Manufacturing News

In what is believed to be a world first in the application of barrier materials technology in bollards, Central Coast company Leda-Vannaclip has successfully impact tested a new fixed bollard at the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in May 2008.

One key objective was for the creation of a new generation of physically smaller bollards capable of providing enhanced impact protection against terrorist-instigated hostile vehicle attacks. A second key objective was for the bollards to provide a high degree of cutting resistance against a range of overt and covert attacks.

The tests each involved a single-sized stainless steel fixed bollard filled with a Leda-Vannaclip-designed barrier mix to strengthen it under impact and to enhance its cutting resistance. The barrier material was originally developed to combat ATM attacks in Australia.

With the bollards mounted in a shallow rigid foundation, two successful tests were conducted at 48km/h using firstly a 2500kg 4x4 SUV vehicle and then a 3500kg van. A third test with a shallow embedment bollard proved ineffective in restraining the impacting vehicle, highlighting the critical importance of footing design.

“This event offered significant advancement to our knowledge base in the area of vehicle impact testing and further testing will be conducted in the second half of the year to further our understanding of the bollards and footing interaction,” said CEO, Richard Matthews.

It is expected that the bollards will receive both the UK and Australian government accreditations in due course. Leda-Vannaclip gratefully acknowledges the support provided by the UK Government in the course of this testing.
For further information on impact rated security equipment such as bollards, contact Leda-Vannaclip at lvsales@l-v.com.au

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