Second Generation Eurocode 6 with UK National Annex

Context and Code Implementation

The majority of the development resources over the past year were dedicated to integrating the second generation of structural Eurocodes. However, the release of most of these codes is currently delayed because the necessary supporting UK National Annex (NA) documents have not yet been made available.

The implementation of the Second Generation Eurocode 6 (BS EN 1996 Part 1) for masonry is the only Second Generation Eurocode that has been fully completed and released in the MasterSeries 2025 version.

Eurocode 6 and the UK National Annex

The successful inclusion of the Second Generation Eurocode 6, complete with the UK National Annex, stems from minimal overall changes in the masonry design standards. The main body of Eurocode 6 contains only very light changes when comparing the 2005 version to the 2022 version. Furthermore, the UK National Annex for Eurocode 6 was found to be completely identical to the previous National Annex, meaning no changes were necessary for its inclusion.

MasterSeries previously invested considerable time implementing numerous countries' National Annexes for the first generation EC6, recognizing that masonry design practices vary significantly across different regions. Current implementation efforts for other countries’ Second Generation masonry NAs are contingent upon assessing demand, given the significant workload involved in adapting to such variations.

This update is part of the overall twenty-year review of the Eurocodes. While goals for the Second Generation included simplification and reduction of nationally determined parameters (national choices) to harmonise codes between countries, complexities have increased in some areas, as demonstrated by the expansion of documents like Eurocode 2 for concrete.