What EN 124 class is needed for a factory driveway?

A vehicle name alone is not enough. First confirm that EN 124 applies to the complete assembly, then use the installation group plus actual wheel load, contact footprint, traffic dynamics, clear span, frame and anchoring details. The class number is a test load, not a vehicle-tonnage rating.

Can one grating model be assigned to each EN 124 class?

No. EN 124 does not prescribe a universal bearing-bar size for each class. Panel geometry, material, span, support seat, frame, restraint, anchors and verification method must be assessed as one assembly.

Does EN 124 automatically apply to every industrial trench cover?

No. EN 124 has a defined scope for manhole-top and gully-top assemblies. Industrial open-grating covers may instead be governed by a project load model, structural-grating standard or local code. State the contract basis in the RFQ.

Trench Cover Load Classes: B125 to F900

What the EN 124 class number means

EN 124 is written for complete manhole-top and gully-top assemblies within its stated scope. The class number corresponds to a laboratory test load. It is not the permitted vehicle mass, axle load or wheel load, and it does not by itself select a steel-grating bearing bar.

Class	Test load	Installation group summary	Engineering consequence
A15	15 kN	Areas used only by pedestrians and pedal cyclists	Verify the complete assembly where the standard applies
B125	125 kN	Footways, pedestrian areas and comparable car parks	No universal grating or angle-frame size is defined
C250	250 kN	Kerbside channel/gutter locations defined by the standard	Location and assembly verification control
D400	400 kN	Road carriageways and comparable vehicle areas	Do not convert 400 kN to “40-tonne axle”
E600	600 kN	Areas imposing high wheel loads, such as docks or aircraft pavements	Specialist frame, restraint and foundation coordination
F900	900 kN	Areas imposing particularly high wheel loads, such as aircraft pavements	Project-specific assembly design and verification

Important: the standard text and contract documents govern the exact installation groups and test procedure. This table is a procurement summary, not a design approval.

Why a class does not select one grating model

A steel-grating panel transfers load through its bearing bars into the support seat and frame. Capacity changes with bearing-bar depth and thickness, pitch, clear span, load footprint, material strength, banding, restraint and deflection limit. The frame, anchors and surrounding concrete or steelwork must transfer the same load. A fixed statement such as “D400 = G405/40/100” is therefore incomplete unless a tested or calculated assembly and its boundary conditions are identified.

Inputs required for a vehicle-duty cover

Governing basis: contract standard, local code and whether EN 124 applies to this complete assembly.
Traffic data: vehicle type, maximum wheel and axle loads, tire/contact footprint, speed, braking, turning and impact conditions.
Geometry: clear opening, bearing direction, support-seat width, frame/foundation arrangement and allowable panel size/weight.
Performance: strength, deflection, fatigue where relevant, slip resistance, drainage and corrosion exposure.
Interfaces: frame, intermediate supports, restraints, locking, lifting points, anchors and concrete edge distances.

Using regional standards without false equivalence

EN 124, AASHTO load models, AS 3996 and local municipal specifications use different scopes, test methods and load definitions. Do not cross-label them as “equivalent” from the class number alone. State the governing document and service condition, then verify the assembly to that basis.

What to write in the RFQ

Send the trench layout, clear openings, traffic/load data, support and frame details, material/finish, locking and handling requirements, destination and governing standard. If the project names an EN 124 class, also state where and how the complete assembly must be verified.