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Ethiopia Overhauls Building Codes To Mandate Seismic Safety, Wind Standards

The Reporter · 3 hours ago · Read the Full Story on The Reporter
Ethiopia Overhauls Building Codes To Mandate Seismic Safety, Wind Standards
AI SUMMARY

Ethiopia has updated its national building codes to introduce stricter seismic safety requirements, wind standards, and evaluation protocols for older structures.

  • Ethiopia updated its national building codes to enforce stricter seismic safety requirements, establish protocols for older structures, and account for regional wind variations and advanced construction materials.
  • The details were announced at the 27th Ethiopian Association of Civil Engineers (EACE) Convention and International Infrastructure Conference 2026 in Addis Ababa.
  • The overhaul was led by the Ethiopian Construction Authority (ECA), the Institute of Ethiopian Standards (IES), and Addis Ababa University, following private-sector stakeholder consultations.
  • The technical codes operate under Building Proclamation No. 1356/2024, granting the ECA enforcement authority nationwide.
  • Revised earthquake guidelines under the CES 160 series introduce mandatory specifications for seismic evaluation, retrofitting existing buildings and bridges, and geotechnical foundation design.
  • The 2026 revision addresses a historical gap by creating rules to evaluate, upgrade, or maintain pre-1990s and other older structures built without seismic considerations.
  • The updated framework adapts key elements of European design standards (Eurocodes) to local realities.
  • The code replaces uniform national wind-load assumptions with regionally mapped wind data and regulates modern inputs like carbon-fiber-reinforced and steel-fiber materials.
  • The regulatory update aligns with Ethiopia's plan to construct 1.5 million housing units over five years.
  • This update represents the fourth major revision of Ethiopia's building codes, following updates in 1983, 1995, and 2015.
Read the Full Story on The Reporter
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