EUROCODE

Eurocode is a comprehensive set of European standards for the structural design and assessment of buildings and civil engineering works. Developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), its aim is to harmonize national codes across Europe to improve safety, quality, and the free movement of construction products and services. The Eurocodes are intended to provide common design practices while allowing national choices through specific annexes.

The Eurocode suite comprises ten general standards and numerous project-specific parts. The general standards include EN 1990 Basis of structural design and EN 1991 Actions on structures. The material and system standards cover concrete (EN 1992), steel (EN 1993), composite steel and concrete (EN 1994), timber (EN 1995), masonry (EN 1996), geotechnical design (EN 1997), seismic design (EN 1998), and aluminium structures (EN 1999). Each standard contains design provisions, load models, safety concepts, and serviceability criteria, aligned with a common framework for reliability and performance.

Adoption and implementation are carried out by European member states through National Annexes, which specify national choices and deviations. While the Eurocodes are not laws in themselves, they are adopted as the basis for national building regulations and technical approvals in most EU and EFTA countries. Over time, many countries have progressively replaced older national codes with the Eurocodes for new projects, though some national practices may still persist in parallel for certain applications or existing infrastructure.

The Eurocodes are widely used beyond Europe as well, influencing international practice by providing a harmonized approach to structural design that supports safety, durability, and economic efficiency in construction.