Volume 3 Section 5

Part 2
NRA BD 9/14

Implementation of BS 5400: Part 10: 1980 Code of Practice for Fatigue

June 2014

St. Martins House, Waterloo Road, Dublin 4 Tel: +353 1 660 2511
Fax +353 1 668 0009
Email: infoDMRB@nra.ie Web: www.nra.ie

Summary:

This standard which covers the Implementation of BS 5400: Part 10: 1980 - Code of Practice for
Fatigue has been superseded by the Eurocodes but may be used for Assessment purposes.

Published by National Roads Authority, Dublin 2014

NRA DESIGN MANUAL FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES

VOLUME 3

HIGHWAY STRUCTURES:
INSPECTION
AND
MAINTENANCE

SECTION 5

STANDARDS AND ADVICE

NOTES SUPERSEDED BY
THE EUROCODES BUT
REQUIRED
FOR
ASSESSMENT

PART 2

NRA BD 9/14
IMPLEMENTATION OF BS 5400: PART 10:
1980 - CODE OF PRACTICE FOR FATIGUE
Contents
Chapter

June 2014

1.

Implementation

2.

Enquiries

Annex A

NRA Addendum to BD 9/81

Annex B

BD 9/81 Implementation of BS 5400: Part 10: 1980

- Code of Practice for Fatigue

National Roads Authority

Design Manual for Roads and Bridges

1.

Volume 3 Section 5
Part 2 NRA BD 9/14

IMPLEMENTATION

General
1.1

The Implementation of BS 5400: Part 10: 1980 - Code of Practice for Fatigue has been superseded
by the Eurocodes (for Design), but may still be required in the Assessment of an existing structure.
Refer to NRA TB 4 The Structural Eurocodes for further information in this regard.

1.2

This NRA BD 9 shall only be used as referenced from an Assessment Standard contained within
Section 4 of Volume 3 of the NRA DMRB.

Annex A - NRA Addendum to BD 9/81

1.3

Annex A contains NRA Addendum to BD 9/81.

Annex B BD 9/81 Implementation of BS 5400: Part 10: 1980 - Code of Practice for Fatigue
1.4

Annex B contains BD 9/81 Implementation of BS 5400: Part 10: 1980 - Code of Practice for Fatigue.

June 2014

National Roads Authority

Design Manual for Roads and Bridges

Volume 3 Section 5
Part 2 NRA BD 9/14

2.

ENQUIRIES

2.1

All technical enquiries or comments on this document, or any of the documents listed as forming part
of the NRA DMRB, should be sent by e-mail to infoDMRB@nra.ie, addressed to the following:
Head of Network Management, Engineering Standards & Research
National Roads Authority
St Martins House
Waterloo Road
Dublin 4

...
Pat Maher
Head of Network Management,
Engineering Standards & Research

June 2014

National Roads Authority

Design Manual for Roads and Bridges

ANNEX A: NRA ADDENDUM TO BD 9/81

A.1.

This annex contains NRA Addendum to BD 9/81.

June 2014

Volume 3 Section 5
Part 2 NRA BD 9/14

National Roads Authority

Design Manual for Roads and Bridges
Addendum

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

NRA ADDENDUM TO
BD 9/81
IMPLEMENTATION OF BS 5400: PART 10: 1980
CODE OF PRACTICE FOR FATIGUE

Standard BD 9/81 - Implementation of BS 5400: Part 10: 1980, Code of Practice for Fatigue - is applicable
in Ireland with the following amendments:

GENERAL
1.
Where the Standard is applied for the design of structural components which are procured through a
contract incorporating the NRA Specification for Road Works, products conforming to equivalent standards
and specifications of other member states of the European Union will be acceptable in accordance with the
terms of Clauses 104 and 105 of that Specification. Any contract for the procurement of structural
components which does not include these Clauses must contain a suitable clause of mutual recognition
having the same effect, regarding which advice should be sought.
2.
The Standard provides specification requirements for use in public purchasing contracts. It does not
lay down legislation requirements for products and materials used in road construction in Ireland.
3.
The Standard should be used forthwith for all schemes for the construction and/or improvement of
national roads. The Standard should be applied to the design of schemes already being prepared unless, in
the opinion of the National Roads Authority, application would result in significant additional expense or
delay progress. In such cases, Design Organisations should confirm the application of this Standard to
particular schemes with the National Roads Authority.
4.

At several locations:
For: Departmental Standard
Read Standard;
For: highway
Read road.

December 2000

National Roads Authority

Design Manual for Roads and Bridges
Addendum

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

SPECIFIC
1.

Front cover:
Delete Enquiries text box.

2.

Page 1, Paragraph 2.1, line 1:

For: bridges belonging to Department of Transport
Read: bridges on schemes funded by the National Roads Authority.

3.

Page 1, Paragraph 2.2:

Delete Paragraph 2.2.

4.

Page 1, Section 3:
For: Departmental Requirements
Read: National Roads Authoritys Requirements.

5.

Page1, Paragraph 3.1, line 12:

For: Departmental Standard BD 2/79
Read: NRA BD 2 (NRA DMRB 1.1)

6.

Page 2F, Paragraph 4.1, reference 3:

Delete reference 3 and replace with:
3. NRA BD 2: Technical Approval of Structures on Motorways and other National Roads (NRA
DMRB 1.1).

7.

Page 2F, Paragraph 4.1:

Add the following reference:
6. NRA Manual of Contract Documents for Road Works, Volume 1: Specification for Road
Works.

8.

Page 2F, Paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2:

Delete Paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2, and replace with:
5.1 All technical enquiries or comments on this Standard should be sent in writing to:
Head of Project Management and Engineering
National Roads Authority
St Martins House
Waterloo Road
Dublin 4

E OCONNOR
Head of Project
Engineering

December 2000

Management

and

National Roads Authority

Design Manual for Roads and Bridges

Volume 3 Section 5
Part 2 NRA BD 9/14

ANNEX B: BD 9/81 IMPLEMENTATION OF BS 5400:

PART 10: 1980 - CODE OF PRACTICE
FOR FATIGUE
B.1

This annex contains BD 9/81 Implementation of BS 5400: Part 10: 1980 - Code of Practice for
Fatigue.

June 2014

THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY

BD 9/81

THE SCOTTISH OFFICE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

THE WELSH OFFICE
Y SWYDDFA GYMREIG

THE DEPARTMENT OF
THE ENVIRONMENT FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

Implementation of BS 5400: Part

10: 1980 - Code of Practice for
Fatigue

Summary:

This Departmental Standard covers the implementation of BS 5400: Part 10

for the fatigue assessment of Highway bridges.

DESIGN MANUAL FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES

VOLUME 1

HIGHWAY
STRUCTURES:
APPROVAL
PROCEDURES AND
GENERAL DESIGN
GENERAL DESIGN

SECTION 3

BD 9/81
IMPLEMENTATION OF BS 5400:
PART 10: 1980 - CODE OF PRACTICE
FOR FATIGUE
Contents
Chapter
1.

Scope

2.

Implementation

3.

Departmental Requirements

4.

References

5.

Enquiries

Appendix 1

Corrections to BS 5400: Part 10: 1980

ELECTRONIC COPY - NOT FOR USE OUTSIDE THE AGENCY

December 1981

PAPER COPIES OF THIS ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT ARE UNCONTROLLED

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

Chapter 1
Scope

1. SCOPE
1.1
This Departmental Standard covers the implementation of BS 5400: Part 10 (Fatigue) for use in the fatigue
assessment of highway bridges. It sets out the Departments requirements as far as certain aspects of the design criteria
are concerned. It does not cover the fatigue assessment of aluminium, wrought iron or cast iron members, nor steel
wires and cables.
1.2
A list of corrections for minor textual errors in the British Standard is included at Appendix 1 of this
Departmental Standard.
1.3

Advice concerning the use of BS 5400: Part 10 is given in the complementary Advice Note BA /81.

ELECTRONIC COPY - NOT FOR USE OUTSIDE THE AGENCY

December 1981

PAPER COPIES OF THIS ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT ARE UNCONTROLLED

1/1

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

Chapter 2
Implementation

2. IMPLEMENTATION
2.1
The fatigue assessment of bridges belonging to the Department of Transport will henceforth be carried out in
accordance with the procedures set out in BS 5400: Part 10 as amended by this Departmental Standard.
2.2
This part of this British Standard will supersede Technical Memorandum BE 16 and those parts of the Interim
Design and Workmanship Rules for Steel Box Girder Bridges that deal with fatigue.

ELECTRONIC COPY - NOT FOR USE OUTSIDE THE AGENCY

December 1981

PAPER COPIES OF THIS ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT ARE UNCONTROLLED

2/1

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

Chapter 3
Departmental Requirements

3. DEPARTMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
3.1

Standard Design Criteria

Highway bridges shall normally be assessed for the standard design life of 120 years (4.1) using the standard loading
(7.2.2) and the annual flow of commercial vehicles given in Table 1 of BS 5400: Part 10. However, in certain cases it
may be appropriate to use a non-standard design life, a non-standard load spectrum or non-standard vehicle flows. Such
cases might well include:
i.

temporary structures, if these are subject to weight restrictions, limited life or local traffic flows
substantially different from standard flows

ii.

accommodation bridges where the vehicle flows and weights depend upon a particular usage eg access
to a farm or factory.

In such cases though, it should be borne in mind that the usage of a particular structure may well change during its
design life. In all cases the use of non-standard criteria shall be dealt with in accordance with the procedures given in
the Departmental Standard BD 2/79.

3.2

Stress Ranges (6.1)

It should be noted that from a fatigue point of view compressive loading on a welded detail is assumed to be just as
damaging as tensile loading. Therefore full account must be taken of compressive stresses when calculating the
effective stress range for a welded detail.

3.3

Design r - N Relationship (11,2 and A,3)

The fatigue life of any detail must always be based on the 2.3% probability of failure criterion as used to obtain the design
curves in Figure 14. This criterion is also implicit in the damage charts in Figure 10 and the limiting stress ranges in Figure 8.

* The numbers in brackets are the relevant clause nos. in BS 5400: Part 10

December 1981

3/1

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

Chapter 4
References

4. REFERENCES
4.1

The following documents are referred to in this Departmental Standard:

1.

BS 5400: Part 10: 1980 Steel, concrete and composite bridges, Part 10. Code of Practice for Fatigue.

2.

Departmental Advice Note BA: The Use of BS 5400: Part 10, Code of Practice for Fatigue.

3.

Departmental Standard BD 2/29: Technical Approval of Highway Structures or Trunk Roads

(including Motorways), Part 1. General Procedures.

4.

Technical Memorandum (Bridges) BE/16: Provisional Fatigue Requirements for Steel Bridges.

5.

Inquiry into the Basis of Design and Method of Erection of Steel Box Girder Bridges: Interim Design
and Workmanship Rules, Parts I, II, III and IV (HMSO)

ELECTRONIC COPY - NOT FOR USE OUTSIDE THE AGENCY

December 1981

PAPER COPIES OF THIS ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT ARE UNCONTROLLED

4/1

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

Chapter 5
Enquiries

5. ENQUIRIES
Technical enquiries arising from the application of this Departmental Standard to a particular project should be
addressed to the appropriate Technical Approval Authority.
All other technical enquiries or comments should be addressed to:Assistant Chief Engineer
Bridges Engineering Design Standards Division
Department of Transport
St Christopher House
Southwark Street
LONDON SE1 0TE
All enquiries concerning the distribution of this Departmental Standard should be addressed to:
Administration of Road Construction 1
Department of Transport
Room S7/23
2 Marsham Street
LONDON SW1P 3EB
Telephone Number: 01 212 4944

December 1981

5/1

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

Appendix 1

CORRECTIONS TO BS 5400: PART 10: 1980

Page Number
4

5.1.2.2

Paragraph 1, Lines 6, 7 and 8

Delete statement within brackets.

6.2.1

Figure 1
Delete "M1,P1", insert "M1,P1".

6.3

Figure 2
Delete "N , t", on axis, insert " ,n ".
t

7.2.5

Paragraph 1, Line 9
Delete "127r", insert "127r".

17

8.3.2

Figure 11
Insert bold line on graph for KF 1.2.2 from
L = 1 to L = 2.5.

20

9.2.4

Paragraph 1, Line 8
Delete "at", insert "of".

21

11.2

Figure 14
Insert "of" after "summary" in title.

22

11.2

Paragraph 1, Line 4
Delete "16", insert "14".

25

B1

Paragraph 1, Line 6
Delete "of the graph".

25

Appendix C

Title, Line 1
Delete ";".

30

D.2.2

Paragraph 1, Line 1
Delete "These", insert "To".

32

D.3.3

Paragraph 1, Line 3
Delete "(see also figure 1)".

36

E.1

Figure 19, NOTE Line 2

Delete "F,", insert ", F".

45

H.4.1

Figure 26, NOTE

The note does not refer specifically to Figure 26
but should be included as part of the general text
of H.4.1.

45

H.4.3

Sub-clause 1, Type 3.1, Line 6

Delete "5.1.2.5", insert "5.1.2.4".

46

H.4.3

Sub-clause 9, Types 3.7 and 3.8, Paragraph 2, Line 7

Delete "lameller", insert "lamellar".

December 1981

A1/1

Volume 1 Section 3
BD 9/81

Appendix 1

A1/2

49,51,53

H.1.1

Tables 17(a), 17(b) and 17(c)

Delete "" Important features that change significantly from one type of
another .".
Delete "" where it occurs attached to class letters in
the tables.

49

H.1.1

Table 17(a), Type 1.12, Special design stress parameter

Delete "7.5", insert "6.5".

51

H.1.1

Table 17(b), Type 2.12, Manufacturing Requirement

Delete "plus", insert "g".

53

H.1.1

Table 17 (c), Type 3.3 and 3.4, Dimensional requirements

Delete "(see footnote)".

53

H.1.1

Table 17(c) Types 3.1 to 3.6, Manufacturing requirements

Delete "weld and ground", insert "weld ends ground".

December 1981