Technical Digest 9 Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders

Description

Technical Digest 9 provides comprehensive guidance on proper installation procedures to be employed in the field to ensure SJI products are not damaged, perform as specified and – most importantly – are erected safely. The digest includes descriptions of the standard products: K-Series joists, LH/DLH-Series joists, joist girders and CJ-Series joists. It details how joist products are prepared, tagged, loaded and shipped from the joist manufacturer’s plant; how they are to be unloaded and stored at the jobsite; and how the joist products are to be erected including bridging and field inspection. Additional topics include panelized erection and common field issues.

This new edition expands and refines guidance with several key updates. Most notably, an entirely new Chapter 11 is dedicated to erection engineering, providing essential information to support safe and effective field practices. Chapter 3 now includes additional information on loading and shipping joists, while Chapter 5 offers substantially more detail on erecting joist products, including special-configuration joists. Chapter 8 has been clarified to better address bridging requirements, and Chapter 9 has been enhanced with information on bolted field spliced joists and end connections, including flush framed connections. Appendices A and B have also been updated to reference the latest SJI Specifications

General contractors, steel erectors, inspectors and building officials would most benefit from this Technical Digest.  Engineers and architects would also benefit from the information contained in the digest if part of their responsibilities is to oversee joist and joist girder projects under construction.

Chapters include:

• Products
• Pre-erection meeting
• Loading and shipping
• Receiving, unloading and storing
• Erecting joist products
• Field inspection
• Panelized erection
• Bridging and placing of construction loads
• Miscellaneous topics – common field issues
• Summary – do’s and don’ts
• Erection engineering (NEW!)

Published Fourth Edition August 2025