United States Department of Transportation
i
Investigation and Development of a MASH Test Level 6, Cost-Effective Barrier System for Containing Heavy Tractor Tank-Trailer Vehicles and Mitigating Catastrophic Crash Events – Phase V
-
2024-08-07
-
[PDF-5.68 MB]
Details:
-
Creators:
-
Corporate Creators:
-
Corporate Contributors:University of Nebraska. Mid-America Transportation Center ; United States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program ; United States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
-
Subject/TRT Terms:
-
Publication/ Report Number:
-
Resource Type:
-
Geographical Coverage:
-
Edition:Final Report: 2021-2024
-
Corporate Publisher:
-
Abstract:U.S. roads carry a mix of motor-vehicle traffic, including motorcycles, passenger vehicles, buses, trucks, recreational vehicles, and other specialized vehicles. Occasionally, tractor-tank trailer vehicles become errant, depart their intended travel lanes, and become run-off-road events. Most highway barrier systems are not intended to prevent penetration and override by high-energy crashes with tractor-tank trailer vehicles. This multi-year, research study developed an optimized barrier to contain and redirect crashes with tractor-tank trailer vehicles under TL-6 impact conditions in AASHTO’s Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). A 62-in. tall, 5.5-degree, single-slope, concrete barrier was configured using yield-line analysis procedures and a 300-kip design lateral load distributed at two heights. The barrier system incorporated top and bottom widths of 10 in. and 22 in., respectively, and utilized a ¾-in. wide expansion gap. One crash test with an 80,026-lb 2010 Columbia 112 Freightliner tractor with 1997 LBT tank trailer was performed using a tractor-tank trailer impacting the barrier system at 51.1 mph and 15.7 degrees under MASH test 6-12. The barrier successfully contained and redirected the tractor-tank trailer without barrier penetration or override. Upon exit, the vehicle rolled 90 degrees and slid on the concrete tarmac through 6.5 seconds. The vehicle with oval-shaped tank and sloshing liquid cargo traversed the concrete tarmac and began to roll another 180 degrees, whereby crush occurred to the truck’s cab. Minimal damage occurred to the barrier system. Through 6.5 seconds, the MASH TL-6 barrier system contained and redirected the vehicle with roll onto its side and with all occupant risk criteria met. Design concepts for height transitions and alternative foundations were prepared to assist with future system implementation in high-risk areas where tractor-tank trailer vehicle protection is desired. Further discussion is recommended to determine proper crash test expectations for TL-6 barriers under high-energy impact events with round- and oval-tank trailers.
-
Format:
-
Funding:
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type:
