Current information February 2025
February 2025 is full of exciting developments! We summarize the most important events in our article.
From December 1, 2025, the revised DBS 918 002-02 “Technical delivery conditions for hot-rolled products made of structural steels for railroad bridge construction” of Deutsche Bahn will come into force. The new version replaces the previous edition from July 2022 and defines updated requirements for material grades, tolerances, test methods and documentation.
The changes affect all project participants in railroad bridge construction, from manufacturers to quality control and the construction companies carrying out the work. They are intended to ensure that structural steel products meet the current quality standards of Deutsche Bahn.
Deutsche Bahn is granting a transition period until June 1, 2026 to facilitate the changeover to the new standard for ongoing projects:
This regulation is particularly relevant for the planning of stock levels, coordination with suppliers and project scheduling in order to ensure a continuous supply of materials.
The previous grade group JR in accordance with EN 10025-2 will no longer be permitted in future. Instead, grades with the suffixes J0, J2, NL and ML will be used, which meet higher requirements for toughness and fracture behavior.
The grades differ, among other things, in the impact energy at defined test temperatures, a decisive factor for the stability of railroad bridges under changing temperature conditions.
The primary material may only come from manufacturers with a valid manufacturer qualification in accordance with DBS 918002-02. Furthermore, the starting material must meet the requirements of Annex B. Each unit must be individually tested by the manufacturer of the rolled product.
The UT test is used to prevent internal material defects such as cracks or air inclusions and to ensure component safety.
The limit values for the copper content have changed in accordance with the new guidelines.
Too high a copper content can impair weldability and reduce toughness. Different limit values apply for weather-resistant steels in accordance with EN10025-5. Regular monitoring of the chemical composition ensures that safety requirements and standard specifications are met.
All relevant test values must be documented in the acceptance test certificate (APZ):
Structured documentation enables complete traceability and is essential for audits and quality controls.
DBS 918 002-02 has a direct influence on the planning, production and installation of bridge elements.
The new tolerance specifications and material grades:
The revised DBS 918 002-02 defines new technical standards for hot-rolled structural steel in railroad bridge construction. All project participants must integrate the new requirements into material selection, quality assurance and documentation in order to ensure compliance with the standards and the safety of bridge construction projects.
Note: The information given here is for general guidance only and is provided without guarantee. For binding details and exact requirements, please refer to the applicable standard.
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