THE BRIDGE ABUTMENT PROBLEM

MANY FATAL ACCIDENTS OCCUR WHEN AN AUTOMOBILE STRIKES A BRIDGE ABUTMENT. THE MOST PREVALENT TYPE OF ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM IS THE SINGLE-VEHICLE ACCIDENT, IN WHICH THE VEHICLE STRIKES A FIXED ROADSIDE OBJECT OR OVERTURNS. CURRENTLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROTECTION IS PLACING PLASTIC BARRELS, PARTIALLY FILLED WITH DRY SAND, IN FRONT OF THE IMPACT SURFACE. THIS IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN CURRENT GUARD RAILS. MANY, IF NOT MOST, BRIDGE ABUTMENTS DO NOT EVEN HAVE GUARD RAILS. FURTHER, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE BASE OF BRIDGE ABUTMENTS AND CENTRAL PIERS FACING THE ROADWAY BE OF THE SAME CONFIGUATION AS THE GENERAL MOTORS BRIDGE PARAPET, AN ADAPTATION OF THE NEW JERSEY CONCRETE MEDIAN BARRIER. /HSL/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • FIFTEENTH CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
• Authors:
  • Campbell, H E
• Conference:
  • American Association for Automotive Medicine, 15th Conference Proceedings
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 200-11
• Serial:
  • Volume: 15th proc

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abutments; Crash investigation; Hazards; Medians
• Identifier Terms: Interstate Highway System
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223909
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Literature
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 11 1973 12:00AM