Scientific paper ID 1964 : 2020/3

The new Eurocode design for building structures still raises a number of methodological issues. Therefore, the purpose of the report is to answer a number of such questions related to Eurocode 7. The approach to determining the bearing capacity of pilot foundations through dynamic penetration (SPT) is forgotten in our country due to lack of intergenerational continuity, and in the new standards this approach has been updated and finds a priority place for application in practice as one of the most reliable and fastest to work with. The research was done through a comparative analysis of the decisions under the old and the new standard. The results of the calculations of the same design situation according to different standards are compared analytically and graphically, assessments and recommendations for the practice are made. The analyzes according to Eurocode 7 and the previous two Bulgarian standards are compared - the norms for design of pilot foundations and those for reinforced concrete bridges. Soil data were obtained using a standard SPT penetration test. The decision under Eurocode 7 was made according to the second project approach DA2, written in the standard and adopted for application in our country. However, clarifications have been made for the application of the other two design approaches DA1 and DA3. The results show that both current Bulgarian standards are significantly more conservative than Eurocode 7. The reasons for this difference are sought and highlighted. The usefulness and meaning of the introduction of uniform European standards for structural design in construction have been assessed.