Bridges

Recent changes to the Australian and New Zealand Standards AS/NZS 1163:2009 Cold-formed structural steel hollow sections, AS/NZS 3678:2011 Structural steel Hot-rolled plates, floorplates and slabs, AS/NZS 3679.1:2010 Structural steel Hot-rolled bars and sections and AS/NZS 3679.2:2010 Structural steel Welded I sections have introduced new mandatory compliance criteria.

These require specific identification markings to be applied to these products during manufacture, improved levels of reporting on test certificates, mandatory third-party accreditation of the testing laboratories through ILAC accreditation and enhanced mandatory product conformity criteria.These changes have been driven by the market, which increasingly demands enhanced evidence of compliance to the Australian and New Zealand Standards in their projects. This provides stakeholders with a higher level of confidence that they can meet their client’s objectives as there now exists strong links and traceability between their design, supply chain and construction activities.It is critical to ensure that the material

Standards are robust, to comply with the requirements of Part 6 of the Bridge Standard (AS 5100) and Steel Structures Standard (AS 4100). Robust material Standards also ensure that the project’s sustainability, due to potential short-term and long-term negative consequences, is not compromised.This paper will examine the drivers for these enhanced compliance criteria, explain the recent changes to the Australian and New Zealand Standards in detail, discuss potential short and long term project sustainability issues, explore instances of project non-conformance, and consider future directions for compliance and third-party product certification systems.