BS 8500 Parts 1 and 2 – Concrete are the complementary British Standards to the European Standard BS EN 206 – Concrete – Specification, performance, production and conformity.
BS EN 206 provides the guidance and requirements for the supply of concrete to EN 1992 (Eurocode 2) – Design of concrete structures. As EN 206 is not a harmonized standard, certain guidance and requirements may be defined at a national level, with those for which we have experience in the United Kingdom being contained in BS 8500-1 and BS 8500-2.
The BS 8500 series is in two parts, the first is “Method of specifying and guidance for the specifier” and the second is “Specification for the constituent materials and concrete”. Although BS EN 206, BS 8500-1 and BS 8500-2 should be read together, BS 8500-1 is essential for those specifying, purchasing, and using concrete such as architects, engineers and contractors.
Revisions to BS 8500-1 and BS 8500-2 have previously been to align with other new or updated interrelated standards as well as to improve guidance as understanding of the performance of cements and concrete evolves.