INVESTIGATION OF THE DYNAMIC IMPACT CHARACTERISTICS OF ROADSIDE STRUCTURES. FINAL REPORT

IMPACT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS OF FOUR TYPES OF ROADSIDE STRUCTURES ARE PRESENTED. AN EATHEN MOUND GUARDRAIL END TREATMENT IS FOUND TO BE UNSATISFACTORY, WHILE AN ABSORBER, BREAK-AWAY TREATMENT IS FOUND TO BE MORE PROMISING ALTHOUGH REQUIRING DESIGN MODIFICATIONS. FIVE MDSH STANDARD CURB CONFIGURATIONS WERE SUBJECTED TO SIMULATED IMPACTS AND ARE FOUND TO AFFECT VEHICLE MOTIONS AS A FUNCTION OF HEIGHT, FACT PROFILE AND SURFACE TEXTURE. EIGHT COMMON CURB/GUARDRAIL COMBINATIONS ARE EVALUATED IN TERMS OF VAULTING POTENTIAL; ALL ARE FOUND TO BE SAFE, PROVIDED SPECIFIC GUARDRAIL HEIGHT AND SET BACK GUIDELINES ARE ADHERED TO. THE MDSH STANDARD MEDIAN DIKE PROFILE IS FOUND TO BE UNSAFE AND IN NEED OF FLATTER SIDE SLOPES. APPENDICES ARE PRESENTED WHICH CONTAIN DETAILED DISCUSSIONS OF SIMULATION MODELING METHODS, TEST ACCELERATION MEASUREMENTS AND ROADSIDE STRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES. /AUTHOR/

• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Safety Research Institute

  Huron Parkway and Baxter Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109
• Authors:
  • Dunlap, D F
  • GROTE, P
  • Fram, D M
  • Mashinter, W
• Publication Date: 1972-5

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 340 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Breakaway supports; Curbs; Dynamics; Guardrails; Impacts; Mathematical models; Median barriers; Roadside structures; Safety equipment; Simulation; Structural design; Texture
• Uncontrolled Terms: Dynamic characteristics
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00203891
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 15 1974 12:00AM