity Forces
• Lateral Framing Basics

Steel Material Behavior

• Tensile Behavior
• Expected vs. Nominal Material Strengths

Tension Members and Simple Connections

• Overview of Tension Limit States
• Welded Tension Members
• Bolted Tension Members
• Block Shear

Compression Members (*New in 2024!*)

• Introduction to Residual Stress
• Flexural Buckling of W-Shapes
• Local Buckling

Flexural Members (*New in 2024!*)

• Overview of Flexural Limit States
• Beam Yielding (Plastic Moment)
• Lateral Torsional Buckling (LTB)
• Flange Local Buckling
• Introduction to Beam Design

Combined Loading (*New in 2024!*)

• Introduction to Second-Order Effects
• Combined Loading
• Introduction to the Approximate Second-Order Analysis Method

(2024)