DEVELOPMENT OF A LIGHTWEIGHT TRUCK MOUNTED ATTENUATOR. FINAL REPORT

The objective of this report was to develop a lightweight truck mounted attenuator (TMA), that would not restrict the payload, be easily removed and perform as well or better than units available. Aluminum honeycomb material was selected for the energy absorption material. It was selected for the following reasons: lightweight, excellent energy absorption, unaffected by moisture and resistance to corrosion. Two sizes of TMA's were developed, one that could be mounted on a medium duty truck and one designed to be mounted on a three quarter or one-ton pickup (PMA). Nine crash tests were conducted on the TMA. Cars weighing 2,100 lbs and 4,400 lbs impacted the TMA's at 45 mph. All TMA's tested were 7 ft 0 in long by 7 ft 8 in wide by 2 ft 0 in high with various volumes of honeycomb aluminum. The TMA's were mounted on the back of a 11,000 lb dump truck. Three crash tests were conducted on the PMA. The first control test was without PMA and two additional tests with PMA's and 1900 lb and 4400 lb cars. The pickup PMA's tested were 5 ft 6 in long by 6 ft 4 in wide by 2 ft 0 in high. It was concluded that the lightweight TMA on the dump truck performed as well as heavier TMA's. At 45 mph the occupants head impact velocity in the impacting vehicle ranged from 32 to 36 feet per second and vehicle damage was somewhat reduced from control tests without attenuators used. The California DOT has implemented the use of TMA's on almost all highway maintenance operations involving slow moving or stationary vehicles.

• Corporate Authors:

  California Department of Transportation

  Division of Equipment Maintenance and Development
  Sacramento, CA  United States  95816

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Schiefferly, C
  • Marlow, J
• Publication Date: 1983-7

Media Info

• Pagination: n.p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Crash cushions; Crash tests; Energy absorption; Highway maintenance; Honeycomb structures; Lightweight materials; Pickup trucks; Trucks
• Old TRIS Terms: Pickups
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Motor Carriers; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00462166
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-CA-001, Rept No 32036-609934
• Contract Numbers: D-4-163
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 1987 12:00AM