Rationale

AISC 370 Specification for Structural Stainless Steel only provisionally approved ASTM A554 in the version that will shortly be published. They added requirements and took exception to some existing A554/A554M requirements. This standard has been used for specifying structural tube of all wall thicknesses and manufacturing methods since at least the 1980's. It is deeply entrenched in project specification text. The proposed revisions are intended to provide a provision for ordering tube for structural applications that will meet the requirements established by AISC 370. Where a tube structural tube standard exists, this revision will point to it facilitating dual certification if A554 has been specified. A cold formed structural tube standard is simultaneously being developed; this revision will include basic requirements. It is assumed the cold formed structural tube requirements will be replaced by a requirement to adhere to that standard when it is completed. The AISC 370 development timeline necessitates that the A554 revisions be made quickly rather than waiting for development of a separate standard.