DEVELOPMENT OF A STRONG BEAM GUARDRAIL-TO-BRIDGE-RAIL TRANSITION

This study describes the development and testing of a strong beam guardrail-to-bridge-rail transition. Barrier VII was validated and used to simulate impacts with flexible barriers attached to a rigid barrier. Design curves for selecting transition design parameters of beam strength, post size, and post spacing are presented. The selected design incorporated a tubular W-beam rail element mounted on 7-inch round posts spaced on 3-foot, 1.5-inch centers. The transition was designed to simplify retrofit operations and can be used on bridges that require bridge-end drains. Three full-scale crash tests were conducted to verify the acceptable performance of the transition when attached to either a vertical concrete parapet or a concrete safety-shaped barrier.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1988/1198/1198-010.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=DEVELOPMENT+OF+A+STRONG+BEAM+GUARDRAIL-TO-BRIDGE-RAIL+TRANSITION&author=R.+Bligh&author=D.+Sicking&author=H.+Ross+Jr&publication_year=1988
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309047722
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1198, Roadside Safety Features. 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
• Authors:
  • Bligh, Roger P
  • Sicking, Dean L
  • Ross Jr, Hayes E
• Publication Date: 1988

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 105-116
• Monograph Title: Roadside safety features
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1198
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge railings; Crash tests; Crashes; Design; Guardrail transition sections; Guardrails; Performance evaluations; Posts; Retrofitting; Size; Spacing; Strength of materials; Testing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Transition zones; W beams
• Old TRIS Terms: Post spacing; Strength requirements
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00490182
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309047722
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 31 1989 12:00AM