Comparing reinforcement detailing provisions in EC 2 & BS 8110 - Part 1: Contribution of hooks and bends to anchorage

It is evident that the BS 8110 overestimates the contribution of hook, but that in other respects its rules are provide a better description of the gain in anchorage from the addition of a bend on the end of a bar. There will always be debate about the level of detail design Codes should provide, and the EC 2 rules for end anchorage from hooks and bends are very simple. There will, however, be instances of sub-strength anchorage details where its usewould provide an unduly conservative estimate of strength. This note has reviewed differences in one aspect of the detailing rules contained in BS 8110 and in EC 2, but has not attempted to cover the many practical issues which are also to be considered in good detailing practice. For a more comprehensive treatment of detailing topics, readers are referred to the IStructE/ Concrete Society publication Standard Method of Detailing Structural Concrete.