Testing and Development of Roadside Furniture, Security and Safety Barriers

Testing a bollard on MIRA's HAVOC outdoor crash site

The active and passive safety performance of today's vehicles are an order of magnitude greater than those of only a few years ago. Although more improvements are possible perhaps greater gains can be made by addressing issues with the road infrastructure, in particular roadside furniture and safety barriers. MIRA has worked with some of the leading manufacturers of equipment such as bridge parapets and lighting columns to ensure they provide the optimum protection to vehicle occupants and other road users.

In addition to expertise in design and CAE analysis of barriers and roadside furniture MIRA is equipped with a three-hectare HAVOC (Highway And Vehicle Open-air Crash) site, located on our vehicle proving ground.

HAVOC is where we conduct our high-speed, high-mass and consequently high energy tests (E=½mv²!). With the scope for extensive civil engineering work to be carried out the site gives us the ability to simulate real-world scenarios such as performance assessment of:

Road-side safety fencing
End terminals and transitions
Bridge parapets
Containment barriers
Road-side furniture
Crash cushions
Under-run protectors

Design, development and testing to International Standards include:

British and European Standard EN 1317 Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4(draft)
Road Restraint Systems
British and European Standard EN 12767:2000
Passive safety of support structures for road equipment - Requirements and test methods
PAS 68:2007
Specification for vehicle security barriers
PAS 69:2006
Guidelines for the specification and installation of vehicle security barriers
BS 6399-1:1996
Loading for buildings. Code of practice for dead and imposed loads. Specifically requirements as applied to impact testing of vehicle barriers
BS 6180:1999
Barriers in and about buildings. Code of practice
39/3/570 CC1806
Edge Protection in Multi-Storey Car Parks - Design Specification and Compliance Testing
USA procedure NCHRP Report 350