The JCSS – A major contributor to structural safety through half a century

Society expects buildings and structures in the built environment to possess an adequate level of safety. This holds true throughout the whole life cycle of the structure, from the erection stage until the end of life and also during its eventual demolition. In order to achieve this objective, engineers need to have knowledge of structural materials, the use of the structure and the various interactions with the environment. Fundamentally, this knowledge is rarely available in a deterministic form and decisions have to be made taking into account the various sources of uncertainty that affect the structure’s behaviour. The need to answer the question of how to account for such uncertainties and their effects on structural safety was one of the main reasons for the creation of the Joint Committee on Structural Safety over half a century ago. This paper presents an historical account of how it started, the development of the philosophical background and objectives over the course of time, and its main achievements and key publications. The paper closes with a short reflection on what has been achieved and what is required in the future.