By observing and analyzing directions for the development and design of road infrastructure elements, we are seeing an increasing demand for lighting constructions designed to increase the safety of road users. This goal can be achieved through the use of lighting poles meeting the requirements of PN-EN 40-5 and PN-EN 12767 standards. The Polish market is increasingly aware of the need for such solutions to improve the safety of road users and shows interest in solutions for lighting columns, tested and described in accordance with PN-EN 12767, characterized by the parameters 100/70/50-NE-B-S-SE-MD-0 and 100/70/50-HE-D-S-NS-MD-0.

Manufactured by the company ELMONTER lighting poles meeting the requirements of PN-EN 40-5 standards. Lighting poles – Requirements and PN-EN 12767 Passive safety of supporting structures for road equipment – Requirements and test methods have obtained a Certificate of Stability of Utility Properties issued by the Institute of Building Technology. Obtaining this certificate was possible by obtaining the correct results during the crash tests, which were preceded by several months of simulated testing during which several different types of solutions were tested. As a result of the research work, one solution was selected that was tested on the actual test track, and the results obtained were consistent with the expected results, thus enabling the procedure to obtain the certificate.

Standard PN-EN 12767 Passive safety of support structures for road equipment – Requirements and test method specifies the requirements and levels of passive safety conditions.

Poles with passive safety features manufactured by Elmonter are marked 100/70/50-NE-B-S-SE-MD-0 and 100/70/50-HE-D-S-NS-MD-0 in accordance with the EN 12767:2019 standard.

Below is a description of the individual components of the pole’s marking:

3. Safety level – the level of safety of the vehicle user.
   Lighting poles described by the above parameters can be characterized as:
   – supporting structures that absorb energy to a large extent (HE category) – a vehicle hitting such a structure can lead to its complete braking or a very large loss of speed, which reduces the risk of the vehicle hitting another support, trees or other road users, including pedestrians,
   – supporting structures that absorb energy to a low degree (LE category) – in the event of a vehicle hitting a lighting pole described by such a parameter, its speed is reduced and the vehicle continues to drive,
   – supporting structures that do not absorb energy (NE category) – allow the vehicle to continue driving at a reduced speed after impact, which is why the risk of injury to the driver is much lower compared to structures that absorb energy.

Energy absorption categories:

Vi – impact velocity – vehicle speed measured on the path approaching the structure (pole)
Ve – final velocity – vehicle speed after hitting the structure (pole) measured beyond the point of impact, the point of impact should be understood as the place where the vehicle hits the structure

Another parameter used to describe lighting structures is the level of user safety, the value of which is determined based on the following indicators:
– ASI (acceleration index) – according to the standard, the maximum ASI value is considered to be the dimension of the severity of the accident for passengers in the vehicle hitting the supporting structure. This value is a dimensionless quantity and is calculated in accordance with the EN 1317-1 Road restraint systems – Part 1: Terminology and general criteria for test methods.

– THIV (theoretical head impact velocity) – this is the speed in km/h at which a hypothetical “mass point” (the passenger’s head) hits the surface of a hypothetical room (car dashboard). This value is calculated in accordance with the standard EN 1317-1 Road restraint systems – Part 1: Terminology and general criteria for test methods.

The user safety level can take a value from A to E, where:
– for values from B to E – B – higher safety level, E – lower safety level,
– for a value equal to A – this user safety level includes very safe support structures described in the standard as small support structures, causing only small damage and small change in speed, which can be tested using simplified methods and are approved by authorized bodies.

4. Type of backfill , i.e. the soil in which the column is placed. We distinguish 3 types of backfill:

– S – standard backfill described in the EN 12767:2019 Annex B p. B.3 standard,

– X – specified by the column manufacturer, in accordance with the instructions for placing the column in the ground,

– R – hard surface such as asphalt or concrete.

5. The behavior of the column after impact is defined in 2 ways:

– SE – after impact, the column shaft is separated from the base.
– NS – after impact, the column shaft remains connected to the base

6. The direction class is a definition of the direction from which the impact can occur and only such directions are allowed for a given type of column.

– SD – impact from one direction

– BD – impact from two directions

– MD – impact from multiple directions

7. Risk of roof indentation

– 0 – minor roof indentation

– 1 – major roof indentation