Wei-Wen Yu Center For Cold-Formed Steel Structures Closing; Programs To Continue

Washington, DC - The founding, association and corporate sponsors of the Wei-Wen Yu Center for Cold-Formed Steel Structures (CCFSS) announce that the CCFSS is closing its doors after 30 years. The CCFSS programs will continue under the management of various sponsoring organizations.

A new report titled “Wei-Wen Yu Center for Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1990-2020)” outlines the scope and administration of those programs. The report is available for free download at https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/ccfss-aisi-spec/224/.

The CCFSS was established at the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) in May 1990 under an initial grant received from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). It has since grown to include as sponsors the Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI), Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA), Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI), Steel Deck Institute (SDI), Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA), and Simpson Strong-Tie.

The CCFSS was established to serve the cold-formed steel industry as a unique, comprehensive information resource for manufacturers, designers, educators, researchers, students, and users by providing technical services, engineering education, research, and professional activity. Its significant accomplishments include creating the Wei-Wen Yu Cold-Formed Steel Online Library with over 854,000 downloads since 2015; providing 15 three-day short courses on cold-formed steel design; hosting 14 International Specialty Conferences focused on cold-formed steel research; and answering many questions from engineers regarding appropriate cold-formed steel design solutions related to their individual projects.

“We are grateful to Dr. Wei-Wen Yu for his vision to advance the use of cold-formed steel in the building construction marketplace, to each of our sponsoring organizations for their long-term support, and to the members of the CCFSS Steering Committee for their indispensable guidance over the years,” said Roger LaBoube, Ph.D., P.E., CCFSS Director. “This support and guidance have enabled the CCFSS to contribute to the vital technology transfer needs of the cold-formed steel industry. We look forward to working with each of our sponsors to successfully transition current activities so that the legacy of the CCFSS can live on.” LaBoube noted that in addition to financial support, an appointed representative from each sponsoring organization provided valuable guidance to the CCFSS as a member of its Steering Committee.

Rick Haws of Nucor Building Systems, chair of the CCFSS Steering Committee serving as the AISI representative, acknowledged: “The CCFSS provided a valuable forum for industry and academia to work together to advance the cold-formed steel industry. Thanks to Dr. Wei-Wen Yu and Dr. Roger LaBoube for providing the foresight and leadership for the last 30 years and to Administrative Assistant Christina Stratman for her dedicated work in fulfilling the vision. The impact of the CCFSS will be felt well into the future.”

The work of the CCFSS will continue through its Steering Committee members. Future technical reports and papers will be housed at the renamed Wei-Wen Yu Cold-Formed Steel Online Library at Missouri University of Science and Technology; LaBoube will continue to provide CFSEI webinars, answer questions from engineers through the CFSEI hotline (1-800-79STEEL), and remain active in developing cold-formed steel standards through the AISI Committee on Framing Standards; and the International Specialty Conference will be replaced by the Cold-Formed Steel Research Consortium (CFSRC) Colloquium, among several other activities. A report summarizing the scope of those future activities, as well as the history, accomplishments, and legacy of the CCFSS, has been published and is available for free download from the Wei-Wen Yu Cold-Formed Steel Online Library at https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/ccfss-aisi-spec/224/.