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 road side 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 to 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 material for this course will be facilitated via a Moodle Page. Delegates are welcome to bring their laptops. Material will be made available via the Moodle page prior to each day of training. It is advised that attendees are familiar with DN-REQ-03034 and DN-REQ-03079.
Course Duration
This programme will consist of 2 and a half training days across a two week period followed by an assessment. The assessment day will consist of an online afternoon examination. Further CPD hours can be recorded for study hours.
Examination
There will be a multiple-choice examination on DAY 3 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
Alastair de Beer, Head of Road Safety, Transport Infrastructure Ireland
In his position as Head of Road Safety at Transport Infrastructure Ireland Alastair is committed to the twin objectives of providing safe and efficient national roads. Alastair will provide a rounded overview of how the course can help meet these objectives through understanding of the role of TII Publications, deployment of sound engineering principles and good design practices. Alastair will also demonstrate how the implementation of road safety general principles and design of all carriageway elements and intended operational conditions can enhance safety.
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 Southeast 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.
Zita Langenbach, Chartered Civil Engineer, Director, Arup
Zita Langenbach is a Chartered Civil Engineer and a Director with Arup with 23 years’ experience in the delivery of major infrastructure projects with particular expertise in sustainability, policy and standards, the delivery of large Design and Build and PPP projects, bus priority and streets projects. Zita is the Roads and Streets Business Leader for Arup in Ireland and a Commercial Director for Arup within their Europe region with responsibility for bid and project reviews of complex projects. She also sits on the European Region Commercial Executive and the Arup Global Digital Highways Steering Group. She is the overall Commission Project Director for the TII Publications Commission which involves the development of Standards and Technical documentation through the full project life cycle of planning & evaluation, design, construction and commissioning, operations, asset management and maintenance of safety barriers. In addition, as part of the Vehicle Restraint Systems Study on the National Road Network, Zita managed an inventory of high, medium, and low risk Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS) on one third of the National Road Network in Ireland on behalf of TII.
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 Roads Discipline Lead for 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 totalling 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.
Gerard Hall, Chartered Engineer, Transport Infrastructure, Arup
Gerard Hall is a Chartered Engineer working within the Transport Infrastructure Team in Arup. Gerard holds a BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering and a MEng in Road and Transport Engineering. Gerard also holds a Certificate of Competency in Road Safety Audit and Engineering. Since 2016, Gerard has been involved in the Design of Vehicle Restraint Systems on a diverse list of projects. Gerard also manages road safety and VRS research packages with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) through various commissions. Gerard has also been involved in the updating and developing of TII road design standards and guidelines for a number of years and has carried out numerous Road Safety Audits through all Stages since 2017.
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”
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- “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”