Highways and Network Operations have launched the new Highway structures design guide.
The Highway structures design guide is a new document that sets out the NZ Transport Agency’s design requirements for all permanent highway structures on the state highway network. It also sets out the Transport Agency’s design requirements for earthworks, including natural slopes, embankments and cuttings.
The primary function of the Highway structures design guide is to define design requirements for highway structures on the state highway network that are consistent with the NZ Transport Agency’s primary purpose of promoting an affordable, integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable land transport system.
Secondary functions are:
- To provide design guidelines for highway structures for use by other road controlling authorities throughout the road transport network that are consistent with the NZ Transport Agency’s primary purpose.
- To interpret Building Act 2004 requirements for the design of highway structures and to set out the intended means of compliance of highway structures with the Building code.
- To provide the NZ Transport Agency’s design requirements for structures that are not Transport Agency owned, but are present within the state highway road reserve.
What has changed:
Note that appendix F of the Bridge manual (3rd edition to amendment 1) has been removed and is now located in appendix A of the Highways structures design guide. The following amendments have been made to the appendix since publication in amendment 1 of the Bridge manual 3rd edition.
- Appendix A – title and various clauses amended to reflect inclusion of review procedures. The note on page A-1 has been deleted as procedures have now been incorporated in Transport Agency contracts. Various minor amendments made throughout the appendix.
- Figure A1 – direct link between structure design statement(s) and design certificate(s) removed. “(s)” added to various documents to reflect they may be plural. Pre-implementation, implementation and post implementation subtitles added to project phases.
- A3.3 – provision that preliminary structure options reports may cover multiple structures added.
- A4.1, A4.5 – clarification added that generally a structure design statement is required for each structure, but provision that structure design statements may cover similar multiple category 3 structures added.
- A4.2 – provision that structure options reports may cover multiple structures added.
- A5.3 – clarification added that generally certificates are required for each structure, but provision that certificates may cover similar multiple category 3, category 4 or uncategorised structures added.
- A6.1 – “superstructure with integral piers” moved from category 1 to category 2.
- Annex A1 – “Engineering qualifications” field removed for NZ Transport Agency signatory for acceptance of preliminary structure options reports, structure options reports and structure design statements.
- Annex A2 – minor amendments to Construction review certificate, Construction review certificate (contractor’s design) and Construction certificate. Design and design review (contractor’s design) certificate amended to reflect that the certificate is issued by the contractor rather than the design firm, and the contractor’s statements and signature have been added.
Publication details
Author: NZ Transport Agency
Published: May 2016
Version: 1
Reference: ISBN 978-0-478-44597-8
Found at: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/highway-structures-design-guide
Further information
Contact the Highways and Network Operations Structures team at bridgemanual@nzta.govt.nz.
Kevin Reid
