scope:

This standard applies to all Network Rail owned or managed1 structures, Outside Party structures and Shared structures that have been assigned to Structure Category D in accordance with NR/L1/CIV/032; such structures are herein referred to as Earthworks.

This standard applies to the following:

1 Network Rail owned or managed¹ Earthworks equal to or greater than 3 metres high - this includes Earthworks lying above a Retaining Wall.

2 Network Rail owned or managed1 Earthworks (irrespective of their height) that have a history of instability, and/or are at risk of flooding or water action, and/or whose failure could pose an unacceptable risk to the safe operation or performance of railway infrastructure.

3 Outside Party Earthworks (irrespective of their height) whose failure could pose an unacceptable risk to the safe operation or performance of railway infrastructure.

4 Earthworks (irrespective of their height) that lie above the portal of a railway tunnel.

5 Approach Embankments to an overline Bridge that are equal to or greater than 3 metres high, except those owned by a Highway Authority, Roads Authority or other competent authority.

6 Nailed or reinforced soil structures whose face angle is less than 70 degrees to the horizontal.

7 Gabion walls that support an Earthwork, where the height of the wall is equal to or greater than 1 metre.

The requirements of this standard need not be applied to Earthworks that do not meet any of the above criteria.

The height of a Cutting, at a particular section, is the difference between the level of its crest and the lowest level of the ground at its toe (such as the level of the cess or the bottom of an open ditch). The height of an Embankment, at a particular section, is the difference between the level of the top of a sleeper and lowest level of the ground at its toe (such as the level of the cess or the bottom of an open ditch).

This standard does not apply to:

1 Examinations specifically undertaken to assess the effects of (a) Scour or flooding, or (b) ground movements resulting from, for example, mineral extraction, landfill operations, or a subterranean fire.

2 The examination of vegetation - other than the factors affecting slope stability: the requirements for inspecting vegetation are defined in NR/L2/TRK/5201: Management of lineside vegetation.

This standard does not cover:

1 Health and safety requirements applicable to operational safety and emergency evacuation procedures.

2 The commercial and all the organisational responsibilities for delivering the requirements of the standard.

3 The algorithms that convert the data obtained from an examination into a Condition Rating.

4 The Evaluation of an Earthwork: this is covered by NR/GN/CIV/203: Evaluation and Assessment of Earthworks.

Purpose

The purpose of this standard is to define the requirements for;

1 Undertaking, recording and reporting the findings of examinations on Earthworks.

2 Identifying those actions from the findings of an examination that need to be implemented so that there is no unacceptable risk to the safe operation or performance of railway infrastructure.

This standard defines requirements that expand upon or are supplementary to those given in NR/L1/CIV/032: Managing existing structures.