DESIGN OF BARREL TRAILER FOR MAXIMUM COLLISION PROTECTION

This report describes a Texas type, steel-barrel trailer developed by the Highway Wayside-Equipment Research Office and the Equipment Office of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications. When attached to a sign truck, the trailer provides maximum crash protection for occupants of impacting automobiles in rear collisions at impact speeds of up to 100 km/h (60 mph). This means that restrained occupants will survive such collisions without serious injuries. (Crash protection is expected to be somewhat less for angular impacts.) The trailer can be towed at traveling speed and backed up at slow speed on a closed traffic lane. For full protection of a working crew, the trailer should be attached to the kind of heavy sign truck that is presently used in maintenance operations. Although the trailer is an extra piece of equipment and requires special driver skill in backing, it is recommended for use on high-speed highways with high traffic volumes, expressways, or freeways. The trailer reduces impact severity considerably and is more effective than nontrailer attachments at impact speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph) or less. The first prototype tried on the road has been involved in two collisions. In both instances, the impact attenuation and redirectional capabilities of the steel barrels were sufficient to prevent injuries. The connections between the barrel modules, which were originally welded, now consist of bolts and hard rubber spacers and are still being developed. /Author/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1977/631/631-014.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=DESIGN+OF+BARREL+TRAILER+FOR+MAXIMUM+COLLISION+PROTECTION&author=F.+Jung&publication_year=1977
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309026563
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Safety Appurtenances. 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
• Authors:
  • Jung, F W
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 76-81
• Monograph Title: Geometrics, water treatment, utility practices, safety appurtenances, and outdoor advertisement
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 631
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attenuation (Physics); Crash cushions; Crash tests; Crashes; Design; Rear end crashes; Rubber; Safety; Speed; Steel; Testing; Traffic volume; Trailers
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00172422
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309026563
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 12 1978 12:00AM