VEHICLE IMPACT TESTING OF LIGHTWEIGHT LIGHTING STANDARDS

This paper presents the results of seven full-scale vehicular crash tests on 35-ft-high breakaway lighting standards with 20-ft-long mast arms and compares them with the recommended crash test criteria in NCHRP Report 230 and with the new 1985 AASHTO specifications for structural supports. The test devices consisted of an aluminum lighting standard with cast aluminum breakaway couplings, a lightweight steel lighting standard with cast aluminum breakaway couplings and a triangular slip base, and a typical California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) type 31 lighting standard with a triangular slip base. The lighting standards tested met the requirements of NCHRP Report 230 with minor exceptions. The 1985 AASHTO specifications for breakaway bases, however, were met in all seven crash tests. Although the die-cast aluminum coupling proved to be an effective breakaway device when impacted by 1,800-lb cars, excessive porosity and lack of compliance with Caltrans specifications preclude the use of these couplings as a standard Caltrans breakaway device. The Caltrans triangular steel slip base proved to be an effective breakaway device when impacted by 1,800-lb cars.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1989/1233/1233-006.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=VEHICLE+IMPACT+TESTING+OF+LIGHTWEIGHT+LIGHTING+STANDARDS&author=R.+Stoughton&author=A.+Abghari&author=J.+Dusel&author=J.+Hedgecock&author=D.+Glauz&publication_year=1989
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1233, Design and Testing of Roadside Safety Devices. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Stoughton, Roger L
  • Abghari, Abbas
  • Dusel, John P
  • Hedgecock, Jack L
  • Glauz, Doran L
• Publication Date: 1989

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 51-64
• Monograph Title: DESIGN AND TESTING OF ROADSIDE SAFETY DEVICES
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1233
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Breakaway supports; Compliance; Crash tests; Crashes; Lighting columns; Measures of effectiveness; Specifications; Testing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00495136
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-05005-7
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 30 1990 12:00AM