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ASTM F2656 vs F3016

They answer different questions. F2656 asks whether a barrier stops a deliberate attack by a truck. F3016 asks whether a bollard stops a car that wasn’t meant to be there.

By the Safety Bollards team · Updated 2026-10-26 · Every spec below links to the manufacturer’s own page.

ASTM F2656ASTM F3016
TestsFull vehicles: small car up to 65,000 lb heavy goods vehicleA 5,000 lb (22,250 N) surrogate vehicle
Speeds30, 40, 50, 60 mph10, 20, 30 mph (S10, S20, S30)
PenetrationP1 ≤ 1 m to P3 (P4 dropped in -15)P1 < 1 ft, P2 < 4 ft
ForPerimeter security: government, critical infrastructure, crowded placesStorefronts, patios, gas pumps, parking-lot edges
FoundationsOften deep, though shallow systems exist (Delta DSC650: 12 in)Often modest (Gibraltar G-1631F: 8 in; McCue CrashCore: 42 in pier)
Older equivalentUS DOS K4 / K8 / K12 ≈ M30 / M40 / M50None

Ask for F2656 if

  • A security assessment names a vehicle and speed (e.g. “M30 P1”).
  • The threat is deliberate.
  • The site is public-facing and crowded.

Ask for F3016 if

  • The risk is a driver mistake: a storefront facing parking stalls, a patio, a pump island.
  • You want a tested product without a deep anti-ram foundation.

Full tables: crash ratings explained.

Sources

  1. ASTM F2656/F2656M-20, Standard Test Method for Crash Testing of Vehicle Security Barriers
  2. ASTM F3016/F3016M-19, Standard Test Method for Surrogate Testing of Vehicle Impact Protective Devices at Low Speeds
  3. Gibraltar Perimeter Security, Crash certifications explained
  4. TrafficGuard, About ASTM F3016
  5. Reliance Foundry, Bollard crash ratings
  6. Delta Scientific, DSC650 fixed bollard modules (PU50/P1)
  7. Gibraltar, Safety bollards (G-1631 series)
  8. McCue, CrashCore S10 customer drawing (PDF)