The investigation of the performance of safety barriers in relation to heavy vehicle crashes

This study analysed heavy vehicle run-off -road crashes in Victoria during the three years from October 1998 to September 2001. The 538 such crashes comprised some 4 percent of all reported run-off-road casualty crashes in that period. Of the 538 crashes, 39 involved a heavy vehicle impacting a barrier (though there are grounds to suspect that this is an under-reporting of the true incidence). Due to the relatively small number of reported crashes and the absence of information on the type of barrier involved, barrier performance in impacts with heavy vehicles was investigated through literature and other sources, such as personal contact with police, transport groups, researchers and so to adduce "informal" information that might help determine future research directions. There is limited information on the performance of barriers in impacts with heavy vehicles. Some crash-testing of barriers in heavy vehicle impacts, performed by barrier manufacturers, road/traffic agencies or research organisations, appears in the published literature or could be gathered by direct contact, but such testing appears quite limited due to high cost and practical constraints. Information gathered through the literature review and other sources enabled some tentative conclusions on the three common types of barrier; rigid, semi-rigid and flexible barriers.

• Authors:
  • Jacques, N
  • Franklyn, M
  • Corben, B
  • Candappa, N
• Publication Date: 2003-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 37p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 832

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete; Crash analysis; Crash tests; Evaluation; Guardrails; Heavy vehicles; Highway safety; Mathematical models; Ran off road crashes; Steel; Wire
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road safety (engineering and vehicles)
• Geographic Terms: Victoria (Australia)
• ATRI Terms: Concrete; Crash analysis; Crash test; Evaluation; Heavy vehicle; Modelling; Road safety; Run off the road crash; Safety fence; Steel; Wire
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01388686
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 23 2012 1:12AM