ISO/TC 98 – Structural Safety in International Standardization

For more than 60 years, the Polish Committee for Standardization (PKN) has managed the secretariat of ISO/TC 98, one of ISO’s key Technical Committees responsible for principles of structural design as well as the safety and reliability of buildings and civil engineering works.

PKN as Secretariat of ISO/TC 98

ISO/TC 98 Bases for Design of Structures operates within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and serves as one of the leading international fora for cooperation on structural design principles. Since the committee’s establishment in 1961, its secretariat has been managed by PKN. Poland also manages ISO/TC 98/SC 2 Reliability of Structures, which focuses on structural reliability. This long-standing responsibility reflects the strong and well-established position of the Polish engineering community in international construction standardization.

Key work on the fundamental bases for structural design is coordinated from Poland. Katarzyna Maciejczyk serves as Committee Manager for both committees, having assumed the role in 2020 from Joanna Warszawska. Dr. Eng. Jacek Szafran, Professor at Lodz University of Technology, currently serves as Chair of both ISO/TC 98 and ISO/TC 98/SC 2.

The development of ISO/TC 98 has been driven by the long-term commitment of Polish experts and members of the scientific community. Significant contributions have been made by Professor Stefan Janicki, the late Professor Andrzej M. Brandt, and Dr. Eng. Szymon Imiełowski. Professor Tadeusz Chmielewski also played an important role as Chair of the ISO/TC 98 Programme Group for many years.

Structural safety and the global importance of standards

The committee's scope of activities includes the development of standards and technical reports on fundamental principles of structural design, with particular emphasis on safety and reliability. Documents prepared by ISO/TC 98 have an overarching character and serve as reference documents for other technical committees within ISO and in standardization organizations worldwide.

One of the committee’s key objectives is to improve structural safety by developing design principles that address extreme impact incidents and accidental events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods. These efforts help reduce the consequences of natural disasters and minimize the risk of structural failures, thereby contributing directly to the protection of life and property.

ISO/TC 98 focuses on establishing universal bases for structural design regardless of the construction material used. The committee also coordinates requirements related to the reliability of structures as a whole and promotes the harmonization of design principles applied in different countries.

The committee has a global character, with 19 participating member countries and more than 40 observing member countries. This broad representation ensures the universal applicability of its documents across different technical and geographical conditions.

Standards and other standardization documents developed by ISO/TC 98 support the advancement of modern and safe construction, the harmonization of technical regulations, and the international exchange of engineering services. Poland’s active role in managing the committee’s secretariat strengthens the position of Polish experts in international standardization and enables meaningful participation in shaping global structural design principles.