The D.a.V. And Blocked-out Beam Crash Barriers

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The D.a.V. And Blocked-out Beam Crash Barriers

V. J. Jehu

Cars weighing 3000 lb were driven against the concrete beam crash barrier with increasing severity of impact; for an impact of 31 mile/h and 20 deg the vehicle rolled towards the barrier sufficiently for the wheels remote from the barrier to be lifted clear of the road for a short time. For a more severe impact at 46 mile/h and 19.5 deg, in which the mean lateral vehicle deceleration was 2.9 g, the induced rolling motion continued after the vehicle left the barrier, and it eventually overturned. The curved face of the concrete guardrail extended from 10 in to 22 in above ground, the lower edge making first contact with the vehicles, whose centres of gravity were 24 in above ground. In similar tests with a double-sided steel beam barrier, with guard rails blocked out to give a 9 in clearance between the beam and the central support posts the car was reflected, without noticeable rolling action towards the barrier, up to an impact at 50 mile/h and 18 deg. The mean lateral vehicle deceleration was 2.5 g. The steel guard rail extended from 15 in to 27 in above ground, and therefore, operated at the height of the centre gravity of the car. (Author)