A LOW-MAINTENANCE, ENERGY-ABSORBING BRIDGE RAIL

A low-maintenance, energy-absorbing bridge rail has been developed for use in high traffic volume situations where the cost of repairing conventional bridge rails has become prohibitively expensive. The new bridge rail is designed to meet or exceed current bridge rail design guidelines. It incorporates railings and posts made of steel tubing and rubber energy absorbers and is designed to be installed on new or existing standard bridge decks. Results of crash tests show that the bridge rail can smoothly redirect a 4,500-lb (2043-kg) automobile impacting at a velocity of 60 mph (96.6 km/hr) and an angle of 25 degrees and remain in service with no maintenance. If exposed to a more severe impact, the bridge rail may have to be repaired, but the bridge deck will remain undamaged. Finally, the new energy-absorbing rail occupies less bridge deck area than do conventional bridge rails.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1986/1065/1065-007.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=A+LOW-MAINTENANCE%2C+ENERGY-ABSORBING+BRIDGE+RAIL&author=W.+Beason&author=T.+Hirsch&author=J.+Cain&publication_year=1986
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309040590
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Safety Appurtenances. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Beason, W Lynn
  • Hirsch, T J
  • Cain, John C
• Publication Date: 1986

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 56-61
• Monograph Title: ROADSIDE SAFETY
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1065
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge railings; Crash tests; Crashes; Design; Energy absorption; Impact; Maintenance; Motor vehicles; Speed; Testing; Traffic speed
• Uncontrolled Terms: Impact angle; Low maintenance; Redirection
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00474239
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309040590
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-039 936
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 31 1990 12:00AM