HVM Foundations: Why Installation Must Match the Tested System

A rated bollard installed on the wrong base is no longer the same tested system. The HVM barrier foundation is part of the impact load path, so changes below ground can matter as much as changes to the visible steel above it.

The rating belongs to a complete configuration

During impact, forces move from the barrier body through base plates, anchors, reinforcement and concrete into the surrounding ground. If foundation dimensions, concrete strength, reinforcement, anchorage or soil restraint differ from the tested arrangement, the system may deform or rotate differently.

ISO 22343-1:2023 notes that a vehicle security barrier is designed and tested with its intended site location in mind, including rigid or non-rigid soil and finished surfaces. NPSA guidance states that installed barriers and foundations should match or exceed the conditions in which the barrier was tested and rated.

Check the site before adapting the detail

Real projects often face utilities, shallow construction zones, existing slabs, drainage routes, basement structures or weak soil. These constraints can make the original HVM barrier foundation difficult to reproduce. A smaller foundation, different anchor arrangement or connection into an existing slab should not be treated as a simple installation adjustment.

The first step is to compare the proposed installation with the tested configuration and identify every difference. Where adaptation is unavoidable, the revised load path and site conditions need an engineering review before procurement and construction proceed.

Analyse the complete load path

Structural and dynamic simulation can examine barrier deformation, anchor forces, concrete response and load transfer into supporting ground or adjacent structures. GloBAS Engineering provides FEA, dynamic analysis and design optimisation services that can support this type of project-specific assessment.

A properly reviewed HVM barrier foundation helps preserve the logic of the tested system and reduces late redesign on site. If your barrier detail must change to suit local constraints, review the below-ground structure before installation—not after it.

Explore GloBAS Engineering’s engineering services and NPSA’s official VSB foundation guidance.