Permanent Highway Gates & Barrier Solutions

Containment levels are determined through impact tests where a vehicle of a specified mass and speed is driven into a barrier. The barrier’s performance is assessed based on factors like:

• Vehicle penetration: Whether the vehicle breaks through the barrier.
• Vehicle trajectory: The path the vehicle takes after impact.
• Occupant risk: The level of risk to the vehicle occupants.

Impact tests are carried out in accordance with EN 1317-2 and determine key performance indicators such as containment level, working with, vehicle intrusion and impact severity levels.

Containment levels refer to the ability of a road safety barrier to prevent a vehicle from breaking through or crossing over it in a collision. These levels are defined in European standards such as EN 1317, which classifies barriers based on their performance in impact tests.

Several factors influence the choice of containment level, including:

• Speed limit: Higher speed roads require higher containment levels.
• Traffic volume: Roads with heavy traffic may need a higher containment level.
• Roadside environment: The presence of hazards like steep slopes, water bodies, or structures will influence the required level.
• Vehicle type: Heavier vehicles require barriers with higher containment levels.

Each barrier system tested to EN 1317 is awarded a working width class. This is calculated by adding the width of the system plus the amount of deflection that occurs when the system is impacted to the test criteria. The system’s deflection is measured from the traffic face of the system.

So, for example: For a system with a working width of W1, the total system dynamic deflection combined with the barrier width will not exceed 600mm, whereas a system with a performance level of W3 will not exceed 1000mm.

The system is measured from the traffic face of the VRS before impact, to the rear-most point of the VRS after impact i.e. how far the hazard needs to be away from the traffic face and not be impacted.