The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has updated AISI S310, North American Standard for the Design of Profiled Steel Diaphragm Panels. This standard, first published in 2013, provides design provisions for diaphragms consisting of profiled steel decks or panels which include fluted profiles and cellular deck profiles. The diaphragm may be installed with or without insulation between the panels and supports, and may be supported by materials made of steel, wood or concrete.

This new edition, AISI S310-16, incorporates the changes made in the just-published 2016 edition of AISI S100, North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members. It also revises the safety and resistance factors in Table B1.1 so they are more consistent with the theory and calibration method presented in the standard. AISI S310-16 is intended for adoption and use in the United States, Canada and Mexico and is available to download free of charge at www.aisistandards.org.

The AISI S310 analytical method was based on the Steel Deck Institute’s Diaphragm Design Manual, which is commonly used to determine the strength and stiffness of diaphragms. The standard determines the in-plane strength and stiffness of steel panels with or without concrete-fills, and the strength and stiffness of connections in a diaphragm. The standard was developed by AISI’s Committee on Specifications, with participation by the Steel Deck Institute, Metal Building Manufacturers Association, and Metal Construction Association.