ABSTRACT
In EN 1996, the European Member States have the possibility to amend a defined number of values and methods at positions where Nationally Determined Parameters (NDP) are permitted. The design of masonry constructions in Europe is actually carried out according to the European standard EN 1996. The European standard defines the positions where NDPs are permitted and gives a proposal simultaneously. During the analysis the potential for harmonization was examined for each NDP. According to this, the NDPs were grouped in three categories: "low", "average" and "high potential of harmonization". In EN 1996-1-1, one of the NDPs is the partial factor for materials yM. In Germany, the national standardization committee did consider the European regulations for reinforced masonry neither to be sufficiently safe nor to be mechanically correct. In order to minimize the number of NDPs and to reduce the amount of the regulations, a harmonization of the NDPs is necessary.
