Vehicle Restraint Systems Design

Details

2-day course

CPD Credit: 14 hours, C1 / C2

Course Overview

Upon completion of the training course, attendees will have developed skills in design, installation and maintenance of Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS), including safety barrier and parapet systems, in accordance with relevant standards (IS EN 1317, DN-REQ-03034, DN-REQ-03079, DN-GE-03036 and CC-SPW-00400). This is your opportunity to be informed about the latest thinking in Vehicle Restraint Systems.

Course Objective

The objective of the course is to have detailed awareness of the following on completion:

  • General knowledge of Vehicle Restraint Systems and their function
  • Crash testing and the governing European Standards
  • The principles of forgiving roadsides
  • Classification and Performance levels of Vehicle Restraint Systems
  • The design of Vehicle Restraint Systems
  • Solutions and best practice in constrained situations
  • Identification of existing roadside hazards and mitigation measures
  • Inspection and maintenance of Vehicle Restraint System installations
  • Certification of Vehicle Restraint System Installation

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course, the delegate will be able to:

  • Classify Vehicle Restraint Systems according to IS EN1317 and the technical performance parameters therein
  • Undertake VRS risk assessments in accordance with DN-REQ-03079
  • Carry out VRS designs that comply with current TII standards
  • Describe and apply mitigation measures that negate the need for safety barriers during the design process
  • Apply the requirements of the Construction Products Regulation to Vehicle Restraint Systems
  • Develop and propose bespoke solutions for retrofitting vehicle restraint systems on the legacy network where constraints prevent compliant designs
  • Identify good or bad practice in Vehicle Restraint Systems installation and maintenance

Programme

  • Course Overview in line with TII Design Standards and associated hierarchy
  • Sustainable Road Design and Construction
  • Forgiving Roadsides
  • VRS Types on National Roads
  • Introductions, Definitions and Classifications
  • Crash Testing and Acceptance Criteria to EN 1317-2
  • Terminals, Crash Cushions EN 1317-3 and Transitions EN 1317-4, 7
  • Roles and Responsibilities & CE Marking of VRS
  • Design Standards Overview
  • Designing to 03034
  • Workshops
  • Overview of Standard and Risk Assessment Process
  • Workshop on Assessing the need for VRS
  • Detailed Design (VRS PDR) including innovations
  • Workshop Examples
  • SAVeRS - Workshop
  • Innovations
  • Specification Series 400
  • Installation Process
  • Maintenance, Inspection and Repair of VRS
  • End of Course Test

Support Materials

All slides and training materials will be provided for you on the day. It is advised that attendees are familiar with DN-REQ-03034 and DN-REQ-03079

Examination

There will be a multiple-choice examination at the end of day 2 to assess your knowledge against the learning outcomes with a 70% pass rate (21 out of 30). Special arrangements can be made should delegates wish to re-sit the examination. The course workshop outputs will also be formally assessed by the facilitators.

Accreditation

On successful completion of this course, delegates will be awarded with a Special Purpose Award from TU Dublin (Technological University Dublin) at Level 8, worth 1 ECTS credit.

Who Should Attend?

The course is aimed at Engineers involved in the design, specification, installation, supervision, certification, maintenance, and road safety reviews of Vehicle Restraint Systems. It is anticipated that successful completion of this course will be a mandatory requirement in the future for designers certifying Vehicle Restraint System installations or repairs on national roads.

Facilitator Profiles

Herbert Nyamakope, Chartered Engineer, Senior Engineer, Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Herbert Nyamakope is a Chartered Engineer with over 17 years’ experience in roads related projects. He joined the National Roads Authority (predecessor of TII) in 2007 and worked on the planning and development of major roads projects before joining the Network Operations Department. In Network Operations he is a Network Inspector for the South East Region. Prior to joining the NRA, Herbert worked on major motorway projects as part of the Employer’s Rep team. These include the M8 Cashel to Mitchelstown, the M4 Kinnegad to McNeads Bridge and the N11 Glen of the Downs. Apart from the current role as Network Management Inspector, since 2012 he also has responsibility for vehicle restraint systems within TII. This includes development of standards, attending CEN committee meetings, asset management and always striving to improve the quality of design, installations, and maintenance of vrs on the national road network and hence road safety.

Alastair De Beer, Chartered Engineers, Head of Road Safety, Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Alastair de Beer is a Head of Road Safety in the Transport Infrastructure Ireland - Roads and Tunnel Safety Section. He is a Chartered Engineer and obtained his Degree from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa in 1998 and has since then worked in the area of engineering standards and safety; with particular focus on safety barriers, geometric design and traffic management. He joined the NRA in 2006 and obtaining his Masters in Health and Safety from Dublin City University in 2011.

Göran Fredriksson, MSc, Representative for the Swedish Safety Barrier Association, SSBA.

Göran Fredriksson has worked in traffic safety related to Vehicle Restraint Systems, VRS, since 2000. Previously he held managerial positions within the international manufacturing industry. Mr Fredriksson played a key role in establishing SSBA in 2004. SSBA has become a respected speaking partner/referral organisation to the Swedish Transport Administration and also runs R&D projects in co-operation with the authorities. Mr. Fredriksson has personally designed, and runs, courses and training programs related to traffic safety and VRS. Before 2006 this did not exist. In 2014 the Swedish association for Safer Roadwork was established, with Mr Fredriksson as their elected representative.

Rowan O’Callaghan, Chartered Engineer, Technical Director, RPS Consulting Engineers

Rowan O’Callaghan is a Technical Director with RPS working in their Transportation Section.  He is a Chartered Engineer with over 19 years’ experience in the design and project management of transport projects and has worked in Ireland, the UK and Australia.  Since 2005 Rowan has been working closely with TII and Local Authorities across the country on network operations and asset management related projects.  He currently leads RPS’s nationwide VRS design services commission with TII across 20 Local Authority areas which involves both the provision of new VRS and the repair/replacement of existing VRS across the legacy national and regional road networks.  He has been involved in the ongoing development of Irish VRS design standards and specifications. Rowan is also a current member and former Secretary of the Irish Barrier Association.

Eoin Doyle, Chartered Engineer, Associate, Arup

Eoin Doyle is a Chartered Engineer and  is the Highways Discipline Leadfor ARUP in Ireland. He has over 15 years' experience across the Highway and Railway construction industries. He built up his early technical knowledge of highways as Designer's Site Representative for 2 major motorway schemes in Ireland totaling over 80km of new build motorway. More recently Eoin has worked closely with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) on a number of commissions, initially as Project Manager for the H&S Consultancy Services Framework and as Project Coordinator for Arup's commission with TII for updating and developing their road design standards and specifications. He is the Arup Work Package leader for VRS under the Commission.

Bryan Kennedy, Road Safety Engineer, Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Bryan Kennedy is a Road Safety Engineer in Transport Infrastructure Ireland since June 2019. He holds a BSc Honours in Civil Engineering from London South Bank University and has recently completed a Masters in Road & Transportation Engineering in Sligo Institute of Technology. He also holds a Certificate of Competency in Road Safety Audits from University College Dublin. He has over 20 years’ experience in the Planning, Design and Delivery for road infrastructure projects varying from Major Inter Urban Motorways to Minor Improvement & Safety Schemes. He has completed numerous Road Safety Audits at different Stages of schemes and since 2013 he has worked in conjunction with the Research and Standard Section in TII in the review and processing of Departure Applications and TII Standards. 

Testimonials

  • “Brilliant clarity and examples presented of good practice”
  • “Great course with very knowledgeable presenters, lots of lessons learned for the future”
  • “Very good course which achieved my objectives”
  • “Course material of a high standard”
  • “Excellent presentations and detailed content”
  • “Very good course, well worth attending”
  • “Excellent course, excellent content”
  • “Very good, answered all the queries I has about barrier design which I was unsure of”
  • “Very good course, really learnt a lot”
  • “Very detailed comprehensive course, very informative and knowledgeable speakers”
  • “Excellent course and material for barrier designers, road safety auditors and engineers
  • involved in the barrier design and installation”
  • “Well-presented and content relevant”
  • “Well presented, good content, excellent notes/examples to use for future design”
  • “Great presentations, good delivery, lots to get through. Found the course very helpful and
  • informative. Very well organised”
  • “Very well put together and presented. Long overdue! Good content, relevant and to the point”
  • “An excellent course which I will recommend to others. Good balance of workshops and presentations”

Sustainability Badge637588502544296219


Engineers Ireland supports the Sustainable Development Goals. This event contributes to Engineers Ireland's Sustainability Framework.

Please contact the Team for further information on scheduled course dates and In-Company options. You can reach us by phone: 01 665 1305 or email cpdtraining@engineersireland.ie