EVALUATION OF AN ALUMINUM TOR-SHOK BARRIER

A TOR-SHOK TYPE OF HIGHWAY BARRIER HAS BEEN DESIGNED USING ALUMINUM TUBING FOR THE OUTER "U" SHAPED RAILS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS DESIGN IS TO REDUCE THE BARRIER WEIGHT, AND THUS REDUCE THE INERTIA COMPONENTS OF THE BARRIER REACTING FORCE. TWO TESTS WERE CONDUCTED ON THESE BARRIERS. THE FIRST TEST INVOLVED A 2850 LB. VEHICLE IMPACTING THE BARRIER HEAD-ON AT A SPEED OF 52 MPH. VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS 7-1/2 FEET GIVING AN AVERAGE DECELERATION OF 12 G. FAILURES OCCURRED IN SOME OF THE ALUMINUM TRUSS FITTINGS. THE SECOND TEST INVOLVED A 4250 LB. VEHICLE IMPACTING THE NOSE OF THE BARRIER AT 36 DEGREES AND 47 MPH. THE ALUMINUM TRUSS FITTINGS ALSO FAILED IN THIS TEST ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO PASS IN FRONT OF THE SUPPORT POSTS FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT SIDE, WITH A QUITE MODERATE DECELERATION OF AROUND 4.7 G. OWING TO THE FAILURE IN ELEMENTS OF THE BARRIER HOWEVER, NO INSIGHT WAS PROVIDED ON THE QUESTION OF THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH A VEHICLE WILL STRIKE A RIGID SUPPORT POST UNDER OBLIQUE IMPACT. /BPR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Adm. /Oto/, FH-11-7123
• Corporate Authors:

  Aerospace Research Associates

  ,    

  Bureau of Public Roads /US

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Mazelsky, B
• Publication Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Barriers (Roads); Crash tests; Deceleration; Failure; Stopping distances; Trusses; Tubing; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Barriers
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219733
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bureau of Public Roads /US
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 5 1970 12:00AM