About the author ⁄ J. Randolph Kissell, P.E.

J. Randolph Kissell is a Managing Consultant for Trinity Consultants. He serves on Aluminum Association, ASTM, Canadian Standards Association, American Welding Society, and American Petroleum Institute committees that address aluminum structures, and teaches ASCE’s aluminum structural design seminar. (rkissell@trinityconsultants.com)

The 2020 Aluminum Design Manual

Spoiler Alert!

The next edition of the Aluminum Association’s Aluminum Design Manual (ADM) became available in January 2020 (Figure 1). Updated every five years, the Manual includes the Specification for Aluminum Structures which provides for allowable strength and load and resistance factor design of aluminum structures, members, and connections. Because compliance with this Specification is required by the International Building Code (IBC), changes to the Specification directly affect most building applications of aluminum in the United States. Furthermore, the Specification’s provisions are used by other code organizations, such as the American Welding Society (AWS) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in their standards for aluminum structures. This article reviews the significant changes to the Specification as compared to the 2015 edition. …

Feb, 2020 By J. Randolph Kissell, P.E. and Ronald D. Ziemian, Ph.D., P.E. In Structural Specifications Comments 0

Flexural Strength of Extruded Aluminum Mullions

Curtain walls use extruded aluminum mullions to support glass lites, which are subjected to wind pressures acting inward and outward on the building exterior (Figure 1). The primary loading on mullions is flexure, but determining their flexural strength is complicated by several factors: …

Oct, 2019 By J. Randolph Kissell, P.E. and James LaBelle, P.E., Doc.E. In Structural Specifications Comments 0

Seismic Design of Aluminum Structures

Earthquakes impose such large and infrequent forces on structures that building codes permit seismic damage if the structures do not collapse. This damage often takes the form of inelastic, permanent deformation of members and connections. The idea is that the occupants can safely exit the building after a significant seismic event; the structure may be a total economic loss when subjected to the maximum considered earthquake, but collapse prevention is the primary goal. …

Aug, 2018 By J. Randolph Kissell, P.E. and Ronald D. Ziemian, Ph.D., P.E. In Structural Performance Comments 0

Aluminum – It’s Not Just for Lightweights

The Aluminum Design Manual 2005

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May, 2005 By J. Randolph Kissell, P.E. In Articles, Codes and Standards

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