The Cartest laboratory carries out accredited tests of cargo securing systems for manufacturers of bodywork, trailers and semi-trailers and for teams responsible for road transport. We verify the load-bearing capacity of anchorage points and the strength of bodywork structures in static and dynamic tests. The reports we issue form the basis for assessing conformity with standards and transport rules, so the manufacturer reduces the risk of cargo damage, inspection delays and costly rework.
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Scope and methodology of cargo securing tests
Our laboratory carries out cargo securing system tests based on static and dynamic load tests. Measuring stands record breaking forces and displacements of securing elements and reproduce overloads from braking, acceleration and cornering — manoeuvres that in road transport compromise cargo stability. The methodology combines calculation of securing forces with experimental verification during simulated tests on the object. The scope covers tests of structural cargo-platform restraints on motor vehicles. Correct cargo securing reduces road-safety hazards, because in a collision the forces acting on the cargo in transport many times exceed its weight.
Strength of securing points and bodywork structure
Verification of anchorage points and of the stiffness of bodywork walls and posts reduces the risk of permanent deformation of the cargo space under the pressure of the load. The tests cover the load-bearing capacity of fixed structural bodywork elements and of equipment that transfers cargo loads in transport:
- securing points in the floor together with lashing rails and tracks,
- posts and walls that bound the cargo space,
- front walls of trailers and semi-trailers that take cargo thrust,
- timber stanchions loaded by lateral forces,
- partitions separating the cab from the cargo space.
In physical tests of a trailer front wall we check whether the bulkhead takes cargo thrust without permanent deformation of the cargo space during transport by commercial vehicles of different weights. We relate the strength of walls, posts and partitions to PN-EN 12642, which describes bodywork construction in the Code L variant and the reinforced Code XL. We record the limit or failure force and compare it with the service loads declared by the bodywork manufacturer.
Check our accreditation in the PCA register
You do not have to take our word for it. You can verify the status and scope of our accreditation in the search engine of accredited bodies run by the Polish Centre for Accreditation, by laboratory name or by accreditation number, which for CARTEST is AB 1607. In the register you will also find a document describing the full scope of accreditation, that is the list of test methods and standards we work to.
Tests of timber stanchions, cab partitions and textile products
Specialist test procedures cover the resistance of timber-haulage stanchions, cab protection partitions and securing equipment. We test timber stanchions for lateral forces and overturning moments when carrying long timber, and cab partitions for absorption of energy of a shifting load, which reduces hazards for people in the cab during braking or a collision. A separate area is inspection of textile products, for which the product requirements are set by EN 12195-2: we assess cargo-securing straps for durability of the coating that protects against abrasion, correctness of heat-setting and readability of lashing-strap labels. We compare the properties of lashing straps with alternative solutions such as chain lashings, chains or steel tape, so that cargo restraint can be matched to the goods carried.
Conformity with technical and legal standards
Cargo securing system tests carried out in our laboratory provide evidence of conformity with legal requirements applicable in Poland and in the European Union. Under Polish law, above all the Road Traffic Act, cargo must be arranged and secured so that it does not endanger road safety or breach the basic conditions on vehicle loads and dimensions. Responsibility is split: the carrier is responsible for the technical equipment of road vehicles, while the driver must check the securing before setting off and may stop the journey or demand a correction if they find non-conformities. The risk is measurable. According to European best-practice guidelines on cargo securing, inadequate cargo restraint is a factor in as many as about 25% of accidents involving trucks. Proper cargo securing raises transport safety and protects the goods, the driver and other road users. Improper securing exposes the driver to a fine and the carrier to penalties of several thousand zlotys and immobilisation of the vehicle, while admission of vehicles to traffic in the European Union is now governed by Regulation 2018/858, which replaced Directive 2007/46/EC.
Tests to EN 12640:2019 and EN 12195-1:2010
Our test procedures are based on the current standards EN 12640:2019 and EN 12195-1:2010, which define test methods and rules for calculating forces. The table lists the reference documents used in cargo securing system tests and their role in assessing cargo restraint.
| Document | What it covers | Role in the tests |
|---|---|---|
| EN 12640:2019 | securing points on commercial vehicles and intermodal units | minimum criteria and methods for testing points |
| EN 12195-1:2010 | calculation of securing forces for vehicles over 3,500 kg | selection and verification of the securing method |
| EN 12195-2 | lashing straps of man-made fibres | criteria for assessing lashing straps |
| PN-EN 12642 | vehicle bodywork construction (Code L and Code XL) | strength of bodywork walls and partitions |
| CTU Code | packing and securing of cargo in cargo transport units | guidance for intermodal transport |
EN 12640:2019 sets minimum requirements for securing points, but does not cover vehicles produced before it was published, structures intended solely for bulk materials, or ISO series 1 containers. EN 12195-1:2010 allows calculation of target securing-force values for a given configuration, in which the friction coefficient between cargo and the load bed plays an important role for cargo-securing safety. The choice of cargo-securing method on road vehicles depends on whether the cargo fills the cargo space, when blocking can be effective, or leaves gaps that require other securing solutions. We take into account different methods, from blocking, through blocking with fixed bodywork elements and frictional securing with a top-over lashing, to direct securing with straight, diagonal, loop and spring lashings, so that the restraint matches the mass and geometry of the specific cargo.
ISO standards and CTU Code guidance for intermodal transport
The tests take into account the global CTU Code guidance and the relevant international ISO standards, which matches the principles of cargo safety in land-sea chains. The CTU Code (Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units, securing of cargo) is a non-binding set of good practices for packing and securing cargo in cargo transport units in road, rail and sea transport, drawn up by IMO, ILO and UNECE. Because intermodal units combine several transport modes, we verify cargo securing against the overloads of each of them and adapt the test to the most demanding stage of the goods movement. We also relate the results to the relevant ISO standards, chosen for the type of container or intermodal semi-trailer.
How the laboratory test procedure runs
The testing path in our laboratory covers analysis of documentation, laboratory trials and issue of an official test report. The process starts with analysis of the technical documentation, which shows the structural design of the device under test together with load assumptions. The actual trials are preceded by preliminary strength calculations of the device and FEA simulations, which allow securing solutions and critical structural nodes to be designed. Then, on the supplied object or specimen, we carry out a cycle of simulated tests and strength tests up to a defined limit force or to failure, reproducing conditions that in service lead to cargo damage. The final stage is a report with the method, test conditions and a summary of results, useful in assessing whether basic conditions are met and in correcting the structural design.
Quotes and terms of cooperation
We set the cost and schedule of cargo securing system tests individually on the basis of the technical specification of the object under test. The scope of work is affected by: the number of anchorage points, the set of static and dynamic tests, the size and weight of the bodywork and the number of cargo-securing variants. That is why we do not use a rigid price list, and we quote every cargo securing system test after reviewing the object specification and the purpose of the test, which may be a conformity assessment, structural optimisation or preparation for type-approval. To obtain a quote it is enough to send the technical documentation and a description of the planned cargo securing via the enquiry form or to the engineer running the project, who will confirm the scope and date of the test.
Engineering staff and laboratory facilities
The laboratory’s apparatus and the engineers’ experience provide the measurement precision needed in type-approval and product attestation. Load stands and the measuring track reproduce the forces that arise in road vehicles during manoeuvres, and we record the result in a repeatable way. Engineers support designers in optimising the layout of securing points and load-bearing nodes before series production. That shortens the path to a product that complies with the standards and raises the level of safety in transport. If you are planning cargo securing system tests for new bodywork, a trailer or securing equipment, send a technical enquiry and we will choose a test method matching cargo loads in road transport.
Want to commission cargo securing tests? Contact Cartest
Write to cartest@cartest.pl or call +48 605 335 804.