STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS OF EXISTING BCT GUARDRAIL TERMINALS

Subsequent to a series of crash test failures during evaluations performed by the Federal Highway Administration, Breakaway Cable Terminal (BCT) replacement and BCT design retrofit are two options currently being studied by the Florida Department of Transportation. The advanced computational mechanics computer code, LS-DYNA, is employed in the investigation of BCT design problems. Several design flaws in the BCT are identified with data created by a computer analysis of prescribed impact scenarios. In addition to severe vehicle damage, vehicular impact induces a fatal rate of deceleration and uncontrolled vehicle trajectory. Analysis of both LS-DYNA data and actual crash test data led to the conclusion that the terminal is initially too rigid, and fails to control vehicle kinetic energy dissipation. The objective of the project is to soften the terminal by strategically weakening the rail with structural modifications that may be applied to existing terminals to ensure steady, controlled dissipation of impact energy.

• Corporate Authors:

  Florida State University, Tallahassee

  Department of Civil Engineering, 2525 Pottsdamer Street
  Tallahassee, FL  United States  32310

  Florida Department of Transportation

  Haydon Burns Building, 605 Suwanee Street
  Tallahassee, FL  United States  32301

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Wekezer, Jerry
  • RAMALEY, M
  • Wuttrich, R
• Publication Date: 1999-3-31

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 216 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer programs; Crash tests; Design; Dissipation; Guardrail terminals; Kinetic energy; Retrofitting; Stiffness; Tensile strength
• Identifier Terms: LS-DYNA (Computer program)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Breakaway cable terminals; Structural modifications
• Subject Areas: Design; Energy; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00784624
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: WPI 0510652,, Final Report
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 25 2000 12:00AM