Architects Datafile (ADF) – August 2019

I

n the UK, and indeed the rest of the
world, the current terrorism threat is
constantly changing, meaning that
vulnerable sites need to be constantly
assessing the risk. One method of terrorist
activity is vehicle-borne attacks, ranging
from ram-raiding to suicide missions.
Site owners and operators need to protect
their assets, including property and people,
from such attacks with the appropriate
protective security, including vehicle
security barriers (VSB).
The generic types of VSBs include:
gates (bi-folding, hinged and sliding),
arm barriers (rising and swing), bollards
(rising, static, shallow and removable) and
road blockers (surface mounted, shallow
and deep).
There are a range of standards that relate
to the impact testing of barriers, which help
identify the most suitable VSB for each
individual site. The standards specify test
criteria, including type of vehicle and
speed that the VSB is capable of stopping
and immobilising. Those responsible for
securing a site at risk of a vehicle attack,
such as designers, planners, architects,
security managers or facilities managers
within the public and private sectors, need
an understanding of these standards and
where to get advice on the measures to put
in place.
Such advice can be found by the
manufacturers themselves, some
manufactures can provide CPDs on helping
architects identify what are the most
suitable measures to put in place and how
to compare all the different standards (and
therefore the products) available in the
market. These CPDs can also provide
guidance on installation of VSB and the
standards relating to the installation.

Risks posed by vehicle-borne
improvised explosive devices
A car bomb, or truck bomb (VBIED), is an
improvised explosive device placed in a
vehicle then detonated. It is commonly used
as a weapon of terrorism and normally kills
the occupants of the vehicle (suicide

bombers), people near the blast site, and to

damage buildings or other property. A

vehicle bomb acts as its own delivery

mechanism and can carry a relatively large

amount of explosives without necessarily

attracting suspicion.

Impact testing of vehicle

security barriers

The Centre for the Protection of the

National Infrastructure (CPNI) produces

the Catalogue of Impact Tested Vehicle

Security Barriers (CITVSB), containing the

impact tested products it has tested through

its research program – against the key

standards. This is the key catalogue in the

UK and any manager of a key critical

national infrastructure site in the UK

should contact CPNI for a copy or further

information. The PSSA Hub is an additional

key resource.

There are various specifications for the

impact testing of VSBs. From the beginning

of 2014, the UK government’s “elite VSB

testing programme” has impact tested

products under International Workshop

Assessment (IWA) 14. This replaced the

British Standards Institution (BSi) Publicly

Available Specification (PAS) 68, however

products tested under this specification have

been given ‘grandfather rights’ and remain

Sally Osmond of Frontier Pitts discusses the importance of impact testing for product

solutions for defence against vehicle-borne attacks, and looks at relevant regulations

Protect and survive

There are a range of

standards which help

identify the most suitable

vehicle security barrier

(VSB) for each individual

site, which specify test

criteria, including type of

vehicle and speed that the

VSB is capable of stopping

and immobilising

SAFETY & SECURITY 69

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