Technical Note #13 Will Eurocode 6 impact on brick dimensions?

During the Eurocode summit held in 2008 hosted by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS),  the benefits for adopting Eurocodes in South Africa were highlighted. It appears likely the European standard will be adopted under the auspices of the SABS with a South African annex to reflect local requirements.

Eurocode 6 is a structural masonry design code, and its adoption will require the adoption of EN 771: Part 1 Specification for masonry units- Part 1: Clay Masonry Units with a country annexure to reflect specific South African requirements. Eurocode 6 prime benefits will be the opportunity for SA structural engineers to be more innovative in the use of structural brickwork, and create opportunities to compete more effectively against alternative building technologies (ABT's).

Will the implementation of Eurocode 6 impact on fired clay brick dimensions? Chris Dickinson provides further information on the issue in Technical Note #13.