What role does ABNT play in civil construction?

The Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT) plays a fundamental role in civil construction, establishing a set of norms and technical standards that guarantee the quality, safety and efficiency of construction work throughout the country.

Process for defining ABNT standards

ABNT defines standards and specifications that help standardize processes, ensuring that materials and construction methods follow established criteria. The standards also deal with safety criteria, protecting both workers during the execution of the work and users after completion. Many municipal, state and federal laws and regulations require construction sites to follow ABNT standards.

ABNT standards are developed by the Study Committees (EC) of ABNT's Brazilian Committees (CN). These committees are made up of specialists and representatives from different areas of knowledge, such as engineering, technology, social sciences, health, the environment, among others.

Participation in the Technical Committees is open to companies, entrepreneurs and representative bodies. Participation is by invitation and in accordance with each person's expertise related to the committee's subject. The standards are reviewed periodically, usually every five years, to ensure that they are in line with the latest technologies, practices and market demands.

Main ABNT standards in civil construction

Pioneer Standard

The idea of creating ABNT arose from the need to draw up Brazilian technical standards for concrete technology, to replace the conflicting standards that were used. The first of these, in 1940, was NB-1 - Calculation and Execution of Reinforced Concrete Works, which is now NBR 6118.

NBR 5410

It establishes the conditions that low-voltage electrical installations must meet in order to guarantee the safety of people and animals, the proper functioning of the installation and the conservation of property.

NBR 5419

Establishes the requirements for the protection of a structure against physical damage by means of an SPDA - Atmospheric Discharge Protection System - and for the protection of living beings against injuries caused by touch and step voltages in the vicinity of an SPDA.

NBR 6118

It deals with the design of concrete structures, citing the requirements that buildings must meet in order to comply with the basic requirements of simple, reinforced and prestressed concrete structure projects.

NBR 6120

Establishes the conditions required to determine the values of the loads that must be taken into account in the design of building structures, whatever their class and destination, except in the cases provided for in special regulations.

NBR 9050

Establishes technical criteria and parameters to be observed in the design, construction, installation and adaptation of urban and rural environments and buildings with regard to accessibility conditions.

NBR 14039

It establishes a system for the design and execution of medium-voltage electrical installations, with a nominal voltage of 1.0 kV to 36.2 kV, at industrial frequency, in order to guarantee safety and continuity of service.

Every engineer duly registered with CREA has free and unlimited access to ABNT standards via the CONFEA portal (https://www.confea.org.br/). The login can be done with the CPF and the password is the same as CREA.

ABNT standards generate benefits such as improved productivity, since procedures become standardized. What's more, building according to the NBR's recommendations means having legal security in the event of future problems with the building.