Material selection and compliance with Structural Eurocodes

The Structural Eurocodes are already fully implemented in Singapore with effect from April 2015. While it is useful to implement a set of technically advanced structural design codes from Western Europe, it is important to take cognizance of the fact that Singapore is not part of the European Union. We are a small island city state with an open market economy and most of our structural materials for construction are coming from the Asia-Pacific region, and they are manufactured to a variety of international product standards. It is untenable to insist that only construction materials manufactured to European standards can be used in Singapore because of our geo-physical and geo-economical position within the Asia-Pacific region. This presentation will provide the background and trace Singapore's journey to develop a design guide (BC1: 2008 and 2012) on selection of such alternative structural steel materials manufactured to various international product standards for design to the Eurocodes. It is a useful link between the alternative materials and Structural Eurocodes and some examples of how it bridges the gaps between them will be highlighted.