CRASHWORTHY GUARDRAIL SYSTEMS SAVE LIVES

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has mandated the use of alternatives to W-beam guardrail terminals, with the objective of eliminating the 'ramping' action that would send a vehicle airborne when it collided with the buried end of a guardrail, thus increasing the severity of the accident. The article describes the system installed in Oklahoma which consists of fender panels, support posts with slip bases, and sand-filled boxes that dissipate the energy of an impact, and safely shield the beginning of the standard guardrail section. The system used in Oklahoma uses a unique system of telescoping panels plus a redirecting cable. The treatment gently guides an impacting vehicle away from the hard spot. Upon impact the fender panels telescope to safely decelerate and redirect the errant vehicle.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/11660022
• Corporate Authors:

  Scranton Gillette Communications

  380 E Northwest Highway, Suite 200
  Des Planes, IL  United States  60016-2282
• Authors:
  • Kuennen, T
• Publication Date: 1992-4

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 46
• Serial:
  • Roads & Bridges
  • Volume: 30
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Scranton Gillette Communications
  • ISSN: 8750-9229
  • Serial URL: http://www.roadsbridges.com/rb/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash severity; Crashworthiness; Dissipation; Guardrail terminals; Guardrails; Safety equipment
• Subject Areas: Design; Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00621076
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 1992 12:00AM