As bridge design continues to evolve across Australia, access to practical, up-to-date technical guidance is essential. Two newly released resources aim to support engineers, designers, and decision-makers in delivering more efficient, durable, and cost-effective steel bridges.
These two guides provide end-to-end support across both preliminary concept planning and detailed design.
Steel has long been a trusted material for bridge construction due to its high strength-to-weight ratio. This is increasingly important for longer spans, where lower dead load can lead to a more efficient structure and lower foundation costs.
In support of broader bridge design requirements, The Technical Guide: Composite Steel Road Bridges, has been developed by experienced bridge designers from the engineering firm WSP in collaboration with BlueScope and industry partners.
Highly visual format
Comprehensive and highly visual, this guide supports the preliminary design of economical composite steel multi-girder road bridges.
Aligning with current Australian standards, the guide assists civil engineers, government departments, construction managers, quantity surveyors, and procurement professionals with early-stage planning and design.
What sets this resource apart is its clear, image-led format, featuring striking photography of steel bridges from Australia and around the world.
The guide presents span tables and example configurations in a clear and easy-to-follow layout, enabling project teams to quickly assess the suitability of steel within bridge design while referencing real-world examples.
Rob Danis, BEng (Civil), National Business Development Lead – Infrastructure, BlueScope, says the guide gives engineers a fast and reliable way to assess whether a steel bridge solution is viable for their project.
“It enables informed planning based on up-to-date Australian standards, backed by global best practice and local experience,” Danis says.
BlueScope offers XLERPLATE® steel plate and welded beams and REDCOR® weathering steel plate and welded beams, suitable for a variety of bridge types, from short-span to long-span road bridges, as well as rail and pedestrian bridges.
This new guide replaces the original 1998 Composite Steel Road Bridges – Concepts and Design Charts published by BHP Integrated Steel. It incorporates more than two decades of acquired industry knowledge and construction practice in alignment with the requirements of the current Australian Bridge Design Code (AS/NZS 5100.6:2024).
The included charts provide a practical resource for the early-stage design of composite steel bridges with spans of up to 80 metres. They include both standard BlueScope Welded Beams and custom-made three-plate or box girders for longer spans, with options for use of REDCOR weathering steel or coated XLERPLATE steel.
This publication is intended as a starting point for fast, preliminary bridge design. While it offers a robust foundation for assessing feasibility, a qualified engineer must be engaged for detailed design and final validation.
Industry knowledge and collaboration
Developed in partnership with HERA (Heavy Engineering Research Association of New Zealand), in collaboration with many industry experts, the updated Weathering Steel Design Guide for Bridges in Australia is now available.
This 2025 edition is a comprehensive update of the original 2017 guide, bringing together the applied knowledge and industry practices to support the economical design of bridges made from REDCOR weathering steel.
It collates essential guidance to assist the Australian industry with the efficient and appropriate application of REDCOR weathering steel in bridge projects. The guide also provides practical advice to achieve the expected performance and planned design life of these structures to the local conditions.
REDCOR weathering steel offers an additional advantage: long-term durability. In suitable environments, a tightly adherent oxide layer or ‘patina’ develops, which significantly reduces the corrosion rate compared with conventional structural steel.
When used in an appropriate environment and detailed correctly, the use of REDCOR weathering steel can lower its whole-of-life costs compared to carbon steel and concrete bridges. It can provide an attractive, very low-maintenance and economical solution, extending the scope for cost-effective steel bridges.
This new guide helps stakeholders make the most of those benefits by providing technical guidance tailored to the Australian context. It covers key considerations across design, detailing, fabrication, construction, inspection, maintenance, and rehabilitation.
“We’re seeing growing interest in the use of weathering steel for bridge projects across Australia,” Danis says. “This guide is about giving engineers the confidence and tools to design for durability, and to fully realise the performance and economic benefits REDCOR weathering steel can offer when used in the right conditions.”
REDCOR weathering steel girder bridges are a compelling choice for modern bridge design. When correctly detailed, the excellent durability of REDCOR weathering steel can reduce maintenance requirements, resulting in cost savings over the bridge’s lifespan.
“By making early-stage steel bridge design more accessible and visual, we hope this guide becomes a go-to reference for project teams across Australia,” Danis adds.
“It’s a resource that allows for smarter planning and better conversations around cost, buildability and timing.”
Both of these updated resources – The Technical Guide: Composite Steel Road Bridges and the Weathering Steel Design Guide for Bridges – highlight the importance of industry collaboration.
They reflect the combined expertise and input of engineers, fabricators, civil construction companies, government departments, BlueScope and other key stakeholders across the bridge design and construction sector.
