Essential Technical Contributions to the Compilation of the CSCS Group Standard Standard for Design of Steel Structures Using 690 to 960 MPa High-Strength Steel

With the recent development of China’s steel construction towards high-performance， lightweight， green and low-carbon materials， demands for the effective use of 690 to 960 MPa high-strength steel are increasing. Under this circumstance， China Steel Construction Society （CSCS） has organized relevant institutions such as the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Tsinghua University to develop the Group Standard “Standard for Design of Steel Structures using 690 to 960 MPa High-Strength Steel”（hereinafter referred to as "the CSCS Group Standard"）， in order to promote the high-quality development of steel construction and to facilitate the standardized application and international adoption of high-strength steel. Grounded in cutting-edge research， the CSCS Group Standard integrates expert insights on design methodology， construction practice， and welding technology for 690 to 960 MPa high-strength steel. It adopts a systematic framework which is compatible with and consistent with the design philosophy and formulations of European norms EN 1993-1 （steel Structures） and EN 1994-1 （composite structures）. This alignment facilitates Chinese engineers to become familiar with global standards， enabling effective collaboration with international counterparts through reciprocal understanding of Chinese practices. Evidently， the development of the CSCS Group Standard is an unprecedented practice to promote the internationalization of Chinese standards and the technical compatibility and alignment between Chinese and foreign steel design standards. This plays an important leading role in accelerating the “going global” of Chinese steel products and techniques， as well as their adoption in construction projects across Belt and Road countries. This paper highlights essential technical contributions in both steel and steel-concrete composite structures presented in the CSCS Group Standard， in particular the quality control of Chinese high-strength steel， performance-based seismic design， and full-section plastic design. It is prepared as a definitive reference for engineers to understand the Group Standard and hence to use it with confidence.