Kaal Masten BV first to be delivering passive safe steal masts

A large project with passive safe steal mastsis the Ombouw Randweg Eindhoven.
These types of masts need to be placed because of the design which lacked crash barriers. The demands on these mast was very high. In a early stage Kaal Masten BV was asked to develop a mast which could reach the high set demands on passive safe steal masts. Kaal Masten BV was asked because of their experience in the field of pasive safe masts. 

We have worked hard and are proud to present that we are the first mast producing factory to produce a mast which is conform the 100,NE,3 norm.

Passive safe steal masts
To increase the traffic safety of the dutch highways the government has decided that in the future passive safe masts have to be placed on highways. The masts have to be conform the 100,NE,3 norm, because this norm secures a minmum on personal accidents.

Next a summary to explain the content of the norm NEN-EN 12767 followed by results of Kaal Masten BV during recent tests by TNO.

Passive safety according to NEN-EN 12767
The classification of passive safety is defined by 3 factors:
• The level of speed: 50, 70 of 100km/h
• The level of energy absorption of the mast: High(HE), Low(LE) of NON(NE)
• The level for personal accidents is divided into 3 or 4 classes, tested on one of the previously mentioned speeds and on 35 km/h.

The level of speed
This depends on the type of road where the masts are placed. 100km/h is the class which belongs to highways, 70km/h for a provincial road and 50 km for ways within the cultivated area.

The level of energy absorption of the mast
The level of energy absorption of the mast is measured accrding to the exit speed of the vehicle after the crash. The division of categories is depending on the impact speed of the vehicle right before the crash.

The level of personal accidents

In the NEN-EN 12767 norm the level of personal accidents is defined by the Theoretical Head Impact Velocity(THIV) and the Acceleration Severity Index(ASI). These results are measued during a crash test. 

Kaal Masten BV is tested on their 5 meter and 13 meter conical steal mast including the endurer up to 2 meter and with their especially designed push off construction. The construction is tested with both 100km/h and 35 km/h. During the test the masts were including all other objects regularly placed for public lighting. 

Concluding, the tested steal masts of Kaal Masten BV are at both high and low speed by far fitting in the NE,3 classe according to personal accidents. The THIV results are in both cases far below the 11 km/h and the ASI is in both cases far below 0,6. This means that the masts are conform the norm 100,NE,3. Personal accidents are reduced to a minimum. A hopefull thought for both the roadadministrator and the road users.