CONCRETE SAFETY SHAPE WITH METAL RAIL ON TOP TO REDIRECT 80,000 LB TRUCKS. INTERIM REPORT

Since the 32 in. (81 cm) high concrete safety shape is a popular median and bridge barrier, it was desirable to see if it could be modified to make it an effective traffic rail for trucks. An 18 in. (46 cm) high metal traffic rail was mounted on top of the 32 in. (81 cm) high concrete safety shape to make a bridge rail 50 in. (126 cm) high to restrain and redirect 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) van-type trucks. The bridge rail was impacted by such a truck at 48.4 mph (77.9 km/h) at an angle of 14.5 degrees. The bridge rail did restrain the truck on the simulated bridge. The truck did roll on its side. This was attributed to the 9.5 in. (24 cm) setback of the metal rail from the sloping face of the concrete safety shape, which produced a roll angle of 11.3 degrees before the vehicle contacted the metal rail. The final position of the truck was parallel to and in front of the rail. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011

  Texas State Department of Highways & Public Transportation

  Transportation Planning Division, P.O. Box 5051
  Austin, TX  United States  78763

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Hirsch, T J
  • Fairbanks, W L
  • Buth, C E
• Publication Date: 1984-12

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 39 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge railings; Concrete structures; Crash tests; Heavy vehicles; Steel rails; Structural design; Traffic barriers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Barriers
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00399304
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-TX-85-54+416-1
• Contract Numbers: Study 2-5-83-416
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 1987 12:00AM