813.1 Asset mapping

Identify transformers, intakes, control rooms (372). Standoff drives HVM bollard placement (213).

Start with a site-wide key plan of outdoor asset protection (372). Catalogue vulnerable rooms and equipment—transformers, switchgear, chemical dosing, intake structures, MCC/SCADA cabins—and draw their protection zones and stand-off distance (213). Where frontage is exposed, consider frontage & door protection arrays (323).

Translate threats into Vehicle Dynamics Assessment inputs (220): approach vectors, governing angles, and effective run-up via terrain/calming (227). Use the VDA approach-speed helper (922) to bound credible speeds, then size crash ratings (413) and clear-gap (322).

Prefer simple, defensible geometry: align arrays on the desire line and place the defend line just outside critical assets. Document assumptions and list site constraints (216) in an assumptions register.

813.2 Vehicle interdiction

Close approach corridors and protect bends (214, 227). Crash rated bollard islanding helps resilience (321).

Break vehicle run-up with geometry: corner chicanes at throat points, short island clusters, and array patterns that remove straight shots (321). Map approach paths (214) and add pinch points where run-up is excessive. Use corner/island treatments (324) to protect bends and service-yard turning radii.

For resilience, segregate critical entrances using bollard “islands” so a strike disables only a local segment. Mixed-type arrays (fixed + automatic) can maintain throughput while preserving protection (326). Verify turning/service access (325) for legitimate vehicles.

813.3 Utility congestion

Expect clashes; plan shallow/micropile options (244, 332, 422). Maintain drainage (334).

CNI sites are utility-dense. Before setting foundations, complete utilities surveys (240–248) and mark depth class choices (422). If conflicts arise, consider shallow foundations (244) or micro-pile footings compatible with the tested system’s family window.

Don’t trade away drainage. Bollard pits need sump/drainage strategy (334) to avoid flooding, corrosion, and hydrostatic uplift. Keep ducting and draw pits coordinated (246, 615) with adequate falls and breather drains where specified.

813.4 Operations continuity

Design fail-secure states and ride-through (355, 518). Automatic recovery reduces outages.

For automatic lanes, define fail-safe/secure states (355) aligned with the power failure modes (518). Specify HPUs (512) or electromechanical drives (513) with the right duty cycle and ride-through (e.g., accumulators or UPS) to minimize stoppages.

Reduce mean time to recover with remote fault logging, counters & health pings (541) and operational dashboards (544). Include “safe local mode” procedures and a reset hierarchy in the incident runbook (547).

813.5 Access credentialing

ANPR and access devices integrated (534, 345). Interlocks prevent unsafe releases (352).

Plan ANPR, ACS & CCTV coordination (534) alongside field devices (345). For credentialed access, use interlocks such as “vehicle present & authorized & safe to lower” before executing movement. Validate the interlock matrix (352) during commissioning (634–637) and record it in the submission pack.

813.6 Harsh environments

Heat/sand/salt adaptations (337, 363). Coatings and sleeves per 362, 361.

For desert/coastal CNI, apply hot-climate design (337) and environmental durability measures (363). Choose sleeves and fasteners per materials selection (361) and specify coating systems (362) with documented life-to-first-maintenance. Consider acoustics (546) for HPUs near occupied control rooms.

813.7 Inspection & testability

Built-in test points, counters, alarms (356, 541). Evidence simplifies SAT (638).

Design for maintainers: include test ports, dashboards, event counters, and alarm priorities. Use testability features (356) so loops, photo-eyes, and safety edges can be proved quickly (633–635). Expose power test points (519) and label I/O per the I/O list (523).

Evidence matters at the SAT/witness procedure (638): capture unedited test footage, calibration records, and sign-off matrices from the start (710–717). A solid evidence pack shortens approvals and reduces rework.

813.8 Regulatory interface

Pack compliance matrices and permits (717, 444). Certificates prove crash rated bollard pedigree (431).

Compile authority submittals early (717), including compliance matrices, risk assessments, and method statements. Where relevant in the UAE, align with SIRA submissions (note: authority float may affect program). For product provenance, include documentation & certificates (431) showing the tested VSB system, report IDs, and laboratory accreditation.

813.9 Lifecycle & spares

Stock critical spares and set SLAs (854, 738). KPIs drive reliability (542).

Define availability targets (738) and track the KPI set—ops/hour, cycle time variance, MTBF—with alert thresholds (542). Agree a warranty & spares policy (854) and maintain a serialized asset register (732) and O&M manuals (733).

Schedule preventive maintenance (734) and define condition-based maintenance (543). After incidents, follow the post-incident inspection checklist (735) before returning to service.

813 Critical infrastructure HVM Bollards — FAQ