Note from the Code Drafting Team

Revision of
IS 456 Code of Practice for Plain and Reinforced Concrete
IS 1343 Code of Practice for Prestressed Concrete

The proposed Fifth Revision of the Indian Standard IS456 aims to addresses advances made
in the state-of-the-art internationally and in the state-of-the-practice in India in design and
construction of structural concrete. In particular, it is expected to addresses the significant
developments that have taken place over the last two decades in the fields of concrete technology
and the durability of concrete structures. Also, over the last four decades, design engineering has
seen major changes. Hence, this revision attempts to bring in an improved understanding of
structural behavior, some of which have been raised regularly during structural design, peer review
and proof-checking of concrete structures in India. This revision is expected to incorporate a
number of important changes.

The salient changes in the draft under consideration are:

(1) The provisions now are required to address three types of concretes, namely Plain, Reinforced
and Prestressed Concretes. As a consequence, the title of the unified standard is proposed to be
revised as the Indian Standard Code of Practice for Structural Concrete.
(2) The basis of design will be elaborated. The draft standard now requires concrete structures to be
designed for 6 limit states, namely Safety, Serviceability, Durability, Robustness, Integrity, and
Restorability. Each limit state is deemed to have been designed for if the structural design is
demonstrated to meet the requirements laid down in the standard.
(3) High strength concretes and reinforcing steels have been considered in the drafting of the
provisions in this revision.
(4) In general, the basic principles of design are proposed to be retained. Axial and flexural capacities
are based on strain considerations, and shear and torsion capacities on strength considerations.
(5) In the Limit State of Safety, the definition of design strength in flexure of a concrete member is
proposed to be revised from that corresponding to secondary compression failure of the
member to that corresponding to reaching limiting strains.
(6) The concept of design life is expected to be introduced quantitatively.
(7) Provisions related to serviceability, durability and fire resistance are expected to be harmonized
and rationalized.
(8) The drafting is completely new with different and additional chapters. Also, the nomenclature is
being changed now to reflect the unfactored, factored and overstrength demands and capacities of
concrete members.
(9) The commentaries of the clauses of the fifth revision are being prepared alongside to give insights
into the bases of the new provisions.