InfoGuides: Finding Standards: Find Engineering Standards

What are Engineering and Related Technical Standards?

Engineering standards are technical specifications stipulating product characteristics such as size, quality, performance, or safety. They may specify methodologies for the composition and testing of materials or the communication of digital information.

Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication standards are critically important to ensure that digital information is shared and stored with minimal loss of data.

Healthcare IT standardsare important to ensure privacy of medical records.

Can't access an engineering standard that you want? Contact the engineering librarian

You can find engineering standards using general standard search tools like ANSI, ISO, and Accuris.

Go to Search Tools on this guide.

Civil Engineering Standards

ASHTO standards:
Cover transportation materials, testing, etc. and are available in the ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library.

ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library
Contains current and historical ASTM and AASHTO standards. Can't access off-campus through the proxy server? Try using the VPN.

Finding an ASTM Standard (PDF)
Describes how to find current and historical standards

How to Setup the Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Most of the time, the proxy server will work fine off-campus. If not, try the VPN.
American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Standards
Provides free access to and downloading of their current standards on their website.

Ebook Central
Indexes some American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards

Materials Science and Engineering

ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library
A tutorial and directions to set up the VPN are in the Civil Engineering Standards section.
ProQuest SciTech Collection
Contains some National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) International standards

Electrical Engineering Standards

IEEE Xplore
This database provides access to nearly 7000 current, draft and "redlined" i.e. withdrawn standards. Search for IEEE using the advanced search. Standards that IEEE has developed with other organizations such as IEC or ISO will be found here.

Official Internet Protocol Standards
Browse for and access standards and proposed Internet protocol modifications related to networking.

Mechanical Engineering Standards

Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
Find AHRI standards. They are free
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Read online. Can't download or print

Information Technology and Telecommunication Standards

ISO/IEC Publically Available for Information Technology
Not all standards. Chosen by the ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee (JTC)1 Information Technology
National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
Free download of NISO standards
ITU-T Recommendations for Telecommunications -- OPEN ACCESS
Free access to nearly 3100 ITU-T Recommendations for the telecommunications industry.
ITU-R Recommendations for Radiocommunication -- OPEN ACESS
Free access to all the ITU Recommendations and Reports (Radiocommunication)
RTCA Recommendations
RTCA recommendations are developed for use in the aviation industry. Available print RTCA documents can be found by searching the Mason catalog. If you can't find the RTCA document needed in the Mason catalog, or you would like an electronic copy, please contact the Engineering Librarian.

European

European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) International
Free ECMA standards
European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
Free ETSI standards