On June 2nd, 2014 the Circular Order 35/2014 of the Ministry of Public Works came into force. This C.O. comprises some Recommendations about Vehicle Restraint Systems Application Criteria (safety barriers, parapets and motorcyclist protection systems).
In summary, the most important aspects to highlight in this Circular Order are the following:
• Its application scope extends to projects of new road constructions and reconditioning of the existing ones where Vehicle Restraint Systems are to be installed permanently.
• It considers effective the installation of metal safety barriers currently in use, whose maintenance or occasional replacement will still be performed using elements or systems similar to the existing ones. Nevertheless, when technically and economically feasible, the use of Certified Systems is advised.
• It defines the application criteria for Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS) and VRS with Motorcyclist Protection.
• It prohibits the use of systems with IPN or similar supports.
• It substitutes and cancels all previous Circular Orders: C.O. 321/95 T &P, C.O. 6/2001, C.O. 18/2004, C.O. 23/2008 and C.O. 28/2009.
• It requires that all Vehicle Restraint Systems to be installed must have the marking and must be installed in the same conditions as in the tests, following the Manufacturer’s Installation Manual.
• It defines risk situations in which Vehicle Restraint Systems must be installed.
• It classifies the types of accident risks in: very serious, serious and normal.
SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THE RECOMENDED CONTAINMENT LEVEL FOR VEHICLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM ACCORDING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE ACCIDENT.
|
ACCIDENT RISK(*)
|
ADT OR HTS OF ADT PER DIRECCTION
|
RECOMENDED CONTAINMENT LEVEL |
|
| BARRIERS | PARAPETS | ||
|
VERY SERIOUS
|
HTS of ADT ≥ 5000 | H3-H4b | H4b |
| 5000 > HTS of ADT ≥ 2000 | H2 – H3 | H4b | |
| HTS of ADT < 2000 | H2 | H3 | |
|
SERIOUS
|
HTS of ADT ≥ 10000 | H1 – H2 | H3 |
| HTS of ADT ≥ 2000 | H2 | H3 | |
| 400 ≤ HTS of ADT < 2000 | H1 | H2 | |
| HTS of ADT < 400 | N2 – H1 | H1 – H2 | |
|
NORMAL
|
HTS of ADT ≥ 2000 | H1 | H1 – H2 |
| 400 ≤ HTS of ADT < 2000 | N2 – H1 | H1 | |
| HTS of ADT < 400 | N2 | N2 – H1 | |
| HTS of ADT < 50 and Speed ≤80 km/h | N1 – N2 | N2 | |
*Definition of accident risk according to the Section 2.2 “Instalation Criteria”, Chapter 2.
• It defines the parameters of EN-1317:
– Types of containment: very high, highand normal.
– Transverse Displacement: Working width (W) and dynamic deflection (D).
– Severity: types A, B or C.
• It establishes the criteria for selecting the containment level, working width, dynamic deflection and severity.
• It establishes the criteria for selecting the most appropriate system.
• It establishes the longitudinal and transverse arrangement criteria for the installation of Vehicle Restraint Systems.
• It requires that Vehicle Restraint Systems comply with Article 704 of the Technical Specification Document for Road and Bridge Works (PG3).
• It establishes the use, arrangement and selection criteria for Motorcyclist Protection Systems.
• It recommends the use of crash cushions, impact terminals and arrestor beds.