Strengthening Existing Highway Structures in the Eurocode Environment

Assessment and the design of strengthening are important to ensure that our ageing infrastructure can continue to function. This paper examines the approaches that may be taken to the design of strengthening for a highway structure which does not meet assessment standards in its entirety.

Three case studies are described to examine the reasons that different strategies have been applied to the use of loading and design standards. A particular example is given for the Hammersmith Flyover where the change to Eurocode loading would have had significant implications for the design of strengthening of key elements. It is concluded that application of full Eurocode provisions to strengthening projects is not always appropriate and that consideration must be given to the use of standards particular to individual circumstances to ensure that existing structures can be sustained economically and practically.