AS 4876.1-2002 Australian Standard Motor vehicle frontal protection systems

So Lets now talk about AS 4876.1-2002 Australian Standard Motor vehicle frontal protection systems

which will come into force from 1 January 2010 as I understand it unless it is delayed in line with all of the NCOP stuff.

This Standard applies to the design and construction of vehicle frontal protection systems for motor vehicles up to and including 3500 kg GVM in the MA, MB, MC, MD1, MD2 and NA Categories, as defined in the Australian Design Rules for Motor Vehicles and Trailers.

So this catches everybody.

A bull bar is now known as a VFPS

1.3.9 Vehicle frontal protection system (VFPS) A structure fitted to the front of the vehicle to reduce damage to the vehicle structure and systems in the event of either a front-end impact or an animal strike

So we are going to brand them with a compliance label:

The VFPS shall have a durable label of permanent marking (refer to Clause 1.5.2), which shall be either permanently attached or permanently marked in an area that is readily visible.

1.4.2 Information to be included on either plaque or label or permanent marking

The plaque or label or permanent marking shall display the following information in permanent, legible, upper and lower case, black characters in English not less than 4 mm high:

(a) The name and address of the manufacturer, supplier or importer, or the manufacturer’s trade mark, if made in Australia.

(b) A description indicating the make, model, type and year(s) of manufacture of the motor vehicle for which the VFPS is designed.

(c) An identification code that permits the manufacturer, supplier or importer to identify a specific production batch.

(d) The statements, ‘This product or its fixing must not be modified’, ‘No accessory or fitment shall project forward of this product’s forward profile’ and ‘Do not use this product in any other motor vehicle for which it is not designed.’

And a caution to Manufacturers:

NOTE: Manufacturers making a statement of compliance with this Australian Standard on a product, packaging, or promotional material related to that product are advised to ensure that such compliance is capable of being verified.

So lets define the term HIC:

The head injury criterion (HIC) is calculated from the resultant of accelerometer timehistories as the maximum (depending on t1 and t2) of the equation:

Formula: Which is to complex to display in HTML on this Forum

So let's not hurt the children that step on the road:

When tested in accordance with one of: Appendix A, Appendix B or an equivalent test method, no part of the VFPS that is more than one metre above the road surface shall produce a HIC exceeding 1500 at 30 km/h.

So the Standard finishes on Page 14 and then follows 11 pages of test procedures for two different methods to determine the HIC. Both methods finish up with the following requirement:

B7 REPORT

The test report shall include the following information:

(a) Identification of the type of VFPS including a description sufficient to indicate the specific make, model, type and year of manufacture of the vehicle to which it is intended to be used.

(b) Date of the test.

(c) Reference to this test method, i.e. AS 4876.1, Appendix B.

(d) Description of equipment used and calibrating records.

(e) Point at which impact was made on the VFPS (with diagram).

(f) Measured acceleration time graphs and HIC.

(g) Measured impact velocity of child headform immediately prior to impact.

(h) Name of laboratory or authority, which performed the test.

(i) Signature of the person who performed the test.

So there you have it guys. So for a manufacturer to demonstrate compliance and any part of your bull bar is higher than 1 metre off the ground, in terms of the note, you will have to be able to produce a test report. You build one yourself and one or two to wreck in the testing. If you want to build a bar you better make sure you do it by Christmas.....

If you have a vehicle that is not caught by ADR 69, and you do build a bull bar, I'd be suggesting that you stick with a winch bar and leave the hoops off.

Source: "Australian Standard 4876.1-2002 Motor Vehicle Frontal Protection Systems Part 1: Road User Protection", Standards Australia International, Sydney , 17 September 2002