BS 5400 is a document combining codes of practice to cover the design and construction of steel, concrete and composite bridges and specifications for the loads1), materials and workmanship. It is based on the principles of limit state design outlined in ISO 2394:1986 (first edition), General principles on reliability for structures. It is anticipated that BS 5400 will eventually be replaced by the
Eurocodes. In the meantime it is not intended to revise BS 5400 to take account of the changes which have been introduced in ISO 2394:1998 (second edition).
BS 5400 comprises the following:
— Part 1: General statement;
— Part 2: Specification for loads;
— Part 3: Code of practice for design of steel bridges;
— Part 4: Code of practice for design of concrete bridges;
— Part 5: Code of practice for design of composite bridges;
— Part 6: Specification for materials and workmanship, steel;
— Part 7: Specification for materials and workmanship, concrete, reinforcement and prestressing tendons;
— Part 8: Recommendations for materials and workmanship, concrete, reinforcement and prestressing tendons;
— Part 9: Bridge bearings;
Section 9.1: Code of practice for design of bridge bearings;
Section 9.2: Specification for materials, manufacture and installation of bridge bearings.
— Part 10: Code of practice for fatigue.
The start and finish of text introduced or altered by Amendment No. 1 is indicated in the text by tags __.
Some of the above parts are manuals of good practice, whilst others express requirements in specific terms. For this reason BS 5400 should not by reference be incorporated as a whole into construction contracts. Certain parts, i.e. Part 2, Part 6 and Part 7, may be suitable for individual incorporation by reference, provided that care is taken to ascertain that no provisions in such parts conflict with other provisions in the text of the contract.
The changes from the 1978 edition of this part of 5400 were originally intended to be implemented by the issue of an amendment. However for ease of use it was decided to incorporate the changes into a new edition. BS 5400-1:1978 is consequently withdrawn.
The aim of BS 5400 is the achievement of acceptable levels of probability in order that the structure being designed will not become unfit for the use for which it is required, i.e. that it will not reach limit state during its design life. It specifies certain design requirements and a coherent set of partial safety factors for bridges in the UK2), which combine to provide what is considered to be an acceptably low probability of attaining the limit states given in Clause 3.
It has been assumed in the drafting of this British Standard that the executions of its provisions will be entrusted to appropriately qualified and experienced people.
This part of BS 5400 is a statement of the general concepts embodied in other parts of the standard. It describes the application of the limit state principles adopted and includes sections on analysis and foundation design, both of which are common to all forms of bridge construction.
