Test site
The test site must give the vehicle a free run, a defined impact geometry, and enough space behind the barrier to measure penetration and debris.
Basis. The public preview stops before this clause; the page states the published structure and the public guidance. The clause number and defined terms are the standard's; the explanation is our own.
What clause 6.2 asks
Clause 6.2 sets the requirements for the test site. The public preview shows the heading but not the full text. What the clause structure and the related definitions establish is that the site has to provide the approach path, the ground on which the barrier and its foundation are installed, and the space behind the barrier in which the vehicle, the penetration distance and the major debris are measured. The site also has to support the camera positions and the distance markers the test method relies on. The standard's scope makes the intended site location, including rigid or non-rigid soil or a finished surface, part of the basis on which the barrier is designed and tested.
Why it matters
A test site is not a neutral background. The ground under the foundation, the slope of the approach, the surface finish and the clear space behind the barrier all affect what happens in the impact. A barrier tested on a rigid concrete pad may behave differently on a soft verge. A test with too little run-out cannot measure a long penetration. A site with no distance markers cannot show where the vehicle stopped. The buyer who compares two ratings needs to know that the sites were comparable, and the buyer who relies on one rating needs to know that the site matched the installation.
What good looks like
Obtain the site plan and the ground conditions for each test. Compare them with the site where the barrier will be installed. Record the approach length, the surface, the foundation, the run-out and the camera positions. Where the installation site differs in a way that matters, ask the test house whether the rating still applies.
Evidence an assessor asks for
The reviewer will compare the test site with the site of use. An unexplained difference in ground or run-out is a reason to question the rating.
- Test site plan A scaled plan showing the approach, the barrier, the foundation, the run-out and the camera positions
- Ground record The ground conditions at the test, including the surface and the soil or pavement build-up
- Run-out record The clear distance behind the barrier, sufficient to measure penetration and debris
- Distance markers The markers used to measure penetration and debris, with their positions and spacing
- Site comparison A comparison of the test site with the installation site
Where it commonly fails
- The test is on a rigid pad and the installation is on a soft verge, with no assessment of the difference
- The run-out is too short to measure the penetration, so the result is cut off at the site boundary
- The distance markers are absent from the photographs, so the reported distance cannot be checked
- The test site slopes and the approach speed is not corrected
What to do before the amendment publishes
Put the test site plan beside the installation drawing. Record every difference and resolve the material ones before the barrier is specified.