The 2nd generation Eurocodes will be released gradually. Engineer Manuel Walter explains what this means for structural engineering and geotechnics.
In summary: > The second-generation Eurocodes will be published gradually, with the full set expected by autumn 2027 before they come into force in March 2028. > The new Eurocodes entail numerous adaptations to technical developments, climate change and modern planning methods. > Assessment approaches, partial safety concepts and verification methods are being adapted, expanded, and further harmonized across many areas. > In particular, the revised two-part standard EN 1990 and the significantly expanded Eurocode 2 will have a major impact on structural design. > In geotechnics, the requirements are changing due to an extended Eurocode 7 and the introduction of standardized procedures for bearing capacity verification using numerical models. > Planning offices should introduce the new standards on pilot projects during the coexistence phase, while the pressure to implement them is still low. |
The time has come: after a decade of revision, the second-generation of Eurocodes are finally being published one by one. Among other things, the new standards entail numerous adaptations to technical developments, climate change, and modern planning methods. At the same time, harmonization and a clearer structuring of the standards promises better handling in practice. In this interview, Manuel Walter, Product Manager Structural Analysis at ALLPLAN, explains why the second Eurocode generation is more than just an update, what makes it so relevant for structural engineers and geotechnical engineers, what deadlines there are for the changeover, and why planning offices would be better off starting now.
Mr. Walter, why are the second-generation Eurocodes more than just an update – and what makes this reform so relevant for structural engineers and geotechnical engineers?
The second generation of Eurocodes will change the structure, content, and application focus of the standards in particular – with direct consequences for design, verification, and software, as well as the liability of structural and geotechnical engineers. However, most importantly, assessment approaches, partial safety concepts, and verification methods are being adapted, expanded, and harmonized much more closely in many areas.
A central goal is the reduction of nationally determined parameters. This is intended to create a more uniform European level of safety and to make evidence between countries more comparable. For planners, this means less "standard switching" on the one hand, but also less leeway due to national calibrations on the other. In addition, there is the new structure of the regulations. Content is streamlined, redundancies are reduced, and terminology is standardized. In the future, many typical verification situations will be covered by simplified procedures. This makes standard cases easier, but at the same time requires a real change in chapter structure, references, and detailed regulations.
Another far-reaching change is the inclusion of new topics within the design standards. Dedicated provisions are being introduced for glass structures, atmospheric icing, wave and current actions as well as the assessment and strengthening of existing structures. As a result, many aspects that were previously covered by guidelines, technical leaflets, or engineering experience will be incorporated directly into the Eurocodes.
At the same time, robustness, durability and climate resilience are becoming much more important. The standards no longer consider buildings only in the classic limit state verification, but over their entire life cycle – from design and use to preservation, strengthening, and reuse. For many offices, this means a real change of perspective in the design process.
What specifically changes for structural engineers and geotechnical engineers? Which of these developments will have the greatest impact on their day-to-day work?
The revision of EN 1990 plays a key role. In the future, the basic standard will be divided into two parts – one for new buildings and one for existing buildings – and will include geotechnical aspects, robustness, and new types of structures such as towers, silos, tanks, and coastal structures in a much more systematic way. This has a direct impact on safety approaches, load combinations, and the definition of the supporting structure.
In the materials sector, the new Eurocode 2 will be significantly expanded. In the future, bridges, watertight structures, containment structures, CFRP strengthening, and steel fiber concrete will be consolidated in a central part of the standard. At the same time, new rules are being introduced for higher concrete strengths, stainless reinforcement, and recycled concrete. Structural engineers will therefore need to recalibrate design models, detailed design checks, and material choices – especially in bridge construction and specialist civil engineering.
For geotechnical engineers, the second generation also brings significant changes. The previous two-part Eurocode 7 will become a three-part standard with extended provisions on groundwater levels and pressures, durability, sustainability, and robustness. Another new feature is the introduction of a standardized procedure for bearing capacity verifications using numerical models, which provides a stronger basis for geotechnical FEM calculations. At the same time, geotechnical aspects will be more closely integrated with EN 1990. This will require structural engineers and geotechnical engineers to coordinate safety coefficients, load combinations, and model assumptions even more closely in the future.
For steel, the second generation introduces significant improvements reflecting modern research and construction practice. Stability verification has been enhanced through refined buckling curves and an updated General Method for more accurate predictions of member instability. Material scope has been expanded to include steel grades up to S700 in EN 1993-1-1 and S960 in EN 1993-1-12. A key innovation addresses semi-compact (Class 3) sections with new rules that allow elastic-plastic transitions. Fire resistance provisions have also been modernized with performance-based design approaches and refined methods for determining critical temperatures. Two new parts complement the code: EN 1993-1-13 for beams with large web openings and EN 1993-1-14 for design assisted by finite element analysis.
EN 1992-1-1 for concrete design introduces mechanically based models for improved accuracy and transparency. Shear and punching shear provisions have been completely reformulated using the Critical Shear Crack Theory (CSCT), properly accounting for size effects and slenderness. Cracking models are refined with improved formulations for crack spacing and width, enabling more sustainable designs. The code's scope has been dramatically expanded by consolidating provisions from separate parts for bridges and containment structures into EN 1992-1-1, with new annexes covering CFRP strengthening, steel fiber reinforced concrete, recycled aggregate concrete, and the assessment of existing structures.
When will the second generation of Eurocodes come into force – and how much lead time is realistic for designers to prepare for it?
The second Eurocode generation comes into force from 30 March 2028, when the first generation must be withdrawn throughout Europe. Until then, there will be a coexistence phase in which both generations can be applied in parallel, depending on national introduction and transition rules.
At the European level, there are clear deadlines: by March 2026 at the latest, the final drafts are to be delivered to the national standardization institutes. They must be published nationally by September 2027 before the formal withdrawal of the old generation takes place in March 2028. In Germany, publication of the standards have been taking place gradually since autumn 2024 and is expected to be completed by around autumn 2027. The point at which the standards become legally binding will then be determined by state building codes, administrative regulations, and transitional periods.
Realistically, planning offices thus have a transition period of about two to three years to adapt their technical processes, organization, and software. The period from 2026 to 2027 in particular provides an opportunity to develop training courses, establish internal standards, and create initial reference designs. Many organizations and software manufacturers therefore recommend starting pilot projects now in order to be fully prepared for when the first-generation Eurocodes are withdrawn.
What are the risks if offices wait too long to switch to the new Eurocodes?
A common misconception is that existing projects would have to be automatically redesigned to comply with the new Eurocodes. As a rule, this does not apply to approved designs. However, challenges can arise for projects still in the design phase if the relevant regulatory framework changes during the project and authorities suddenly require the new version. Particularly for bridges, large structures, or specialist civil engineering projects with long durations, it is therefore important to clarify contractually at an early stage which generation of the standard applies and which version the approval authority expects.
In addition, there is the issue of structural reassessments and changes of use in existing buildings. In these cases, it is foreseeable that authorities will prefer the second generation in the medium term. Earlier project approaches can then no longer be easily updated, which can lead to differing results and additional effort. It is also organizationally risky to adapt internal templates, standard details, and software too late. Offices that delay this risk facing efficiency and liability problems because the design calculations no longer comply with current standards. Ultimately, this could lead to a rushed transition under time pressure – including training, software changes, and process adjustments during operation – instead of a planned transition over several years.
What advice do you have for engineers who are still hesitant?
The switch is worthwhile now because the coexistence phase offers a limited window of time in which offices can familiarize themselves with the new rules without maximum pressure, but with real projects. If you let these years pass, you will have to catch up on software, processes, and training later under significantly higher deadlines and competitive pressure. New Eurocodes are not a cosmetic revision. They bring new verification formats, safety concepts, and structural frameworks, for example in EC 2 and EC 3. Early pilot projects help teams understand these changes, gain experience, and adapt internal standards before auditors or clients urgently demand the new generation.
An early start also makes economic sense: training, software updates, and internal adjustments can be spread over several years instead of triggering a wave of costs shortly before the the previous generation is withdrawn. At the same time, the risk of starting projects under standards that may be phased out during the project is reduced. The psychological effect should also not be underestimated. Those who wait experience the transition as an external requirement. Those who begin now can start selectively, make mistakes, and learn while the previous generation is still available as an alternative option, and use the second generation as an opportunity to modernize processes and tools as a whole.
