Using the Australian / New Zealand Standard to review barriers for Australian and New Zealand roads

The Australian / New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3845.1:2015 was published last year although the procedures outlined in this standard revision have been implemented for some time. The Standard documents the procedure to demonstrate the suitability of new barrier systems for use on Australian and New Zealand roads. This includes the requirements for documentation, supply, erection and maintenance of those new systems. This paper will describe the development of the 2015 Standard and changes from the 1999 edition. The paper critically evaluates the value of the proposed procedure for evaluating barrier systems, as well as highlighting the importance of close control of installation and maintenance procedures to ensure barriers work effectively and as designed and tested.