IMPACT ATTENUATORS - A CURRENT ENGINEERING EVALUATION. FINAL REPORT - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This study investigated the impact performance of inertial barrel and GREAT (Guard Rail Energy Absorption Terminal) impact attenuator systems using full scale crash testing of small and large test vehicles. In all, 20 tests were performed: 16 with inertial barrels and 4 with the GREAT system. The 16 inertial barrel tests studied large car versus small car, angled versus head-on positions, pea gravel versus sand fill material, frozen versus nonfrozen crash tests, loose sand versus bagged sand and two different brand attenuator barrels. The four GREAT tests using a six-bay system studied head-on versus angled positions and large car versus small car impacts. All tests used instrumented dummies and a NHTSA digital data tape was generated for each (with the exception of Tests E-01 and E-02). Results of the program showed small car performance to be generally acceptable when using NCHRP 230 and dummy analysis procedures. The large car produced higher decelerations and in some cases the values exceeded the limits specified.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • See also the Technical Volume (FHWA/RD-86/055).
• Corporate Authors:

  ENSCO, Incorporated

  Applied Technology and Engineering Division, 5400 Port Royal Road
  Springfield, VA  United States  22151

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Authors:
  • Hinch, J
  • Sawyer, D
  • STOUT, D
  • Manhard, G
  • Owings, R
• Publication Date: 1986-8

Media Info

• Pagination: 29 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Barriers (Roads); Compact automobiles; Crash cushions; Crash tests; Crashes; Dummies; Energy absorption; Frontal crashes; Guardrail terminals; Impact; Inertia (Mechanics); Inertial navigation systems; Large automobiles; Testing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Impact angle
• Old TRIS Terms: Barrel barriers; Large car; Small car
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00472096
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/RD-86/054
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-83-C-00140
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 31 1989 12:00AM