EN1999 Eurocode 9: Design of aluminium structures

Eurocode 9 for the design of aluminium structures was a late addition to the proposed suite of European structural design codes, reflecting the relatively recent introduction of aluminium alloys in the construction industry as an alternative to steel. With only a third of the weight and a self-protecting surface, the material has clear advantages over steel but it also behaves very differently—with a high buckling tendency, no yield plateau and complex strain-hardening characteristics.The code, currently being converted to EN standard, features several innovations including behavioural cross-section classes and new calculation methods for verification of local buckling, evaluation of rotation capacity and design of connections.