Impact of Eurocodes on Steel Structures

Professor David A Nethercot Tan Swan BEng Endowed Professor

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Continental Steel Public Seminar

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Transition

“The onset of new or revised regulations invariably

heralds a trying period of the unfortunate people

who have to work such regulations. This applies

both to those who have to comply with, and those

who have to administer, such regulations”.

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Implementation in the UK

• The most wide ranging change to codification of structural design ever experienced

• In many ways the most technically advanced suite of structural design codes in the world

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Recommendations

The UK Structural Engineering community must be properly supported during the transition process, which can be expected to occupy a minimum of five years. If not, much competitive advantage, in terms of both defending the UK home market and enabling exports overseas, will be lost.

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The Structural Eurocodes - Scope

• The structural Eurocodes are – EN 1990 Basis of structural design

– EN 1991 Actions on structures

– EN 1992 Design of concrete structures

– EN 1993 Design of steel structures

– EN 1994 Design of composite steel and concrete structures

– EN 1995 Design of timber structures

– EN 1996 Design of masonry structures

– EN 1997 Geotechnical design

– EN 1998 Design of structures for earthquake resistance

– EN 1999 Design of aluminium structures

EC3 Parts

• EN 1993-1 Generic rules

• EN 1993-2 Bridges

• EN 1993-3 Towers, masts & chimneys

• EN 1993-4 Silos, tanks & pipelines

• EN 1993-5 Piling

• EN 1993-6 Crane supporting structures

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EN 1993-1

Eurocode 3: Part 1 has 12 sub-parts:

• EN 1993-1-1 General rules

• EN 1993-1-2 Fire

• EN 1993-1-3 Cold-formed thin gauge

• EN 1993-1-4 Stainless steel

• EN 1993-1-5 Plated elements

• EN 1993-1-6 Shells

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EN 1993-1

• EN 1993-1-7 Plates transversely loaded

• EN 1993-1-8 Joints

• EN 1993-1-9 Fatigue

• EN 1993-1-10 Fracture toughness

• EN 1993-1-11 Cables

• EN 1993-1-12 High strength steels

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Particular Features

No duplication of material

• Efficient in theory

• Inconvenient to refer to different sections when conducting a single task

• Even more so if moving across several documents e.g. composite bridge

• Navigation through and between documents

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Axis System

Follows that used by computer software xx - along the member yy - axis of the cross-section zz - axis for the cross section

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Language

• Equivalent meaning in several European languages

• “Actions” and “Loads”

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Arrangement

• Similar sequence in documents

• Grouped by task not by need i.e. shear checks not beam design

• Scope to repackage

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Solutions

• Design Guides that repackage Code material into an easier to use format.

• Design Manuals that extract material required for the most commonly conducted tasks and present them more simply.

• A “Concise” version of key documents, containing only that material required for the most commonly conducted tasks

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• Unified design paths for routine buildings.

• Simple and complete Design Guidance.

• Material for inexperienced Designers.

• 250 plus harmonised resources.

• Multilingual (English, French, Spanish and German).

• Links to Eurocode Clauses.

• Quality Assured and printable

• User friendly IT systems: Fast structured search

• And most importantly, free registration.

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6.3.4 Columns in Simple Construction

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Thomas Telford (ICE)

Designer’s Guide to:

Eurocode 3: Design of Steel Bridges Eurocode 4: Design of Composite Steel & Concrete Structures

1993 – 2: Design of Steel Structures: Part 2 Bridges

1994 – 2: Design of Composite Steel & Concrete Structures: Part 2

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Also: Fire, Earthquake, Loading

ECCS Eurocode Design Manuals

• Design of Steel Structures

• Fire Design of Steel Structures

• Fatigue Design of Steel & Composite Structures

• Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structures

• Design of Plated Structures

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Conclusions

• The UK is committed to adopting the Eurocodes

• The transition will not (and does not need to) happen overnight

• Much has been and is being done to support the transition

• The Steel Sector has the most extensive and comprehensive package of support material

• Work from this – not from EC3 directly – whenever possible

• Five years form now most of us will have difficulty in recalling the previous arrangements

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Today’s recommendation

• Don’t use EC3 directly

• Rely on the supporting infrastructure

• Comprehensive, helpful and largely available now and free of charge