Guide for bridge approach barriers

This paper provides recommended design guidance for new or replacement bridge approach barriers. It incorporates the AS5100 Bridge Design requirements for multiple performance barriers and the provisions of the AS3845 Road safety barrier systems. It has incorporated relevant requirements of the Austroads Guide to Road Design 2010 with VicRoads supplement, relevant to bridge approach barriers. The previous guidelines paper as well as the AS 5100 standard, do not provide detailed guidance to determine where the road or bridge standards prevail, for choice of barrier performance level. This paper addresses this deficiency. During a vehicle to barrier encroachment over the bridge approach, severe decelerations and the consequent risk of injury can occur, if the transition barrier section from a flexible road barrier to a rigid bridge barrier is not properly detailed. The transition needs to contain the representative test performance vehicle (which may vary) over each section of the approach, from the road to the bridge. This paper provides a guide for selecting bridge approach barrier performance levels and their extent on the approach to a bridge. It incorporates the required design criteria relevant to site risk associated with: local vehicles; traffic conditions; road width; site geometry etc. This information plus suggested barrier details assists the designer in determining a suitable approach barrier and its approach extent. The objectives of the proposed approach are to reduce the severity of accidents on bridge approaches, and to achieve rational uniformity of standards.

• Authors:
  • COLOSIMO, V
• Conference:
  • Australian Small Bridges Conference, 4th
  • Location: Melbourne Victoria, Australia
  • Date: 2011-5-10 to 2011-5-11
• Publication Date: 2011-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 21p
• Monograph Title: 4th Australian Small Bridges Conference 2011, Albert Park, Melbourne, 10th-11th May

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge design; Bridges; Standardization
• Uncontrolled Terms: Accident countermeasure; Design guide
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ITRD Terms: 1661: Accident prevention; 9011: Design (overall design); 1686: Safety fence
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01351521
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ARRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 14 2011 8:32AM