CIB-W18/xx-xx-xx/11.1.

2012

Improved eurocode

T. Poutanen1

Abstract
Some errors and shortcomings of the current eurocode are presented, corrections and
improvements suggested.
In the current eurocode the design point value of all variable loads is constant, 0.98,
which results in excess reliability of up to 30 % for variable loads of low variation. We
can avoid this excess reliability by setting the design point value variable, e.g.
0.96…0.98 and by modifying the load tables. This change increases the design accuracy
of all materials but a big improvement takes place in timber floor joist design.
The material safety factors of current eurocode have been usually defined by assuming
the model uncertainty VU = 0…5 %. This value should be modified to include the varia-
tion induced from robustness, design, execution and use, too. It is suggested here that
these factors induce an excess load of VU = 15 % and the target reliability is decreased
accordingly. This change makes a more balanced reliability between the steel, the con-
crete and the timber.
The current eurocode is a partial safety factor code with dissimilar load factors, G ≠ Q.
The design work decreases and the code becomes simpler when the load factors are set
at unity, G = Q = 1. The overall reliability accuracy remains unaffected.
Loads are currently combined dependently, semi-dependently and independently. How-
ever, loads must always be combined dependently: When a variable load is combined
with a permanent load, each load has its individual effect regardless of the other. When
a variable load has a certain effect alone, it has the same effect if the permanent load is
present. In the independent combination the variable load has less effect if the perma-
nent load is present. This is impossible. There is no link between the loads which would
make this effect possible. The variable loads are combined dependently, too, after the
load distributions are altered simultaneous, when the loads are active at the same time.
The paper explains how the safety and combination factors G, Q, M,  of the current
eurocode are updated.
The design code suggested here is simple. It has no unsafe reliability error in compari-
son with the target and the excess reliability error is less than ca 10 %.

1 Tampere University of Technology

P.O. Box 600, FIN 33101 Tampere, FINLAND
p: +358408490900, f: +358331152811, e: tuomo.poutanen@tut.fi