Evaluation of a non-proprietary, high-tension, four-cable median barrier on level terrain.

Details

• Creators:
  Kampschneider, L.R. ; Homan, D.M. ; Lectenberg, K.A. ; Faller, R.K. ; Bielenberg, R.W. ; Sicking, D.L. ; Reid, J. D. ; Rosenbaugh, S.K.
• Corporate Creators:
  Midwest Roadside Safety Facility
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Median barriers
  • Cables
  • Highway safety
  • Performance tests
  • Height
  • Tension
  • Anchor bolts
  • Impact tests
  • Median strips
  • Roads--Guard fences--Testing
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  TRP-03-258-12
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Nebraska
• Edition:
  Final report.
• Corporate Publisher:
  Midwest States Regional Pooled Fund Program ; Nebraska. Dept. of Roads
• Abstract:
  During the last decade, the use of cable median barriers has risen dramatically. Cable barriers are often utilized in depressed medians ; with widths ranging from 30 to 50 ft (9.1 to 15.2 m) and with fill slopes as steep as 4H:1V. A careful review of accident records has ; indicated that passenger vehicles occasionally penetrate through the standard three-cable median barrier and enter opposing traffic lanes. ; As a result, the Midwest States Regional Pooled Fund Program sponsored a research and development project to improve the safety ; performance of existing, non-proprietary, cable median barriers. These safety improvements included increased cable spacing, increased ; cable height, the use of four cables, increased cable tension, and optimized keyway bolts. ; For this study, one Test Level 3 (TL-3) full-scale crash test was performed on the improved high-tension, four-cable median barrier ; according to the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The cable barrier system was configured with cable heights of 13½ in. ; (343 mm), 24 in. (610 mm), 34½ in. (876 mm), and 45 in. (1,143 mm) above the ground surface The improved barrier system was ; intended to satisfy impact safety standards when placed on either a 4H:1V slope or on level terrain. Because barrier penetration was a ; prime concern, the crash test utilized a 1500A full-sized passenger sedan to impact the barrier in order to investigate the significance of ; the 10½-in. (267-mm) cable spacing. The vehicle was contained by the barrier, but significant damage occurred to the occupant ; compartment. As such, the results from the crash test did not meet the MASH impact safety standards.
  More +
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  TPF-5(091) Suppl #1 ; TPF-5(193) Suppl #20 ; TPF-5(193) Suppl #44, #45
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/25600/dot_25600_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 24.71 MB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f7da5c11b8e6a7bdaf51eb0ca7a88c8975983ea9310bcc3eee877f961c48293b8d70f95dc3e21bf8cf4132709a30e3955225c2914bb51517aa9d44eed872c292