Perforated Tension Fuse Plate for Breakaway Roadside Signs

Details

• Creators:
  Hirsch, T. J. ; Fairbanks, William L. ; Arnold, Althea G.
• Corporate Creators:
  Texas Transportation Institute. Texas A&M University
• Corporate Contributors:
  Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Friction Highways Highway Safety Laboratory Tests Plates (Engineering) Roadside Signs Tension Tests
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA/TX-85/43+343-3F
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Texas ; United States
• Edition:
  Final Report: September 1982 - October 1984
• Corporate Publisher:
  Texas Transportation Institute. Texas A&M University
• Abstract:
  One of the objectives of this research study was to improve the design details of breakaway roadside signs in order to reduce their maintenance cost. During the past few years district maintenance engineers have reported large numbers of breakaway signs flopping or falling over in windstorms or just after a long period of service. In most cases the bolted, slotted friction fuse plate became loose and gave way. The friction fuse plate was modified to make it a perforated tension fuse plate. The new tension fuse plate does not rely on bolt pretension and friction to resist wind loads. The critical section of the fuse plate is perforated with four drilled holes to weaken it to break in tension when an errant vehicle impacts the sign. Laboratory static tests were conducted to develop the design, and a full-scale vehicle crash test was conducted to verify it.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  2-18-83-343
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b1d83aa82d680e4e172d2373d1205aef0b85dd8cca916c5359a6c56cbb220f1403633c03e1c255dd2e152f98dfb24e664c5391b9702f4f5cb2077220a501f3db
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/85178/dot_85178_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.34 MB ]