CRASH TESTS OF LIGHT-POST THRIE-BEAM TRAFFIC BARRIERS
Thrie-beam corrugated steel rail (a W-beam with a third corrugation) was tested as a single-rail upgrading for discontinuous bridge rail panels, and on S 3x5.7 posts as a guiderail and double-faced median barrier. Tests were performed to determine rail deflection characteristics, structural adequacy, vehicle decelerations, and vehicle damage. Ten-gage thrie-beam was used for all tests. As a bridge-rail upgrading, it was suitable for 60-mph, 25 deg impacts by 4500-lb vehicles. As a guiderail or median barrier on S 3x5.7 posts, it appears suitable as a longitudinal barrier, based on tests with 2250- and 3500-lb vehicles. Proposed design deflections for thrie-beam guiderails and median barriers are close to those for boxbeam guiderails and median barriers. Further testing of these guiderail and median barrier designs would yield better definition of impact and redirection characteristics and better indicate what actions could be taken to reduce wheel-post impact.
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Corporate Authors:
New York State Department of Transportation
Engineering Research and Development Bureau, 1220 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY United States 12232Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Authors:
- Bryden, J E
- Hahn, K C
- Publication Date: 1981-3
Media Info
- Pagination: 63 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Barriers (Roads); Corrugated metals; Crash injury research; Crash tests; Crashes; Deceleration; Deflection; Guardrails; Loss and damage; Median barriers; Modernization; Posts; Research; Steel; Vehicles; Wheels
- Uncontrolled Terms: Barriers; Redirection; Steel beams
- Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00334922
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/NY/RR-81/85 Final Rpt., FCP 41V3-102
- Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Oct 28 1981 12:00AM