Eurocode 6

Engineering design of masonry to comply with Part A Structural Safety can be achieved for simple common structures through published tables such as available in BS 8103-2.  When outside the scope of these, design standards (see below) are used (although to comply with building regulations any standard or no standard at all can be used as long as sufficient justification of the solution can be demonstrated).

The design standard Eurocode 6, or BS EN 1996: Design of masonry structures applies to all building types and civil engineering works. BS 5628 was withdrawn by British Standards Institute in 2010.   Eurocode 6 has four parts:

  1. BS EN 1996-1-1:2005 Design of masonry structures.
    General rules for reinforced and unreinforced masonry structures
  1. BS EN 1996-1-2:2005 Design of masonry structures.
    General rules. Structural fire design
  1. BS EN 1996-2:2006 Design of masonry structures.
    Design considerations, selection of materials and execution of masonry

  1. BS EN 1996-3:2006 Design of masonry structures.
    Simplified calculation methods for unreinforced masonry structures

Resources

Three How To guides in the “How to design masonry structures to Eurocode 6” have been published by The Concrete Centre:

  1. Introduction to Eurocode 6
  2. Lateral resistance
  3. Vertical resistance

www.eurocode6.org provides further information on development of Eurocode 6, worked examples, design software from Denmark, related masonry product and test standards and FAQs.

Eurocode 6 manuals are published by Institution of Civil Engineers,  Institution of Structural Engineers and International Masonry Society.