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The convenient equilibrium between the development and updating of a normative code, research and engineering practice.

The convenient equilibrium between the development and updating of a normative code, research and... Editorial The convenient equilibrium between the development and updating of a normative code, research and engineering practice. We have repeatedly faced the The EN Eurocodes form a series of European Stand- debate about the convenience ards that provide a common approach for the design of of structural normative codes. buildings, civil engineering works and construction prod- Personally, I have always ad- ucts. The Eurocodes are expected to contribute to the es- vocated for normative docu- tablishment and functioning of the internal European mar- ments that regulate the design ket for construction products and engineering services by and execution of our struc- eliminating the disparities that hinder their free circulation tures by stating the relevant within the community. principles and application Currently, the Eurocodes are in an updating and rules. Nevertheless, it is evi- maintenance phase. Although the aim of updating the dent that the determination of codes is to address new methods, new materials, new reg- the contents of such docu- ulatory requirements and new needs, in general, mainte- ments, and the scope thereof, nance tasks comprise all activities connected with the up- Prof. Enrique Mirambell must be carried out thoroughly dating of the Eurocodes in the light of practical experience in order to eliminate, or at gained though use: correcting errors, preparing technical least minimize, the risks associated with drafting standards amendments regarding safety issues, technical and edito- that do not meet the requirements for a document of this rial improvements, eliminating inconsistencies and mis- type. It is not correct to regard these normative codes as leading statements, and resolving questions of interpreta- documents including cutting-edge methods and formula- tion resulting from feedback. tions from the latest research advances. Instead, the con- At the present time, Eurocode 3 (EN 1993), covering tents of these codes should refer exclusively to principles steel structures, is immersed in this updating process. The and rules of application widely understood by the practis- excellent work being undertaken by the Chair of Subcom- ing community as consolidated knowledge; principles and mittee 3 (TC250/SC3), the Working Groups for the differ- rules that have already been duly warranted both theoret- ent parts of Eurocode 3 and the Project Teams allows us to ically and through practical application. It is also inappro- be optimistic and confident that the new normative docu- priate to conceive normative codes as textbooks contain- ments emerging from this revision will comply with all the ing theoretical, analytical, numerical and experimental requirements for a code with the characteristics outlined developments that support teaching or learning activities; above. This will be achieved by reaching the convenient this is not their purpose. From this point of view, it is im- equilibrium between what is sought (the revision of a nor- portant to recognize the significance of the content of mative code), the research (the background work behind structural codes, since one of their main goals is to provide any process requiring consolidated knowledge) and the practising engineers with appropriate guidelines to design applicability of the code to engineering practice. structures through the establishment of principles and ap- plication rules. Therefore, practising engineers must be familiar with this type of document and should be in pos- session of the appropriate knowledge and skills to imple- ment these guidelines correctly in practical design situa- tions. So for designers, the application rules prescribed in structural codes should be unambiguous and easy to use. Moreover, the existence of regulatory codes should never Prof. Enrique Mirambell be a barrier to the development of new products and new School of Civil Engineering design methods in the construction sector; this is one of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering the reasons why structural codes are regularly updated. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC © 2021 Ernst & Sohn Verlag für Architektur und technische Wissenschaften GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin · Steel Construction 14 (2021), No. 1 1 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Steel Construction: Design and Research Wiley

The convenient equilibrium between the development and updating of a normative code, research and engineering practice.

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© 2021 Ernst & Sohn Verlag für Architektur und technische Wissenschaften GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin
ISSN
1867-0520
eISSN
1867-0539
DOI
10.1002/stco.202170103
Publisher site
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Abstract

Editorial The convenient equilibrium between the development and updating of a normative code, research and engineering practice. We have repeatedly faced the The EN Eurocodes form a series of European Stand- debate about the convenience ards that provide a common approach for the design of of structural normative codes. buildings, civil engineering works and construction prod- Personally, I have always ad- ucts. The Eurocodes are expected to contribute to the es- vocated for normative docu- tablishment and functioning of the internal European mar- ments that regulate the design ket for construction products and engineering services by and execution of our struc- eliminating the disparities that hinder their free circulation tures by stating the relevant within the community. principles and application Currently, the Eurocodes are in an updating and rules. Nevertheless, it is evi- maintenance phase. Although the aim of updating the dent that the determination of codes is to address new methods, new materials, new reg- the contents of such docu- ulatory requirements and new needs, in general, mainte- ments, and the scope thereof, nance tasks comprise all activities connected with the up- Prof. Enrique Mirambell must be carried out thoroughly dating of the Eurocodes in the light of practical experience in order to eliminate, or at gained though use: correcting errors, preparing technical least minimize, the risks associated with drafting standards amendments regarding safety issues, technical and edito- that do not meet the requirements for a document of this rial improvements, eliminating inconsistencies and mis- type. It is not correct to regard these normative codes as leading statements, and resolving questions of interpreta- documents including cutting-edge methods and formula- tion resulting from feedback. tions from the latest research advances. Instead, the con- At the present time, Eurocode 3 (EN 1993), covering tents of these codes should refer exclusively to principles steel structures, is immersed in this updating process. The and rules of application widely understood by the practis- excellent work being undertaken by the Chair of Subcom- ing community as consolidated knowledge; principles and mittee 3 (TC250/SC3), the Working Groups for the differ- rules that have already been duly warranted both theoret- ent parts of Eurocode 3 and the Project Teams allows us to ically and through practical application. It is also inappro- be optimistic and confident that the new normative docu- priate to conceive normative codes as textbooks contain- ments emerging from this revision will comply with all the ing theoretical, analytical, numerical and experimental requirements for a code with the characteristics outlined developments that support teaching or learning activities; above. This will be achieved by reaching the convenient this is not their purpose. From this point of view, it is im- equilibrium between what is sought (the revision of a nor- portant to recognize the significance of the content of mative code), the research (the background work behind structural codes, since one of their main goals is to provide any process requiring consolidated knowledge) and the practising engineers with appropriate guidelines to design applicability of the code to engineering practice. structures through the establishment of principles and ap- plication rules. Therefore, practising engineers must be familiar with this type of document and should be in pos- session of the appropriate knowledge and skills to imple- ment these guidelines correctly in practical design situa- tions. So for designers, the application rules prescribed in structural codes should be unambiguous and easy to use. Moreover, the existence of regulatory codes should never Prof. Enrique Mirambell be a barrier to the development of new products and new School of Civil Engineering design methods in the construction sector; this is one of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering the reasons why structural codes are regularly updated. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC © 2021 Ernst & Sohn Verlag für Architektur und technische Wissenschaften GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin · Steel Construction 14 (2021), No. 1 1

Journal

Steel Construction: Design and Research – Wiley

Published: Feb 1, 2021

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