Good news at last from the RTA.
The following document was released yesterday (14/6/2011) by Peter Helleur, Project Officer, NSW Centre for Road Safety RTA on behalf of the Manager, Regulations and Recall, Dan Leavy and apparently went out to all the registered Engineering Signatories within NSW quote:-
Dear Engineering Signatory,
The review of the applicability of Australian Design Rules (ADRs) to modified and individually constructed vehicles is progressing. At this stage, the RTA has carried out an internal review of the comments received, and will shortly circulate a response to the people who made submissions - thank you to those who did so. Following that, a meeting will be convened to discuss the findings of the review, prior to circulating the draft to all signatories for approval and formal release as a policy.
In the meantime, there are a number of ADRs that have regularly been the subject of debate, and which attracted considerable comments during the review. These are ADR 3/03 Seats and seat anchorages, ADR 5/05 Anchorages for seat belts, and ADR 10/02 Steering columns. The comments made were consistent, and identified problems with stringently applying the ADRs to modified and individually constructed vehicles. They also identified that the previous advice given by the RTA to clarify the requirements may not have clearly stated the alternatives that can be used.
Rather than wait to formalise the policy as a whole, the RTA is prepared to make a determination on alternative methods that may be used to certify a vehicle against these three ADRs. These alternatives follow extensive debate on the subject, both within and outside the RTA, and with other jurisdications and the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT); and takes cognisance of the document New Vehicle Low Volume Scheme; Evidence Examination Procedures Manual, Version 2.2 in which the DIT allows for assessing ADR compliance under its Low Vehicle Volume Scheme.
The alternative means to demonstrate compliance against the three ADRs are as follows:
ADR 3/03. Seats and seat anchorages and ADR 5/05 Anchorages for seat belts: The RTA will accept testing or examination providing they have been done in accordance with the following:
Where evidence is provided by calculation, it must be based on a comprehensive stress analysis incororating the forces specified in the ADRs and which provides a professional analysis of all the likely modes of failure. The calculations must have a proper regard to the interaction and combination of shear and bending forces. Overly simplistic assumptions about the behaviour of sheet metal must not be made where thin metal sections are involved in combination with high local stresses. The calculations must take into account the condition of the vehicle in which the item is being installed, and confirm that it is capable of withstanding the forces specified in the ADRs. The calculations must show, that in practical engineering terms, the item and subject vehicle meet the requirements of the ADRs. Simple calculations or calculations that neglect to include an appraisal of the host vehicle will not be accepted.
When evidence is provided by comparison, it must be by way of direct comparison with the components from another vehicle known to comply with the ADRs. It must included physical observations and measurements of all main parts on the reference vehicle and the subject vehicle with, if there is any doubt, some assessment of the relevant physical properties of the materials used. It must also include an assessment of the condition of the subject vehicle that confirms its suitability for properly accomodating the components.
The items must be compatible with the vehicle, and be installed in accordance with the manufacurer's specifications; and the seats must comply with ADR 3/03.
ADR 10/02 Steering columns: For ICVs the RTA will accept steering columns that comply with the earlier version of the standard, ADR 10/01. Evidence of compliance to ADR 10/01 will be required for the steering column installed in the vehicle. This may be by calculation or comparison with the steering column installed in a standard production vehicle; see above for proving compliance by these means.
These alternative means may be used immediately. I must stress they are not relaxing the need to comply with the ADRs, and if you chose to use them, the supporting evidence must be available and provided to the RTA on request.
Please contact the RTA at:
engineer-certificates@rta.gov.nsw.au
if you have any queries on this matter. (End quote)
This is a big plus for ICV builders as previously, we had to have destructive type tests conducted on our vehicles such as "Seat Belt Mount Pull Tests" which either distorted the chassis or weakened the mounting points. ADR 10/02 required us to fit Steering Columns which were virtually unobtainable in Australia so I really welcome this initiative by the RTA.
Baz