THE CONCRETE MEDIAN BARRIER CASE

Reacting to public comment in wellington, New Zealand, about motorway barrier design, the author asserts that the New Jersey type concrete median barriers on the hutt road in wellington are performing as well now as when they were built 18 years ago. The more recently developed tric bloc is also described with its ability to shift sideways and absorb impacts. The New Jersey barrier has been subjected to hundreds of impacts and to the replacement of a watermain running underneath it. The Swedish road traffic research institute has concluded after tests that the tric bloc performs even better. Tric bloc is more expensive but both systems represent good long term value. Concrete barriers can be detailed to make attractive low walls or be used as support to gantries etc. Headlight glare can be overcome by the height of tric bloc or by mounting headlight shields on the top of the New Jersey. The author concludes that concrete barriers have an excellent track record and should not be dismissed in favour of innovative designs.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/05490219
• Corporate Authors:

  New Zealand Concrete Research Association

  Private Bag
  Porirua,   New Zealand 
• Authors:
  • HUDSON, K
• Publication Date: 1989-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 7-8
• Serial:
  • NEW ZEALAND CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION
  • Volume: 33
  • Publisher: CEMENT & CONCRETE ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND
  • ISSN: 0549-0219

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Durability; Freeways; Guardrails
• ITRD Terms: 9011: Design (overall design); 5910: Durability; 2752: Motorway; 1686: Safety fence
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00498763
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM