Pendulum Testing of an FRP Composite Guardrail: FOIL Test Numbers 96POl9 Through 96PO23, 97POO1, and 97POO2

Brown, Christopher M.

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Pendulum Testing of an FRP Composite Guardrail: FOIL Test Numbers 96POl9 Through 96PO23, 97POO1, and 97POO2

1998-03-01
By Brown, Christopher M.

File Language:

English

Details

Creators:

Brown, Christopher M.
Corporate Creators:

MiTech Incorporated
Corporate Contributors:

United States. Federal Highway Administration
Subject/TRT Terms:

Crash Tests Federal Outdoor Impact Laboratory Fiber Reinforced Plastics Guardrails Impact Tests Pendulum Tests Simulation
Publication/ Report Number:

FHWA-RD-98-017
Resource Type:

Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:

United States
Corporate Publisher:

United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
Abstract:

This report contains the test setup and results from seven pendulum crash tests conducted at the Federal Outdoor Impact Laboratory (FOIL) located at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) in McLean, Virginia. The tests were conducted on fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) composite guardrail elements. Three 2440~mm-long and four 3660~mm-long FRP specimens were tested. The shorter specimens were tested in a two-post, no end-anchorage configuration and the longer specimens were tested in a four-post, fixed-end configuration. The tests were conducted as part of an ongoing research effort to compare the dynamic response from standard w-beam guardrail with the dynamic response of an FRP composite rail. The data establishes that the energy from a pendulum with a mass of 912 kg and a velocity of 35 km/h is not enough to produce the forces necessary to load the FRP rail element to failure. A heavier, faster pendulum is needed to generate sufficient forces to fail the FRP composite rail. Results from the tests are presented as test summaries of data; graphs of data; and photographs taken before, during, and after the tests.
Format:

PDF
Collection(s):

Federal Highway Administration US Transportation Collection
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:63400198b967cd31b9bfc176a39e4b9abd6ddb828c549c335da0c7659f6bbea0942f9b18a33b21d91b2e108d2325db54d4175268adb368d5285d801e509f82e9
Download URL:

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/13544/dot_13544_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 7.11 MB ]

File Language:

English

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