IMPACT PERFORMANCE AND A SELECTION CRITERION FOR TEXAS MEDIAN BARRIERS

The impact performance of the Texas Metal Beam Guard Fence median barrier (MBGF) was determined and compared with that of the Texas Concrete Median Barrier (CMB). The MBGF consists of two standard W-shaped guardrails mounted back-to-back on a 6 WF 8.5 support post whereas the CMB is a solid concrete barrier. The impact performance of the MBGF was determined from a combination of crash tests and from crash simulations by the Highway-Vehicle-Object-Simulation-Model (HVOSM). Full-size automobiles (approximately 4,000 lb) were used in both the crash tests and the crash simulations. A close comparison of test and simulated results verified the accuracy of the HVOSM in simulating impacts with the MBGF. The impact performance of the CMB was obtained from another study.

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/texasarchive/phase4/140-8.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared in cooperation with Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C., and Texas Highway Dept., Austin.
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

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

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Texas State Department of Highways & Public Transportation

  P.O. Box 5051
  Austin, TX  United States  78763
• Authors:
  • Ross, HEJ
• Publication Date: 1974-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 129 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Concrete; Crash tests; Crashes; Design; Freeways; Guardrails; Highway planning; Highways; Median barriers; Metals; Performance; Safety engineering; Simulation; Testing; Traffic barriers; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Barriers; Design criteria
• Geographic Terms: Texas
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00091353
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: TTI-2-10-69-140-8 Res. Rept.
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 15 1975 12:00AM