Decoding IWA 14-1: A Comprehensive Exploration of its Significance

The last decade has seen an alarming rise in the incidence of vehicle-borne attacks across the globe. Isolated tragic incidents have led to hundreds of people being killed and injured. As a result, there has been growing awareness about the need for safety measures and the role they play in security strategy. Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) is a protective security discipline focusing on reducing risks associated with such threats using equipment such as mechanical tyre killers, high-security hydraulic road blockers, road bollards, turnstiles, and advanced undercarriage inspection systems. Their role is to prevent unauthorized vehicles from getting close to, or entering, crowded areas. HVM measures are often employed around crowded public areas or critical national infrastructure sites such as government buildings, data centres or power stations.

Considering the nature of their deployment, it is imperative that any HVM measure that is intended for protection against vehicular threats be appropriately certified for use. They should be tested to a recognized vehicle impact test standard performed by an independent test house, and they should achieve a performance rating in line with the impact test standard. HVM barriers will often have been crash-tested to one or more of the major crash test standards currently in place. These are ISO IWA 14-1, BSI PAS 68, and ASTM F2656. In this blog, we shall examine the IWA 14 rating and classification system in detail.

What Is IWA 14?

In the event of an attack, it is crucial that the HVM systems are physically able to stop the vehicle. A bollard or barrier’s impact resilience must match the impact forces at play in the environment it will be used. This is where IWA 14 becomes crucial, for it provides a standard impact performance rating. It takes into consideration vehicle types, impact angles, speed, impact penetration and debris dispersion.

The International Workshop Agreement 14 or IWA 14 is considered to be the security industry’s benchmark and de facto standard for HVM equipment, covering all forms of tested vehicle security barriers. This system addresses the testing and classification of HVM equipment based on their ability to resist penetration and deformation when subjected to impact. Drawn from the PAS 68 as well as ASTM F2656, it identifies the impact test methods, tolerances, test-vehicle type and vehicle performance criteria that need to be met.

The test consists of a vehicle being driven into a vehicle security barrier (VSB) to assess its effectiveness. Once an HVM system has been tested by the ISO, an IWA 14-1 rating is given, expressed as a sequence of letters, symbols and numbers. The way in which a VSB is selected and installed (foundation, design, and so on) is as important as its fabrication in delivering the desired performance. Hence, it is to be noted that IWA 14-1 (Part 1; Performance requirement, vehicle impact test method and performance rating), the impact test rating, is to be implemented in conjunction with IWA 14-2 (Part 2; Application), the specification for correctly installing impact-tested products.

Making Sense of the IWA 14-1 Rating

The best way to explain the IWA 14-1 rating is to break it down step-by-step, using the rating from a sample test. Given below is an example of an IWA 14-1 test rating awarded to a SAB TECH road blocker RB3M1000CT. Let us examine its various elements.

1. Test type:

The rating starts with the letter V, which means that an actual vehicle (as opposed to a simulation) was used for the crash test with the SAB TECH road blocker.

2. Vehicle type:

The second part deals with the mass of the vehicle (in kg) and its type. Based on the type and mass, vehicles are categorized into nine under IWA 14. The vehicle being used can range from 1500 kg (M1 type) to 30,000 kg (N3F type).

3. Impact speed:

The third part deals with the speed (in km per hour) at which the crash test was conducted. The speed can range from 16 to 112 kmph, though the most commonly used speeds for IWA 14 are 32 kmph, 48 kmph, 64 kmph and 80 kmph.

4. Impact angle:

The fourth part deals with the angle at which the vehicle crashed into the SAB TECH road blocker. This usually ranges from 0° to 90°.

5. Impact penetration:

The fifth part shows how far (in meters) the load-carrying part of the vehicle travelled past the VSB datum line of the road blocker. The datum line is the point from which vehicle penetration is measured. For IWA 14, this is the front of the product.

Other Standards for HVM Testing

As mentioned earlier, apart from IWA 14, the two other major standards used globally are PAS 68 and ASTM. PAS 68, which is the British testing specification for HVM, shares a lot of similarities with IWA 14. A more recent addition is PAS 170, which tests barriers at a low speed using a 2500 kg impact trolley. ASTM F2656 is the US standard for crash testing security products. The ASTM, which superseded the old US standard of DOS (Department of State), serves a similar role to the BSI. Another popular global standard is CWA, which is a European workshop agreement that combines elements of PAS 68 and PAS 69.

How Does IWA 14-1 Differ From Other Rating Systems?

Of the three main rating systems that are currently in use throughout the world, the IWA 14-1, the PAS 68, and the ASTM F2656, the later ones have been drawn from previous ones. But they still differ from each other on various counts. The main differences are listed in the table below, wherein some features may differ from case to case.

Conclusion

To summarize what has been discussed so far, IWA 14 is a standard that sets guidelines for testing and assessing the ability of VSBs to mitigate or neutralize the impact of hostile vehicle attacks. It is part of a series of international standards developed by the ISO. Like all standards in use, the IWA 14 is also subject to regular updates alongside developments in technology as well as the emergence of newer kinds of threats. It is advisable for users to refer to the latest version of the IWA 14 standard.

About SAB TECH

SAB TECH is the world’s leading manufacturer of perimeter protection systems, hydraulic systems, loading systems, waste recycling, washing and lifting systems, and so on. All premium SAB TECH security equipment like hydraulic road blockers are certified by PAS 68, ASTM F2656 or IWA 14-1. Known for their R&D, engineering, production quality, maintenance, and exceptional after-sales service, the company has carved out a niche for itself since its inception in 1995. To find out more about SAB TECH’s offerings in perimeter protection equipment, visit the company website.