Roadside Safety Design


Book Description

This roadside safety design package has been developed to satisfy a need for training in this area. It is hoped that all persons involved in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of highways will become familiar with the concepts contained in the program. The concepts and practices discussed come from those contained in the AASHTO publication, "Highway Design and Operational Practices Related to Highway Safety". They are discussed in considerable depth in this program and should provide a good working knowledge of roadside safety design. Much of the program is oriented around freeways; however, the principles apply equally toward the lower order highway.




Low-volume Roads 2015


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Roadside Safety Appurtenances


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Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics


Book Description

Various aspects of geotechnical earthquake engineering and soil dynamics are highlighted in this all-inclusive book. The current progress in the field of earthquake engineering has been discussed with primary focus on the seismic safety of dams and underground monuments, Bryan's effect, and the mitigation plans against landslide and fire whirlwind. The book discusses various interesting researches that have been contributed by researchers and experts from many countries. The researches presented in this book will be helpful for graduates, researchers and scientists working in these areas of structural and earthquake engineering. It will also be of significance to civil engineers working on building and reconstruction of structures such as dams, buildings, roads and others.




In-service Performance Evaluation of Guardrail End Treatments


Book Description

Study charge and origin -- Committee task -- Objectives of in-service evaluation -- Evaluation methods -- Organization of the report -- Methods of measuring performance: Comparative evaluations -- Descriptive evaluations -- Nationally coordinated evaluation research: Evaluation objectives -- Sources for evaluation procedures -- Validating crash test procedures -- Evaluation methods for routine highway agency use -- Impact of design, installation, and maintenance practices on performance -- Planning and organization -- Annex 3-1: summary of procedural guides to in-service evaluation of roadside safety devices -- Routine in-service evaluation of roadside devices -- Objectives of routine evaluations -- Obstacles to evaluation -- Strengthening highway agency capacity to conduct evaluations -- Conclusions and recommendation




Phase II Development of a Bullnose Guardrail System for Median Applications


Book Description

The research study consisted of Phase II of the development and full-scale vehicle crash testing of a bullnose barrier concept for the treatment of median hazards. The bullnose guardrail consisted of a 12-gauge thrie beam rail supported by twenty-two wood posts, eleven posts on each side of the system. Horizontal slots were cut in the valleys of selected thrie beam sections to aid in vehicle capture as well as to reduce the buckling and bending capacities of the rail. Two full-scale crash tests were performed, both using a 2000-kg pickup truck. The first crash test, impacting at a speed of 100.2 km/h and an angle of 0 degrees, was unsuccessful following the rupture of the thrie beam and subsequent uncontrolled penetration of the vehicle behind the barrier. Computer simulation of the failed test was performed using LS-DYNA. Analysis of the simulation and full-scale test results led to the addition of two steel cables placed behind the top and middle humps of the thrie beam nose section to aid in truck containment without stiffening the barrier. Computer simulation of the modified design demonstrated successful containment of the pickup truck. The second test, impacting at a speed of 103.5 km/h and an angle of 0 degrees was determined to be successful according to the safety standards set forth by the Test Level 3 (TL-3) evaluation criteria described in the NCHRP Report No. 350, "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features" (1993). The next phase of the bullnose barrier system design will be to complete the remaining crash tests needed for compliance with the NCHRP Report No. 350 safety standards for median barriers.




NCHRP 350 Development and Testing of a Guardrail Connection to Low-fill Culverts


Book Description

In this research, a W-beam guardrail system was developed for installation with the steel post attached to the top of a low-fill concrete culvert. The guardrail system was constructed with a 2.66-mm (12-gauge) thick W-beam rail totaling 53.34 m in length. The post spacing was 1,905-mm on center for post numbers 1-9 and 33-41, while the post spacing for post numbers 9-33 was 952.5-mm on center. Two full-scale vehicle crash tests, using 3/4 ton pickup trucks, were performed on the W-beam guardrail system.




Two Approach Guardrail Transitions for Concrete Safety Shape Barriers


Book Description

Two approach guardrail transitions for use with concrete safety shape barriers were developed and crash tested. For this study, the transition systems were attached to the New Jersey safety shape concrete barrier; however, it is believed that these transition systems could be easily adapted to the F-shape barrier with no need for further crash testing. Both transition designs were constructed with two nested thrie beam rails measuring 2.66-mm thick. The first transition design was supported by nine W150x13.5 steel posts measuring, 1,981-mm long, while the second transition design was supported by nine 152-mm x 203-mm wood posts measuring 2,134-mm long. For both systems, post spacings consisted on one at 292 mm, five at 476 mm, and three at 952 mm. A triangular-shape concrete curb was constructed below the thrie beam rail on each approach guardrail transition system. The two transition systems successfully met the Test Level 3 requirements specified in NCHRP Report 350, "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features."