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Introduction to Eurocodes
The Eurocodes are a family of ten European codes of practice for the design of building
and civil engineering structures in concrete, steel, timber and masonry, amongst other
materials.
Structural Eurocodes
EN 1990, the head Eurocode, is the world’s first material independent design code and
provides guidance on determining the design value of actions and combination of
actions, including partial safety factors for actions. EN 1991 provides characteristic
values of actions needed for design.
In order to produce documents which are (a) concise, (b) describe the overall aims of
design and (c) provide specific guidance as to how these aims can be achieved in
practice, the material in the Eurocodes is divided into ‘Principles’ and ‘Application rules’.
Principles comprise general statements, definitions, requirements and models for which
no alternative is permitted. Principles are indicated by the letter P after the clause
number. The Application rules are generally recognised rules which follow the
statements and satisfy the requirements given in the principles. The absence of the
letter P after the clause number indicates an Application rule. The use of alternative
application rules to those recommended in the Eurocode is permitted provided it can be
shown that the alternatives are at least equivalent and do not adversely affect other
design requirements. It is worth noting, however, that if an alternative Application rule
is used the resulting design will not be deemed Eurocode compliant.
Possible differences in construction material/products and design and construction
practices, and regional differences in climatic conditions, e.g. wind and snow loading,
has meant that some parameters, e.g. partial safety factors, allowance in design for
deviation of concrete cover, a particular method or application rule if several are
proposed in the EN, etc., may be determined at the national level.
Prepared by: Eng. Chamil Duminda Mahagamage
2 B.Sc.Eng (Hons), C Eng, MIE(SL)
1/21/2018
Basis of design
Like BS 5950, EC3 is based on the limit state method and for design purposes principally
considers two categories of limit states: ultimate and serviceability. A separate (third)
category of durability is also mentioned in clause 4 of EC3 which covers the limit states
of corrosion, mechanical wear and fatigue.
The ultimate limit states (ULS) are those associated with collapse, or with other forms of
structural failure which may endanger the safety of people while serviceability limit
states (SLS) concern states beyond which specified service criteria, for example the
functioning of the structure or member, the comfort of people and appearance of the
structure, are no longer met (clauses 3.3 and 3.4 of EN 1990).
For loading types (a) and (c) the web is likely to fail as a result of
(i) crushing of the web close to the flange accompanied by yielding of the flange,
the combined effect sometimes referred to as web crushing.
(ii) localised buckling and crushing of the web beneath the flange, the combined
effect sometimes referred to as web crippling.
Provided that the compression flange is adequately restrained in the lateral direction, the
design resistance of webs of rolled beams under transverse forces can be determined in
accordance to the clause 6 of EC 3-5
Design resistance of webs to local buckling
In which
= is the reduction factor due to local buckling calculated as discussed below
= is the effective loaded length, appropriate to the length of stiff bearing Ss .
According to clause 6.3 of EC 3-5, Ss should be taken as the distance over which the
applied load is effectively distributed at a slope of 1:1 , but Ss ≤ hw
Reduction factor
According to clause 6.4 ,
For webs without longitudinal stiffeners kF is obtained from Fig 6.1 EC3-5 and ly is
obtained as follows
For loading type (c) ly is taken as the smallest value obtained from following two equations
Example 02
Check the suitability of 356 x 171 x 51 kg/m UB section in S275 steel loaded by uniformly
distributed loading gk = 8kN/m and qk = 6kN/m as shown below. Assume that the beam is
laterally and torsionally restrained only at the supports and that the beam sits on 100mm
bearings at each end. Ignore self weight of beam.
Example 03
Repeat Example 02, but this time assume that the beam is laterally and torsionally restrained
at mid-span and at the supports.