Structural Engineers in North America have a new option for meeting the challenges of designing structures with large load demands.

Atlas Tube has brought Jumbo Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) to North America, with sizes ranging from 18” square to 22” square and wall thicknesses up to .875”.

Typically used in vertical columns and for diagonal bracing, these Jumbo sections are particularly well suited for applications with long un-braced lengths. Widely used in other parts of the world, their availability in North America gives engineers a potent new tool that will deliver cost-savings and efficiencies for building owners, contractors and steel fabricators.

Jumbo HSS offers a number of advantages:· Jumbo sections can be used for concentric seismic bracing to accommodate seismic load specifications. Their effectiveness against seismic loads was proven definitively during the 2011 earthquake in Japan.

• Jumbo HSS can provide substantial cost, transportation and installation efficiencies when used in long span applications.
• Jumbo HSS can be filled with concrete and designed as concrete filled tubes (CFTs), increasing their load carrying capacity.
• Jumbo HSS can provide a smaller footprint freeing up additional space for occupant use or aesthetic purposes.
• Jumbo HSS require less fabrication time than a built-up box section, freeing up a fabricator’s shop space and personnel resources.

These Jumbo sizes meet ASTM A5000 and CSA G40 industry standards and some of them also meet the AISC standards for seismic width-to-thickness ratios.

Structural Engineers, contractors and fabricators can feel confident not only in the superior quality of these sections but also in their readily and consistent availability. Atlas has partnered with service centers to ensure the availability of Jumbo HSS for projects of all sizes throughout North America.

The arrival of Jumbo HSS in North America is a major development for the structural engineering community, offering new solutions to help meet the varied and evolving challenges of designing efficient and enduring structures for a complex world.

For questions about the use of Jumbo HSS call me at 312-275-1664 or Bradlee.Fletcher@atlastube.com.

Be sure to visit the Atlas Tube booth and check out our Jumbo HSS display at the NASCC– booth number is 330. You can also follow @Atlastube on Twitter for a daily roundup of conference takeaways and industry trends.