Design of road bridges and

footbridges with Eurocodes

EN 1990 – Annex A2
Combinations of actions
(design situations during execution and
fatigue verifications excluded)

Note 1 : The combinations of actions are based on the recommended values

given in Annex A2
Note 2 : Except for roofed bridges, it is assumed that snow loads on road
bridges or footbridges may be assessed as snow loads on the ground.
 EN 1990 Eurocode : Basis of structural
design
Annex A2 - Application for bridges (N)

A2.0 Foreword
A2.1 Field of application
A2.2 Combinations of actions
A2.3 Ultimate limit states (verifications for fatigue excluded)
A2.4 Serviceability and other specific limit states
EN 1991-2 - Table 4.4a - Assessment of groups of traffic loads
(characteristic values of the multi-component action)
Group of loads gr1a :
LM1 + reduced
(combination) value
of pedestrian and
cycle loads

Group of loads gr1b :

LM2 (single axle)

Group of loads gr2 :

characteristic values
of horizontal forces,
frequent values of
LM1
Group of loads gr3 :
loads on footways
and cycle tracks

Group of loads gr4 :

crowd loading

Group of loads gr5 :

special vehicles
(+ special conditions
for normal trafic)
 EN 1991-2 – Groups of loads for footbridges

Load Type Vertical Forces Horizontal

Forces
Load system Uniformly Service
distributed vehicle
load

Groups gr1 qfk 0 Qflk

of

Loads gr2 0 Qserv Qflk

 EN 1991-2 – Groups of loads for footbridges

Group of loads gr1

Group of loads gr2

EN 1991-2 – Recommended simplified rules for road
bridges

Groups of Climatic actions

loads FW QSn T
gr1a Min(FW* ; 0,6FWk) A2.2.2(5)
gr1a A2.2.2(5)

gr1b A2.2.2(1)
gr2 A2.2.2(2)
gr3 A2.2.2(2)
gr4 A2.2.2(2)
gr5 See Annex A et National Annex
EN 1991-2 – Recommended simplified combination
rules for not protected footbridges

Groups of Climatic actions

loads FW QSn T
gr1 A2.2.3(2)
gr1 A2.2.3(2)

Qfwk A2.2.3(1)

gr2 A2.2.3(2)
gr2 A2.2.3(2)
Table A2.4(B) - Design values of actions (STR/GEO) (Set B)
Table A2.4(C) - Design values of actions (STR/GEO) (Set C)
 Limit-states STR/GEO – Persistent design
situations for road bridges

Fundamental combination
Combination based on expression 6.10
gr1a
1,35(TS  UDL  q*fk )  1,5 Min( FW* ; 0,6FWk )

1,35 gri i 1b , 2 , 3, 4 ,5
  
 (1,35Gkj ,sup ""1,00Gkj ,inf )"" P P"" 1,5Tk  1,35(0,75TS  0,4UDL  0,4q fk )
*

 j 1  
1,5FWk 0gr1a
1,5QSn ,k


q *fk Reduced value of the load on footways for group gr1a – To be defined
in the National Annex (2,5 kN/m2)
P Prestressing : Definition in design Eurocodes. Usually P = Pm et P = 1
G set Uneven settlements to be taken into account where relevant, with Gset = 1,20
or 1,00 in case of linear analysis.
 Fundamental combinations – ULS STR/GEO
Combinations based on expressions 6.10a et 6.10b

0gr1a
6.10a
1,35(0,75TS  0,4UDL  0,4q *fk )""1,5 Min( FW* ; 0,6 FWk )

  1,35(0,75TS  0,4UDL  0,4q fk )
*

 (1,35Gkj,sup ""1,00Gkj,inf )"" P P"" 

 j 1  1,5  0,6 FWk
1,5  0,7Q
 Sn , k

6.10b gr1a

1,35(TS  UDL  q *fk )""1,5 Min( FW* ; 0,6FWk )


1,35 gri i 1b , 2, 3, 4, 5
  
      1,5Tk ""1,35(0,75TS  0,4UDL  0,4q fk )
*
(1, 35 0,85G kj ,sup " "1,00G )
kj ,inf  " " P P " "
 j 1  
1,5FWk 0gr1a
1,5QSn ,k

 Serviceability limit states – Persistent design
situations for road bridges

Characteristic combinations
gr1a

(TS  UDL  q*fk )"" Min( FW* ; 0,6 FWk )


 gri i 1a , 2 , 3, 4, 5 ""0,6Tk
   gr1b

 (Gkj ,sup "" Gkj ,inf )"" Pk "" 
Tk  (0,75TS  0,4UDL  0,4q fk )
*
 j 1 
F
 Wk 0gr1a
QSn ,k
Pk Characteristic value of the prestressing force
G set Uneven settlements to be taken into account where relevant
Serviceability limit states – Persistent design
situations for road bridges

Frequent combinations
(0,75TS  0,4UDL )""0,5Tk

0,75 gr1b
  0,75 gr 4""0,5Tk
 (Gkj ,sup "" Gkj ,inf )"" Pk "" 
 j 1  0,6Tk
0,2 FWk

0,5Q Sn ,k

Quasi-permanent combination

 (G
j 1
kj ,sup "" Gkj ,inf )"" Pk ""0,5Tk
Limit-states STR/GEO – Accidental and seismic
design situations for road bridges

Accidental combination based on expression 6.11

 
 kj ,sup
(G "" G kj ,inf "" P "" Ad
)
 j 1 

Seismic combination based on expression 6.12

 
 kj ,sup
(G "" G kj ,inf "" P "" AEd (   I AEk )("" 2 Qk )
)
 j 1 

Qk = Load Model n° 1
2 = 0,2 (National Annex) for bridges with heavy traffic
P Prestressing : as defined in design Eurocodes. Normally, P = P m et P = 1

G set Uneven settlements to be taken into account where relevant, with Gset = 1,00
 Limit-states STR/GEO – Persistent design
situations for footbridges

Fundamental combinations
Combination based on expression 6.10

1,35 gr1  1,5  0,3 FWk


1,35 gr 2  1,5  0,3 FWk
  1,35Q fwk
 (1,35Gkj ,sup ""1,00Gkj ,inf )"" P Pk "" 
 j 1  1,5Tk  1,35  0,4 gr1
1,5 FWk

1,5QSn ,k

P Prestress : defined in design Eurocodes. Normally P = Pm et P = 1

Uneven settlements to be taken into account where relevant, with Gset = 1,20
G set
or 1,00 in case of linear analysis.
 Limit-states STR/GEO – Persistent design
situations for footbridges
Fundamental Combinations – ELU STR/GEO
Combinations based on expressions 6.10a et 6.10b
6.10a
1,35  0,4 gr1  1,5  0,3 FWk
  
 (1, 35G kj ,sup ""1, 00G )
kj ,inf  ""  P P "" 1,5  0,6 FWk
 j 1  1,5  0,7Q
 Sn, k

6.10b
1,35 gr 1  1,5  0,3 FWk

1,35 gr 2  1,5  0,3 FWk
  1,35Q fwk
 (1,35  0,85Gkj ,sup ""1,00Gkj ,inf )"" P P"" 
 j 1  1,5Tk  1,35  0,4 gr 1
1,5 FWk

1,5QSn ,k
 Serviceability limit-states – Persistent design
situations for footbridges

Characteristic Combinations
 gr 1  0,3FWk

 gr 2  0,3FWk
 gr 1  0,6Tk
  
 (Gkj ,sup "" Gkj ,inf )"" Pk ""  gr 2  0,6Tk
 j 1  T  0,4 gr1
 k
 FWk

QSn ,k

Pk Characteristic value of the prestressing force

G set Uneven settlements to be taken into account where relevant
Serviceability limit-states – Persistent design
situations for footbridges

Frequent combinations
0,4 gr1  0,5Tk

  0,6Tk
 (Gkj ,sup "" Gkj ,inf )"" Pk "" 
 j 1  0,2FWk
0,5QSn,k


Quasi-permanent combination
 (G
j 1
kj ,sup "" Gkj ,inf )"" Pk ""0,5Tk