The use of this Handbook is not intended to be a stand-alone steel design code. This text is intended to cover enough material to enable the design of everyday structural steel frames, members and connections. Appendix A includes a thoroughly revised and expanded bibliography, and a substantial updated list of related Standards and references. The Handbook, together with the information included in the Appendices, should provide the reader with a solid background to a variety of structural steel design tasks.

The book makes extensive use of worked numerical examples to demonstrate the methods of calculating the capacities of structural elements. These examples have been extensively revised from the previous edition, with further examples added. The worked examples are cross-referenced to the relevant clauses in AS 4100: 1998.

Between them, the authors have close to 100 years' experience of solving engineering problems. All three have practised in all phases of the design and specifications of steel structures ranging from commercial to institutional structures; while two, Arun Shyam and Branko Gorec have served on numerous Standard Australia committees related to steel construction.