Proprietary Balustrade Testing
Type 1 balustrade - small baseplate, 3 x 8mm bolts. Suitable for use in all areas except C5, table 4 - areas susceptible to overcrowding such as footways or pavement less than 3m wide, theatres, cinemas, discotheques and bars etc.
Proprietary Balustrade Testing
The tests were undertaken in full accordance with BS 6399,1,1996.
For each test panel leads were applied to the handrail initial then as a uniformly distributed load on the glass infill panel, finally as a point load in the centre of the glass infill panel.
The type 1 balustrade failed under a load of 3kN and approximately 45mm of deflection. The failure occurred when the 8mm mounting bolts pulled out and cracked the concrete mounting service.
The type 2 balustrade was initially tested using all six mounting points in each of the base plates and performed in full compliance with BS 6399. Further testing was then undertaken to establish ultimate load with 3 mounting bolts in each baseplate.
The ultimate capacity of the type 2 balustrade was considered to be at approximately 7.5kN. At this load level the mountings of the top hand rail went into plastic failure. Deflection continued at this load until the mounting bracket either bent right over or sheared off the hand rail.