Structural design Eurocodes now adopted take over from withdrawn BS standards

05/04/2010 by David Slade.

WITHDRAWAL OF STRUCTURAL DESIGN STANDARDS (BRITISH STANDARDS) AND UPDATING APPROVED DOCUMENTS A AND C

Introduction of a suite of new British Standards (BSs) for structural design, based on European Standards often called the Eurocodes, and the associated withdrawal by British Standards Institution in March 2010 of conflicting BS design standards, some of which are referenced in the Building Regulations Approved Documents, particularly Approved Document A (Structure).
The structural Eurocodes are a set of standardised European design standards which provide a common approach to structural design across the EU. They are intended to remove potential barriers to trade that exist when countries have different design standards

There are ten Eurocodes made up of 58 Parts that are being adopted in all EU Member States in 2010. Each Part is implemented nationally with a National Annex. These Annexes contain information on Nationally Determined Parameters to be used for the design of building and civil engineering works to be constructed in the country concerned, addressing for example particular national safety parameters, geographical and climatic conditions, and procedures.
Under an agreement between the European standardisation bodies, the national standards bodies including BSI for the UK will withdraw any conflicting national structural design standards by 31 March 2010.
In the UK BSI has published the Eurocode (EN) standards as British Standards (BS ENs). BSI has also published the National Annexes. The ten, with the number of Parts in each, are:

BS EN 1990 Basis of Structural Design 1 Part

BS EN 1991 Actions on Structures 10 Parts

BS EN 1992 Design of Concrete Structures 4 Parts

BS EN 1993 Design of Steel Structures 20 Parts

BS EN 1994 Design of Composite Structures 3 Parts

BS EN 1995 Design of Timber Structures 3 Parts

BS EN 1996 Design of Masonry Structures 4 Parts

BS EN 1997 Geotechnical Design 2 Parts

BS EN 1998 Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance 6 Parts

BS EN 1999 Design of Aluminium Structures 5 Parts
ANNEX A provides a list of the new BS EN structural design standards, and the corresponding British Standards which will be withdrawn by BSI on 31 March 2010.

EUROCODES

The structural Eurocodes are divided into 10 areas:

Base Eurocode - Basis of structural design
Needed for use with all other Eurocodes

Eurocode 1 Series - Action on structures
Eurocodes and related information on loading

Eurocode 2 Series - Design of concrete structures
Eurocodes and related information on concrete

Eurocode 3 Series - Design of steel structures
Eurocodes and related information on steel structures

Eurocode 4 Series - Design on composite steel and concrete structures
Eurocodes and related information on composites

Eurocode 5 Series - Design of timber structures
Eurocodes and related information on timber

Eurocodes 6 Series - Design of masonry structures
Eurocodes and related information on masonry

Eurocode 7 Series - Geotechnical design
Eurocodes and related information on geotechnics

Eurocode 8 Series - Design of structures for earthquake resistance
Eurocodes and related information on seismic regions

Eurocode 9 Series - Design of aluminium structures
Eurocodes and related information on aluminium

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BUILDING CONTROL BODIES (BCBs)
When assessing compliance with the Building Regulations, BCBs should continue to consider the appropriate use of relevant standards on a case by case basis. This may include the use of the new BS ENs, which formally become the new national standards in April 2010 reflecting the changes made by the standards organisations. There is no need to wait until April 2010.
The British Standards to be withdrawn on 31 March are and will remain available from BSI. But BSI committees have already stopped updating those British Standards, and so they may not necessarily be suitable for aspects of structural design in the medium and long term.
BCBs will need to be aware of the risk of designs inappropriately mixing new design standards based on the BS ENs and withdrawn BS design standards.

REFERENCES IN APPROVED DOCUMENTS
Building regulations are made for specific purposes, including the health and safety, welfare and convenience of people in and around buildings, and energy conservation. The majority of the functional requirements of these regulations are set out in Parts A to P in Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2000. The Approved Documents which provide guidance on compliance with those requirements are named to correspond to the appropriate Part, e.g. Approved Document A provides guidance on compliance with Part A. Standards and technical approvals may be appropriate guidance as to compliance with the functional requirements to the extent that the content is related to those requirements. However standards and technical approvals may also address aspects of performance such as serviceability, and other matters which are not covered by the Building Regulations.
When an Approved Document makes reference to a named standard, the relevant version of the standard is the one listed at the end of the publication. However, if this version has been revised or updated by the issuing standards body, the new version may be used as a source of guidance provided it continues to address the relevant requirements of the Regulations.

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