Climate Change Implications in the Second Generation of Structural Eurocodes

Climate change is posing new challenges for the design of civil engineering both in terms of accelerated material degradation processes and shifts in the frequency and intensity of climate extremes. While recent studies have emphasised the impact of climate change on climate extremes, existing European climatic load maps used for structural design often remain outdated, unable to incorporate recent observations and future climate scenarios. To address these issues, the second generation of Structural Eurocodes, now under publication, have introduced climate adaptation measures, notably the scaling factor approach, to account for projected changes in climatic actions on structures. This paper presents the rationale behind the scaling factor approach, its integration into EN1991 Actions on Structures, and a pilot application involving the update of thermal maps in the Italian National Annex to EN1991-1-5:2004, highlighting a cost-effective pathway toward climate-resilient structural design.