SEA CHANGE IN SAFETY FENCING

In 1989 the U.K. Department of Transport issued TD 32/89, a new standard for the wire rope safety fence (WRSF). The new four-rope system supported on steel posts is designed to contain and redirect a vehicle of 1500 kg, travelling at 113 km/hr at an angle of 20 deg to the fence. It has a number of distinct benefits. A single fence can be used to protect both lanes of trunk road traffic, making it less expensive to buy and install. Installation requires minimum manpower and routine maintenance requirements are low. The ropes will never break and only the posts would need replacement in the event of an impact. Following an accident, it can be restored in an hour. Eight km of the WRSF have been installed so far in the U.K. Other developments in U.K. safety fencing include a near vertical concrete barrier for which a draft British Standard is currently being prepared, impact attenuators or crash cushion designs for high speed applications that are currently being evaluated, and a sand filled aluminum barrier which in TRRL performance tests exceeded the requirements for barriers currently installed on U.K. roads.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/3831968
• Corporate Authors:

  D.R. Publications Limited

  Faversham House, 111 St James Road
  Croydon, Surrey CR9 2TH,   England 
• Authors:
  • Himus, A
• Publication Date: 1990-3

Media Info

• Features: Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 12, 14
• Serial:
  • Highways
  • Volume: 59
  • Issue Number: 1959
  • Publisher: Alad Limited
  • ISSN: 0142-6168
  • Serial URL: http://www.highways-mag.co.uk

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Barriers (Roads); Crash cushions; Fences
• Uncontrolled Terms: Barriers
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Safety fence (Excludes guard rail); Sand-filled barrier
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00493723
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 30 1990 12:00AM