CADS is a leading software provider that has been supplying the profession for more than 35 years, both in the UK and overseas. As recently noted by the Institution of Structural Engineers' President our masters at the European Commission chose April Fools Day 2010 as the date when the British Standards Institution ceases to support British Standard Codes of Practice for structural design!
There has been considerable unease in the profession and arguments will no doubt continue about whether the Eurocodes are a practical replacement for national codes and do they offer any significant improvements in practice and is this really progress?
The fact is that the change from British Standard codes to Eurocodes is complex and engineers competent in using the mature BS codes now face a significant re-education in a new technical environment. It is therefore likely that engineers will be unable to adopt Eurocodes quickly without the support of competent and robust software solutions, and their developers.
The Eurocodes are not useable in the same way as existing national codes and engineers will have to rely much more than hitherto on secondary sources like the IStructE Manuals, the Designer's Guides and similar publications by industry groups such as the SCI, BCSA, Concrete Centre, etc. Wherever possible CADS software has been designed to provide structural engineers with the support they need to fully understand the difference between the British Standards and Eurocodes.
Thus software has a big role to play in engineering education whilst still satisfying the demand for a faster and more efficient design process. There are several motivating factors for engineers wishing to adopt Eurocodes and the desire for a more economic design is one of them. CADS software applications are able to provide comparative designs using British Standards and Eurocodes, even including accurate weights of reinforcement required.
CADS was keen to be in the vanguard with draft Eurocode versions of CADS RC design programs available to interested 'early-adopters' in 2009. Their feedback has been very positive and several enhancements have been incorporated since. The CADS web site www.cads.co.uk will be a primary source of information and downloads as new applications and updates are delivered in the coming months.
Existing British Standard codes like BS 5950 and BS 8110 are mature and have provided 'one-stop-shop' references for everyday design of steelwork and reinforced concrete. Hence guides and manuals published by IStructE, SCI and the Concrete Centre were only necessary for simplification or in-depth study respectively but not essential.
In contrast, the Eurocode system forces the designer to consult several main codes along with their national annexes and background notes and because of missing and ambiguous information, reference to handbooks, guides, textbooks is essential. So there will inevitably be a period where both British Standards and Eurocodes are being used side by side and a likelihood that the BS Codes will continue as approved documents for Building Regulations purposes in the UK for some time, at least until 2013 when the required revisions Building Regulations are planned!
More than ever the Eurocodes will bring into sharp focus the question of what engineers are buying when they buy design software. "CADS customers have always purchased more than just the software itself; they have bought into the developer's expertise and commitment to support and advise them in its use" says Ian Chambers, CADS Sales and Marketing Director. "As designers of engineering software we have always had to seek further information outwith the codes to bridge gaps in logic and grey areas in wordings so that programs could produce a code-compliant practical design in nearly all circumstances". All CADS 4000+ customers with a current maintenance agreement will receive the new Eurocode versions free of charge. We want to help our users get up to speed quickly so that they can design the most efficient solutions using the new codes.
Developers of design software are in a similar position to the authors of secondary source books based around the Eurocodes. We also seek to provide a friendly guide or route through the codes labyrinth. However the goal is usually more ambitious than just explanations and assistance. Our customers expect software to provide a thorough check on a member if not the entire structure!
CADS is an international business and supports customers in many countries around the world. The introduction of Eurocodes will no doubt be observed by engineers and authorities in the many countries that have relied hitherto on American, British, German or French codes looking to see whether an international system can emerge from Europe's efforts to integrate!
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