| Standard | Title | Reference Tools | Reference Table |
|---|---|---|---|
| EN 1994-1-1 | General rules and rules for buildings | - | - |
| EN 1994-1-2 | Structural fire design | - | - |
| EN 1994-2 | General rules and rules for bridges | - | - |
What this standard covers
EN 1994 (Eurocode 4 - Design of composite steel and concrete structures) covers members in which structural steel and concrete act together: composite beams with shear connectors, composite slabs on profiled sheeting, and composite columns.
The premise of composite design is that the two materials are connected well enough to act as one member, so the concrete carries compression and the steel carries tension. EN 1994-1-1 covers composite beams, slabs, columns and joints for buildings; EN 1994-1-2 covers fire; EN 1994-2 covers bridges.
The degree of shear connection is what distinguishes composite design from designing the two materials separately. Full connection lets the section reach its full plastic resistance; partial connection reduces it, and the standard sets out how much connection is required and how resistance is interpolated below full connection.
What you will find in it
- Composite beams
- Plastic and elastic resistance of a composite section, with the effective width of slab that may be taken as acting with the steel beam.
- Shear connection
- Resistance of headed stud and other connectors, the degree of connection required, and the way partial connection reduces resistance.
- Composite slabs
- Slabs on profiled steel sheeting, including longitudinal shear between sheet and concrete and the condition during construction before composite action develops.
- Composite columns
- Concrete-encased and concrete-filled steel sections, their resistance and their buckling behaviour under combined axial force and bending.
- Serviceability
- Deflection and crack control, allowing for the sequence of construction and for shrinkage and creep of the concrete.
- Construction stages
- The condition before the concrete hardens, where the bare steel section carries wet concrete and construction loads - often the governing check for a propped or unpropped beam.
When to use this standard
Use EN 1994 where steel and concrete are connected to act as one member - a downstand steel beam with a slab cast on shear studs, a slab on profiled metal decking, or a concrete-encased or concrete-filled steel column. If the two are not connected to act together, design them separately to EN 1992 and EN 1993.
How it fits with the other standards
EN 1994 draws its steel rules from EN 1993 and its concrete rules from EN 1992, so it is used together with both. Loads come from EN 1991, combinations from EN 1990, and seismic design from EN 1998.
What each part covers
- EN 1994-1-1
- The general part for buildings: composite beams and their shear connection, composite slabs on profiled sheeting, composite columns, and composite joints.
- EN 1994-1-2
- Structural fire design. Composite members in fire, where the concrete both loses strength and protects the steel it encases.
- EN 1994-2
- Composite bridges. Applies composite design to bridge structures, with the fatigue of shear connectors and the effects of construction sequence, shrinkage and creep.