A Comparison of Eurocode and AISC Stability Analysis Methods for Practical Steel Design

Abstract Companies performing international structural design work are confronted with varying requirements imposed by different standards and methodologies. This paper presents a brief comparison of stability analysis procedures for steel structures using the Eurocode 2022 and the American Institute of Steel Construction Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360‐22) standards. Several structural types will be investigated, ranging from those with clearly defined effective lengths to others with more ambiguous effective lengths requiring stability analysis techniques involving explicit modeling of system imperfections and member (bow) imperfections. Geometric and material nonlinear imperfection analysis (GMNIA) will be used for comparison. Through these case studies, we illustrate the practical implications of each method, highlighting key differences. Ultimately, this study aims to enhance understanding of stability analysis and inform international best practice in structural design, contributing to safer and more efficient engineering solutions.