ISO 19338:2014

Overview

ISO 19338:2014 - Performance and assessment requirements for design standards on structural concrete - is an international, umbrella‑type standard that defines performance requirements, criteria, and assessment methods for structural concrete design standards. Intended to support international harmonization of design and construction requirements, it provides high‑level rules for expressing required performance (safety, serviceability, durability, fire resistance, fatigue, etc.) and for verifying compliance through acceptable assessment methods.

Key points:

• Establishes requirements, criteria, and assessment clauses for structural concrete.
• Covers the full design lifecycle: concept, design service life, construction, quality control and maintenance.
• Third edition (2014) - intended to be used with engineering judgment and national/regional codes.

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO 19338:2014 organizes performance and assessment needs around practical engineering topics:

• Limit states and design approaches: Structural safety (ultimate limit states), serviceability, restorability, durability, fire resistance and fatigue limit states; supports both limit‑state and performance evaluation approaches.
• Loadings and actions: Defines categories of actions to consider (permanent, variable, accidental, construction, impact, earthquake, wind, environmental actions) and guidance on load factors and combinations.
• Materials and analysis: Requirements for material properties, analysis methods (including experimental analysis), strength calculations, stability and resistance criteria.
• Assessment factors: Partial safety factors for materials, resistance factors and reliability concepts to ensure consistent safety levels.
• Special topics: Precast and composite action, prestressed concrete, earthquake resistance design, detailing and durability requirements.
• Construction and quality control: Construction requirements and quality assurance provisions to ensure performance through the design service life.

Practical applications

ISO 19338:2014 is used to:

• Guide the development or revision of national and regional design standards for structural concrete to align with international best practice.
• Support performance‑based design and assessment of concrete structures for durability, fire resistance, fatigue and seismic performance.
• Provide a common framework for compliance assessment, testing strategies and quality control during construction and maintenance planning.
• Aid manufacturers, specifiers and owners in defining design service life and maintenance regimes.

Who uses this standard

• Structural and civil engineers
• Code writers and standards committees
• Regulatory authorities and certification bodies
• Contractors, precast and prestressed concrete producers
• Consultants, inspectors and researchers focused on concrete durability and performance

Related standards

Normative references and related documents include:

• ISO 2394 - General principles on reliability for structures
• ISO 6241 - Performance standards in building - Principles for their preparation
• ISO 7162 - Performance standards in building - Contents and format for evaluation

Keywords: ISO 19338:2014, structural concrete, performance requirements, assessment, design standards, durability, limit states, loadings, quality control, harmonization.