construction also with a rectangular cross section but of a smaller size than tubular top chord 102 and tubular bottom chord 104 however it is understood that diagonals 106 could be constructed of any suitable geometry alternatively diagonals 106 could be of a conventional construction and not tubular diagonals 106 in the preferred arrangement are oriented in a zig zag pattern to join tubular top chord 102 and tubular bottom chord 104 diagonals 106 are welded to top chord 102 and bottom chord 104 thus forming a rigid open web tubular joist design tubular top chord 102 tubular bottom chord 104 and diagonals 106 when constructed lie in or nearly in a common vertical plane tubular joists offer several advantages over conventional steel joists specifically nine such advantages have been identified and are set forth herein for example with regard to fabrication tubular joists have several advantages tubular joists have half the number of chord pieces and one third fewer web member pieces no verticals to handle and cut in the shop tubular joists will have less than half the surface area that must be coated all web to chord tubular connections are simple gapped joints with small fillet welds made on the flat area of the hss tube wall with reference to fig4 a conventional joist.