Full-Scale Crash Test and Design Guidelines for Traffic Barriers on Top of MSE Walls

Millions of square meters of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining walls are constructed annually in the United States. When used in highway fill applications, these MSE walls are typically constructed with a roadside barrier system supported on the edge of the wall. This barrier system generally consists of an L shape concrete structure so that if a vehicle hits the vertical part of the L shape (barrier), the horizontal part of the L (moment slab) provides the resisting moment during the impact. This paper addresses the proper design of the barrier system against sliding and overturning, and of the MSE wall system against pull out and rupture of the reinforcement as well as flexural and shear failure of the wall panels. These design guidelines are developed in terms of AASHTO LRFD procedures. In order to verify the new guidelines, a full-scale pick-up truck crash test was conducted. The MSE wall reinforcement was instrumented and the measured data is presented.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: DVD
  • Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 27p
  • Monograph Title: TRB 89th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01152282
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: 10-2231
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Mar 16 2010 6:12AM