New set of standards for earth retaining structures and foundations revised
14 September 2015
BSI, the business standards company, has revised several of its interrelated geotechnical standards. BS 8081 Code of practice for grouted anchors encompasses recently updated requirements for Eurocode 7 (BS EN 1997) and works alongside BS 8004 Code of practice for foundations and BS 8002 Code of practice for earth retaining structures. BS 8002 and BS 8004 were withdrawn in March 2010 to coincide with the introduction of Eurocode 7, and have been revised to become “non-contradictory, complementary information” (NCCIs). BS 8081 retains information and recommendations that are pertinent to UK practice, but are not in Eurocode 7 with regards to grouted anchors.
BS 8081 is a full revision giving recommendations for the design, construction, stressing, testing, monitoring and maintenance of grouted anchors.
Some benefits of using BS 8081:2015
- Ensures that practitioners will execute the design, construction, monitoring and maintenance of ground anchors in accordance with the latest EN and ISO standards
- Gives practitioners access to the best background information on the design, construction, testing and monitoring of grouted anchors and the materials used in their manufacture
- Uses a simple up-to-date design approach to determine the dimensions of grouted anchors
- Provides recommendations for corrosion hazards and protective measures, construction techniques and quality controls, stressing procedures and testing of grouted anchor components and complete installations
Anthony Burd Head of Market Development for Construction at BSI said: “These standards are a logical tool for those practitioners designing structures according to Eurocodes and their National Annexes. Especially as Eurocodes contain the broad design rules but often not much design guidance. As non-contradictory complementary information (NCCIs), the standards now provide additional instruction and as the name suggests, this does not contradict the principles of the Eurocodes.”
BS 8004:2015 and BS 8002:2015 have also been brought up-to-date with Eurocode 7. BS 8004 provides recommendations for foundations design, covers spread and pile foundations, helical steel pile foundations and underpinning. Whilst BS 8002 provides recommendations for gravity, semi-gravity, and embedded retaining walls.
Andrew Bond, Chairman of the Eurocode 7 - Geotechnical design committee said: "This long-overdue revision of BS 8081 provides designers with the guidance they need to implement the recently updated requirements of Eurocode 7 with regard to grouted anchors. These standards set out how earth retaining structures and foundations should be designed according to limit state principles based on partial factors and provide a link between traditional and new methods of design. At the same time, advances in technology for each standard over the past 25-30 years are reflected in the fully revised texts.”
The standards have been developed using a collaborative consensus-based approach and include input from the geotechnical, environmental, construction and engineering industries. They provide beneficial guidance for geotechnical engineers, geologists, geoenvironmental specialists, civil engineers, structural engineers, architects, consultants and contractors.
