25 May 2022 (Rev 0)

Terminology in BS EN 1990 (Eurocode 0)

Cl 1.4 (2) and Cl 1.4 (3)
The term “Principles” which are denoted as (P) after the clause number in Eurocode are
defined as clauses that are general statements, definitions, requirements and analytical models
which no alternatives are allowed.

For example in Cl 6.4.2 (3)P,

Cl 1.4 (2)
The term “Application rules” are generally recognized rules which comply with the
Principles and satisfy their requirements.

Cl 1.5.3.2 and Cl 1.5.3.21

Effect of actions, E (or action effect) on structural members, (e.g. internal force, moment,
stress, strain) or on the whole structure (e.g. deflection, rotation)

Design values, d value obtained by multiplying the representative value by the partial factor

*For example, the variable for design shear force (V) is 𝑉𝐸𝑑 .

Cl 1.5.3.14
Characteristic value (e.g., subscript k in 𝑄𝑘 ) is principal representative value of an action
[Nominal value in BS Code]

Cl 1.5.3.22
Combination of Action is defined as set of design values used for the verification of the
structural reliability for a limit state under the simultaneous influence of different actions
[Load Combination in BS Code]

Cl 3.2 (1)P
Design situations:
- Persistent situation refers to normal use.

- Transient situation refers to temporary condition such as during execution or repair.

- Accidental situation refers to exceptional conditions applicable to the structure or its

exposure such as fire, explosion, consequences of localized failure and etc.

Cl 4.1.1
Permanent action, G of each type is represented by a suffix j (e.g. self weight of beam, fixed
equipment, surfacing, shrinkage and differential settlement and etc.). [Nominal dead load in
BS Code]
*In BS EN 1990 Cl 4.1.2(6), prestressing (P) is considered as permanent action.

Variable action, Q of each type is represented by a suffix i where i = 1 is defined as leading or

main variable action (e.g. imposed load on building floor or beam or roofs, wind load and
traffic loads). [Nominal live load in BS Code]

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Accidental action, A (e.g. vehicle impact, explosion and etc.).

*Some action such as water may be considered as permanent or variable depending on their
magnitude with time (e.g. water load in suction tank as permanent or precipitation on roof as
variable)

Cl 4.1.3
Other representative variable action:
 Combination value, 𝛙𝟎 𝐐𝐤 used for verification of ULS (e.g. for accompanying variable
action in ULS, refer Eq 6.10, 6.10a, 6.10b) and irreversible SLS (e.g. yield, refer
Eq6.14b).

 Frequent value, 𝛙𝟏 𝐐𝐤 used for verification of ULS with accidental design situation (e.g.
for lead and accompanying variable actions in ULS, refer Eq 6.11b) and reversible SLS
(e.g. deflection, refer Eq 6.15b).

 Quasi-permanent (partially permanent) value, 𝛙𝟐 𝐐𝐤 used for verification of ULS with

accidental design situation (e.g. for lead and accompanying variable actions in ULS,
refer Eq 6.11b) and reversible SLS (e.g. deflection, refer Eq 6.16b) as well as long term
effects.

Cl 6.4.2
Ed is the design value of the effect of action (e.g. internal force, moment and etc.)

Rd is the design resistance [Capacity in BS Code]

Cl 6.4.3.2
Combination of action for persistent and transient design situations. (refer to BS EN 1990 Cl
A2.2.2 on combination rules for road bridges)

Example:
For ULS fundamental combination of STR/GEO (Set B) (Eq 6.10),

Ed = ∑ 𝛾𝐺,𝑗 𝐺𝑘,𝑗 + 𝛾𝑝 𝑃 + 𝛾𝑄,1 𝑄𝑘,1 + ∑ 𝛾𝑄,𝑖 𝜓0,𝑖 𝑄𝑘,𝑖

j≥1 𝑖>1

- Assumed permanent actions: Surfacing, Parapet, Slab which are labeled as j = 1, j = 2 and j
= 3 respectively.

- Assumed variable actions: temperature load and traffic loads gr2 consists of frequent value
of LM1 and characteristic value of horizontal forces.

Partial factor, 𝛾 [γfL × γ3 in BS Code]

𝛾𝐺,𝑠𝑢𝑝 = 1.35 in Table A2.4(B) Note 2
𝛾𝑄 = 1.35 in Table A2.4(B) Note 2 for road traffic
𝛾𝑄 = 1.50 in Table A2.4(B) Note 2 for other traffic and variable actions

Psi value for variable action.

For tandem system (TS) in Table A2.1 [Knife Edge Load in BS Code]
Combination, 𝛹0 = 0.75
Frequent, 𝛹1 = 0.75

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For uniformly distributed load (UDL) in Table A2.1 [HA UDL in BS Code]
Combination, 𝛹0 = 0.4
Frequent, 𝛹1 = 0.4

For temperature load (Tk) in Table A2.1

Combination, 𝛹0 = 0.6
Frequent, 𝛹1 = 0.6

For horizontal forces, H (braking/acceleration force and transverse/centrifugal force)

[Traction and Skidding forces in BS Code]
Combination, 𝛹0 = 0
Frequent, 𝛹1 = 0

When Tk is leading ,
1.35 ( 0.75 × 0.75TS + 0.4 × 0.4UDL 0 × H )
Ed = 1.35 ( 𝐺𝑘,1 + 𝐺𝑘,2 + 𝐺𝑘,3 ) + 1.5 𝑇𝑘 + 𝛾
𝛹0 Frequent value
+
𝛹0 Frequent value 𝛹0
𝛾𝑄 𝑄 char
𝛾𝐺 Permanent Action Lead Variable
Accompanying Variable

∴ 𝐄𝐝 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟓(𝑮𝒌,𝟏 + 𝑮𝒌,𝟐 + 𝑮𝒌,𝟑 ) + 𝟏. 𝟓𝑻𝒌 + 𝟏. 𝟑𝟓(𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝟐 𝑻𝑺 + 𝟎. 𝟒𝟐 𝑼𝑫𝑳)

When gr2 is leading,

1.35 ( 𝐺𝑘,1 + 𝐺𝑘,2 + 𝐺𝑘,3 ) + 1.35 ( 0.75TS + 0.4UDL H ) + 1.5 × 0.6 𝑇𝑘

Ed = 𝛾𝑄 Frequent value s Frequent value
+
𝛾𝐺 Permanent Action s char s 𝛾𝑄 𝛹0 Accompanying Variable
d Leading Variable s

∴ 𝐄𝐝 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟓(𝑮𝒌,𝟏 + 𝑮𝒌,𝟐 + 𝑮𝒌,𝟑 ) + 𝟏. 𝟑𝟓(𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝑻𝑺 + 𝟎. 𝟒𝑼𝑫𝑳 + 𝑯) + 𝟏. 𝟓 × 𝟎. 𝟔 × 𝑻𝒌

*Excluding Prestress action

Other Eurocode terminologies

1. Nationally Determined Parameter (NDP) used to allow a country to set its own levels
of safety and also allow other parameters (generally due to climate, geology and
geography) to be left open for selection nationally.

2. National Annex (NA) accompanies each Eurocode and it contains:

- NDP values
- The national decision regarding the use of Informative Annexes
- References to Non-contradictory complementary information (NCCI)

3. Non-contradictory complementary information (NCCI) are references within

National Annex (MS EN) containing further guidance/information which do not
contradict the Eurocode.

4. Normative is defined as a term used for the text of Standards that forms the core
requirements. Compliance with Eurocodes will generally be judged against the
normative requirements

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5. Informative is defined as a term used only in relation to annexes, which seek to inform
rather than require.

6. Execution is defined as the construction of the works.

7. Fixed action is an action that has a fixed distribution and position over the structure or
structural member such as self-weight as permanent fixed action as stated in BS EN
1991-1 Cl 2.1 (1).

8. Free action is an action that may have various spatial distributions over the structure
such as imposed/ live load as variable free action as stated in BS EN 1991-1 Cl 2.2 (1)P.

Difference of variables between BS EN and BS 5400 based on pre-tensioned beam design

British Standards Eurocode

Section Modulus (mm3) Z W
Area of prestressing tendons Asp Ap
(mm2)
Characteristic concrete cube fcu fck,cube at 28days
strength (MPa or N/mm2)
Precast concrete strength at fci (0.8 of fcu) fck(t)
transfer time t (MPa or
N/mm2)
Characteristic Strength of fpu or Rm in BS5896 fpk or Rm in EN10138
prestressing tendon (MPa or
N/mm2)
Maximum Force in Strands Ultimate Tensile Strength of Characteristic Tensile Strength
(kN) Strand (UTS), Fm in BS5896 of Strand (CTS), Fpk or Fm in
EN10138
Elastic Modulus of Strand Es Ep
(GPa or kN/mm2)
Secant Modulus of Elasticity E28 Ecm
of the concrete at 28 days
(GPa or kN/mm2)
Eccentricity from Neutral e,na zcp
Axis/ Centroidal Axis (mm)
Concrete grade C60/20 C50/60
C[concrete grade] / C[concrete cylinder grade] /
[aggregate size] [concrete cube grade]

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Key differences between BS EN 1992-1 and BS 8110.
Source:https://drhilton.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/6/1/38613897/introduction_to_ec.pdf

1. EC2 is generally laid out to give advice on the basis of phenomena / behavior (e.g. bending,
shear and etc) rather than by member type as in BS 8110 (e.g. beams, slabs, columns and
etc).

2. Design is based on characteristic cylinder strength (𝑓𝑐𝑘 ) not cube strength (𝑓𝑐𝑢 ). (e.g.
Concrete grade C30/40, 𝑓𝑐𝑘 = 30𝑁/𝑚𝑚2)

3. Units for stress are mega pascals, MPa (1 MPa = 1 𝑁/𝑚𝑚2 )

4. Eurocode uses comma for a decimal point.

1 0⁄
5. One thousandth ( 1000) is represented by 00 (e.g. dry shrinkage strain for C20/25 with 80%
relative humidity is 300 × 10−6 )

6. Punching shear check difference between BS8110 and EC2 (distance from the face of column)

7. For BS5400, the concrete cover is designed according to environment exposure in Table 13. In
EC2, minimum concrete cover (𝐶𝑚𝑖𝑛 ) is related to bond strength of reinforcement, durability
and fire resistance with an allowance for deviation (∆𝐶𝑑𝑒𝑣 ) due to variation of execution. (refer
to BS EN1992-1 Cl 4.4.1)