INTRODUCTION TO

EUROCODES
By : Halina Binti Hamid
 What is Eurocode ?

A set of harmonized technical rules for the design of construction

works developed for EU countries.

EU countries – Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,

Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United
Kingdom.

Exists in three official versions – English, French, German

 When ..

Started in 1974, originated in 1957 at the Treaty of Rome through EEC Euro
Act 1986 tackle the legal issued to the process of harmonization.

In 1975 after decision made by Commission of the European Community

(CEC) on an action program in the field of construction, based on article 95
of the Treaty.

The objective of the program was the elimination of technical obstacles to

trade and the harmonization of technical specifications.

For 15 years, the Commission, with the help of a Steering Committee with
Representatives of Member States, conducted the development of the
Eurocode program, which led to the first generation of European codes in
the 1980s.
 When ..

In 1989, the Commission and the Member States of the EU and EFTA
decided to transfer the preparation and the publication of the
Eurocodes to CEN (European Committee for Standard), in order to
provide them with a future status of European Standard (EN).

For steel first drafted in 1984 pre-std in 1992 –ENV 1993 Design of
Steel Structure.

2005 produce the EN version

 When ..

• Shifting to Eurocodes is
mandatory
• After publication of final
version (EN version), 2
years is allocated for
calibration – development
In Europe: of annex and NDP.
• Followed by 3 years
coexistent before total
withdraw of ‘conflicting
standards’
• EC 3 to be fully enforced
in 2010.
 Why Adopt Eurocode ?

1 2 3 4 5 6

Follow
Unless we Opportunity developme
No more Local are able to nt in the
engineers EC 3 fulfill to develop
updates develop ISO and utilize UK, as local
be able to
for BS compete
more standards
local value in engineers
5950 superior National are familiar
globally design code Annex with British
system.
 The Benefits ?
The new Eurocodes are claimed to be the most technically advanced codes in the
world.

Eurocode 3 should result in more economic structures than BS 5950

The Eurocodes are logical and organized to avoid repetition

Eurocode 3 is less restrictive and more extensive than BS 5950.

Use of the Eurocodes will provide more opportunity for designers to work
throughout Europe.

Europe all public works must allow the Eurocodes to be used for structural design

National Annex – opportunity to use local values in design known as NDP (Nationally Determined
Parameters) Values determined based on local level of safety requirement.

Unified approach in structural steel design

 Overview :

• EN 1990: Basis of structural design

• EN 1991: Actions on structures
• EN 1992: Design of concrete structures
The Eurocodes are a • EN 1993: Design of steel structures
series of 10 • EN 1994: Design of composite steel and
European standards, concrete structures
with each of these • EN 1995: Design of timber structures
codes consisting of • EN 1996: Design of masonry structures
several parts: • EN 1997: Geotechnical design
• EN 1998: Design of structures for earthquake
resistance
• EN 1999: Design of aluminum structures
Overview :
 Eurocode 3:
Design of steel structures
 BS EN 1993
What is included in Eurocode 3

The scope of BS EN 1993 is wider than most of the other design

Eurocodes due to the diversity of steel structures.

Therefore this Eurocode covers both bolted and welded joints,

and the possible slenderness of construction.

The real differences when compared to existing British Standards are

that the Eurocode brings new methods into the scope.
For example, the design of semi-rigid joints in buildings is explained, and
more advanced methods of design for cold-formed steelwork are included.
The rules for shell and for the design of piles, sheet piling and silos are new,
and rules for stainless steel appear for the first time.
Parts of BS EN 1993 :
Parts of BS EN 1993 :
 Contents of the Eurocode

• Eurocode – Basis of structural design2 is divided into six sections and

four annexes (A-D), as shown in Figure. In this diagram, the size of
each segment of the pie is proportional to the number of paragraphs in
the relevant section.

EN 1990 describes the basis
for the design and
verification of buildings and
civil engineering works,
including geotechnical
aspects, and gives guidance
for assessing their structural
reliability (see Figure).
It covers the design of repairs
and alterations to existing
construction and assessing
the impact of changes in use.
Because of their special
nature, some construction
works (such as nuclear
installations and dams) may
need to be designed to
provisions other than those
given in EN 1990.
 Requirements :

The basic requirements of a structure are to sustain all likely actions and
influences, to remain fit for purpose, and to have adequate structural
resistance, durability, and serviceability. These requirements must be
met for the structure’s entire design working life, including construction.
The structure must not suffer disproportionate damage owing to adverse
events, such as explosions, impact, or human error. The events to be
taken into account are those agreed with client and relevant authorities.

In addition, the design must avoid or limit potential damage by reducing,

avoiding, or eliminating hazards. This can be achieved by tying structural
members together, avoiding collapse without warning (e.g. by employing
structural redundancy and providing ductility), and designing for the
accidental removal of a structural member.
The design working life is the :
• Assumed period for which a structure or part of it
is to be used for its intended purpose with
anticipated maintenance but without major
repair being necessary.
Figure below compares the design working life of various structures
according to EN 1990 (dark lines) with the modifications made to these
time periods by the UK National Annex to EN 1990 (lighter lines). The most
significant change is the extension of Category 5 to 120 years – although
this only really affects fatigue calculations.
DESIGN ACCORDING TO THE EUROCODE
 Principles of limit state design

Limit states is a states beyond which the structure no

longer fulfils the relevant design criteria. The limit
states discussed in EC3 is ultimate limit states and
serviceability limit states.
 Principles of Limit State Design

ULTIMATE LIMIT STATES

– collapse ( yielding, buckling and overturning)

• Stability : Overturning
The following
conditions should • Strength : including local and
be considered : overall buckling effects where
appropriate.
 Load combinations can be simplified as :

1.35Gk + 1.5 Qk where Qk is the dominant imposed

load

1.35Gk + 1.35Qk where there are than one imposed

load

Where loads have a beneficial effect : 0.9 Gk

 SERVICEABILITY LIMIT STATES
is a states that correspond to conditions beyond which specified service
requirements for a structural member are no longer met. Serviceability
limit state, concerned with function like deflection and vibration.

• 1.0Gk + 1.0Qk where Qk is the dominant

Load combinations can be imposed load
simplified as : • 1.0Gk + 0.9Qk where there are than one
imposed load

The steel structure is

analyzed using appropriate • Design effects {E} and
methods and accounting for • Design resistance {R}
variability to determine :

It should be ensured that there is no limit state is exceeded { R > E }

OVERVIEW OF LIMIT STATE DESIGN
 Basic Variables

General information regarding basic variable is set out in Section 4

of EN 1990. Load referred to as actions in the structural Eurocodes,
should be taken from EN 1991, whilst partial factors and the
combination of action are covered in EN 1990.

The basic variable covered the actions and environmental

influences and also the material and product properties.
 Material properties

The strengths reduce for

t > 40mm and 100mm.
The nominal grades of
For all structural steels
steel (EN 10025) are :
young modulus E is taken
as 210 kN/mm2.

Fe 360 nominal yield Fe 430 nominal yield Fe 510 nominal yield

strength = 235 N/mm2 strength = 275 N/mm2 strength = 335 N/mm2
Table : Extract From BS EN 1993-1

This Manufactured
product standard is
used in this syllabus
Cross-section classification of EC3

The following clauses when

classifying a section and
determining the cross-
sectional resistance:

Clause 5.5 covers the cross

section classification

• Clauses 6.1 and 6.2 covers

the cross-sectional
resistance
Class 1 cross-sections are those which can form a plastic hinge with the
rotation capacity required from plastic analysis without reduction of the
resistance.

Class 2 cross-sections are those which can develop their plastic moment
resistance, but have limited rotation capacity because of local buckling.

Class 3 cross-sections are those in which the stress in the extreme

compression fibre of the steel member assuming an elastic distribution of
stresses can reach the yield strength, but local buckling is liable to prevent
development of the plastic moment resistance.

Class 4 cross-sections are those in which local buckling will occur before the
attainment of yield stress in one or more parts of the cross-section.