THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EUROCODE 2 AND THE

BS 8110
AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

BY

ENGR (DR) VICTOR O OYENUGA

FNSE PPNIStructE FNIStructE FNICE FNIHTE MNIOB

MD: VASONS CONCEPT CONSULTANTS LTD,

LAGOS 50years of
Engineering Practice
 DISCUSSION TIPS
 Introduction
 More Info on Eurocode 2
 Eurocode Releases.
 Assumptions of Eurocodes.
 Principles and Application Rules.
 Composition of BS 8110 and EC 2.

 Design Philosophy.

 Comparison of BS8110 and Eurocode 2.

 Design of Beams.

 Design of Columns.

 Design of Foundations.

 Design Comparison.

 Conclusion.
 1.0 INTRODUCTION
 Both the BS8110 and Eurocodes are guidance for Structural
Designs. We shall limit our discussion to BS 8110 -1 Part 1
and Eurocode 2 (EC 2).
 Each of them needs the use of other documents for complete
design.
 BS 8110 Part 1 is the main design Standard but rely on the BS
8110 Parts 2 and 3(Charts).
 EC 2 relies on Eurocode – Basis of Structural Design (erroneously
referred to as EC 0) and EC 1.
 Both are based on Limit State Philosophy like CP110.
 EC 2 is more flexible since it allows the use of parameters
that are peculiar to the Country of use.
 BS 8110 is easier for young Engineers to follow.
 2.0 MORE INFORMATION ON EC 2
 Eurocode Releases
S/No Code Name Appelation Descriptions

1. BS EN 1990 Eurocode Basis of Structural Design

2. BS EN 1991 Eurocode 1 Actions on Structures

3. BS EN 1992 Eurocode 2 Design of Concrete Structures

4. BS EN 1993 Eurocode 3 Design of Steel Structures

5. BS EN 1994 Eurocode 4 Design of Composite Steel and Concrete

Structures
6. BS EN 1995 Eurocode 5 Design of Timber Structures

7. BS EN 1996 Eurocode 6 Design of Masonry Structures

8. BS EN 1997 Eurocode 7 Geotechnical Design

9. BS EN 1998 Eurocode 8 Design of Structures for Earthquake

Resistance

 Assumptions of Eurocodes – See Clause 1.3 of EC 2:

 The design of the structure is made by appropriately qualified and
experienced personnel.
 2.0 MORE INFO CONTD
 The execution by personnel of appropriate skills and
experiences.
 Adequate supervision and quality control is provided during
the execution ,
 The construction materials and products are of approved
standard.
 The Structure will be used in accordance with the design
assumptions.
 Principles and Application Rules.
 The Principles comprise:

 general statements and definitions for which there is no

alternative, as well as
 requirements and analytical models for which no
alternative is permitted unless specifically stated.
The principles are identified by the letter P following the
clause number. e.g Clause 2.1.2(P).
 2.0 MORE INFO CONTD
 On the other hand, Application Rules are generally recognized rules,
which comply with the Principles and satisfy their requirements.
They are clauses without the letter P.
These Rules give rise to what are referred as National Annex and
Nationally Determined Parameters.
 The possible differences in construction materials/products; design and
construction practices, and regional differences in climatic conditions,
etc. some parameters, such as, partial safety factors, allowance in
design etc., then a particular application rule may be proposed as
determined nationally.
 The recommended values of these parameters and design
method/procedures are collectively referred to as Nationally
Determined Parameters (NDPs).
 The NDPs determine various aspects of design, but perhaps most
importantly, the level of safety of structures during execution and in-
service, remains the responsibility of the country.
3.0 COMPOSITION OF BS 8110 AND EC 2
 In BS 8110 details on Design of Members are clearly
elucidated under separate headings. For example, Section 3
deals with design of Reinforced Concrete Elements – Beams,
Slabs, Columns, Walls, Staircases and Bases, in that order. So
to design a flat slab, simply go to the section on flat slab and
all the parameters for the design can be found or other
appropriate sections referred to.
 In EC 2, this is not the case. The effects of major parameters
such as moment, shear, bond, serviceability limit state and
ultimate limit state are generally referred to. This makes the
Code to be a bit laborious for beginners. For example, to
completely design a beam, the sections on moments and shear
need to be checked and all the design information needed
aggregated.
 4.0 DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
 Both Codes are based on the Limit States Design philosophy –
Ultimate Limit State and Serviceability Limit State, which deals
with the day to day working activities of the Structure, the most
popular being Deflection.
 Eurocodes are based on the principles of good manufacturing,
supervisory control of materials and workmanship. Hence, it has
the most economical global factor of safety when compared to other
codes as shown below.

Code of Practiceou Design Principle Global factor of safety

CP 114 Elastic limit 1.80

CP 110 Plastic limit 1.73
 Source:
BS 8110A glance at ECPlastic
2 forlimit
concrete work by Engr.
1.73 Olokunola in Simplified Reinforced Concrete
Design byEurocode
Victor O.
2 Oyenuga.Plastic limit 1.64
5.0 COMPARISON OF BS 8110 AND EC 2
This is best done in tabular form.
Item Description BS 8110 EC2

1.0 Concrete strength Based on Cube Strength, fcu Based on Cylinder Strength, fck which is approximately 0.8fcu, for
example, C20/25
2.0 Steel Strength Taken as fy of 250, 410 and 460N/mm2. Taken ad fyk ranges between 400 and 600MPa (Note: 1.0N/mm2 =
1.0MPa).
3.0 Lever arm limit Here is limited to 0.776 before compression steel Here is limited to 0.82 before compression steel is required.
is required.

4.0 Moment of Resistance of a Mu = 0.156fcubd2 Mbal = 0.167fckbd2.

concrete beam

5.0 K - value

6.0 Lever arm factor

7.0 Area of Steel

8.0 Shear
v = V/bd v = VEd/bd
Asw = the cross-sectional area of the shear stirrups- a minimum of two legs and multiple
thereof.
s = the spacing of the stirrups required.
fyk = the characteristic strength of the stirrup reinforcement
VEd = the shear force due to the loads at the ultimate limit state
VRd,s = the shear resistance of the stirrups
VRd,max = the maximum design value of the shear which can be resisted by the concrete strut.

9.0 Span/Effective Depth Ratio. Simple table to pick from. More complex table involving a K factor and the level of
reinforcements in the section.

10.0 Deflection Less cumbersome More cumbersome

 6.0 DESIGN OF BEAMS
S/N BS 8110 EC 2
1.0 Calculate ultimate load using 1.4 Calculate ultimate load using 1.35 and
and 1.6 factors. 1.50 factors.
2.0 Calculate Moment and Shear as Calculate Moment and Shear as usual
usual using the ultimate load. using the ultimate load.

3.0 For Steel design calculate the K For Steel design calculate the K from
from If greater, design for top steel.
If greater, design for top steel.

4.0 For shear design calculate V and Calculate VEd and v = VEd/bd.
v = V/bd and if greater than vc, CalculateVRd,max = 0.124bwd(1-
design for stirrups with sv = fck/250)fck
(0.95fyAsw)/(b(v – vc) If VRdmax exceeds VEd, = 2.5.
sv =
 7.0 DESIGN OF COLUMNS
S/N BS 8110 EC 2
1.0 Calculate ultimate load using 1.4 Calculate ultimate load using 1.35 and
and 1.6 factors. 1.50 factors.
2.0 Calculate Moment and Shear as Calculate Moment and Shear as usual
usual using the ultimate load. using the ultimate load.

3.0 Calculate le/h and if more than

15, design as slender column.

4.0 Calculate N/(bd) and M/(bd2) and Calculate NEd/(fckbd) and MEd/(fckbd2)
pick value from chart to calculate and pick value from chart to calculate
the Asc. the Asc.
 8.0 DESIGN OF BASES
S/N BS 8110 EC 2
1.0 Calculate ultimate load using 1.4 and Calculate ultimate load using 1.35 and
1.6 factors. 1.50 factors.
2.0 Calculate Moment and calculate for Calculate Moment and calculate for
steel reinforcements. steel reinforcements.

3.0 Punching Shear Punching Shear

The Critical Perimeter is based on the The Critical Perimeter is based on the
sketch below: sketch below:

1.5d

2d

Pcrit = Columnperimeter + 3()h Pcrit = Column perimeter + 4()d

Acrit = (a1 +3h)(a2+3h)-(4-)(1.5h)2 Acrit = (a1+4d)(a2+4d)-(4-)(2d)2
 8.0 DESIGN COMPARISON
 The Table below is from the Design of Single Span Beam of
14.1m. The design was originally based on EC 2 and for
purposes of comparison done with RCD2000 which is based
on BS 8110. This design was presented on a NICE Zoom
programme by the Author over a year ago.

S/N MBR LOAD MOMENT AREA (mm2) PRACTICAL REMARK

kN. kN.m. CALCULATED PROVISION
1. Beam EC2: 74/m EC2: 1226T/613B EC2: 2944T/1392B 6Y25T/3Y25B The same
BS8110: 76/m BS8110: 1261T/631B BS8110:2786T/1311B 6Y25T/3Y25B
2. Column EC2: 1244 EC2: 137.94 EC2: 1229 6-Y20mm The same
BS8110: 1296 BS8110: 141.88 BS8110: 1260 6-Y20mm
3. Base EC2: 1244 EC2: 122.864 EC2: 1570 Y20 @ 200mm H here is 500mm
BS8110: 1296 BS8110: 121.043 BS8110: 847 Y16 @ 200mm H here is 600mm
 It is clear that there may be no major differences between the
two Design Codes.
 9.0 CONCLUSION
If there appears to be no major difference then
why “wasting” efforts on EC 2?

Three Major Reasons among many:

1. Legal Implications coming from the Client.
2. BS 8110 has been withdrawn by the owner in 2012 and
before that withdrawal, no legal declaration as being a
Nigerian Code.
3. The whole world is advancing and EC 2 is the Code for
Concrete Design that is acceptable for today in Europe
and some other Commonwealth Countries. It may be
withdrawn tomorrow.
So why not follow the today’s technology?
Major References are:
 BS 8110 Parts 1, 2 and 3.
 Eurocode releases
 Simplified Reinforced Concrete Design by Victor O
Oyenuga (2nd Edition) – BS 8110.
 Simplified Reinforced Concrete Design by Victor O
Oyenuga (3rd Edition) – EC 2.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ATTENTION