The Manual is co-published by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and TRADA. The revisions were authored by Dr Keerthi Ranasinghe with oversight from a specialist task group.
The Manual provides guidance on the structural design of single-storey and medium-rise multi-storey buildings and supports the design of timber building structures to BS EN 1995-1-1 (Eurocode 5), together with its supporting codes and standards, within the UK. This will be the first new edition since the Manual’s launch in 2007 and incorporates the changes made to the Eurocode 5 since its initial publication, ensuring its enduring relevance.
"It is now fifteen years since that first full version of Eurocode 5 was published and much has changed," says Richard Harris, Task Group chair of the Manual for the design of timber building structures to Eurocode 5, in his foreword to the 2nd edition.
"Eurocode 5 offered a more rigorous standard as compared with its predecessor and also enabled pan-European collaboration in research and practice. This has enabled the full potential for timber to be released, and the extent and scale of timber engineering in the UK has expanded enormously. It is, therefore, now timely for the publication of this revision of the Manual."
Changes to the design code
The 2nd edition includes code changes to sections on material properties, bearing capacities, connections, glulam, racking, and fire, along with the insertion of new sections referencing CLT and the new product standard. In addition, further amendments have been made which take into account the feedback of readers and consulted practising engineers.
Revising author Keerthi Ranasinghe said: "It was vital that we updated the manual considering all the amendments that were implemented in not just Eurocode 5, but all the supporting standards as well since 2004. By far the leading resource for timber engineering, the new edition ensures that it will continue to be the must-have reference for engineers and specifiers who are keen to work to Eurocode 5".
Valuable resource
IStructE Head of Publishing, Lee Baldwin, says:
"The first edition has served the profession brilliantly for more than a decade, but it’s great that we’ve been able to work closely with Keerthi, the expert steering group, and our co-publisher TRADA to bring such a valuable technical resource up to date."
Strong partnership
TRADA’s Publications Manager, Jacquie Shanahan, adds: "Partnering with IStructE once again enables us to help structural engineers continue to build dynamic, innovative buildings while ensuring their continued high quality. At the same time, a revision by an author of this calibre ensures the longevity of a widely used resource."
Biography of Keerthi Ranasinghe
Dr Keerthi Ranasinghe, Programme Director for Civil Engineering & Quantity Surveying at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, sits on both the TRADA Advisory Committee and the IStructE Research Panel as an independent timber engineering consultant.
Keerthi is also the tutor for the Eurocode 5 training course at the IStructE. In addition, Keerthi also sits on the BSI committee B/525/5 (Eurocode 5: Timber Engineering) and is the UK representative on the European Standardisation Committee CEN/TC250/SC5/WG5 (Timber – Connections).
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