Many of us in the structural engineering community are approaching the second generation of Eurocodes with mixed feelings. During the last major regulatory update, many engineers waited until the last day possible to make the switch—perhaps a testament to the building industry’s conservative nature or simply for convenience. Learning a new standard requires time and effort, but this series is here to ease the process!
Our goal is to highlight some key technical differences between the current and new Eurocodes. Please note that this series is not intended as a definitive reference, and changes may occur in the final versions of the new Eurocodes after these articles have been released.
Timeline for the new Eurocodes
The journey began in 2012 when the European Commission approved the development of the second generation of Eurocodes. The transition milestones are as follows:
1. Definitive Text Available (DAV) – no changes after this: By 30 March 2026.
2. Publication (DoP) – All parts of the second-generation Eurocode going live: By 30 September 2027.
3. Withdrawal of Conflicting Standards (DoW) – First-generation Eurocodes must be withdrawn: By 30 March 2028.
The presented dates above are deadlines, and some countries might be quicker to publication than others – however, it is likely that the DoW of 30 March 2028 constitutes the last day to use the current first-generation Eurocode in a new project.
You could seek exceptions for certain projects in previous regulatory changes even after the DoW. However, it is unclear if this option will exist in this transition and that it could also vary between countries.
Key changes in the second-generation Eurocodes:
• Promoting further harmonisation and improving the ease of use of the norm – most likely leading to more limited national annexes
• Requirements for assessing, re-using and retrofitting of existing structures/structural parts
• Stronger focus on robustness
• New Eurocode on structural glass
• Including new methods such as fibre-polymer composite structures (FRP) and tensioned membrane structures
Preparing for the change
At Matrix/StruSoft, we are already fully engaged in updating our software to align with the new standards by the DoP. This may also include changes to analysis options to harmonise with the new Eurocodes. Stay tuned for more updates on these developments!
We hope this overview helps set the stage for a smooth transition. Be sure to follow this series for in-depth insights into the technical changes coming your way.
In the meantime, you can try FEM-Design for free today by clicking this link.
