EUROSTEEL 2026 Brought the European Steel Research Community to Kraków
From 16 to 18 September, Kraków became a meeting place for researchers, engineers, designers, architects and industry professionals working on the future of steel and composite structures. The 11th European Conference on Steel and Composite Structures, EUROSTEEL 2026, was co-organised by PK Krakow University of Technology (PK KUT), Rzeszów University of Technology and the European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS-CECM-EKS).
Hosted in Kraków, the conference brought together research and industry around one central question: how can we design, assess, reuse and improve steel and composite structures for the future?
A broad scientific programme
More than 550 papers were submitted for the conference, covering a wide range of topics, including:
circular construction, reuse and retrofitting,
sustainable and lightweight structures,
AI and machine learning in engineering,
seismic resistance and structural resilience,
high-strength and special steels,
steel-concrete composite structures,
fatigue, fracture and structural safety,
3D printing and additive manufacturing,
innovative connections and structural systems,
bridges and long-span structures.
The programme also featured keynote lectures, industry sessions, special sessions, poster presentations and the European Steel Design Awards.
An international community
The international character of the event was reflected in contributions from researchers and PhD students from universities and research centres across Europe and beyond. Participants presented research on topics ranging from seismic resilience and blast-resistant structures to circular construction, reusable structural systems and advanced experimental methods.
Among the presented topics was experimental work on extreme cyclic deformation in structural steels, which showed how advanced measurement techniques can contribute to more reliable modelling of steel structures under severe seismic demands.
More than presentations
Beyond the scientific sessions, EUROSTEEL 2026 created opportunities for researchers, engineers and industry professionals to exchange ideas, develop collaborations and discuss the challenges shaping the future of structural engineering. PK KUT is proud to have been part of bringing this international community to Kraków.
