The Steel Deck Institute
Members of the SDI are manufacturers of steel roof deck and floor deck. The products that they manufacture are primarily used to support overlying roofing materials or to serve as a permanent form and/or positive reinforcement for concrete floor slabs.
Who We Are
Since its founding in 1939, the Steel Deck Institute (SDI) has provided uniform industry standards for the engineering, design, manufacture, and field usage of steel floor and roof decks. The SDI Board of Directors continues to hold quarterly committee meetings where research needs, technical issues, and marketing needs related to steel deck are acted upon.
At present, the SDI has twenty-four deck producing members and nine associate members. Member companies operate certified deck manufacturing facilities located throughout the United States while associate members are manufacturers of products related to the use of steel decks.
The mission of the SDI is to promote the advantageous nature of using steel roof deck and floor deck along with providing guidance in the proper design and use of steel roof deck and floor deck. The advantages to using steel deck in roof and floor construction include but are not limited to the following:
- Physical Properties: Structural Strength, All Weather Constructibility, Fire Resistance
- Intrinsic attributes: Uniform Product Quality, Proven Durability, Economic Value
- Building Designer Advantages: Appearance, Acoustical Properties, Sustainability
The SDI is widely known in the construction and structural engineering industry for our various design manuals, publications, white papers, position statements, and technical notes. All these documents can be accessed for download and/or hard copy purchase on our website.
Institute Personnel
J. Kenneth Charles, III
Ken Charles is a graduate of Clemson University (BS – Finance) and after a few years as a commercial banker, entered the steel industry at SC based joist manufacturer Socar, Inc. He worked through several different assignments at Socar, Inc. in sales, administration, and as company president. In addition, he was involved with the Steel Joist Institute as Chair of the Publicity Committee, Member of the Executive Committee and President of the Institute. Additional work experience after 29 years at Socar included New Millennium (Steel Dynamics) and CMC Joist and Deck (Commercial Metals).
In 2011, Charles was named Managing Director of the Steel Joist Institute, a position he continues to fill today. In that slot he has been involved with AISC, AISI, NCSEA and ASCE. He has been a member of AISC’s Steel Conference (NASCC) Planning Committee since 2015.
In 2023, Charles added Managing Director of the Steel Deck Institute to his responsibilities, and relocated the SDI offices to Florence, South Carolina.
He is involved in community work in Florence, SC as Chair of the PEK Foundation, Board Member and Former Chair at House of Hope of the Pee Dee. Previously, President of the local BSA Council and Board Member at Eastern Carolina Community Foundation.
Charles is married to the former Margaret Key and they have 5 adult children and 9 grandchildren.
J. Kenneth Charles
Managing Director
J. Kenneth Charles, III
Managing Director
Ken Charles is a graduate of Clemson University (BS – Finance) and after a few years as a commercial banker, entered the steel industry at SC based joist manufacturer Socar, Inc. He worked through several different assignments at Socar, Inc. in sales, administration, and as company president. In addition, he was involved with the Steel Joist Institute as Chair of the Publicity Committee, Member of the Executive Committee and President of the Institute. Additional work experience after 29 years at Socar included New Millennium (Steel Dynamics) and CMC Joist and Deck (Commercial Metals).
In 2011, Charles was named Managing Director of the Steel Joist Institute, a position he continues to fill today. In that slot he has been involved with AISC, AISI, NCSEA and ASCE. He has been a member of AISC’s Steel Conference (NASCC) Planning Committee since 2015.
In 2023, Charles added Managing Director of the Steel Deck Institute to his responsibilities, and relocated the SDI offices to Florence, South Carolina.
He is involved in community work in Florence, SC as Chair of the PEK Foundation, Board Member and Former Chair at House of Hope of the Pee Dee. Previously, President of the local BSA Council and Board Member at Eastern Carolina Community Foundation.
Charles is married to the former Margaret Key and they have 5 adult children and 9 grandchildren.
Thomas Sputo
Tom has 35 years of experience in varied areas of structural design, including specialty engineering of manufactured components. Tom is also Vice-President of Sputo and Lammert Engineering, LLC in Gainesville, FL, designing and investigating buildings and other structures. Additionally, he is a Senior Lecturer Emeritus at the University of Florida, where he taught structural design for over 20 years. He is a licensed Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer in 13 states, and a Special (Threshold) Inspector in Florida.
Thomas Sputo Ph.D.,
P.E., S.E.
Technical Director
Thomas Sputo
Tom has 35 years of experience in varied areas of structural design, including specialty engineering of manufactured components. Tom is also Vice-President of Sputo and Lammert Engineering, LLC in Gainesville, FL, designing and investigating buildings and other structures. Additionally, he is a Senior Lecturer Emeritus at the University of Florida, where he taught structural design for over 20 years. He is a licensed Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer in 13 states, and a Special (Threshold) Inspector in Flordia.
Members / Associate Members
Members of the Institute are manufacturers of steel floor deck and roof deck. Associate Members are manufacturers of related products used in the production or erection of steel decks.
Members
Jodec LLC
Associate Members
The SDI Story
The Steel Roof Deck Industry Technical Committee was formed in 1939 by the American Iron and Steel Institute and produced a draft Design Specification for Steel Roof Decking, published in 1945. The organization changed its name to the Metal Roof Deck Technical Institute in 1947, then to the Steel Deck Institute in 1964. The SDI published load tables for Narrow Rib, Intermediate, and Wide Rib Decks in the late 60s and published recommendations for Composite Steel Floor Deck design in 1978.
The Steel Deck Institute has maintained its commitment to funding research and development of new floor deck and roof deck solutions for the construction industry. In 2012, the organization published the First Edition of its Roof Deck Design Manual, followed by the First Edition of its companion Floor Deck Design Manual in 2014. These manuals, now in their Second Editions, have replaced Publication No. 31 and various other design handbooks that were published in the past. The SDI’s continued investment in research, computational model analysis, and empirical analysis aims to address existing challenges and develop innovative solutions for the ever-changing needs of the construction industry.
Steel Deck – The Sustainable Choice
Metal decking has many environmental advantages over other comparable construction materials. Steel is a durable material with a long lifespan and low maintenance requirement, reducing the need for replacement or repairs and the overall environmental impact of the project. Additionally, steel is highly recyclable, with a recycling rate of around 90%, reducing waste sent to landfills and conserving natural resources.
The common steel deck profiles allow sheets to be nested with each for transportation, minimizing dunnage and allowing for optimal truck loads. In conjunction with steel deck’s high strength-to-weight ratio, optimal truck loads help to reduce carbon emissions associated with transportation of materials to the job site. Steel deck’s superior strength- to-weight ratio also means less material is required to achieve necessary levels of strength and stability for a given project, further reducing the environmental impact.
Overall, the environmental advantages of steel roof deck and floor deck make them a sustainable and attractive choice for construction projects, contributing to the conservation of natural resources and reducing the impact of construction on the environment.
