News
August 7, 2007
Scotland issues cut-off date: Eurocodes only from 2010
The Scottish Building Standards Agency has stated in the 2007 revisions to Section 1: Structure for non-domestic buildings that, after 2010, national codes will no longer be acceptable - only the Eurocodes. This means that BS 5268 will be superseded by Eurocode 5 by 2010.
Behind the statements in the Scottish requirements are the ODPM document ‘Implementation of Structural Eurocodes in the UK', which states that there will be a maximum three-year period from publication of the relevant material Eurocode (eg EC5 for timber) and the National Annexes (which apply to all materials) before the relevant British Standard is withdrawn. As the National Annexes to EC5 were published by BSI at the end of last year, the period of co-existence with BS 5268 will theoretically cease at the end of 2009.
The Eurocodes have been designed around the needs of structural engineers, whose task it is to specify load-bearing members that are sufficiently strong, stiff and stable to ensure the safety of the building. Eurocode 5, therefore, is basically a rulebook for structural engineers. It sets out agreed calculation methods for checking the strength, stiffness and stability of buildings and other structures.
Adopting the Eurocode system will mean two major changes: firstly every European country will use the same design codes, and secondly all the structural materials will use the same design basis.
There are huge differences between EC5 and BS 5268 and TRADA has produced a Construction Briefing to compare the two approaches and to summarise the advantages and disadvantages of the Eurocode system. Click here.
Many of the May 2007 changes to the Scottish structural standard for non-domestic buildings are similar to those introduced for domestic buildings. A key feature is again updated guidance on disproportionate collapse covering all buildings.
The new guidance provides a fairly simple three-stage, risk-based approach, very similar to that found in Approved Document A: Structure for England & Wales, to ensuring that buildings will not be susceptible to disproportionate collapse:
- Determine the building risk group.
- Assess what additional measures to the design / construction will be needed to ensure that disproportionate collapse will not occur.
- Design and construct, incorporating the necessary additional measures identified in stage two.
The British Standard, which will provide full details on the additional measures required when using timber frame, had not been published at the time of writing but should be published during 2007. In the meantime, designers are recommended to read Technical Bulletin Number 3, Design Guidance for Disproportionate Collapse, by the UK Timber Frame Association.
To obtain copies of the TRADA CBs, which provides commentary on all the changes made to Section 1: Structure, of the SBSA Technical Handbook, click here.
To view the new Scottish regulations in full click here.
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