The family of ten European standards (EN 1990–EN 1999) for structural design: a common limit-states method covering actions, materials, geotechnics and seismic design. In Italy they apply through the NTC 2018, with which they are aligned, and with the National Annex. Protected technical standards: their framework is described, not reproduced.
They concern the design of structures and geotechnical works. In Italy the binding reference is the NTC 2018, aligned with the Eurocodes; these apply with the National Annex that sets the nationally determined parameters.
The Eurocodes are the family of ten European standards (EN 1990–EN 1999) for structural design: they set a common method based on limit states and partial safety factors, and cover actions, the structural materials (concrete, steel, timber, masonry, aluminium, composite structures), geotechnics and seismic design. Each country applies them with a National Annex setting the nationally determined parameters.
The Eurocodes are Europe's technical basis for structural design: ten standards, from EN 1990 to EN 1999, sharing a single method and dividing the work between them — the framework, the actions, the materials, the ground, the seismic case. You do not design 'with a Eurocode', but with the set: the framework (EN 1990) and the actions (EN 1991) combine with the standard for the material used. The corpus is not static, though: the second generation of the Eurocodes has been under publication for years, revising the whole family.
The ten Eurocodes share the work along a clear division of labour, from the umbrella standard to the single materials and themes.
| Standard | Subject |
|---|---|
| EN 1990 (EC0) | basis of design: limit states, combinations |
| EN 1991 (EC1) | actions: weights, imposed loads, snow, wind, thermal, fire |
| EN 1992 (EC2) | concrete structures |
| EN 1993 (EC3) | steel structures |
| EN 1994 (EC4) | composite steel-concrete structures |
| EN 1995 (EC5) | timber structures |
| EN 1996 (EC6) | masonry structures |
| EN 1997 (EC7) | geotechnical design |
| EN 1998 (EC8) | earthquake-resistant design |
| EN 1999 (EC9) | aluminium structures |
All Eurocodes share the semi-probabilistic limit-states approach: the effects of actions are compared with the structure's capacity, applying partial safety factors to loads and materials and using characteristic values. It is the same framework as NTC 2018: they speak the same language.
A Eurocode does not give the same numbers across Europe. Many parameters are left to each State's choice (the nationally determined parameters), set in the National Annex. Taking a value from a foreign example is a mistake: in Italy the Italian parameters apply.
The Eurocodes are why a bridge designed in Milan and one in Lisbon answer to the same safety logic. For structural architecture they are the common language that makes skills comparable and mobile across Europe — and the technical basis underpinning national rules, the NTC included.
Ten European standards (EN 1990–1999) that set a common method for designing structures, covering actions, materials, geotechnics and seismic design.
To the NTC 2018, which are binding and aligned with the Eurocodes; the Eurocodes are the harmonised European reference, used with the Italian National Annex.
The document by which each State sets the parameters left to national choice: the same Eurocodes give different values in different countries.
EN 1998 (Eurocode 8), dedicated to earthquake-resistant design; in Italy the operational reference remains the NTC 2018.
Because they divide the tasks: one for the framework, one for actions, one for each material or theme; they are used together.