FIB 65: Model Code 2010 - Final draft, Volume 1

Description

The final approved version of the fib Model Code 2010 (“MC2010”) is now available as fib Bulletins 65 and 66.The approval and publication of the MC2010 is an historic milestone nearly ten years in the making. Seven years after fib Special Activity Group 5, "New Model Code", began its work, the first complete draft was published in 2010 as fib Bulletins 55 and 56, which served as the basis for review and extensive comments by the Commissions and National Delegations of fib.Structural concrete is more than a continuously developing material. It also represents a remarkable development in design concepts and strategies. Requirements for concrete structures have often been formulated as follows: concrete structures should be safe, serviceable, durable, economic and aesthetic. Today, several further requirements or expectations regarding concrete structures have to be met, for example: they should be robust enough to avoid progressive collapse, should need only minimal maintenance during their specified service life, should allow the use of high performance materials, should provide protection against accidents, should provide barriers against or following hazards, should be designed with due attention to dismantlement, should support sustainability in all possible ways, and in addition, provide adequate fire and earthquake resistance and be environmentally compatible.The objectives of MC2010 are to (a) serve as a basis for future codes for concrete structures, and (b) present new developments with regard to concrete structures, structural materials and new ideas in order to achieve optimum behaviour. MC2010 includes the whole life cycle of a concrete structure, from design and construction to conservation (assessment, maintenance, strengthening) and dismantlement, in one code for buildings, bridges and other civil engineering structures. Design is largely based on performance requirements. The chapter on materials is particularly extended with new types of concrete and reinforcement (such as fibres and non-metallic reinforcements).The fib Model Code 2010 – like the previous Model Codes − not only specifies requirements but also gives corresponding explanations in a separate column of the document. Additionally, MC2010 is supported by background documents that have already been (or will soon be) published in fib bulletins and journal articles.MC2010 is now the most comprehensive code on concrete structures, including their complete life cycle: conceptual design, dimensioning, construction, conservation and dismantlement. It is expected to become an important document for both national and international code committees, practitioners and researchers.