Crash Testing and Evaluation of Retrofit Bridge Railings and Transition

1996McDevitt, Charles F.PDFTech ReportFHWA-RD-96-032DTFH61-92-C-00025Bridge railingsImpact testsPerformance evaluationsRetrofittingUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationButh, C. EugeneMenges, Wanda L.Texas Transportation InstituteUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationMcDevitt, CharlesFederal Highway AdministrationAn assortment of retrofit bridge railings and a retrofit transition were evaluated through full-scale crash testing. The assortment included: (1) a W-beam retrofit railing for a concrete baluster bridge railing (AASHTO performance level one); (2) a W-beam transition for the bridge railing above (NCHRP Report 350 test level two); (3) a double-tube pedestrian/bicycle railing mounted on the Illinois 2399-1 traffic railing (AASHTO performance level one); (4) a vandal protection fence on the New Jersey concrete safety shape bridge railing (AASHTO performance level two); and (5) a thrie beam retrofit railing, a Delaware design, mounted on a 203-mm-high safety curb (AASHTO performance level two and NCHRP Report 350 test level four). All of the designs demonstrated acceptable performance.80