TRADA updates Eurocode 5 guide

The manual is co-published by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and TRADA. The revisions were authored by Dr Keerthi Ranasinghe with oversight from a specialist task group.

The manual provides guidance on the structural design of single-storey and medium-rise multi-storey buildings and supports the design of timber building structures to BS EN 1995-1-1 (Eurocode 5), together with its supporting codes and standards, within the UK.

This is the first new edition since the manual’s launch in 2007 and incorporates the changes made to Eurocode 5 since its initial publication, ensuring its enduring relevance.

“It is now 15 years since that first full version of Eurocode 5 was published and much has changed,” said Richard Harris, task group chair of the manual in his foreword to the second edition.

“Eurocode 5 offered a more rigorous standard as compared with its predecessor and also enabled pan-European collaboration in research and practice,” he continued. “This has enabled the full potential for timber to be released, and the extent and scale of timber engineering in the UK has expanded enormously. It is, therefore, now timely for the publication of this revision of the manual.”

The second edition includes code changes to sections on material properties, bearing capacities, connections, glulam, racking, and fire, along with the insertion of new sections referencing CLT and the new product standard. In addition, further amendments have been made which take into account the feedback of readers and consulted practising engineers.

“It was vital that we updated the manual considering all the amendments that were implemented in not just Eurocode 5, but all the supporting standards as well since 2004,” said Dr Ranasinghe. “By far the leading resource for timber engineering, the new edition ensures that it will continue to be the must-have reference for engineers and specifiers who are keen to work to Eurocode 5.”

“The first edition has served the profession brilliantly for more than a decade, but it’s great that we’ve been able to work closely with Keerthi, the expert steering group, and our co-publisher TRADA to bring such a valuable technical resource up to date,” said Lee Baldwin, IStructE head of publishing.

“Partnering with IStructE once again enables us to help structural engineers continue to build dynamic, innovative buildings while ensuring their continued high quality,” added Jacquie Shanahan, TRADA’s publications manager. “At the same time, a revision by an author of this calibre ensures the longevity of a widely used resource.”