Testing of State Roadside Safety Systems. Volume 1: Technical Report

1999Final Report: November I, I 989 - December 1996PDFTech ReportFHWA-RD-98-036DTFH6 I-89-C-00089Barriers (Roads)Breakaway supportsImpact testsDesignGuardrail terminalsHighway bridgesRoadside hazardsSafety engineeringGuardrailsBarriersBreakaway structuresBridge parapetsCrash testsDesignGuardrail impact testsGuardrailsHighwayHighway bridgesRoadside hazardsSafety engineeringTraffic safetyUnited StatesTexasUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationMak, King K.Bligh, Roger P.Menges, Wanda L.Texas A&M Transportation InstituteUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionThe purpose of this study is to crash test and evaluate new or modified roadside safety hardware and, where necessary, redesign the devices to improve their impact performance. The three major areas addressed in this study are the impact performance of bridge railings, transitions from guardrails to bridge railings, and end treatments for guardrails and median barriers. This report presents a summary of the results of various laboratory, pendulum, and crash tests conducted under this study. A total of 36 full-scale crash tests were conducted, covering 12 different types of roadside safety appurtenances. The crash tests were conducted in accordance with guidelines set forth in National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 230, NCHRP Report 350, and/or the 1989 American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide Specifications for Bridge Railings, depending on the specific appurtenance being tested. In addition, laboratory and pendulum tests were conducted on a modified breakaway modified eccentric loader terminal (MELT) post design. This volume is the first in a series of 14 volumes for the final report. The other volumes in the series are: Volume II, Appendix A - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Michigan Thrie-Beam Transition Design; Volume III, Appendix B - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Guardrail System for Low-Fill Culvert; Volume IV, Appendix C - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Pennsylvania Transition Design; Volume V, Appendix D - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Washington, DC, PL-1 Bridge Rail; Volume VI, Appendix E - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Modified Breakaway Cable Terminal (BCT) Design; Volume VII, Appendix F - Crash Testing and Evaluation of the Minnesota Swing-Away Mailbox Support; Volume VIII, Appendix G - Crash Testing and Evaluation of the Single Slope Bridge Rail; Volume IX, Appendix H - Crash Testing and Evaluation of the NETC PL-2 Bridge Rail Design; Volume X, Appendix l - Crash Testing and Evaluation of a Mini-MELT for a W-Beam, Weak-Post (G2) Guardrail System; Volume XI, Appendix J - Crash Testing and Evaluation of Existing Guardrail Systems; Volume XII, Appendix K - Crash Testing and Evaluation of the MELT; Volume XIII, Appendix L - Crash Testing and Evaluation of the Modified MELT; and Volume XIV, Appendix M - Laboratory and Pendulum Testing of Modified Breakaway Wooden Posts.82