Back to Calculator

AISC 360-16 Verification

Extensive benchmarking of the AISC 360-16 structural steel design engine against official AISC Design Examples v15.0 (Companion to the AISC Manual).

Benchmark Cases
71
Textbook Verified
Avg. Difference
0.16%
vs. Ref Sources
Check Coverage
6
Resistance Modes
Sections Supported
6
Shape Families

Verification Methodology

The AISC 360-16 design engine is verified using a combination of automated unit tests and manual benchmark comparisons. Our primary sources of truth are the AISC Design Examples v15.0 and the AISC Steel Construction Manual (15th Edition).

  • Resistance Checks: Verified against Chapter D (Tension), E (Compression), F (Flexure), G (Shear), and H (Combined Actions) using LRFD and ASD provisions.
  • Section Classification: Automated slenderness checks for stiffened and unstiffened elements according to Table B4.1 and Clause B4.1.
  • Interaction: Validation of Equation H1-1a and H1-1b for members under combined axial force and biaxial bending, including second-order effects where applicable.

Benchmark Results

DescriptionSectionExpectedResultDifference
W18x50 flange class in flexure (compact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-1B
W18x50CompactCompact0.00%
W18x50 web class in flexure (compact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-1B
W18x50CompactCompact0.00%
W21x48 flange class in flexure (noncompact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.3B
W21x48NoncompactNoncompact0.00%
W21x48 web class in flexure (compact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.3B
W21x48CompactCompact0.00%
HSS10x6x3/16 flange class in flexure (noncompact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.7B
HSS10x6x3/16NoncompactNoncompact0.00%
HSS10x6x3/16 web class in flexure (compact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.7B
HSS10x6x3/16CompactCompact0.00%
HSS8x8x3/16 flange class in flexure (slender)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.8B
HSS8x8x3/16SlenderSlender0.00%
HSS8x8x3/16 web class in flexure (compact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.8B
HSS8x8x3/16CompactCompact0.00%
Pipe 8 x-Strong CHS overall class (compact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.9B
Pipe 8 x-StrongCompactCompact0.00%
WT5x6 flange class in flexure (noncompact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.10
WT5x6NoncompactNoncompact0.00%
WT5x6 stem class in flexure (noncompact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.10
WT5x6NoncompactNoncompact0.00%
L4x4x1/4 overall class in flexure (noncompact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.11A
L4x4x1/4NoncompactNoncompact0.00%
C15x33.9 flange class in flexure (compact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.2-1B
C15x33.9CompactCompact0.00%
C15x33.9 web class in flexure (compact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.2-1B
C15x33.9CompactCompact0.00%
Tension yielding phitPn LRFD (W8x21)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. D.1
W8x21277 kips277.2 kips0.07%
Tension yielding phitPn LRFD (HSS6x4x3/8)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. D.4
HSS6x4x3/8278 kips278.1 kips0.04%
Tension yielding phitPn LRFD (HSS6.000x0.500)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. D.5
HSS6.000x0.500335 kips334.9 kips0.02%
Tension yielding Pn/Omega ASD (HSS6.000x0.500)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. D.5
HSS6.000x0.500186 kips186.1 kips0.04%
Flexural yielding phibMn LRFD (W18x50)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-1B
W18x50379 kip-ft378.8 kip-ft0.07%
Flexural yielding Mn/Omega ASD (W18x50)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-1B
W18x50252 kip-ft252 kip-ft0.00%
Inelastic LTB Lp (W18x50)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-2B
W18x5069.9 in69.94 in0.05%
Inelastic LTB Lr (W18x50)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-2B
W18x50203 in203.3 in0.17%
Inelastic LTB Mn (W18x50, Lb=11.7ft, Cb=1.01)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-2B
W18x504060 kip-in4066 kip-in0.16%
Inelastic LTB phibMn LRFD (W18x50)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-2B
W18x50305 kip-ft305.0 kip-ft0.01%
Flange local buckling Mn (W21x48, noncompact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.3B
W21x48442 kip-ft442.1 kip-ft0.03%
Flange local buckling phibMn LRFD (W21x48)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.3B
W21x48398 kip-ft397.9 kip-ft0.03%
RHS FLB Mn (HSS10x6x3/16, noncompact)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.7B
HSS10x6x3/16796 kip-in796.2 kip-in0.03%
RHS FLB Mn in kip-ft (HSS10x6x3/16)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.7B
HSS10x6x3/1666.4 kip-ft66.35 kip-ft0.07%
RHS FLB phibMn LRFD (HSS10x6x3/16)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.7B
HSS10x6x3/1659.8 kip-ft59.7 kip-ft0.14%
CHS yielding phibMn LRFD (Pipe 8 x-Strong)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.9B
Pipe 8 x-Strong81.4 kip-ft81.38 kip-ft0.03%
CHS yielding Mn/Omega ASD (Pipe 8 x-Strong)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.9B
Pipe 8 x-Strong54.1 kip-ft54.14 kip-ft0.08%
Tee bending F9, Mn stem in tension (WT5x6)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.10
WT5x697.6 kip-in97.2 kip-in0.40%
Tee bending phibMn LRFD (WT5x6)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.10
WT5x67.32 kip-ft7.29 kip-ft0.40%
Channel yielding Mn (C15x33.9)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.2-1B
C15x33.91829 kip-in1828.8 kip-in0.01%
Channel yielding phibMn LRFD (C15x33.9)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.2-1B
C15x33.9137 kip-ft137.2 kip-ft0.12%
Channel inelastic LTB Lp (C15x33.9)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.2-2B
C15x33.945 in45.01 in0.02%
Channel inelastic LTB Mn (C15x33.9, Lb=5ft)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.2-2B
C15x33.91740 kip-in1739.5 kip-in0.03%
Channel inelastic LTB phibMn LRFD (C15x33.9)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.2-2B
C15x33.9131 kip-ft130.5 kip-ft0.41%
Elastic LTB Mn (W18x50, Lb=17.5ft, Cb=1.30)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-3B
W18x503840 kip-in3838 kip-in0.06%
Elastic LTB phibMn LRFD (W18x50)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-3B
W18x50288 kip-ft287.8 kip-ft0.06%
Minor axis bending phibMn LRFD (W12x58)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.5
W12x58122 kip-ft121.9 kip-ft0.10%
Slender RHS FLB Mn (HSS8x8x3/16, simplified be)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.8B
HSS8x8x3/16604 kip-in576 kip-in4.70%

ⓘ Engine uses simplified effective width formula for slender rectangular HSS flanges (AISC F7-4). The textbook result uses the full iterative approach per F7.2(b), yielding a higher capacity.

Flexural buckling utilization LRFD (W14x132, y-y)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.1C
W14x1320.9420.9400.13%
Flexural buckling phicPn LRFD (W14x132, y-y, KL=30ft)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.1C
W14x132892 kips893 kips0.13%
Flexural buckling Pn/Omega ASD (W14x132, y-y)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.1C
W14x132598 kips594 kips0.62%
Flexural buckling phicPn LRFD (W14x90, x-x)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.1D
W14x90927 kips927.5 kips0.05%
KL/r ratio (W14x90, x-x)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.1D
W14x9058.658.630.05%
Elastic buckling stress Fe (W14x90)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.1D
W14x9083.3 ksi83.26 ksi0.05%
Critical stress Fcr (W14x90)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.1D
W14x9038.9 ksi38.89 ksi0.03%
RHS flexural buckling phicPn LRFD (HSS12x10x3/8)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.9
HSS12x10x3/8556 kips555.6 kips0.07%
RHS KL/r ratio (HSS12x10x3/8)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.9
HSS12x10x3/847.947.880.04%
RHS elastic buckling stress Fe (HSS12x10x3/8)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.9
HSS12x10x3/8125 ksi124.8 ksi0.12%
CHS flexural buckling phicPn LRFD (Pipe 10 Std)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.11
Pipe 10 Std221 kips222.0 kips0.44%
CHS KL/r ratio (Pipe 10 Std)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.11
Pipe 10 Std97.897.830.03%
Tee flexural buckling phicPn LRFD (WT7x34, x-x)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.7
WT7x34128 kips128.5 kips0.38%
Tee flexural-torsional buckling phicPn LRFD (WT7x34)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. E.7
WT7x34221 kips221.5 kips0.22%
Shear area Aw (W24x62)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.1B
W24x6210.2 in²10.19 in²0.09%
Shear phivVn LRFD (W24x62)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.1B
W24x62306 kips305.7 kips0.09%
Shear Vn/Omega ASD (W24x62)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.1B
W24x62204 kips203.8 kips0.09%
CHS shear phivVn LRFD (HSS16.000x0.375)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.5
HSS16.000x0.375213 kips213.6 kips0.29%
CHS shear Fcr_2a (HSS16.000x0.375)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.5
HSS16.000x0.375112 ksi112.4 ksi0.38%
CHS shear Fcr_2b (HSS16.000x0.375)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.5
HSS16.000x0.37573.0 ksi72.98 ksi0.03%
CHS shear Fcr governing (HSS16.000x0.375)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.5
HSS16.000x0.37527.6 ksi27.6 ksi0.00%
CHS shear Vn (HSS16.000x0.375)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.5
HSS16.000x0.375237 kips237.4 kips0.15%
CHS shear Vn/Omega ASD (HSS16.000x0.375)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.5
HSS16.000x0.375142 kips142.1 kips0.09%
RHS shear phivVn LRFD (HSS6x4x3/8)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.4
HSS6x4x3/893.6 kips93.3 kips0.27%
Angle shear phivVn LRFD (L5x3x1/4)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.3
L5x3x1/424.3 kips24.3 kips0.00%
Angle shear area Aw (L5x3x1/4)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. G.3
L5x3x1/41.25 in²1.25 in²0.00%
Cb center segment, UDL, third-point bracing (W18x50)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. F.1-2B
W18x501.011.010.36%
Interaction H1-1a Pr/Pc (W14x99)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. H.1B
W14x990.3540.3540.00%
Biaxial compression + bending H1-1a ratio (W14x99)AISC Design Examples v15.0, Ex. H.1B
W14x990.9280.9290.08%

This verification page is for informative purposes only. Benchmarks are periodically updated to align with the latest software patches.

Start Calculating Now

Our design engines are built on hundreds of automated benchmarks. Launch the full structural FEA application to model complex members, frames, and systems with verified accuracy.