THE USE OF A SCREEN TO SUBDUE GALE-FORCE WINDS ON A MOUNTAIN BRIDGE

STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF EMPLOYING WIND SCREENS AS A MEANS FOR PREVENTING VEHICLE ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY HIGH-VELOCITY CROSSWINDS. AN EXPERIMENTAL WIND SCREEN WAS INSTALLED ON A MOUNTAIN BRIDGE WHERE TRUCK TRAILERS HAD BEEN OVERTURNED BY SPORADIC GALE-FORCE CROSSWINDS. THE 10-FT-HIGH SCREEN WAS MADE OF 9-GAGE GALVANIZED STEEL CHAIN-LINK MESH FENCING WITH ALL OF THE APERTURES FILLED WITH CRIMPED ALUMINUM SLATS VERTICALLY PLACED. THE SPACES BETWEEN THE SLATS RESULTED IN A POROSITY OF 20 PERCENT.THE SCREEN HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL IN PREVENTING EITHER THE OVERTURNING OF VEHICLES OR LOSS OF DRIVER CONTROL DURING A 2-YEAR TEST PERIOD. THIS PAPER SUGGESTS OTHER TYPES OF LOCATIONS THAT MAY BENEFIT FROM WIND PROTECTION AND OFFERS BASIC DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr107/107-018.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board (HRB)

  Washington, DC   
• Authors:
  • Nordlin, E F
  • Bourget, L
• Conference:
  • Second Western Summer Meeting
  • Location: Salt Lake City Utah, United States
  • Date: 1969-8-11 to 1969-8-13
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 169-178
• Monograph Title: Highway safety
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 107
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamic force; Aluminum; Fences; Highway bridges; Mountains; Prevention; Safety; Screens; Steel; Trailers; Wind; Windbreaks
• Uncontrolled Terms: Wind load
• Old TRIS Terms: Chain link fencing
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00209197
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 21 1970 12:00AM