VSB preparation
The barrier is prepared for test in its intended installation, with its foundation, soil, fixings and markers. The preparation is part of the test condition, not a setup detail.
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 6.4 asks
Clause 6.4 covers the preparation of the barrier for the test. The general part is followed by installation, foundation, soil and markers. The text requires the barrier to be installed in the way it is intended to be used, including the foundation and the ground. The foundation may be integral to the barrier or proprietary to it. The soil or finished surface is recorded. Markers are placed so that the datum line, the impact point and the penetration distances can be read from the photographs and the site. The clause is where the test moves from a laboratory article to an installed system.
Why it matters
A barrier is a system, not an object. The same bollard on a deep concrete foundation and on a surface plate will not behave the same way. The same gate on a rigid pad and on a made-up verge will not behave the same way. Clause 6.4 forces the test to describe the system, and it gives the buyer the list of things to compare between the test and the site. Most of the value of a rating is lost when the foundation or the ground is changed after the test without an assessment.
What good looks like
Ask for the installation method statement and the foundation drawing used in the test. Compare them with the site method statement and the as-built drawing. Check the soil or surface, the curing, the fixings and the markers. Photograph the installed barrier at the site and put the photograph beside the test photograph. Where the two differ, record the difference and get a written view from the manufacturer or test house.
Evidence an assessor asks for
The reviewer will ask whether the foundation on site is the foundation that was tested. If the answer is not a clear yes, the rating needs a qualification.
- Installation method statement The method used for the test installation, with the foundation type, dimensions and materials
- Foundation drawing The tested foundation, marked integral, proprietary or surface-placed
- Ground record The soil or finished surface at the test, with the bearing or compaction evidence where available
- Marker record The datum, impact point and penetration markers, with their positions and photographs
- Site comparison The tested installation against the as-built installation, with every difference noted
Where it commonly fails
- A proprietary foundation is tested and a surface plate is installed on site
- The concrete is not cured to the cited method before the test
- The ground is described as "hard standing" with no further record
- The datum marker is moved between the test and the post-impact measurement
What to do before the amendment publishes
Collect the tested installation drawing and the as-built drawing for each barrier and compare them line by line. Resolve differences before acceptance.
Read across
- 6.2 Test site
- 6.7 Test procedure
- A-02 Test mass and ballast
- B Example product and foundation drawings
- D Post-impact foundation and VSB measurements