A major update to the UK’s definitive guide for traffic sign posts and foundations – the Sign Structures Guide (SSG) – has now been released. Led by Simon Morgan, Chairman of Buchanan Computing (now part of Causeway Technologies), and produced in collaboration with the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) and National Highways, this fourth edition reflects updated standards and best practice for structural and foundation design across the highways sector.
This document, first published in 2007, has become the standard reference on this subject, and is recommended by the Department for Transport in the Traffic Signs Manual. It is now available to download from the IHE website: www.theihe.org/news-info/ihe-publications or from our useful resources page here.Simon Morgan, chair of the IHE’s Traffic Signs Panel who edited the Guide and is one of its authors commented “IHE is very grateful for the opportunity provided by Highways England (HE) to create a much-needed update to this frequently-used document. HE has facilitated the involvement of its structural consultants, Arup, and provided most of the illustrations and much other content from its own team.
“As well as updating the whole document for revisions to structural and passive safety standards over the past few years, the 2021 SSG gives much more detail on the design of spread foundations including how to assess the soil bearing capacity, and a detailed discussion with example calculations on their reinforcement.”
“Simon Morgan and the contributors need to be congratulated for all their hard work in producing this Sign Structures Guide, which I am sure will be well received by the industry.”
Steve Spender, CEO of the Institute of Highways Engineers
A spokesperson for Highways England added “Road signs are a key part of our infrastructure to help motorists get to their destinations as quickly and safely as possible. It’s vital that they are designed to be able to withstand the worst the weather is likely to throw at them, so they can do their job effectively while not endangering road users when accidents happen. This updated IHE Sign Structure Guide is an invaluable source of reference for engineers working to keep the UK’s traffic moving.”
Having worked closely on the SSG, Buchanan Computing (now part of Causeway Technologies) is well placed to update its software SignPlot and SignLoad almost immediately. New editions of these systems, the UK’s leading products for sign face and sign structure design, will incorporate the new procedures for foundation design and will be available in February free of charge to those with support agreements.
