New ASTM Low Speed Impact Testing Standard to Aid in Lowering Risk of Storefront Car Accidents

Grainy security-camera footage capturing a car as it plunges through glass into a store is seen all too often on television and Internet news sites. The commonplace nature of such accidents signals a need for better storefront protection from errant cars.

Protective barriers are becoming an increasingly important component of preventing or minimizing the damage from such accidents. Now, a new ASTM standard quantifies the dynamic performance of vehicle protective devices at speeds of 50 km/h (30 mph) and lower.

ASTM F3016, Test Method for Surrogate Testing of Vehicle Impact Protective Devices at Low Speeds, was developed by Subcommittee F12.10 on Systems, Products and Services, part of ASTM Committee F12 on Security Systems and Equipment. While the subcommittee’s standard ASTM F2656, Test Method for Vehicle Crash Testing of Perimeter Barriers, provides testing for high-speed impact, F3016 fills the need for a standard that covers lower speeds.

Dean Alberson, Ph.D., P.E., is an ASTM member and a research engineer at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. Alberson notes that he received many inquiries about whether ASTM F2656 was applicable to lower speeds. In addition, Alberson says that the Propane Gas Association was looking for a design for barriers to protect self-service propane storage units. These various inquiries highlighted the need to develop ASTM F3016.

The procedure described in ASTM F3016 will establish a penetration rating for vehicle protective devices subjected to low-speed vehicle impact. The determined penetration rating will provide end users with the ability to select an appropriate barrier for site-specific conditions.

ASTM member Michael Brackin, assistant research engineer, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, notes that, even at low speeds, storefront accidents pose a serious threat to pedestrians and shoppers, and lead to increased liability for storeowners when no protection is offered.

“F3016 will be valuable to manufacturers of protective devices who want to ensure their performance and offer their customers an approved product,” says Brackin. He notes that the wide range of users for ASTM F3016 include:

• Design engineers;
• Contractors;
• Architects;
• Store owners;
• Insurance companies;
• City and county officials;
• Building codes administrators; and
• Those involved in liability lawsuits.

All interested parties are welcome to participate in the ongoing standards development activities of F12.10. “The subcommittee is particularly interested in working with stakeholders who want a testing protocol that will provide definitive guidance for testing products to be incorporated into public safety programs, site security specifications and property protection features,” says ASTM member Rob Reiter, co-founder, Storefront Safety Council.

To purchase standards, visit www.astm.org and search by the standard designation, or contact ASTM Customer Relations (tel +1.877.909.ASTM; sales@astm.org). ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. Become a member at www.astm.org/JOIN.

For more news in this sector, visit www.astm.org/sn-safety or follow us on Twitter @ASTMSafety.

ASTM Committee F12 Next Meeting: April 27-28, 2015, April committee week, Anaheim, Calif.
Technical Contact: Michael Brackin, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Bryan, Texas, tel +1.979.845.2019; m-brackin@ttimail.tamu.edu
ASTM Staff Contact: Joseph Hugo, tel +1.610.832.9740; jhugo@astm.org
ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, tel +1.610.832.9603; bschindl@astm.org

Release #9746


Committee
F12
January 9, 2015