Robustness of structures first received significant attention 40 years ago following the partial collapse of Ronan Point, and recent terrorist attacks have resulted in renewed international resources being devoted to the topic. Despite its importance, the engineering profession has yet to reach consensus on quantification of robustness for use in design codes and construction projects. The COST Action aims to develop a foundation for treatment of structural robustness in future structural design codes. Building on the expertise and experience of European experts and close coordination with the European and international engineering associations such as IABSE, ECCS, CIB, fib, Rilem, ISO and the Joint Committee on Structural Safety (JCSS), a new risk-based approach for assessing robustness will be developed and a model code will be produced to guide improvements in future Eurocode revisions. This will greatly improve the efficiency of structural design, ensure the rational treatment of structural safety, safeguard the qualities of the environment, protect societal functionality and economical assets and is expected to increase the international competitiveness of the European building and construction sectors. Keywords : Robustness, structures, design codes, risk, safety.
