Selection of the right steel quality for a structure is a matter of major significance as regards both the safety and the economy of constructional steelwork. This posting surveys procedures which have been proposed for this purpose and presents the new rules which are included in Annex C of Eurocode 3. All these express, as a function of extreme service conditions applicable to a structure, a toughness level specified in terms of performance in the Charpy V test that the selected steel should fulfil, with a transition temperature at the level of 28J for instance.

Selection of the right steel quality for a structure is a matter of major significance as regards both the safety and the economy of constructional steelwork.

Numerous comparisons between the output of different procedures are reported which, on the one hand highlight their consistency, while on the other hand the possible sources of discrepancies among the various material requirements determined using these procedures. Such procedures are based on fracture mechanics concepts such as those of the Stress Intensity Factor, the Crack Tip Opening Displacement or the Full Yield Criterion. As an introduction the lecture reviews the main aspects of resistance to brittle failure, with reference to basic documents which the reader may find it useful to consult for more detail.

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