Introduction to Eurocode 7
Dr Andrew Bond
Geocentrix
[Link]/eurocode7
Background to the Eurocodes
• 1975
– Commission of the European Community
decided on an action programme:
• To eliminate technical obstacles to trade
• To harmonise technical specifications
• 1989
– The Commission and Member States of the
EU and EFTA transferred preparation of
Eurocodes to CEN
Field of application of Eurocodes
• The Eurocode standards provide:
– Common structural design rules for everyday
use for the design of…
• whole structures and component products
• of both traditional and innovative nature
• Unusual forms of construction or design
conditions are not specifically covered
– Additional expert consideration will be
required in such cases
Status of Eurocodes
• Member States of EU and EFTA recognize that
the Eurocodes serve as reference documents:
– To prove compliance with Council Directive
89/106/EEC on construction projects, in particular:
• Essential requirement 1 – mechanical resistance and stability
• Essential requirement 2 – safety in case of fire
– For specifying contracts for construction works
– For drawing up harmonized technical specifications
for construction products
Structural Eurocode programme
Scope of ENs 1990 and 1991
• EN 1990:
– Establishes principles and requirements for the safety
and serviceability of structures
– Describes the basis for their design and verification
– Gives guidelines for related aspects of structural
reliability
• EN 1991:
– Provides numerical values of actions on buildings and
civil engineering works to be taken into account in
design
Scope of ENs 1997 and 1998
• EN 1997:
– Applies to geotechnical aspects of the design of
buildings and civil engineering works
– Concerned with requirements for strength, stability,
serviceability, and durability of structures
• Other requirements (e.g. thermal or sound insulation) are
not considered
• EN 1998:
– Provides additional rules for geotechnical seismic
design
EN 1997: Eurocode 7
Geotechnical design
EN 1997-1 EN 1997-2
General rules Design assisted by field and laboratory testing
Contents of EN 1997-1
Fundamental issues
Section 1 Section 2
General Basis of geotechnical design
Essential geotechnical practice
Section 4
Section 5
Supervision of
Section 3 Fill, dewatering, ground
construction,
Geotechnical data improvement and
monitoring and
reinforcement
maintenenace
Specific structural types
Section 6 Section 8 Section 9
Spread foundations Anchorages Retaining structures
Section 7 Section 12
Pile foundations Embankments
Relevant to all structural types
Section 10 Section 11
Hydraulic failure Overall stability
Supporting information
Annex A (normative)
Partial and correlation factors for
ultimate limit states and recommended
values
Annexes B-F (informative)
EN 1997: Eurocode 7
Contents of EN 1997-2
Geotechnical design
EN 1997-1 EN 1997-2
General rules Design assisted by field and laboratory testing
Fundamental issues
Section 1 Section 2
General Planning of ground investigations
Field and laboratory testing
Section 3 Section 4 Section 5
Soil and rock sampling and groundwater Field tests in soils and Laboratory tests on soils
measurements rocks and rocks
Reporting
Section 6
Ground investigation report
Supporting information
Annex A (normative)
Partial and correlation factors for
ultimate limit states and recommended
values
Annexes B-F (informative)
Progress of EN 1997-1
• Experimental ENV period
– November 1994-November 1996
• Conversion of ENV to EN
– September 1997-June 2000
• Preparation of final draft of EN
– June 2000-December 2002
• Roll-out in 3 languages
– Mid 2004
Principles and Application Rules
• Distinction is made between:
– Principles:
• General statements and definitions for which there
is no alternative
• Requirements and analytical models for which no
alternative is permitted
– Application Rules:
• Generally recognized rules which follow the
Principles and satisfy their requirements
Introduction to Eurocode 7
Dr Andrew Bond
Geocentrix
[Link]/eurocode7
