This article was originally published in 2015 and was re-edited to add new information.
At a remote Texas testing ground, a small crowd gathered to watch a 15,000-pound truck slam into a steel barrier at 50 mph. The result wasn’t what you’d expect. The truck crumpled into a complete wreck, its engine block smashed and its cabin obliterated. The barrier, meanwhile, wobbled but remained intact, unfazed by the enormous force—roughly three times what it takes to lift a Boeing 747.
A Crash Worth Watching
The scene was dramatic. A former Blue Bell ice cream delivery truck, retrofitted with black barrels to simulate explosives, swooshed toward the barrier. On impact, the truck’s windshield and hood exploded forward as the cab folded in on itself like an accordion. The simulated explosives jostled violently before restraints snapped them back into place.
The truck was no match for the steel barrier, nicknamed the “bent pipe” by the researchers. But this was no average pipe: it’s part of a U.S. State Department initiative to safeguard international embassies from vehicle-based attacks. According to Dean Alberson, a research engineer at Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), the barrier is meant to prevent any potential threat from breaching secured perimeters.
The barrier tested wasn’t just sitting on the surface, either. It was a 24-foot-wide structure buried 18 inches into the ground. Its design accounted for maximum resistance against heavy vehicles traveling at high speeds.
For these tests, the safety of the driver isn’t a primary consideration. Anti-ram barriers are designed to neutralize threats—not save the driver or vehicle. Alberson emphasized this point, noting that the primary concern is halting the vehicle before it breaches the secure area.
Here’s another gif, in slow motion.
The test is part of a long-standing partnership between TTI and the U.S. State Department. Since 2001, TTI has helped develop and evaluate various “perimeter security devices” for sensitive facilities worldwide. These crash tests became a significant portion of TTI’s work by the mid-2000s, peaking at about 30% of their operations. Even today, TTI performs approximately $1 million worth of crash tests annually under the State Department contract.
Tests like these are not just about physics and engineering; they represent a proactive approach to security in an uncertain world. We’ve seen how terrorist threats are also evolving and how vehicle attacks have become more common. As threats evolve, so too must the tools designed to counter them.
This barrier is highly effective against terrorist threats by stopping vehicle-borne attacks. If it can withstand the impact of a 15,000-pound truck traveling at 50 mph without budging, it’s probably good enough to secure a perimeter.
Beyond the impressive physics of withstanding immense forces, these barriers reflect a commitment to proactive security measures in an increasingly unpredictable world.
