Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Standards, Codes
and Regulations
1.0 Introduction
BS8110/EC2 flow chart
The production of a European standard
for reinforcing steels began in 1988.
The key stumbling block to bringing
BS 8110: 2005 Eurocode 2 + UK National Annex
what may be regarded as a ‘normal’
European standard to fruition remains
the inability to agree a common set of Reinforcement
steel grades and associated bar
marking. This problem still exists, and BS EN 10080
the current European standard EN
10080, is an ‘open’ standard, i.e. with BS 4449: 2005
no steel grades. The process was BS 4483: 2005
further interrupted by the requirement BS 8666: 2005
for the standards committee to account
for the requirements placed upon it by
the Construction Products Regulation, Concrete
which required the standard to be
structured in such a way as to enable BS EN 206
the application of the CE Marking,
including the associated certification. BS 8500
This is termed ‘harmonisation’.
One key aim was to ensure that a can be used during any continuing co- committee as a standard. The same
package of European codes and existence period. It also describes the applies to BS5400 and BS8007 and any
standards was issued at approximately key area of CE marking and the strategy associated standards that were
the same time, thereby enabling a to be employed by CARES and its withdrawn. The workmanship
smooth transition to emerging codes approved firms to ensure that requirements of BS8110 are now
and standards, bearing in mind their construction clients and designers included in another standard, BS EN
interdependence. Despite the delay in receive the appropriate reinforcing steel 13670, Execution of Concrete Structures.
issuing a ‘harmonised’ European for their particular projects. In the UK, concrete is covered by
Standard for reinforcing steels, BS4449, BS8500:Concrete – complimentary
BS4483 and BS8666 were re-issued in British Standard to BS EN 206-1.
2005, correlating with the draft of BS
EN10080 at that time. Whilst this suite 2.0 Design The various Eurocodes, as well as the
of documents is being used product and execution standards, have
successfully, it must be stressed that ■ 2.1 General been produced by CEN (Comité
the operation of sound management Européen de Normalisation), which
systems throughout the concrete Eurocode 2 was introduced into the UK publishes these as full European
supply chain will ensure that ‘old’ and in 2010 and its use, as considered Standards. Under CE rules, all National
‘new’ standards and codes will be able appropriate, will dramatically affect the codes that conflict with the Eurocodes
to be run successfully in parallel for a way concrete structures are designed. must be withdrawn.
period of time. This will include the use of steel
reinforcement. BS8110 was withdrawn During the period within which BS 8110
This part of the CARES Guide describes by BSI in 2010 meaning that, whilst it and EC2 co-exist, it is important to create
the key differences between the ‘old’ may be used for a period of time, it will a similar path for the use of each, with
and ‘new’ systems, showing how they not be supported by the relevant BSI their respective supporting standards.
Amendments to the reinforcing steel
standards, BS 4449, BS4483 and Properties of reinforcement
BS8666, has ensured that current
practice, albeit with the use of
reinforcing steel with different Product form Bars and Wire Fabrics
properties, can continue. Successful use de-coiled rods
of EC2 will therefore be possible, as the
British standards for both reinforcing
steel and concrete will now support the Class A B C A B C
use of EC2 in the UK. Figure 1. shows
how this is achieved.
Characteristic
yield strength 400 to 600
■ 2.2 Eurocode 2 fyk or f 0,2k (MPa)
Eurocode 2 has the following parts : Minimum value of >1,05 >1,08 >1,15 >1,05 >1,08 >1,15
k = (f t /f y ) k <1,35 <1,35
BS EN 1992: Eurocode 2:
Design of concrete structures Characteristic strain
at maximum force, >2,5 >5,0 >7,5 >2,5 >5,0 >7,5
BS EN 1992-1-1: Part 1-1:
General rules and rules for buildings
uk (%)
(EC2 Part 1-1)
Table 1
σ σ
f t = kfytk f t = kf 0.2k
f 0.2k
f yk
uk 0,2%
uk
Figure 3
3.0 Product Standards In BS EN10080, and therefore in ■ 3.2.1 BS 4449:2005
BS4449, weldability is determined “Carbon steel bars for
■ 3.1 EN 10080 by chemical composition, as is the reinforcement of
durability. Bond strength is
concrete”
BS EN 10080, “Steel for the determined by either rib geometry,
reinforcement of concrete- Weldable or if the rib dimensions are not
met, by means of a bond test. • Strength. The yield strength (Re)
reinforcing steel- General”, was
specified in BS 4449:2005 is 500
published in 2005. Under the rules of
As stated above, BS EN10080 MPa. As before, this is a
CEN, the British Standards for
does not have all of the detail characteristic value, based on the
reinforcing steel were to be either
required to fully define a long-term statistical distribution of
withdrawn or amended. As BS EN
specification and cannot therefore results. The standard also specifies
10080 did not include any steel grades
be used as a stand-alone absolute minimum values for
or a method of readily differentiating
document. It must be used in individual test results, as well as a
between grades, BS4449 was
conjunction with another technical maximum value for yield strength of
retained. This was amended not to
specification such as a National 650 MPa.
conflict with BS EN 10080, and
followed its structure, albeit that it Standard or manufacturer’s
specification, which will link to • The mechanical properties, including
included strength and ductility levels
EN10080, and will specify the yield strength, are now measured
as well as a rib pattern for each
values of the performance using the nominal rather than the
ductility grade.
characteristics, which will define a actual cross sectional area.
In following the structure of BS grade of steel. The complementary
technical specification may specify • Ductility (elongation) is now defined
EN10080, BS4449 and its related
any performance level for these by the elongation at maximum load,
standard for reinforcing steel fabric,
characteristics, as appropriate. Agt, (uniform elongation), and not by
BS4483, have been designed to link
elongation to fracture. Agt was
with the requirements of Eurocode 2
specified in the 1997 revision, but
(EC2), as described in its Annex C.
■ 3.2 British Standards was for information only, and was not
a cause for non-compliance.
Whilst not describing levels of
performance, BS EN 10080 is useful in The British standards for
reinforcing steel are: • A new high ductility class “Grade C”
providing the following:
has been introduced. This has both
• BS4449 – Bar/Coil. maxima and minima applied to yield
• A common set of performance
strength and also higher levels of
characteristics which must be • BS4482 – Wire. uniform elongation and stress ratio
assessed by the manufacturer of
than the requirements in
the reinforcing steel bars/coils. • BS4483 – Fabric.
BS4449:1997, Grade 460B.
• A common set of test methods for • BS8666 – Scheduling.
• Rebend test. The bending former
these product characteristics.
The key changes made in the diameter for sizes equal to or below
2005 issue of BS4449 were as 16mm has been reduced from 5d to
• A system of manufacturer’s
follows; 4d (where d is the bar diameter).
evaluation for these characteristics.
The opportunity was taken to rationalise CE marking has a regulatory basis and is • A system of “cascade” certification,
some of the bending shapes in the not a voluntary mark of quality. The which not only applies to the bars
standard, although these changes will declared values given with CE marking, and coils, but to their supply and
not be described here. The 2005 either by reference to a specification or subsequent processing downstream
revision also introduced testing of de- by reference to measured properties, to the installation on the
coiled product. provide a basis for demonstrating that a construction site.
product meets regulatory requirements.
• A combination of product, process
The responsibility for affixing the CE
and system audits by highly
Mark on the product rests with the
4.0 Product Certification experienced auditors, managed by a
manufacturer or his agent. The CE Mark
certification team immersed in the
may only be affixed when a product is
In a market increasingly moving industry, including the standards
covered by a ‘harmonised’ standard (or a
towards globalisation in terms of steel writing process.
European Technical Assessment –
supply, where the production source is relating to products which may not be • A detailed examination of the
further removed from the place of use covered by a harmonised standard). manufacturer’s process control, from
and where suppliers of unknown ability Unfortunately, as yet, there is no such the production of hot metal through
are being used, there is a growing need ‘harmonised’ standard for reinforcing all stages of production, up to and
to provide certification to ensure that steel. BS EN 10080 is not a including the final product. This
steel arriving on site complies in all ‘harmonised’ standard. When it includes all feedstock materials
respects with the specification. eventually becomes ‘harmonised’, such purchased for use in the manufacture
a CE Mark applied to reinforcing bars of these products.
The British reinforcing steel standards and coils, produced to the requirements
deal with this by providing two streams • Full traceability of reinforcing steel
of BS EN10080 and a supporting
for compliance: specification, will indicate to the and associated test data from hot
appropriate regulatory authorities that metal to finished bars and coils.
• Batch testing with a prescribed the steel to which it has been affixed • The publication of a register of marks
sampling and testing regime. meets the regulatory legal requirements and associated company details,
for placing it onto the single European which provides an invaluable
• Statistical control of production by the
Market, providing a presumption of purchasing tool.
manufacturer, supported by Product
conformity with the CPR.
Certification. • A test programme, which includes a
These are “balanced” in their statistical evaluation of witness and
independent test results.
requirements in order to provide an ■ 4.2 Voluntary marks This provides a “calibration”
equivalence of confidence, taking of quality
account of the relevant consumer and mechanism between producer
producers risks in the process. and independent testing.
It is however recognised that
The CARES Scheme accounts for this in construction clients, designers and • The use of selected testing
its structure, although the high risks and manufacturers may have needs over laboratories experienced in the
testing costs associated with batch and above those covered by CE marking testing of reinforcing steels and
testing mean that it is seldom if ever and therefore quality marks, such as associated products. These have
used in practice. The British reinforcing those provided by CARES, have a place. conducted “round-robin” testing
steel standards are used widely The CPR allows CE marking and programmes, results being used
throughout the world, as is CARES Voluntary marks to co-exist. The CARES by CARES.
certification, and it is likely that this Scheme is entered into voluntarily by a
situation will increase, as major • The ability to adopt a flexibility of
manufacturer, as a way of improving his
construction clients seek to reduce the product testing and audit frequency,
products and systems, as well as
risk of purchasing material of unknown in order to account for the relative
providing a strong indicator to his
quality and origin. experience of the manufacturers in
customers and the market that a certain
the production of the particular grade
level of confidence can be attributed to
and type of steel under assessment.
the products and services to which the
CARES marks are attached. • Direct control of the use of the
■ 4.1 CE Marking certification marks and any actions,
such as withdrawals or suspensions,
In Europe, a particular consequence of
which may be felt necessary due
the Construction Products Regulation ■ 4.3 Benefits of the
to contraventions of scheme
(CPR) to producers of construction CARES Scheme regulations.
products and materials has been the
availability of CE marking to Whilst giving recognition to the • A system of complaint investigation
manufacturers and the requirement to meaning of both marks as described on behalf of any purchaser or
use it in Member States. Unfortunately, above, and recognising that CARES will construction client who feels that
there has been much confusion over the support both, it is necessary to set out the certification scheme is not
purpose and meaning of the CE marking the principal benefits that are provided being applied satisfactorily by
and who it was designed to satisfy. by the CARES voluntary scheme: approved firms.
The CARES Guide to Reinforcing Steels Part 10
UK CARES
Pembroke House, 21 Pembroke Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1XR
Phone: +44(0)1732 450000 Fax: +44(0)1732 455917
E-mail: general@ukcares.com
URL: www.ukcares.com
Copyright UK CARES ©
This guide is available in pdf format. If you wish to receive a pdf copy
and receive future updates, please send an e-mail to the address above
P10/REV1/2011/AARON