## 1 Introduction  
The construction industry in Kazakhstan represents one of the most significant sectors in the country's economy. Progress in the construction field implies better living standards, as well as the safety of the population [1]. The construction industry determines the direction of economic development of a great number of adjacent industries in Kazakhstan [2]. Therefore, it is important to understand the significance of building regulations that play a determinative role in the development of a modern country. A rapid urbanization rate and growth of the construction sector cause the development of construction materials, as well as design technologies. Local designers and engineers used to apply the Kazakhstan technical regulations that consider only traditional design methods and materials [3]. These building regulations were developed based on SNiP code by complementing and providing more details to the design requirements. The traditional SNiP approach, with proven efficiency and reliability, has been applied in Kazakhstan since Soviet times, for approximately 25-30 years [4]. The main drawback of the national code of practice is the impossibility of the application of new design technologies and materials, slowing down the development of the construction industry [3]. However, Kazakhstan still uses the former building regulations as this code of practice considers national circumstances and the privacy of the country. A considerable part in the solution to this problem is the harmonization of the existing building regulations with Eurocode [1]. Kazakhstan has been in the process of reforming the system of technical regulations in the construction field since 2010. Considering the experience of developed countries, Kazakhstan pursued the idea of integration into the world economic system via the harmonization of codes and design processes. In accordance with the national \"100 steps\" plan, Eurocode was introduced into the territory of Kazakhstan in 2011 [5]. This reform involves a gradual transition to the national standard SN RK EN, which is identical to Eurocode [6]. Since 2014, Eurocode has been applied in parallel with the existing design code in Kazakhstan [7]. Figure 1 demonstrates the transition of some Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, including Kazakhstan, to Eurocode. Eurocode (EC) represents a flexible and progressive European technical standard used for the design of all types of buildings and structures and different combinations of loads with the application of all types of construction materials. The European Union (EU) decided to create a common European regulatory system for the construction field in 1975 [9]. The aim was to eliminate technical obstacles to international cooperation and to create a unified EU system for design and construction works. All EU member-countries apply EC considering their respective national features, such as climatic, seismic, geological, and economic particularities. EC is being constantly updated in compliance with the newest technological achievements, results of scientific research, and innovations [5]. The government supports the idea of the integration of the Kazakhstan construction industry into the European regulatory system for the realization of large-scale, expensive projects in Kazakhstan [10]. The harmonization of national building regulations with EC (1) contributes to a considerable inflow of foreign investments by solving bureaucratic problems and eliminating administrative barriers, (2) stimulates scientific and technical collaboration between local and European specialists, and (3) allows the application of the same design methods and rules. In addition, the application of EC in Kazakhstan increases the competitiveness of local construction companies, designers, and manufacturers of construction materials on the international level by tightening the discipline, reducing the construction time, and allowing the application of innovative materials and technologies [7].