H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 1

EUROCODES IMPLEMENTATION BY THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY

Hideo Takano, Highways Agency, Dorking, UK
Vladislava Flanagan Palan, Highways Agency, Leeds, UK

Abstract
The paper describes the Eurocodes implementation process adopted by the Highways Agency
(HA). It explains the objectives and principal aspects of the HA‟s strategy and key findings
of some of the studies undertaken. The scope of application of the Eurocodes on Highways
Agency schemes is also discussed.

The process that has been followed for updating the Design Manual for Road and Bridges
(DMRB) is explained, together with the current status of relevant documents and plans for the
future.
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 2

Introduction
Eurocodes are the suite of European Standards covering structural design of all civil
engineering works, including bridges.

The UK, as a member of the European Union, is obliged to comply with the requirements of
the Construction Products Directive (CPD) and Public Procurement Directive (PPD), which
set out the status of European Standards in the member states.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) withdrew UK National Standards that were in conflict
with Eurocodes on 31 March 2010, at which point Eurocodes became the published and
maintained structural design standards in the UK.

Since 31 March 2010 the Highways Agency has expressed its requirements for the design of
new and modification of existing highway structures (including geotechnical works) in terms
of Eurocodes.

Background Information to the Implementation Process

Highways Agency objectives

The Agency has been preparing for Eurocodes for several years, and has developed a strategy
for their introduction.

This strategy is being executed by the Highways Agency in coordination with the Overseeing
Organisations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in liaison with interested industry
bodies. There are regular meetings with the representatives of the Overseeing Organisations
to discuss progress on Eurocodes and their implementation.

The strategy translates into a number of different areas of work, which can be categorised as
follows:

National Annexes: Contribute to the calibration of Nationally Determined Parameters for

bridges-related UK National Annexes through BSI working groups.

Non-Contradictory Complementary Information (NCCI): Draft documents that will

become NCCI referenced from the relevant National Annexes. This information will
supplement the Eurocode requirements for bridge design in the UK.

Highways Agency standards and specification: Review and redraft the Overseeing
Organisations‟ requirements for the design and construction of structures in a number of
selected documents within the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) and the
Specification for Highway Works (SHW), to align with the principles of the Eurocodes.
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 3

Bridge design studies: Undertake studies using the Eurocodes to design bridges to
understand the effect of introducing Eurocodes on design practices, how they will affect the
physical characteristics of structures and the resources required for the design, as well as
informing the development of guidance including the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges
(DMRB).

Training and Seminars: Develop and deliver internal training for the Agency‟s Technical
Approval staff, and contribute to industry meetings/conferences to raise awareness of the
Agency‟s implementation strategy and programme among the current and potential suppliers
within the construction industry.

Several members of Highways Agency specialist technical staff were involved in the
development of the Eurocodes as National Technical Contacts (NTCs). Their role was to
collate national comments and act as focal points for BSI/UK. Standards covered included
EN1991 (Actions – Ron Ko), EN1992-2 (Concrete Bridges – Colin George), EN1993 (Steel –
Sibdas Chakrabarti), EN1994-2 (Composite Bridges – Geoff Bowden) and EN1997
(Geotechnical – Alex Kidd).

Highways Agency objectives in the implementation of Eurocodes were underpinned by the

need to comply with the requirements of the CPD and PPD.

The Eurocodes are intended “…to become the European recommended means for the
structural design of works and parts thereof, to facilitate the exchange of construction services
(construction works and related engineering services) and to improve the functioning of the
internal market.” [1]

To this effect, the overall HA objective was to try and provide „equivalent‟ replacement for
BS5400 and the parts of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) and the Manual
of Contract Documents for Highway Works (MCHW) affected, to enable designs to be
undertaken to Eurocodes, whilst maintaining safety levels.

Supply chain and managing expectations

Supply chain expectations

The needs and expectations of the supply chain were perceived to include the publication of
user guides, examples and background documents to ease the transition to Eurocode design.
The treatment of assessments and compatibility with strengthening design that follows was
also flagged up as a topic requiring further guidance. An Interim Advice Note (IAN) on
Eurocodes implementation was progressed with the intention of providing guidance to address
some of these concerns.

Other concerns that needed to be investigated and addressed included the economics of design
including the costs during the learning curve/transition, and the economics of the structure
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 4

constructed. It was also important for the Highways Agency to assess the impact of Eurocodes
on the design and construction process. To this end a number of pilot parallel design studies
were commissioned.
The availability of implementation tools, such as standard analysis packages/spreadsheets was
something that the Highways Agency felt would be best addressed by industry.

Concerns about the availability of background information to Eurocodes to enable Departures

to be justified and the ability to specify and procure (Specification for Highway Works and
contracts) were also expressed. The Highways Agency has tried to address this by working to
amend the MCHW and by contributing to the publication of background material in BSI
Published Documents (PDs).

There was also the expectation that with the introduction of Eurocodes and the open
marketplace that would result, there would be the opportunities for pan-European design
teams.

Design prior to Eurocodes implementation

Prior to 31 March 2010, UK National Standards such as BS5400, as implemented by the

DMRB and MCHW continued to be used where designers were developing options and
feasibility studies.

The Highways Agency allowed the use of Eurocodes for the design of new and modification
of existing highway structures before the withdrawal of UK National Standards. However, a
Departure from Standard was required to be submitted by designers for agreement by the
Technical Approval Authority (TAA) until all relevant Eurocodes and UK National Annexes
had been published to ensure that all necessary design and execution standards, technical
guidance and information were used appropriately.

In addition, to discharge the Agency‟s responsibilities under CDM to vet the competence of
designers, TAA required designs to be subject to the requirement of a Category 3
independent check, as defined in BD2 (DMRB 1.1.1).

Use of Eurocodes on Highways Agency contracts

The Highways Agency has been expressing its requirements for the design of new, and
modification of existing, highway structures (including geotechnical works) in terms of
Eurocodes for:

All types of Major Projects contracts, involving highways structures design, made
after 31 March 2010;

All new highway structures designs procured through MAC contracts, where detailed
design commenced after 31 March 2010;
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 5

All new highway structures designs procured through DBFO contracts, where detailed
design commenced after 31 March 2010 (provided the design standards were not
frozen for the capital works);

All new highway structures designs procured through S278 agreements, where
detailed design commenced after 31 March 2010;

All new Proprietary Products and highway structures, where detailed design
commenced after 31 March 2010 (unless otherwise agreed by the TAA).

For the DBFO schemes, where the DBFO Co is not carrying the risk of standards change, the
implementation of Eurocodes on new designs is not mandatory. Where the HA require
Eurocodes to be implemented, this will be agreed on a case by case basis.

Eurocodes are not used for structural assessments which continue to be undertaken in
accordance with the relevant extant DMRB standards and best practice.

Work on DMRB standards

In order to enable design organisations to design bridges and highway structures to similar
criteria as current UK practice, it was necessary to amend the DMRB to suit the Eurocodes
and National Annexes within a relatively short timeframe. Interim revisions to DMRB using
Interim Advice Notes would also assist in the implementation of Eurocodes on HA schemes
whilst evaluating their use and effect.
DMRB BDs and BAs affected by Eurocodes were identified – mainly within Volumes 1 and 2
– relating to design of highway bridges and structures. Also affected were standards for
bridge furniture and products such as joints, bearings and parapets, lighting columns, CCTV
masts etc.

The main areas of change required for Eurocode implementation were: references to BS
design and product standards that would be withdrawn on 31 March 2010, cross references to
other affected BDs/BAs, deletion of requirements arising from new/revised Eurocodes
requirements, BDs/BAs to be deleted where corresponding BSs were to be withdrawn and
additional non-contradictory complementary information (NCCI) for Eurocodes.

The Highways Agency has no plans at the moment to pursue the use of Eurocodes for
assessments, as the current DMRB advice notes and standards are sufficiently comprehensive
and versatile to cover the assessment of various highway structures.

The number of affected BDs/BAs was such that it was not a realistic proposition to have all
the necessary amendments in place in time for the withdrawal of conflicting standards in
March 2010. The details of the amendments were therefore incorporated into the document
“Interim Requirements for the Use of Eurocodes for the Design of Highway Structures”
contained in IAN124[2] (to be published imminently). This provides an interim measure to
address these changes by giving guidance on which BDs/BAs to use fully with Eurocodes,
which ones to use partially, and which ones not to use with Eurocodes.
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 6

The intention is to have the IAN in place during the early designs to Eurocodes, and to make
use of any feedback to improve the document prior to its publication as a Standard (BD100).

The amendments to Technical Approval documents and templates for use with Eurocode
design will be addressed in the revised version of BD2 “The Technical Approval of Highway
Structures”, which is expected to be published in early 2011.

Work on MCHW

In order to enable design organisations to construct bridges and highway structures to similar
criteria as current UK practice, it was necessary to amend the MCHW to suit the Execution
Standards within a relatively short timeframe. Draft revisions to MCHW would also assist in
piloting the Eurocodes on HA schemes to evaluate their use and effect on real schemes.

MCHW documents affected by the Execution Standards were identified. The work to
complete the amendments to the affected documents is nearing completion, but will not be
finalised until after the publication of PD6705-2. Recommendations on the execution of steel
bridges to BS EN 1090-2.

Once the amendments are finalised, an IAN will be issued to provide the necessary revisions
to the relevant parts of the MCHW.

Pilot parallel design studies and cost implications

Technical aspects

In order to understand the potential impact that the introduction of Eurocodes would have,
including technical challenges, potential risks to delivery programme and budget, the
Highways Agency commissioned pilot parallel design studies.

The studies also attempted to validate the completeness of available standards and guidance
documents, to assess their clarity and usability, and to identify ambiguities, gaps and errors.

In general, the studies found that the Eurocodes would make little difference to common
forms of bridges and highway structures in terms of member sizes. Compared on a like for
like basis, the Eurocodes generally resulted in sectional resistances that were within 10% of
the results from the British Standards. [3]

The outcomes from the studies also highlighted some common areas of UK practice that are
not covered by Eurocodes. This informed the work being done to develop additional
complementary guidance. Of particular note, for example, is that the Eurocodes do not
contain comprehensive provisions on the distribution of wheel loads through fill over buried
structures, surcharge effects due to traffic loading adjacent to structures, or for the design of
integral bridges. Guidance on all of these aspects will be included in PD6694-1.
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 7

Recommendations for the design of structures subject to traffic loading to BS EN 1997-

1:2004.

Cost implications

The pilot parallel design studies also considered comparisons of resource, programme
requirements and cost between designing to Eurocodes and to BS5400.
Whilst the overall cost increase on programmes and projects of work is expected to be less
than 0.5% of works value, the cost and time impacts on individual projects may be more
significant. These impacts have been evaluated over a notional four year period, and could
vary significantly, depending on the Agency‟s programmes of work, project types and the
preparation and experience of designers.

In the first year following the introduction of Eurocodes, early designs undertaken by less-
experienced consultants (without a structured in-house Eurocodes training programme) could
cost up to an additional 45% for one-off structures designs, and 35% for multi-structure
projects or MACs. Designs undertaken by experienced consultants (with significant in-house
Eurocodes experience and a structured training programme) could be expected to cost up to
an additional 30% for one-off structures scheme, and 25% for multi-structure schemes or
MACs.

The percentage cost increases indicated above relate to the costs of design process including
design time, drawing preparation and Category 1 & 2 Checking.

Programme timing impacts are expected to be proportionate to these cost impacts. There will
also be cost and time impacts arising from the need to apply more independent checking of
design. These costs can, however, only be determined on a project or scheme specific basis.

No significant construction cost savings are expected from the introduction of Eurocodes
within this four year period. The potential does however exist for modest construction costs
savings, once designers become more experienced with Eurocodes and the larger supply chain
that Eurocodes should facilitate.

Eurocodes training

The Highways Agency appointed Parsons Brinckerhoff to provide tailored training to the
Agency‟s technical staff (Technical Approval staff, and Structures Policy staff). The HA did
not provide training for its supply chain.
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 8

Eurocodes Implementation

Interim Advice Notes IAN 123/10 and IAN 124

Interim Advice Note 123/10[4] was issued in March 2010 to implement Eurocodes on
Highways Agency schemes. This IAN provides contractual and procedural guidance on the
use of Eurocodes for the design of new, and modification of existing, highway structures
(including geotechnical works) on the English Strategic Road network.

IAN 124 will provide technical guidance and client requirements on the implementation of
Eurocodes and includes the “Interim Requirements for the Use of Eurocodes for the Design of
Highway Structures”.

The document includes clarification of specific Eurocodes requirements, a list of clauses in

Published Documents that constitute the default means of compliance, status of DMRB
documents for use with Eurocodes and project specific information that need to be recorded.

Changes to technical approval

The Highways Agency has revised its requirements for Technical Approval of Highway
Structures to ensure that the requirements align with the technical and cultural changes
brought about by the use of Eurocodes for structural design, as well as to address feedback
received on the use of BD 2/05 Technical Approval of Highway Structures.

These new TA changes will be introduced in the forthcoming amendment to BD 2.

Interim Advice Notes and Technical Standards and Regulations Directive

98/34/EC[5] (TSRD)

TSRD arises from agreement of the member states to consult each other before adoption of
new regulations and is considered an instrument of transparency that enables elimination of
barriers to trade. (EC Treaty Articles 43 and 49 require elimination of all measures that
prohibit, impede or render less attractive freedom of establishment and freedom to provide
services.)

The key points of this Directive are that it defines technical regulations and de facto technical
regulations, which have to be notified. Once notified, there is a standstill period of three
months prior to publication, to give member states or the Commission the opportunity to
comment or give an opinion. Further standstill and notification periods may apply if
comments or opinions are made.

Originally, the Agency planned for a single IAN to be issued to cover contractual, procedural
and technical guidance. However, the publication of the IAN for the implementation of
Eurocodes was held up in the Highways Agency‟s discussions with the European
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 9

Commission (EC), and an internal reappraisal of the status of some of our documents with
regard to the TSRD.

At that time, the European Commission (EC) had advised the HA that two of its previously
issued IANs should have been notified under TSRD, whilst the HA had considered its
documents as “specifications” applied under contract, and therefore outside scope of TSRD.

According to legal advice, which the HA sought out, many HA standards are de facto
technical regulations. The result of the discussion and reappraisal was that more of our new
standards and specifications would have to be notified to the EC than hitherto considered
necessary. Non compliance would risk infraction proceedings.
Notified documents have to be submitted with their supporting reference documents and the
risk exists that some reference documents may give rise to infraction issues or further
standstill periods.

The Interim Advice Note and standards that were originally prepared for Eurocodes fell
within this need to notify. Therefore a staged approach to the issue of information for the
implementation of Eurocodes was adopted.

The first stage was the publication of IAN 123/10, which addressed the immediate contractual
and procedural implications of Eurocode implementation. IAN 123/10 was carefully worded
to ensure that it was not a de facto technical regulation and therefore outside the scope of
TSRD. This meant that it could be published immediately without a need for notification.

The second stage is the publication of IAN 124, which addresses technical guidance and client
requirements for Eurocode implementation. This is currently going through the
notification/standstill process.

Dealing With Queries

The implementation of Eurocodes led to the Highways Agency receiving many queries
regarding the contractual, procedural and technical aspects of Eurocodes.

The Highways Agency has set up a process for dealing with these queries. The most popular
queries were disseminated via the Frequently Asked Questions section of the HA website.

Ongoing Work
The Agency‟s strategy for the development of the DMRB was to use the implementation of
Eurocodes as an opportunity to consolidate and simplify the bridge design parts. Whilst the
Highways Agency had previously been in a position to provide, through the DMRB, guidance
on British Standards, including amending or superseding BS clauses, this will be
impermissible under the Eurocodes. Instead, the DMRB can only contain information that is
complementary to the Eurocodes, along with the Overseeing Organisations‟ additional (non-
contradictory) requirements.
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 10

The review of the existing DMRB with regard to Eurocodes is ongoing and the Agency is
taking the opportunity to rationalise the content with a view to making it consistent with the
principles of Eurocodes. There will be fewer, more focused DMRB parts that contain the
additional (non-contradictory) requirements of the Overseeing Organisations. Currently there
are about 60 BDs and BAs related to the design of bridges and other highway structures.
These are being scrutinised and categorised: some information relates solely to the British
Standards and will therefore be superseded; some information contains the Overseeing
Organisations‟ additional requirements and will be retained in a form complementary to the
Eurocodes; some information is out of date and will be withdrawn; and some is useful
guidance material, which will be retained in a complementary format.

Whilst the DMRB will contain less guidance, it does not necessarily mean that there will be
less information available; rather, there will be different homes for design information. For
example, some material previously contained in DMRB documents has already been
published as PDs.

The ultimate objective is for the number of documents in the DMRB to be reduced and
guidance will be contained in a few well focused documents targeted towards the essential
requirements of the Overseeing Organisations.

DMRB documents will still be needed for assessments, until such time as the assessment
Eurocodes are published. In the meantime amendments to the assessment standards to make
them more compatible with Eurocodes may be undertaken, particularly with respect to
modification of structures.

Looking Ahead
IAN 124 will remain in place for some time. This will give opportunity for feedback
and improvements to the standard before it is published as BD100.

The revisions aligning the MCHW to execution standards will be published some time after
the publication of PD6705-2. Recommendations on the execution of steel bridges to BS EN
1090-2.

The ongoing maintenance of the DMRB will incorporate revisions to align documents to
make them compatible with Eurocodes.

For the foreseeable future, assessments of existing structures will continue to be undertaken
using the standards in the DMRB, making use of versions of the standards (such as BS5400)
that were current at the time of withdrawal. Further work by CEN (European Committee for
Standardisation) on the development of Eurocodes is likely to include assessment of existing
structures, glass and Fibre-Reinforced Polymers (FRP).

The Highways Agency will continue to be engaged in these developments and will continue
to support the transfer of knowledge and promotion of best practice.
H Takano, V Flanagan Palan 11

Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for the contributions made by and/or support from
colleagues in the Highways Agency Network Services Directorate Technical Services
Division, John Bagley (HA Director of NetServ TSD), Neil Loudon, Martin Lynch,
Geoff Bowden, Colin George, Alex Kidd and Sibdas Chakrabarti.

References
[1] European Commission – Guidance Paper L: Application and use of
Eurocodes – November 2003
[2] Highways Agency Interim Advice Note 124 (Draft): Interim
Requirements for the use of Eurocodes for the design of highway
structures
[3] Parsons Brinckerhoff - Looe Mills Impact Study – October 2009
[4] Highways Agency Interim Advice Note 123/10: Use of Eurocodes for
the design of highway structures
[5] The Technical Standards and Regulation Directive 98/34/EC as
amended by Directive 98/48/EC