Abstract
The Swedish Transport Administration is currently updating a handbook on the design of rock excavations for road and rail infrastructure. The aim of the handbook is to provide guidelines and practical engineering tools for the planning and design of rock mass excavations. This paper describes the content of the handbook regarding (i) description of the rules and regulations, and how these affect the design work of rock mass excavations, (ii) guidelines to describe the type of design activities that should be implemented during the planning, , constructions and operational (management) stages, with respect to the design of the load-bearing structure, (iii) description of how the input data to the design can be developed and presented during various steps in the process, and (iv) description of suitable design methodology and appropriate design methods for reinforcement for rock tunnels and rock slopes.