Introduction. The design service life of the waterproofing of the roadway of highway bridges has not changed over the past 20 years and will be 15 years in the coming years. Therefore, when designing waterproofing protection, it is necessary to use materials that will ensure the necessary requirement. Also, it is no less important to adopt and realise reliable design solutions for waterproofing, which will ensure the watertightness of structures, in particular span structures. This applies to both new construction and repairs.
Problem Statement. Currently, DSTU 8904:2019 is the main document that establishes requirements for materials, design and installation of waterproofing of the roadway of highway bridges. The presence of a standard that contains both requirements for waterproofing, and design and technological requirements for waterproofing, etc. is very important, since it allows interested participants in both construction and operation to have the necessary information in one document. However, there was a period when DSTU 8904:2019 was not mandatory for use. In addition, from 01.01.2026, in accordance with the orders of the State Enterprise «UkrNDNC», a significant number of standards for test methods and requirements for materials specified in DSTU 8904:2019, according to which waterproofing materials were to be tested, were canceled.
Purpose. To analyze the documents that established the requirements for waterproofing the roadway of road bridges in previous years and are currently in force. To establish the features of the application of waterproofing the roadway of road bridges. To consider the issues that arise when choosing waterproofing, designing road surfaces in terms of waterproofing, and ways to increase the reliability of bridges through the use of high-quality waterproofing materials and design solutions.
Materials and methods. The research is based on the analysis of regulatory, technical documents, and literary sources on the issues of waterproofing the roadway of highway bridges.
Results. The provisions of GBN V.2.3-218-003:2010 were analyzed in terms of roadway design using polymer mastic waterproofing, roll (typical and lightweight) waterproofing, structure of strengthening of waterproofing during repairs. The provisions of GBN V.2.3-218-003:2010,
DBN V.2.3-22:2009 were analyzed regarding the need to install a leveling and/or protective layer for a reinforced concrete or metal slab of the roadway. It was established that during their validity, the designer had the opportunity to decide whether to apply a leveling or protective layer to a reinforced concrete slab or not; to decide whether to apply a protective layer for the metal slab of the carriageway or not (a leveling layer on the metal slab is not required). However, ensuring the requirements for waterproofing in terms of thermal resistance established by GBN V.2.3-218-003:2010 did not mean that such waterproofing could be automatically applied without installing a protective layer of concrete.
The provisions of the currently valid DSTU 8904:2019, DBN V.2.3-22:2025 were analyzed. It was established that DSTU 8904:2019 contains, along with others, requirements for thermal resistance of waterproofing materials such that compliance with them allows laying hot asphalt concrete mixture without installing a protective layer on its surface.
Taking into account the provisions of DSTU 8904:2019, DBN V.2.3-22:2025, the road surface design for a reinforced concrete slab cannot have a leveling layer of concrete with a thickness of (30–50) mm.
Taking into account the orders of the State Enterprise «UkrNDNC» dated 29.08.2025 No. 171, No. 234, it has been established that certified laboratories in Ukraine will not be able to carry out waterproofing tests in the usual way in accordance with the field of certification and establish its compliance or non-compliance with DSTU 8904:2019, since a significant number of standards for test methods and requirements for materials have been canceled.
Conclusions. Currently, DSTU 8904:2019 is the main document that establishes requirements for materials, design and installation of waterproofing of road surfaces of road bridges. It is mandatory to implement, since it is mentioned in DBN V.2.3-22:2025.
The design of road surfaces with a reinforced concrete slab of a span structure cannot have a leveling layer of concrete with a thickness of (30–50) mm. The installation of a protective layer over the waterproofing is not provided. However, there are no separately written design solutions that would prohibit the installation of a protective layer in DSTU 8904:2019, DBN V.2.3-22:2025, and decisions are made on the basis of established practice.
Due to the cancellation of a significant number of standards for test methods and requirements for materials by the State Enterprise «UkrNDNC» from 01.01.2026, certified laboratories in Ukraine will not be able to carry out waterproofing tests and establish their compliance or non-compliance with DSTU 8904:2019 in the usual way in accordance with the field of certification. Therefore, it is necessary to revise DSTU 8904:2019 as soon as possible, during which it is necessary to develop test methods suitable for testing waterproofing and replace DSTU, the validity of which has been terminated, with other test methods or standards. In particular, it is necessary to take into account the developments of the European Union, which contain EN standards and other technical documents. Also, in DSTU 8904:2019 it is necessary to update the requirements for materials that were established by the canceled standards.
